What Makes a Song The Song of the Summer?

2015 CONTENDERS

“SEE YOU AGAIN” BY WIZ KHALIFA FEAT. CHARLIE PUTH

“CHEERLEADER” BY OMI

“WANT TO WANT ME” BY JASON DERULO

“BAD BLOOD” BY TAYLOR SWIFT FEAT. KENDRICK LAMAR

“TRAP QUEEN” BY FETTY WAP

“SHUT UP AND DANCE” BY WALK THE MOON

LONGEVITY

The song blew up in April after being featured in Furious 7, now the fourth highest-grossing movie of all time worldwide

It was first released in Jamaica in 2012, but a remix from German DJ Felix Jaehn gave the song new life in 2015

A beat this bubbly meant a quick rise to the top after the song’s March debut–it’s the most-added track in Top 40 radio history

The song, which many fans believe is a slam against Katy Perry, was included on Swift’s 1989 album last fall; she unveiled a hip-hop remix in May

This ode to a drug dealer’s better half surfaced last spring before getting a rerelease in December

The new wave–inspired sleeper hit premiered last June but really took off this spring

CHART ACTION

Nine of the past 11 songs of the summer went to No. 1; of that group, six did so by the first official day of summer

It ended the 14-week reign of “Uptown Funk” at No. 1 and is back at the top spot after being briefly bumped by Taylor Swift

It has just reached No. 4 in the U.S., but it already topped the charts in several other countries

It’s Derulo’s sixth Top 10 hit (now sitting at No. 7) and his second song of the summer contender after last year’s “Wiggle”

A star-studded video helped it become Swift’s fourth No. 1 single, but Wiz Khalifa took back the throne a week later

The New Jersey rapper’s first-ever Billboard Hot 100 entry peaked at No. 2 but has since slipped

It’s currently No. 5 on the Hot 100 but has reached the top position on three different rock charts

SOCIAL POWER

It set the record for the most-streamed track in a single day on Spotify in the U.S.

According to music-ID app Shazam, this song is destined for No. 1 based on data from its 100 million users

In a marketing twist, the music video premiered on the dating app Tinder

The video garnered more than 20 million views on Vevo in 24 hours, beating Nicki Minaj’s record

The song spawned an Instagram meme as well as numerous covers and spoofs on the video app Vine

A fan-made video mashing up the song with dance scenes from classic movies went viral

HISTORY TELLS US …

A film soundtrack hasn’t spawned a song of the summer since 1991, with Bryan Adams’ “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You”

Any song that evokes sunshine is welcome during this time (see: Katy Perry’s “California Gurls,” Magic!’s “Rude”)

It’s a guy’s turn: with few exceptions, the past 11 songs of the summer have alternated between male and female artists

Collaborations between singers and rappers have made up seven of the past 11 songs of the summer

Vine popularity has turned year-old rap songs into hits before: the Finatticz’s “Don’t Drop That Thun Thun!” went viral in 2013

A rock band hasn’t had the song of the summer since Smash Mouth hit a home run with “All Star” in 1999

HALL OF FAME

PAST SONGS OF THE SUMMER

2014

“Fancy” Iggy Azalea

2013

“Blurred Lines” Robin Thicke

2012

“Call Me Maybe” Carly Rae Jepsen

2011

“Party Rock Anthem” LMFAO

2010

“California Gurls” Katy Perry

2009

“I Gotta Feeling” The Black Eyed Peas

2008

“I Kissed a Girl” Katy Perry

2007

“Umbrella” Rihanna

2006

“Crazy” Gnarls Barkley

2005

“We Belong Together” Mariah Carey

2004

“Yeah!” Usher

NOTE: SINCE 2010, BILLBOARD HAS NAMED A SONG OF THE SUMMER BASED ON A SEASONAL CHART THAT USES HOT 100 DATA. SOURCES: BILLBOARD; ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY; THE WIRE