Summer is right around the corner, and no time is better than now to find some perfect songs and albums suited for the season. From the 80s to as recent as a year ago, these songs remain timeless for their melodies that make you feel like you’re right on summers’ doorstep. We could all use a shake-up in our music tastes, so give these tracks a try!
- Timely!! – Anri
Released on December 5th, 1983, Timely!! fuses J-pop and City pop, a form of Japanese pop combining elements of jazz, R&B, and soft rock, to create an invigorating and blissful collection of songs that makes you feel as though you’re reliving nostalgic memories of a life you’ve always dreamed of living. Popular songs from Timely!!, such as “Windy Summer,” ‘I Can’t Stop The Loneliness,” and “Remember Summer Days” are perfect for a road trip to the beach, and will keep you remembering the sun and surf the whole ride home. From themes of urban romance to lost love, and the bittersweet in-between, Timely!! will have just the song for you. - Fruitcakes – Jimmy Buffett
Released on May 24th, 1994, Fruitcakes is one of many albums made by singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett, who is known for his themes of “island escapism” within his songs, expressing a desire to fly somewhere far away from all the troubles of daily life. Fruitcakes is no different, featuring many songs that make you feel like you’re on vacation in the Florida Keys, living the good life under the string lights and palm trees. While it’s one of the less popular Jimmy Buffett albums, Fruitcakes gives off the best summer vibes out of the many, being a favorite for many country fans. The upbeat title track, “Fruitcakes,” is a personal favorite, along with the calming “Apocalypso,” the energetic “She’s Got You,” and the positively melancholy “Frenchman For The Night.” - Jubilee – Japanese Breakfast
Released on June 4th, 2021, Jubilee is a wonderfully joyous mixture of alternative, dream, and indie pop. The album focuses on themes of joyfulness and love, an intentional choice after Japanese Breakfast’s previous two albums focused on grief. Jubilee is notable to me, personally, as being very uniquely composed compared to many other modern indie pop albums. The album starts with very upbeat, joyful songs, such as “Paprika” and “Kokomo, IN,” perfect while relaxing on the beach among crashing waves and people playing. However, as the album comes to an end, “Posing For Cars” is an emotional six-and-a-half-minute metaphorical goodbye to fans, with the instrumental latter section letting you soak in the emotions and lived experiences in its entirety, cementing itself in your memories as you reminisce about the summer. - This Is How Tomorrow Moves – Beabadoobee
Released on August 9th, 2024, This Is How Tomorrow Moves is a sentimental indie-rock album, with songs ranging from pleasantly relaxing to invigoratingly energetic for all of summer. Many of the songs are infectiously catchy, having unique arrangements that exemplify Beabadoobee’s emotional lyricism. The album touches on themes of adulthood, self-growth, and acceptance, expressing feelings that can feel relatable to many young adults. In particular, “Girl Song” and “This Is How It Went” express the self-growth that comes with healing from past trauma, combining elegant composition with lyrics. Additionally, This Is How Tomorrow Moves has several energetic songs to kick off your summer break with a blast, such as “California,” “Beaches,” and “Post.” - Addison – Addison Rae
Released on June 6th, 2025, Addison is a dreamy, eclectic, positively melancholic pop album that is unapologetically intimate, vulnerable, and youthful all in one. The album features multiple interludes, or short songs serving as a “palate cleanser,” offering a break between the album’s refreshing mood changes. Addison is perfect for the summer, feeling upbeat for all the hours having fun in the sun and feeling emotional for reliving the memories as the summer comes to a close. Songs like “New York” and “Money Is Everything” express the addicting sensation of feeling young and free, while “In The Rain” and “Times Like These” express feeling vulnerable and emotional, and coming to accept the hardships that come with life. Especially in the interlude “Life’s No Fun Through Clear Waters,” offering a rarely orchestral instrumental that sets itself apart from the rest of the album, indicating a tone shift into what I consider the best song in the album, “Headphones On,” a beautiful mixture of elegant composure, emotional lyricism, and a perfect end to an album like Addison.
I hope that these picks freshen up your summer and keep the season as memorable and lively as ever!
