The Philadelphia Globe Sounds Off On Our Favorite 2020 Summer Songs

The Philadelphia Globe Sounds Off On Our Favorite 2020 Summer Songs

“The Philadelphia Globe Sounds Off,” is a series that brings together our staff to talk about things we love! Since September has arrived and summer is winding down, this week we’re sounding off on our favorite songs of Summer 2020 that encompass what a strange year it has been so far:

Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande – ”Rain on Me”

Being that Gaga recently snatched this year’s VMAs crown with her nine-minute Chromatica infused set and multiple Moon Man wins, her Billboard chart topping collaboration with Ms. Grande is without a doubt the summer music fire that keeps us going. And with the lyric, “I’d rather be dry, but at least I’m alive,” Ms. Germanotta certainly gets what we’re exactly going through with her RedOne helmed banger, and we’ll be jumping for joy because of it well into the fall and beyond. 

It’s in my humble former DJ opinion that summer anthems are like potato chips and you simply can’t have just one. That’s why I’m picking two pairs of dynamic divas who truly wiped the competitive summer music dance floor clean (using a mop and bucket, perhaps…) with their respective sun-kissed jams from this weird summer. 

Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion – ”WAP”

Then let’s face it…”WAP” is just that bop. Besides, who doesn’t love an empowering diva anthem featuring two red-hot spitstresses’ just doing their own thing? We bow down to you, Ms. Cardi B and Meghan Thee….oh, how we bow down. –Patrick DeMarco 

Waxahatchee – “Can’t Do Much”

Quarantine: the word that will always define the summer of 2020 for me. Not being able to leave the house, watching the news (and the Sopranos), taking care of our new dog… At the end of the day, not physically doing much at all. Yeah, I tried to stay as creative as possible and we had to take that dog on walks everyday, but we just couldn’t GO anywhere. No song will remind me of this time more than “Can’t Do Much,” a buoyant and drifting single from Waxahatchee’s Saint Cloud, which was released right before everything was shut down. –Tyler Asay 

Haim – “The Steps”

The retro, LA rock riff that opens Haim’s “The Steps,” is like coming up for air after diving into a sun glittered pool. HOW REFRESHING. Danielle Haim takes a cue from Joe Walsh with her rippin’ guitar playing. Woman In Music Pt. III has been the soundtrack to my summer. “The Steps,” serves as the overarching theme throughout the record. Check it out here. –Kevin McCall 

Gerard Way (feat. Judith Hill) – “Here Comes The End”

Gerard Way’s contribution to The Umbrella Academy soundtrack ponders the end of the world by dropping imagery like broken masks, World War III, and riot squads. Despite bemoaning our finale, this Stones-y rocker is defiant in the face of the apocalypse. Way and Judith Hill sing “Here to tell ya/well, that it’s time to stand up/’cause we won’t give in/well, yeah everybody gets through this.”

The arrangement on the track slays too. The driving rhythm and guitar plants a hopeful vibe that shows listeners a light at the end of the 2020 tunnel. In a summer where so much has gone wrong, “Here Comes The End” is the anthem to help us through tough times. –John Saeger 

Miley Cyrus – “Midnight Sky”

I was late to the Miley Cyrus party – for a while I thought she was more image than substance. However, her recent releases like “Slide Away,” and “Mother’s Daughter” showcase her confidence, individuality and an emotional vulnerability – and they also are just high-quality songs. “Midnight Sky” also follows this trend. The 80s inspired synth-pop track is about celebrating your independence and thriving, not surviving. It’s a message we could all use in 2020. –Lauren Silvestri

Jaden – Falling for You feat. Justin Bieber (Official Visualizer)

I believe Jaden Smith represents the future of authentic pop music. Free of limitations, changing genres from track to track while maintaining the story. Falling for You is a jazz pop collaboration with Justin Bieber. From a purely technical standpoint this song is refreshing to hear three distinct chord changes come together and to hear both artists sing in such an authentic way. I am a big fan of the horn section. Given the back catalogue of both artists, this track shows that there is still a lot to explore for the future of Jaden and Bieber musical catalogue. -Brian Walker 

Perfume Genius – “On the Floor”

I had heard about Perfume Genius for a while — and even chanced upon him opening for a Belle and Sebastian concert once — but it wasn’t until “On the Floor” fatefully turned up on my Spotify radio that I fell in love with his sound. The track feels like swimming in nostalgia while restlessly trying to break loose. There’s incredibly synergy in its sonic elements, from the buzzing bass line to a wonderfully chic rhythm, and it straddles that fine line of danceability tinged with just a waft of sorrow. Great for solo dance parties in my room during socially distant times. –Kelly Liu