Summer vacation came and went, and while we haven’t said goodbye to warm weather yet, the University of Connecticut is back in full swing. The Life Section welcomes you back with our picks for this summer’s top hits. Maybe you’ve heard some of these blasting out of fellow students’ headphones all week, or this could be your chance to discover a hidden gem.
Maleena Muzio, she/her/hers, Life Editor, maleena.muzio@uconn.edu
When I reflect on this summer, a few artists come to mind, namely those in pop, hyper-pop and electronic categories. The newest artist on the rise to stardom in those genres this festival season into summer was Slayyyter. “CRANK” may be her most popular song and dominated energetic summer events like Pride celebrations, but in my opinion, the mid-summer single “brand new chanel$” is the song of the season.
A sequel to “BEAT UP CHANEL$,” the “brand new” version is much more emotional and euphoric, as opposed to the vogue-ish sound of its predecessor and many of the artist’s other work. If you are a fan of Ethel Cain’s “American Teenager,” you will love “brand new chanel$.” Like Cain’s hit, Slayyyter is able to encompass pain in an upbeat way. Unlike Cain’s 1980s nostalgia, Slayyyter perfectly evokes party and pop music of the early 2010s, and is able to make listeners jump, spin in circles and cry all while singing about heartbreak and moving on, which could very well go undetected if you are merely dancing along.
Jaylyn Davis, she/her/hers, Staff Writer, iue25001@uconn.edu
I listen to everything, including songs in foreign languages. One of my top songs is Céline Dion’s “Dansons.” One of Dion’s French tunes, the title translates to “Let’s Dance.” I may not speak French, but I still enjoyed listening while I was away from UConn. Dion’s vibrant vocals and jubilant melodies kept me smiling all summer long. The song is also very inspirational because it’s one of the first Dion wrote after taking a long break from singing due to complications from stiff-person syndrome.
I also loved listening to Olivia Rodrigo’s new album, “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love.” While I do not listen to Rodrigo a lot, some of her songs such as “stupid song” and “the cure” intrigued me.
Eva Nyquist, she/her/hers, Campus Correspondent, eva.nyquist@uconn.edu
My summer is typically underscored by 1980s and ‘90s songs — music by artists like Men At Work, Talking Heads and Sublime have that distinct summer beat that matches perfectly with my ideal hot, sunny summer day.
That said, this summer had some banger new releases, and I couldn’t help but be drawn in by one in particular: “stupid song” by Olivia Rodrigo. Of all the songs on her new album, “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love,” this is the one I found myself looping; it’s perfect for those late-night drives with the windows down. It’s tonally different from my aforementioned upbeat tracks, but whenever I listen to it — to any song off her new album, really — I get that unmistakable summer feeling.
Silver Bludnicki, he/him/his, Contributor, hqo24003@uconn.edu
When “Lush Life” by Zara Larson comes on, everyone begins to dance. It doesn’t matter if you’re a fan of hers or not, everyone seems to love the song.
The upbeat track was made in 2015 but resurfaced over the summer. The song also has an energetic dance that coincides with it, making it the perfect song of the summer. It’s not just the groovy moves that get you energized, but also the carefree lyrics that highlight living in the moment and pure summer positivity.
The lyrics I personally love are, “I live my day as if it was the last, live my day as if there was no past.” I feel like these lyrics mean fully embracing the present moment without letting future worries or past mistakes hold you back. The lyric “as if there was no past” highlights dropping old baggage, heartbreak and anything that doesn’t serve you right.
“Lush Life” is an amazing track to blast in a car with all the windows rolled down and brings great energy to a loud party with friends. Either way, it is easily the top song of the summer for 2026.
Hope Melk, she/her/hers, Contributor, hope.melk@uconn.edu
America’s sweetheart, Taylor Swift, fed her hungry fans yet again this summer with her catchy but deep June single “I Knew It, I Knew You.” The song, which is featured in “Toy Story 5,” alludes to the resurfacing of a nostalgic summer romance, and illustrates the unique feeling of reviving a relationship that was sustained for years by a hidden thread.
In Swift’s first country song since 2013, she describes the experience of seeing a loved one for the first time in a long time “wearing that same smile,” suggesting that neither distance, nor time can alter a strong bond. My favorite lyric of the song reminds me of both young love and the summertime, two things one must experience at the same time.
Swift says, “Parachutes for the freefall of being younger,” reminding listeners of the carefree, but reckless high you achieve from young love. The combination of a catchy tune, and Swift’s perpetual, undying ability to relate to listeners, left me glued to the radio all summer long.