Songs of the Summer 2018

[Gary]

Song Of the Summer Showdown: Drake, Ariana Grande, Cardi B and More Battle For the 2018 Title

5/18/2018 by Trevor Anderson , Lyndsey Havens




The annual Song of the Summer chart tracks the 20 biggest hits on the Billboard Hot 100 -- based on airplay, streams and digital sales -- in a race that spans Memorial Day to Labor Day. Despite Drake’s “Nice for What” losing its No. 1 spot to Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” on the May 19 chart, “Nice” remains a contender among other standouts -- and some dark horses.

Drake, “Nice for What”

The track has already posted four weeks atop the Hot 100 and has been the top streaming song in the United States for four out of five weeks, adding to Drake’s titanic 2018. He’s the only one on this list to have scored a Song of the Summer, with “One Dance” in 2016, and with new album Scorpion due in June, he has laid down the gauntlet to rule again.

Ariana Grande, “No Tears Left to Cry”

Grande’s comeback hit, “No Tears Left to Cry,” blasted onto the Hot 100 at No. 3, marking her ninth top 10 and tying her career-best Hot 100 debut alongside “Problem,” which spent 16 weeks in the top 10 of the chart. The Max Martin-produced “No Tears” also debuted at No. 1 on Digital Song Sales and No. 5 on Streaming Songs.



Shawn Mendes, “In My Blood”

The song dropped following its debut at No. 22 on the Hot 100, but it’s rising again, 36-27, in its eighth week. The radio-approved Mendes (with three top 10 titles on Radio Songs preceding “Blood”) continues to find a warm reception on airwaves as “Blood” moves 16-14. And with a new self-titled LP coming May 25, its trajectory could accelerate.

Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa, “One Kiss”

A dark horse, given its modest No. 62 debut on the Hot 100, but don’t count it out. The tune sails 61-49 in its fifth week, and has promising gains in all three chart metrics: up 8 percent in streaming, 14 percent in sales and 15 percent in radio.

Ray Parker Jr. with "Ghostbusters" cast Harold Ramis, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson in the single's 1984 music video.
Read More
The 100 Biggest Summer Songs of All Time: A Complete List

Cardi B featuring Bad Bunny & J Balvin, “I Like It”

Though not an official single (yet), “I Like It” debuted at No. 8 on the Hot 100 due to massive streaming after Cardi’s Invasion of Privacy dropped in April. The tune is No. 10 on Streaming Songs, and a rumored video suggests that “Like” could be Cardi’s summertime single.

Ella Mai, “Boo’d Up”

The breezy DJ Mustard-helmed track -- Mai’s first Hot 100 hit -- rockets 37-17 on the current chart, pushed by a 40-17 explosion on the Streaming Songs tally. The newcomer’s breakthrough hit has support from radio, too, as it holds at No. 4 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, behind three Drake hits: “Nice for What,” “God’s Plan” and a featured turn on BlocBoy JB’s “Look Alive.”

-- TREVOR ANDERSON





WHAT ELSE?
A handful of coming albums may pack last-minute songs to rule after Memorial Day.

BTS, Love Yourself: Tear (May 19)



The K-pop superstars’ “MIC Drop” hit No. 4 on Billboard’s Digital Song Sales chart last December, priming BTS for continued global success in 2018. The act begins a world tour in August, including six North American dates.

Kanye West, TBA (June 1)




West had a Song of the Summer contender with his 2009 feature on Keri Hilson's “Knock You Down,” and in 2011 after guesting on Katy Perry’s remixed “E.T.” Though reactions to “Lift Yourself” and “Ye vs. the People” were lukewarm, Yeezy is one for surprises.

Christina Aguilera, Liberation (June 15)





The pop icon last had a Song of the Summer winner in 1999, with her self-titled debut’s single “Genie in a Bottle.” The hip-hop-influenced new track “Accelerate” teases an unexpected direction that could put her back on top.

Nicki Minaj, Queen (June 15)


With still-growing singles “Barbie Tingz” and “Chun-Li,” Minaj has a shot, especially since she nearly hit the top twice: in 2011 with “Super Bass,” and in 2012 with “Starships.”

Troye Sivan, Bloom (August)



Though he has yet to release a contender, Sivan proved his potential with 2018 single “My My My!” hitting No. 80 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 24 on Pop Songs.

-- LYNDSEY HAVENS

[Au$tin]

It's definitely "Nice for What" versus "This Is America" to top the list this year. The only other possibly contenders I feel are "I Like It" if it has a video with strong views or a potential new Rihanna track.

[Deleted]

I hope it’s I Like It. If not, so be the next Drake song.

[g8erboi]

In an ideal world, Sit Next To Me would be it.

[Mayman]

I can't imagine In My Blood even being a contender.

[Abbaschand]

Great. BTS is a contender. Now, the ARMY won't close their freaking mouth.

