Soundtrack of Summer

Summer is here, and as we head into Memorial Day weekend, we can officially kick off the Summer of 2024.

There’s a lot to look forward to this summer. Some key themes are going to be: NYC’s Music Month & Indie Week, Tribeca Film Festival, Cannes Lions, the BET Awards, Summer music festivals, and live sports (from the NBA Finals, to Wimbledon, to the Tyson vs Jake Paul fight, to MLB All Star Weekend and, of course, The Olympics in Paris).

For an all-encompassing list, check out this calendar our friends at Shorefire put together.

We’ll be ready for our Q2 trend report by July 1.

As weird as it sounds for me to say, the soundtrack of summer is going to be bolstered by country music . The number 1 song on the pop charts this week is Post Malone & Morgan Wallen’s “I Had Some Help,'' which is an undeniable anthem. It blends perfectly with one of my other current favorites, “Shaboozey’s “Bar Song”. Billie Eilish just dropped, so you know she’s going to be on the summer playlist. Right now, the standouts are “Lunch” and “Birds of a Feather.” Meanwhile, Kendrick’s lethal anthem “Not Like Us” quickly turned into a club banger, as did the uber catchy "BBL Drizzy". Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” (performed this week on the season finale of SNL) and Peggy’s Gou’s new jam “Lobster Telephone” are hot as hell, too.

Even if this isn’t a summer song, Zerb’s “Mwaki” still has legs and The Chainsmoker’s new jam “No Shade at Piti” makes me think of deep spring in NY and puts a smile on my face. I’m also digging Chance The Rapper’s vibe with his DJ Premier-produced new single “Together”.

Beyond genres, all of these songs are going to set the tone for Summer 2024 and become culturally attached to the aforementioned sporting events. Last year, I felt like the song of the summer was a dead concept, but this summer feels different. Certain songs are cutting through the noise.

I’m siked about albums this summer, too. Lenny Kravitz is heating up the press circuit while other legends are planning their returns, including Bon Jovi, DJ Khaled, Steve Aoki, Childish Gambino, Imagine Dragons, and Emimen. Do you think we’ll get a “Dear Summer” type verse from Jay-Z? Hov, It’s only right!

I’m working on my new Songs of The Summer 2024 mix, but it’s too soon to blend and stylize it. I'm always open to suggestions as they roll in, so please let me know what’s good!

I’m kicking things off in Miami because Memorial Day Weekend is a whole thing here. Anitta and Bad Bunny are doing shows so the beach is going to be lit. After that I may escape often as the heat, humidity, and rain season have been taxing for a northerner like myself. I’m looking forward to June in New York and July in Europe. Of course I’ll be working, reading, writing and mapping out ideas, but I also want to take some time to kick back, smoke a cigar, dip my feet in the sand, and plug in the aux. It’s time to make new memories to the soundtrack of summer.

Jesse Kirshbaum

Co-Founder of Nue