Written by Maya Davison
Illustrated by Jessica Chan
We all love to soundtrack our lives, whether that’s pretending to be in the Hogwarts library while studying to a dark academia playlist, or spiralling about a soul-wrenching crush to songs that perfectly articulate that dizzying feeling. My personal soundtrack takes shape in transitory, fleeting moments, with songs becoming inextricably intertwined with specific memories and eras.
Summer is one of those moments, and an old playlist can transport us back in time. It’s very hard to put a whole season into one playlist, and the past few months have personally been very eventful, but I have tried to put it into 15 tracks.
Here are all the songs that I have had on repeat, tried to get out of my head but couldn’t, and that encapsulate the warmer months,. A complete menagerie, it includes including familiar big hits, smaller songs to add to your playlists, and tracks worth rediscovering. This is my Summer 2026 in Song:
The vibe: Watching a sunset on Primrose Hill with your friends, having a picnic.
Favourite lyric: “Some left but the right ones stay / A good end to a Saturday”
For Fans Of (FFO): Tiny Habits, Lizzy McAlpine, Phoebe Bridgers
The vibe: Late night drivesDriving at night, screaming out the window with your friends.
Favourite lyric: “Oh, I hope you’re happy now / ‘Cause I won’t stick around”
FFO: Ryan Beatty, ROLE MODEL, The 1975
The vibe: Girls’ night in with your besties.
Favourite lyric: “I’d rather be a nobody than to be like everyone.”
FFO: Charli xcx, Addison Rae, Slayyyter
