The ‘Song of the Summer’ From The Year You Were Born
It seems like everyone remembers the song of the summer from their senior year of high school or the summer they met the love of their life, but all those other summers? They’re a blur. So let’s get nostalgic, shall we? Here’s a look at the top summer songs from every year going all the way back to 1959.
1959: “Lonely Boy”
Paul Anka
Anka’s first song to top the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks was “Lonely Boy.” It was featured in the film “Girls Town.”
1960: “I’m Sorry”
Brenda Lee
Lee was just 15 years old when she recorded this song.
1961: “Tossin’ and Turnin’”
Bobby Lewis
This song was featured on the soundtrack of the 1978 film “Animal House.”
1962: “Roses Are Red (My Love)”
Bobby Vinton
This song went from the reject pile at Epic Records to the top hit of the summer in 1962.
1963: “Fingertips, Pt. 2”
Stevie Wonder
The artist we know today was just 13 years old when he recorded this song.
1964: “Where Did Our Love Go”
The Supremes
This was the first of five songs by The Supremes to reach the top position on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart.
1965: “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”
The Rolling Stones
Because the lyrics were considered suggestive, this song was only played on pirate radio stations when it was released.
1966: “Wild Thing”
The Troggs
This song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2019.
1967: “Light My Fire”
The Doors
This song became the anthem for the psychedelic revolution of the 1960s.
1968: “This Guy’s in Love With You”
Herb Alpert
Known best for his trumpet playing with The Tijuana Brass, “This Guy’s in Love With You” was Alpert’s first number-one hit.
1969: “In the Year 2525”
Zager & Evans
This song was recorded in a single take in a studio located in a cow pasture in Texas.
1970: “(They Long to Be) Close to You”
Carpenters
This song features heavily in the cartoon series, “The Simpsons.”
1971: “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart”
The Bee Gees
This song was inspired by the real-life heartbreak of a breakup.
1972: “Alone Again (Naturally)”
Gilbert O’Sullivan
This song set a precedent in a 1991 court case on copyright infringement through unauthorized sampling of music.
1973: “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown”
Jim Croce
This song was inspired by a friend Croce met in the Army.
1974: “Annie’s Song”
John Denver
Denver wrote this song while on a ski lift in Aspen, Colorado.
1975: “One of These Nights”
The Eagles
This song, according to The Eagles, was about putting things off.
1976: “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”
Elton John & Kiki Dee
In 1994, John rereleased this song as a duet with American drag queen RuPaul.
1977: “I Just Want to Be Your Everything”
Andy Gibb
This song, which was Gibb’s longest-running chart single, became a gold record.
1978: “Shadow Dancing”
Andy Gibb
This disco song, the last of Gibb’s chart-topping hits, became a platinum record.
1979: “Bad Girls”
Donna Summer
This song was inspired by Summer’s assistant, who was mistakenly taken for a prostitute by a police officer.
1980: “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me”
Billy Joel
Despite being criticized by many, this song went on to become Joel’s first number one single in the U.S.
1981: “Jessie’s Girl”
Rick Springfield
This song had a slow climb to the top, taking 19 weeks to get there.
1982: “Eye of the Tiger”
Survivor
This song served as the theme song for the movie Rocky III.
1983: “Every Breath You Take”
The Police
Sting wrote this song in Jamaica, at James Bond author Ian Fleming’s desk.
1984: “When Doves Cry”
Prince
Many television executives thought the video for this song was too explicit for television.
1985: “Shout”
Tears for Fears
Many don’t realize it, but this song is about political protest.
1986: “Papa Don’t Preach”
Madonna
As always, Madonna polarized opinions with this song, as many felt she was advocating teen pregnancy.
1987: “Alone”
Heart
This song was a global hit, making top charts in Ireland, Belgium, Norway, and West Germany.
1988: “Roll with It”
Steve Winwood
This song was featured in the movies “Nuns on the Run” and “Short Time” in 1990.
1989: “Right Here Waiting”
Richard Marx
Marx wrote this song as a love letter to his wife while she was shooting a film in South Africa.
1990: “Vision of Love”
Mariah Carey
Carey has performed this song at nearly every one of her concerts and tours.
1991: “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You”
Bryan Adams
This was the lead single for the film “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.”
1992: “Baby Got Back”
Sir Mix-a-Lot
The music video for this song was briefly banned by MTV.
1993: “Can’t Help Falling in Love”
UB40
Originally sung by Elvis Presley, this was listed as one of the greatest songs of all time by Rolling Stone.
1994: “I Swear”
All-4-One
In addition to being an R&B hit, this was also a country hit sung by John Michael Montgomery.
1995: “Waterfalls”
TLC
This was the first number-one hit song to refer to AIDS.
1996: “Macarena”
Los Del Rio
The Bayside Boys mix of this song sparked a dance craze that infected every club and wedding for years.
1997: “I’ll Be Missing You”
Puff Daddy & Faith Evans, featuring 112
This song was a dedication to the rapper The Notorious B.I.G. after his death.
1998: “The Boy Is Mine”
Brandy & Monica
This song sold 2.6 million copies in 1998.
1999: “Genie in a Bottle”
Christina Aguilera
Many people don’t know this, but Aguilera sang a Spanish version of this song called “Genio Atrapado.”
2000: “Bent”
Matchbox Twenty
This was the band’s first and only time to top the Billboard Hot 100.
2001: “U Remind Me”
Usher
This song hit the top charts in the U.S., Australia, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the U.K.
2002: “Hot in Herre”
Nelly
As part of a publicity campaign, the San Francisco radio station Hot 105.7 played this song on continuous rotation for 72 hours.
2003: “Crazy in Love”
Beyoncé featuring Jay Z
This song features a rap verse from Beyoncé’s now-husband, Jay Z.
2004: “Confessions Part II”
Usher
This song is the story of a man confessing about his pregnant mistress.
2005: “We Belong Together”
Mariah Carey
This song was part of Carey’s 10th album.
2006: “Promiscuous”
Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland
This was Furtado’s first number-one single in the U.S.
2007: “Umbrella”
Rihanna featuring Jay-Z
The music video for this song won an MTV Video of the Year.
2008: “I Kissed a Girl”
Katy Perry
This was the 10th best-selling single in the 21st century.
2009: “I Gotta Feeling”
Black Eyed Peas
This is the most downloaded song on the iTunes store of all time.
2010: “California Gurls”
Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg
This song was number one in 8 different countries in 2010.
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