The Best Summer Songs Of All Time

Picture this you are in your garden laying on a sunbed half asleep with an alcoholic beverage & your favourite summer tunes blaring on the speaks. Life’s good without a worry in the world. Perfect times, right? That is why below we have listed the best summer tunes of all time!

These are not necessarily summer related hits, but they are definitely feel-good tunes!

Explore Our Designs

Despacito 

By Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee

"Despacito" has received various awards and nominations following its commercial success. In 2017, the original version won three awards at the 18th Latin Grammy Awards including Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Short Form Music Video

Despacito is currently sat at 7.8 billion… yep 7.8 billion views on YouTube – the 2 ^nd most viewed video of all time.

Wake Me Up 

By Avicii

‘Wake Me up’ from Avicii was so successful that it reached pole position in over twenty countries. This includes Avicii’s home country Sweden, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Australia & Ireland. The song peaked at number 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100!

It also made history by becoming the first song on Spotify to accumulate two hundred million streams.

Fast Car 

By Jonas Blue, Dakota

This pop hit from Jonas Blue’s 2015 album Blue is in fact a re-work or remix of 80s classic ‘Fast Car’ from Tracy Chapman. He original had the idea of recreating one of his mother’s favourite songs! It was also said that Jonas Blue has profound respect for Chapman & her single ‘Fast Car,’ so he worked hard to retain the mood of the song and decided not to change the key. This meant he wanted to find a female singer who could sing in a low pitch just like Tracy.

Old Town Road 

By Lil Nas X

"Old Town Road" is the debut single of American rapper Lil Nas X, first released independently in December 2018. After gaining popularity, the single was re-released by Columbia Records in March 2019. Lil Nas X also recorded a remix with American country singer Billy Ray Cyrus.

The song was certified diamond by the RIAA in October 2019 for selling ten million total units in the United States, the fastest song to be certified diamond.

We Found Love 

By Rihanna, Calvin Harris

This was Rihanna’s sixth British number 1 and featured in the UK charts six separate times. Nicole Scherzinger & Leona Lewis turned down the chance to release ‘We Found Love’ with Calvin Harris for varied reasons which allowed Rihanna to work on this song with Calvin Harris after Harris had a stint as Rihanna’s support act during the Australian leg of her tour.

It was also rumoured that actor James Franco was asked to play Rihanna’s boyfriend in the ‘We Found Love’ music video before Dudley O’Shaughnessy took the role.

Now You’re Gone 

By Basshunter

The international phenomenon ‘Now You’re Gone’ became one of the biggest selling ringtones by any artist in Europe with over one million ringtones sold… I for one was one of them. Hitting #1 in his native Sweden the song continues to grow in popularity reaching top of the charts in various European countries including Holland (This is the first ever Swedish language song to top the charts in Holland).

There are reports from the Performing Rights Society that claim this was the most downloaded and streamed track of 2008 in the UK

Summer 

By Calvin Harris

Based on the euphoria of a summertime romance, Summer from Calvin Harris was his fourth UK number 1. Despite being such a huge hit Calvin Harris is not a fan of his singing voice stating “There’s only so far you can go with a voice like mine, you know there’s a limited range…” We still loved the song though!

New Rules 

By Dua Lipa

Used as Dua’s own guide to stop people who are bad & toxic walking back into her life. Using the three core rules featured in this hit:

1: Don’t pick up the phone
2: Don’t let him in
3: Don’t be his friend

Stating as a breakup song that she wishes she had when going through her own struggles & break up.

Thanks to ‘New Rules’ taking a giant leap from #5 to #1 in the UK singles chart meant Dua become the first female solo act to reach peak position in almost 2 years!

This song was written and produced by Ian Kirkpatrick who has worked with the likes of Jason Derulo, Nick Jonas & Selena Gomes. There was also additional input from frequent Chainsmokers collaborator Emily Warren and Caroline Ailin.

Somebody That I Used to Know

By Gotye

‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ was written and produced by Gotye in his parents’ barn on the Mornington Peninsula, south-east of Melbourne. The song focuses on past relationships with one partner which ended in a messy break up and led to them hurting each other more then they needed. They both realised they had to move on and have not seen each other since.

The song was a commercial hit and topped the charts in several countries including Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. It was also the second biggest single of 2011 in Australia.

The song powered to #1 on the Hot 100 in the week following its performances on both Glee and Saturday Night Live. Gotye became the first Belgium-born act to top the Hot 100 since the Singing Nun spent four weeks at #1 with "Dominique" in 1963.

Happy

By Pharrell Williams

Despite many artists working with large teams to write their music the hit ‘Happy’ was entirely composed by Pharrell Williams. Created and recorded for animated kid’s film Despicable Me 2.

Nominated for an Oscar, ‘Happy’ from Pharrell William narrowly missed out to ‘Let It Go’ from the animated movie Frozen. He was not disheartened for too long and dropped some top-quality Dad jokes when interviewed for GQ. William’s stated " Trust me: when they read the results, my face was ... frozen, but then I thought about it, and I just decided just to... let it go. "

The song ended up picking up a Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance and Best Music Video at the 2015 ceremony.

The above are more recent hits spanning between 2000 to 2021 and will eventually become timeless classics that we will listen to for years to come. Below we have thrown it back even further and featured Summer Classics that have already stood the test of time and become loved by the masses.

School’s Out 

By Alice Cooper

This is known as Alive Cooper’s biggest hit with it reaching the top of the UK charts for three weeks. Released in the summer of 1972 ‘School’s Out’ has become an anthem for the summer! Cooper wrote this song with his guitarist Michael Bruce. At the time “Alice Cooper” was the name of the bank, not just the lead singer and all members contributed to their song writing.

Summer of 69

By Bryan Adams

Bryan Adams was only nine in the summer of 69 but as he explained in interviews the song is about looking back on memorable times and making love. For Adams ’69 was a metaphor for making love and not about the year.

This song is a staple at Bryan Adams’ concerts. Played regularly, Adams tends to start singing the first line which is followed by the audience singing the first chorus

Here Comes the Sun 

By The Beatles

George Harrison wrote this song in the garden of fellow musician Eric Clapton while using one of Clapton’s guitars. Harrison & the fellow Beatles had to focus on business affairs after their manager died in 1967. Harrison wrote “Here Comes the Sun” after attending a round of meetings. He hated business meetings and was quoted on BBC Radio “It was just sunny, and it was all just the release of that tension that had been building up on me” he claims he picked up the guitar for the first time in a couple of weeks and the first thing that came out was this song.

Inspired by the long winters in England which Harrison thought went on forever.

Explore Our Designs

If you love the above songs or have a favourite not mentioned then we can print it on a wide range of unique & beautifully designed prints, canvasses & acrylic blocks. Add your favourite song to 100’s of designs available in variety of sizes. Perfect for enhancing home décor or as a personalised gift for a loved one’s birthday, wedding, or anniversary!