The 10 essential songs for summer 2023

Summer is supposed to be magical, right? It's the time when the world seems to slow down (schools close, people go on vacations, etc.) as the world also opens up to new energies and emotions. But lest we forget, this is summer in 2023, and things aren't quite as quaint and straightforward. No, our world's a lot more messy and nuanced, and so we need a playlist that captures those sentiments of fun and frivolity amid a growing hellscape. So, we've done just that — from '90s alt rock to mainstream pop, country to death metal, these songs will help commemorate our collective summer experience: hot, irritated, and trying to eke out some pleasure before everything goes sideways (again). Happy summer, y'all!

Gorgoroth, "Funeral Procession"

If you weren't aware that climate change is a real thing, just turn on the nightly news. Like every year for the last decade or so, there's continuous stories of summer heat starting earlier and earlier, and that's seemingly true for 2023. So, sure, we could pick something like Nelly's "Hot in Herre," but that track somehow makes a deadly serious problem seem fun (and sexy to boot). No, this pulverizing barrage by Norway's own Gorgoroth should wonderfully augment the pain and misery we've created for ourselves, and how nothing can ever really make the problem go away. (Even if you turn the song off, your head will ring for hours afterward.) So in that way, it's a nice kind of mea culpa — not that it'll fix any of the actual problems with climate, but at least our suffering will somehow seem even more merited.
The Darkness, "I Believe in a Thing Called Love"

You know who isn't going to have a great summer (and possibly the rest of his natural born life)? Donald Trump. Yes, the former president is facing a slew of legal challenges that could amount to actual jail time. Is it wrong to celebrate someone's downfall? Normally, yes, but this is the man who bungled COVID, birthed the MAGA Nation, and generally obliterated America's last shred of integrity on the global stage. So for that, we simply won't play "Celebrate!" by Kool & The Gang, and instead blast this triumphant little ditty from The Darkness. Sure, it's all about love, but it's equally about celebrating that which uplifts us and transforms us — and that feels like a proper way to distance ourselves from whatever influence Trump still has on our populace. That, and almost everyone can get behind sick guitar solos.
Kelis, "Caught Out There"

A.I. has been in the news lately, and it's easy to be off two minds of the topic. On the one hand, it's sort of terrifying to think this is the beginning of the robot uprising. But given some of the, how you say, lackluster applications of the technology, it seems like A.I. is more annoyance than harbinger of our apocalypse. So, it makes sense to spin something like "Caught Out Here" — Kelis is that potent mix of angry and alluring, and she's created a revenge anthem that's about kicking all the bums squarely to the curb. Could A.I. make up for its recent shortcomings? Maybe, but this "get out, loser" anthem seems more directed to the kind of people who deal with the technology and don't see an issue in, say, stealing the work of artists to kick off a future no one actually requested. Sing it with us: "I hate you so much right now!"
Greg Laswell, "Dodged A Bullet"

The news of the last couple months or so has been centered around whether or not the U.S. will default on its debt and potentially kick-off yet another global recession. Given that President Joe Biden signed a new budget into the bill that basically kicks that problem down the road to 2025, we should all be celebrating. But, in case you needed yet another reminder, the whole debt ceiling thing is our own fault, and something we could get rid of with some handy-dandy legislation. Only we likely won't ever do that, and so this mournful country ballad should be a reminder that, yeah, things are OK, but we've done this to ourselves because we're fifth-level idiots. Add in other ails — supply chain issues affecting air travel this summer — and it's nice to know that we're basically our own worst enemies.
The Association, "Windy"

After a long and awful experience, experts this past spring effectively declared COVID as "Mission Accomplished." Sure, there's some indication that we're still not out of the woods, but some celebration is called for regardless. Mainly the life-affirming kind; getting out for our first real summer like there's not a massive sledgehammer hanging over our heads. This unsung '60s pop gem seems like the perfect soundtrack for a little carefree celebration — it's about feeling good and cinematic-levels of joyousness, and that's what we might need to make room for this summer (and maybe beyond). It's not about recognizing things as perfect, but that there's a bit of magic in, to paraphrase the song itself, capturing a moment or two of brevity. Sure, "Windy has stormy eyes," but things look clear enough right now.
Cinderella, "The More Things Change"

In case you thought we'd somehow let you get off scot-free with the whole COVID thing, it's important to remind you, seriously, we're totally not out of the woods. It's not just COVID, either; there's a whole litany of diseases that could roar to life this summer, including HMPV and Lyme disease. So, let these Philadelphia hair rock legends remind you of a few things. One, we don't live in some perfect post-COVID world, and things have changed forever across the entirety of public life. And two, diseases and other ailments are always going to be an issue, and even if we have "conquered" one (we haven't!), the next big transformative public crisis is waiting in the wings. Hey, not all lessons are going to be as fun and fulfilling as the others, but at least this song still has an undeniably great chorus.
Taylor Swift, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together"

There's a good chance the ongoing WGA strike could go on into summer. If that happens, then the TV landscape's going to be one long reality show for months. (And if things are fixed? Well, it seems like a mere stop-gap in the ongoing mistreatment of creatives.) All that's why this absolute Taylor Swift jam feels so vitally important for this news story. On the one hand, it's also a song about starting a new life by changing yourself and recognizing someone else's unflinchingly terrible behaviors. However, it's also a lot harder-edged than some Swift cuts, and that just expertly proves that there's something powerful in standing your ground and swinging back against the dumb bullies of the world. Writers of the world, we wish you luck and leave you with an anthem for screaming across the picket lines.
Paul Engemann, "Push It To The Limit"

One of the bigger upsides of COVID ending is that 2023 is the time when a million artists hit the road. (That's mostly true of the fall, but it easily begins this summer.) And, yes, that's something to be really excited about; there's live entertainment as well as a chance for artists to finally make some money again. That doesn't mean, however, that it's not going to be a challenge — with so much time out in the world, you could end up stumbling into the fall an empty shell of a person. So let this perfectly '80s power ballad help you stay strong and motivated as you make your way from show to show, having fun while also staying hydrated and getting enough rest. You don't actually have to "walk along the razor's edge" this summer if you plan things out and know how to be strategic in your rock and rolling.
Doja Cat, "Juicy"

We'd mentioned earlier about issues complicating air travel. That's on top of the existing levels of insanity that come when everyone everywhere travels throughout the summer. Sure, prices might be a little better this season (or, more precisely, not entirely wallet-busting) but as 2022 proved, there's still the threat of canceled flights and lost luggage. This Doja Cat standout won't fix any of that, nor will it somehow contextualize this moment for anyone. Instead, its super catchy chorus is something to hum while waiting on a massive line, or when someone hits you in the face while stowing their carry-on. You might not be able to escape from the horrors, but it's the perfect pop nugget for building your own slice of paradise in the meantime. Unless you're flying to Ohio, or to see in-laws, then it'd be the only true sense of joy.
The Presidents of the United States of America, "Peaches"

Summer is just as much about eating as sleeping in or going out to concerts. But the various side effects of climate change (aside from destroying the planet itself) mean that certain harvests have been affected. More specifically, the commercial Dungeness crab season ended early in mid-April, and it was a brutal year for the Georgia peach crop. No, music can't actually put food on the table (unless you're, like, a commercially viable band or write jingles for Domino's), but the next best thing is songs that celebrate food. Few tunes do it like "Peaches" from PotUSA. This '90s alt rock classic recreates the slow, deliberate feeling of sucking down a sweet peach amid the muggiest and laziest of summer days. The fact that it gets so much weirder from there only proves how exciting a good meal is, and the power of music to affect the mind and body alike. Plus, at least this peach of a song will actually be available for sale.