Wehavedoneaversionofthisshoweverysingleyearsince2013. And we did it in 2011. We probably even did one in 2010. (We just can’t prove it.)

So it’s a bit of a tradition. It’s a tradition that … makes some people angry, we realize.

And that has a lot to do with how we define the term “song of the summer.” We use the Amanda Dobbins definition:

Let’s be clear about how this works: There is no such thing as a “personal” song of summer. We do not anoint multiple songs of summer. There can only be one; the Song of Summer, by its very definition, is a consensus choice. It is the song that wrecks wedding dance floors. It is the song that you and your mother begrudgingly agree on (even though your mom has no idea what rhymes with “hug me” and won’t stop yelling it in public). It does not necessarily have to hit No. 1 on the charts, but it should probably be on the charts because it must be widely played. It must bring people together. It must be a shared enthusiasm.

So it’s our job here to figure out what song from 2024 will get added to the long list of song of the summer classics like “Party Rock Anthem,” “Call Me Maybe,” “Despacito,” and “Blurred Lines.”

And if we’re wrong, well, it really just won’t matter at all.

GUESTS:
Xandra Ellin: Produces The Global Story for the BBC
Sam Hadelman: Director of public relations at Dark Matter Media
Dylan Reyes: Technical producer of The Colin McEnroe Show
Brendan Jay Sullivan: A writer, producer, and DJ best known for his work with Lady Gaga

The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!

Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.

Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.

Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today.

<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/the-colin-mcenroe-show/2025-06-12/song-of-the-summer-2025">We</a> <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/the-colin-mcenroe-show/2024-06-12/our-maybe-14th-almost-annual-song-of-the-summer-show">have</a> <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/the-colin-mcenroe-show/2023-06-14/our-maybe-13th-almost-annual-song-of-the-summer-show">done</a> <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/the-colin-mcenroe-show/2022-06-08/our-maybe-12th-almost-annual-song-of-the-summer-show">a</a> <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/arts-and-culture/2021-06-09/our-10th-or-11th-almost-annual-song-of-the-summer-show">version</a> <a href="https://www.wnpr.org/post/our-9th-or-10th-almost-annual-song-summer-show">of</a> <a href="https://www.wnpr.org/post/2019-song-summer">this</a> <a href="https://www.wnpr.org/post/2018-song-summer">show</a> <a href="https://www.wnpr.org/post/2017-song-summer">every</a> <a href="https://www.wnpr.org/post/2016-song-summer">single</a> <a href="https://www.wnpr.org/post/song-summer-2015">year</a> <a href="https://www.wnpr.org/post/songs-summer-2014">since</a> <a href="https://www.wnpr.org/post/summer-songs-2013-wally-joan-and-eric-0">2013</a>. And we did it in <a href="https://www.wnpr.org/post/song-summer">2011</a>. We probably even did one in 2010. (We just can&rsquo;t prove it.)
So it&rsquo;s a bit of a tradition. It&rsquo;s a tradition that &hellip; makes some people angry, we realize.
And that has a lot to do with how we define the term &ldquo;song of the summer.&rdquo; We use <a href="http://www.vulture.com/2014/07/we-deserve-a-better-song-of-summer.html">the Amanda Dobbins definition</a>:
Let&rsquo;s be clear about how this works: There is no such thing as a &ldquo;personal&rdquo; song of summer. We do not anoint multiple songs of summer. There can only be one; the Song of Summer, by its very definition, is a consensus choice. It is the song that wrecks wedding dance floors. It is the song that you and your mother begrudgingly agree on (even though your mom has no idea <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%22what%20rhymes%20with%20hug%20me%22&amp;src=typd">what rhymes with &ldquo;hug me&rdquo;</a> and won&rsquo;t stop yelling it in public). It does not necessarily have to hit No. 1 on the charts, but it should probably be on the charts because it must be widely played. It must bring people together. It must be a shared enthusiasm.
So it&rsquo;s our job here to figure out what song from 2024 will get added to the long list of song of the summer classics like &ldquo;Party Rock Anthem,&rdquo; &ldquo;Call Me Maybe,&rdquo; &ldquo;Despacito,&rdquo; and &ldquo;Blurred Lines.&rdquo;
And if we&rsquo;re wrong, well, it really just won&rsquo;t matter at all.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>Xandra Ellin: Produces The Global Story for the BBC</li>
<li>Sam Hadelman: Director of public relations at Dark Matter Media</li>
<li>Dylan Reyes: Technical producer of The Colin McEnroe Show</li>
<li>Brendan Jay Sullivan: A writer, producer, and DJ best known for his work with Lady Gaga</li>
</ul>
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-colin-mcenroe-show/id714179884">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0AXtqrzWounIoJyIqz003p">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9b6b3cee-f69b-4729-a78b-181f851d80e8/the-colin-mcenroe-show">Amazon Music</a>, <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/The-Colin-McEnroe-Show-p1208473/">TuneIn</a>, <a href="https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-colin-mcenroe-show-connecticut-public-lXR08dxQSM5/">Listen Notes</a>, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/newsletters">Subscribe to The Noseletter</a>, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on <a href="https://facebook.com/ColinMcShow">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/colinmcshow">Twitter</a>.
Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.
Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/donate">Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today</a>.

The Colin McEnroe Show is public radio’s most eclectic, eccentric weekday program. The best way to understand us is through the subjects we tackle: Neanderthals, tambourines, handshakes, the Iliad, snacks, ringtones, punk rock, Occam’s razor, Rasputin, houseflies, zippers. Are you sensing a pattern? If so, you should probably be in treatment. On Fridays, we try to stop thinking about what kind of ringtones Neanderthals would want to have and convene a panel called The Nose for an informal roundtable about the week in culture.

<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/the-colin-mcenroe-show/about">The Colin McEnroe Show</a> is public radio’s most eclectic, eccentric weekday program. The best way to understand us is through the subjects we tackle: Neanderthals, tambourines, handshakes, the Iliad, snacks, ringtones, punk rock, Occam’s razor, Rasputin, houseflies, zippers. Are you sensing a pattern? If so, you should probably be in treatment. On Fridays, we try to stop thinking about what kind of ringtones Neanderthals would want to have and convene a panel called <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/tags/the-nose">The Nose</a> for an informal roundtable about the week in culture.