Soundtrack Your Summer!

Ever felt like winter was endless? Like summer would never come? Trying to get through this last stretch of the winter is difficult with so much on your mind. Finals, work, friends, and most importantly: summer. I've compiled a list of some of my favorite bright and summery albums to soundtrack your summer and drive you to finish out this school year!

JENNIE's Ruby 

JENNIE, known formally as Kim Jennie, rose to stardom through her Korean pop group, BLACKPINK. Following a long career with the girls, she stepped out to pursue a solo career. Her debut album, Ruby, was released in March of 2025 and is definitely where you’re sure to find your confidence anthem for the summer. The tracklist has zero skips and something for everyone. 

A song that has become somewhat iconic is the catchy, bold, “like JENNIE.” After hearing it, you’ll wanna rock like JENNIE too. A similar track is “Mantra”, an anthem for confidence. That song shows you what it is to be poised and makes you feel untouchable. In contrast to this is the mellow and smooth track “Seoul City.” It’s a style she doesn’t usually work with, but the slower sound meshes well with her style. A song to blast when driving around with your friends would be “ExtraL” with witty rapper Doechii. Combining Doechii’s lyricism with JENNIE’s impeccable rap flow puts together the perfect track. Speaking of other artists, this album features the talents of Dua Lipa, Childish Gambino, Kali Uchis, Dominic Fike, and, as aforementioned, Doechii. This album is bold, strong, sassy, and the perfect album for your hot girl summer. 

Bad Bunny's DeBí TiRAR Más FOToS

Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, known best by his stage name Bad Bunny, has caught the attention of fans internationally. At this year's Grammy Awards, he took home three trophies and was coming off six nominations total. His album DeBí TiRAR Más FOToS was released in January 2025 and has had fans blasting it ever since.

The album opens with NUEVAYoL, a salsa and urbana-inspired track that is sure to have you dancing and singing along with its catchy hook. This song features a variety of instruments, with a highlight on the mixed horns and drums. VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR changes the vibes with a more electronic style beat that features his smooth rap flow. Another notable track is BAILE INoVIDABLE, a salsa-style track written as a tribute to Bad Bunny’s Puerto Rican heritage. One of the final tracks is EoO with a reggaeton beat, sure to be stuck in your head. Right before the album's closer is DtMF, or the acronym for the project’s title, DeBí TiRAR Más FOToS. This song is more of a nostalgic feel, and Bad Bunny describes instances such as wishing he had taken more photos and lived the moment while he was in it. This very album was nominated and given the award for Album of the Year at the Grammys and is a perfect place to look for summer songs. 

Leon Thomas’ MUTT

Leon Thomas rose quickly, winning a Grammy this year to place alongside several of his acting credits. Although his music is newer, you might recognize him from shows like Victorious or The Lion King on Broadway. MUTT came out in September of 2024 and has incredible vibes on every track.

This album opens with the snappy, high bpm song appropriately titled HOW FAST. However, Thomas quickly switches the vibes to a more mellow feeling. With songs like LUCID DREAMS featuring fellow R&B singer Masego, the feel is smoother and more relaxing. This sound is the prevalent one on the album, but is manipulated by Thomas to make every track distinct. On that same note, YES IT IS has a jazzier tone with the slick piano underneath his fluid flow. He finishes the album with a personal favorite of mine, the titular MUTT. It is a classic R&B track that combines both his impressive flow and beautiful vocals. To further the experience, he’s got features such as Wale, Ty Dolla $ign, Baby Rose, and Freddie Gibbs. This album is the best for a chill night in the pool or a summer road trip with friends. 

Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving 

Olivia Dean is everyone’s favorite pop girl right now. Her breakout hits brought her all the way to the Grammys and to winning several awards. The Art of Loving came out in September of 2025 and is the perfect mix of mellow and upbeat. Her smooth vocals on the bright instrumentals are sure to suit a sunny day. 

Dean begins the tracklist with the upbeat Nice To Each Other which has easily one of the best hooks on the album. It’s followed by another standout track, So Easy (To Fall In Love) which has become a fan favorite. In between these brighter songs come her more mellow side, like Let Alone The One You Love or Something Inbetween. The song many of you have likely heard of hers is the groovy Man I Need. With its playful lyrics and smooth guitar, it has many fans singing and dancing along. Nearing the end of the album, Dean gives us yet another standout track with Baby Steps. This song ropes you in with its repeating, simple hook and upbeat vibe. The album finishes with the gentle melody of I’ve Seen It and highlights how important it is to love yourself above all things. She closes out the album with a reflection on love and its varying forms throughout her life. Olivia Dean deserves all the recent recognition she’s getting and could be the perfect artist to soundtrack your summer. 

Sabrina Carpenter's Short n’ Sweet

With her charming personality and witty wordplay, Sabrina Carpenter has stolen the hearts of fans everywhere. Sabrina has been making music since 2015, but her popularity surged greatly with her 2021 album: emails i can’t send. Short n’ Sweet was released in August 2024 and had everyone singing along. Her playful style and catchy tracks are the best for a beach day or a girls' night out. 

The album begins with the smooth guitar line of Taste and is followed by Sabrina’s prayers in Please Please Please. If you're looking for a more upbeat and fun track, songs like Good Graces or her smash hit Espresso are perfect for you. However, this album does feature some more acoustic songs and sad tracks. These include Slim Pickins and one of my personal favorites, her acoustic track, Lie to Girls. Sabrina finishes the tracklist with a slower song, Don’t Smile, which is the perfect closer to this album. She’s got melodies that are hard to get out of your head and lyrics you are sure to be singing even after the song is over. Sabrina Carpenter’s album is the perfect one to round out this winter and welcome a sweet summer.