[𝓲𝓽'𝓼.𝓰𝓿]

May 18, 2018 18:44:55 GMT -5 Abbaschand said:

Great. BTS is a contender. Now, the ARMY won't close their freaking mouth.

Fake Love has a chance of Top 10 I guess

[Deleted]

May 18, 2018 13:41:57 GMT -5 g8erboi said:

In an ideal world, Sit Next To Me would be it.

Yes, yes, yes and more yes. SNTM is one of the best songs of the year and FTP definitely needs recognition for more than just a song about a school shooting.

May 18, 2018 18:44:55 GMT -5 Abbaschand said:

Great. BTS is a contender. Now, the ARMY won't close their freaking mouth.

we can always kill ourselves. it's the only option.

[Deleted]

Sangria Wine maybe
It is being performed this weekend at the BBMA's and very summery

[leonagwen]

May 18, 2018 14:28:41 GMT -5 Mayman said:

I can't imagine In My Blood even being a contender.

It very well could be. It's one of those songs that's been quietly moving up.

[Someone]

May 18, 2018 18:44:55 GMT -5 Abbaschand said:

Great. BTS is a contender. Now, the ARMY won't close their freaking mouth.

Think positive, maybe if it’s big..: they’ll stop asking “Where’s BTS” every single week on the Early Release vids

[Kologne]

What is this Lyndsey Havens thinking though? :')
No Post Malone in the article? That's weird considering that Better Now is doing much better in streaming than any song picked except Drake's
The most relevant picks for now seems to be :
- Drake, Nice For What
- Post Malone - Better Now
- Cardi B - I Like It
- Childish Gambino - This Is America

Regarding One Kiss and No Tears, I think that their streams will decrease by the time, so...

[willapted33]

hopefully it'll be This is America or Nice For What

or even more hopefully a Rocky or Travis unreleased track

[filthy]

I don't think it is going to be an urban song

[dynamac]

I think Done For Me might have a shot if it gains at the right time because of how upbeat it is

[imbondz]

Not sure I could care any less about the songs of summer chart. Even less than the bubbling under chart.

[85la]

^ I tend to agree. Since it only covers three months, it's very predictable to see where each song will ultimately rank, especially if one song is #1 almost the whole time, like last year with Despacito. And they make such a big deal out of it, coming out with a recap article like every week with such an air of mystery, like "So this week Despacito is #1 for an 8th week.... for a 10th week... a 12th week... Which will be the #1 Song of the Summer? Find out in our final reveal next Tuesday at 12pm Eastern!!!" Yeah, no sh*t it's gonna be Despacito, lmao.

[Gary]

Apple Music's 2018 Songs of the Summer Playlist Includes Cardi B, BTS, Shawn Mendes & More
News
By Shanté Honeycutt | May 24, 2018 5:57 PM EDT


Summer is rapidly approaching and while time will tell what songs reign supreme during the season, Apple Music has unleashed its list of contenders with the 2018 Songs of the Summer playlist.

The playlist rounds up 41 hits from the genres of pop, dance, hip-hop, and R&B that fit the mood of the summertime. Chart-toppers such as Cardi B’s fiery track "I Like It" and the Childish Gambino banger "This Is America" are on the list, as is the sultry Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa collaboration "One Kiss" and BTS' new smash "Fake Love." Khalid appears on the playlist three times with his summer-friendly collabs with Shawn Mendes ("Youth"), Normani ("Love Lies"), and 6LACK and Ty Dolla $ign ("OTW") -- all of which have been making waves on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the last few months.

Boo'd Up of the Summer playlist also includes a few recurring themes like traveling, good times, and romance. Whether you plan to be "Boo'd Up" or riding "Solo," get ready for fun in the sun

[Leo ✔]

Boo'd Up for song of the summer. Period!

[blanksnake17]

Delicate will be the song of the summer!!

[rfucom]

Better now

[dynamac]

Also don’t sleep on Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD

[Raccoon]

New Light John Mayer!!!

[filthy]

May 26, 2018 9:04:22 GMT -5 Raccoon said:

New Light John Mayer!!!

YESYEs it's SOOO good

[Zach]

May 18, 2018 13:41:57 GMT -5 g8erboi said:

In an ideal world, Sit Next To Me would be it.

This. Unfortunately even if it started to blow up now it'd probably become big too late in the summer to challenge for the Song of the Summer crown.

[owenlovesmusic]

I think if Post Malone makes a MV for Better Now and releases it as a single, it could possibly be a song of the summer.

[chartslovergermany]

May 25, 2018 22:42:56 GMT -5 blanksnake17 said:

Delicate will be the song of the summer!!

yes please :)

[feoba]

Hopefully Rihanna decides to release and single handily save summer 2k18

[J. Rob]

I love Boo'd Up so much. Lol

[blanksnake17]

May 26, 2018 18:44:41 GMT -5 feoba said:

Hopefully Rihanna decides to release and single handily save summer 2k18

Hopefully something poppy.