Twenty Songs for a Sunshine Summer 2010
Here are the entries on my current playlist: Twenty Songs for a Sunshine Summer 2010. Before you start to question my musical sanity, allow me to preface: some of these songs are anthems in training (I challenge you not to sing along), some are so popular I had to include them, others are guilty pleasures that I’m slightly embarrassed to be listing, and a few are off-beat tunes that I can’t take off repeat. I also threw in a few old favorites, because no list would be complete without them. Now off you go- add, subtract, multiply and divide my list and find your perfect summer hit list.
Twenty Songs for a Sunshine Summer 2010
Airplanes by B.o.B. Feat. Eminem and Hayley Williams
Alejandro by Lady Gaga
All Summer Long by Kid Rock
Another Sunny Day by Belle and Sebastian
Billionaire by Travie McCoy
Bulletproof by La Roux
California Gurls by Katy Perry
Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa by Vampire Weekend
Getting Over You by David Guetta and Chris Willis, feat. Fergie and LMFAO
Hey, Soul Sister by Train
If It’s Love by Train
In My Head by Jason Derulo
In the Sun by She & Him
King of Anything by Sara Bareilles
Settlin’ by Sugarland
Smile by Uncle Kracker
Summer of ’69 by Bryan Adams
Wouldn’t it Be Nice by the Beach Boys
Young Forever by Jay Z
Your Love is My Drug by Ke$ha
Once you’ve compiled your list, figure out how to orchestrate your electronics so your personal playlist becomes the soundtrack to your summer. What good is an epic playlist if it stays in a sad folder on your iTunes and never sees the light of day? No good at all! Granted, I may over-play songs just a little bit; the word obsession does come to mind. But, a true summer soundtrack is one that you CAN and WILL play over and over. So, make sure you have ways to make your summer set list as portable as possible.
Poolside hangouts are definitely a summer staple. Whether you’re diving into the deep end or enjoying a Jacuzzi after a long day, June – August would be incomplete without some splashing. If you’re accident prone like yours truly, your electronics near water meter is probably buzzing. My advice: invest in a speaker system with a remote. It will save you time (no need to get out and dry off before changing the song) AND save you money in the long run because no one likes a wet iPod.
Beach trips are as synonymous with summer as childhood lemonade stands. However, there is one major stumbling block for the beach party sing-along: SAND. Those teeny grains of sand seem to find their way onto, into and around any surface possible. You know what that means: electronics beware. Take precautions to ensure your iPods/BlackBerrys/iPhones are all in cases. All 3 of those devices have the capacity to play your favorite tunes. But they also have the capacity to die due to sand-infiltration. If you’re really daring and decide to bring speakers to the coast, PLEASE oh please use a case. We’re going for summer sing-alongs not summer jobs to cover the cost of new electronic toys.
Driving in the car is the last, and my personal favorite, summer playlist locale. Windows down, speakers up and vocal chords warmed up: singing your heart out to your newly minted playlist is an absolute must. The speakers of your car become your back-up band, any friends riding with you will magically transform into back-up singers and you’re the lead with millions of screaming fans. What could be bad about that? Nothing at all-unless your iPod doesn’t play in your car. Get yourself a tape or an FM transmitter STAT. Your soundtrack awaits you.
