2026 Song of the Summer Forecast: 5 Tracks to Watch
June is here, which means summer is here, and with that comes my favorite yearly question. What is going to be the song of the summer?
Now, we won’t officially know the answer until September, especially with all the new releases we are still waiting for, but there are five songs that I feel are ready for your 2026 summer playlist!
“Bangaranga” — DARA
Fresh off of my newest obsession, Eurovision, DARA’s “Bangaranga” is stuck in my head. Out of the millions of views on YouTube, I am probably half of them. If you haven’t seen Eurovision before, it’s basically the World Cup of music in Europe, where nearly 40 European countries go head-to-head to find the next big hit. Eurovision is the same competition that gave us ABBA, Celine Dion, Måneskin, and so many more. Could DARA be the next global star? Check out her performance from the finals, and maybe you’ll be impatiently waiting for next year’s Eurovision with me!
“I Just Might” — Bruno Mars
Speaking of things going on in Europe, Bruno Mars is currently in the middle of his first tour in almost 10 YEARS with the release of his album “The Romantic.” Not only did this album give us the feel of classic Bruno, but we also got to see a lot of new experimentation from him in various different styles. While we wait for him to make his first U.S. stop at MetLife Stadium, you might catch me on the highway with my windows down, and this song blasting.
“Stateside” — PinkPantheress & Zara Larsson
Zara Larsson has had a HUGE resurgence here in the U.S. after “Lush Life” started trending on TikTok, then we got the release of “Midnight Sun,” and then finally this collab with PinkPantheress that Team USA’s Alysa Liu skated to at the Olympics this year. I first remember hearing this song when PinkPantheress dropped the demo for this song last summer which was already so catchy, then Zara Larsson got added to it and it made the song feel so much bigger. Some people might be sick of this song by the end of the summer, but I’m gonna be dancing my heart out til’ the dawn!
“The Cure” — Olivia Rodrigo
Olivia Rodrigo has proved that not every summer song needs to have sunshine and beach days. Sometimes the summer needs a little bit of drama, some heartbreak, and a song that can be your own personal movie soundtrack. “The Cure” is exactly that. Olivia has always had a way of making heartbreak sound like something you still want to scream along to, and this song is no different!
“Boston” — Stella Lefty
Every summer playlist needs a rising artist that you can introduce your friends to before everyone knows them. “Boston” from Stella Lefty is one of the many songs I found on TikTok before suddenly hearing it more and more. But unlike other songs I scroll past and never hear again, this one eventually found its way onto my playlist, and it’s one of the few songs I never even consider skipping. Maybe it’s because I am finding a soft spot for country music. Or maybe it’s because this song is going to keep you coming back all summer long.
Final Forecast
Will one of these become the official song of the summer? I guess we’ll find out in September. Until then, I’ll be keeping all five in rotation, probably with the windows down and the volume way higher than it needs to be.