Kevin Winter/Getty Images; Christopher Polk/Getty Images; Kevin Mazur/WireImage.comAh, summer. That perfect laid back season full of pool parties and outdoor cookouts. How could you not love it?
Especially because along with bikinis and BBQs, comes music's most light-hearted, danceable jams that can make you forget about everthing and just enjoy yourself!
So grab an ice-cold drink and let's reminisce about our favorite tracks before Labor Day comes and takes summer away for good!
1. "Party Rock Anthem," LMFAO feat. Lauren Bennett and GoonRock: Alright, so this song might be a little stupid but so what, who cares! Lyrically, it's nonsensical but everyone understands exactly what to do when this song comes on: stop thinking and start shuffling. And sometimes you just need the perfect party jam that knows exactly how to get the job done.
2. "Super Bass," Nicki Minaj: First released as a bonus track on Pink Friday and then given the ok by nice girls like Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez, Nicki released "Super Bass" just in time summer! It's fun, with a challenging but totally accessible rap that anyone can learn after enough studying and then unleash their inner Minaj. And who doesn't love to show off their mad Nicki skillz?
3. "Countdown," Beyoncé: Why Queen Bey hasn't released this track as a single yet, is beyond us. But who are we to question her majesty? Except that it's just so good! The song has a little something for everyone—some funk, some dancehall, some pop, some hip-hop—and brings to mind B.'s first solo breakout, "Crazy In Love" as she reassures everyone she's still very much in love Jay-Z (like we couldn't tell at this past weekend's VMAs).
4. "Give Me Everything," Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer: It's pretty impossible to spend any time in the car without hearing this song at least twice and we're totally ok with that. The beat is perfect for the dancefloor and we love Ne-Yo's soulful vocals. And maybe sometimes we all should "grab somebody sexy, tell them 'hey'"!
5. "Pumped Up Kicks," Foster and the People: So the lyrics of this indie pop song might be a little unsettling but the music itself is all cheery and summer. The simple bass line, upbeat drums and catchy chorus all working together to make it sound like we should be running towards some body of water with our friends. In slow motion, of course.
So those are the five jams that made our summer parties worth it. We're not going to lie, we'll miss you, Summer, but it's probably for the best—it's time to gear up for more serious and contemplative songs of fall so we can get some actual work done. But before we say goodbye to our favorite carefree season, we wanna hear your faves—leave them in the comments below!