"It has to have some tempo, it has to have some energy," said Sean Ross, vice president of music and programming at Edison Media Research, which surveys the radio industry. "It has to have sort of a breezy feel to it." Chart-topping, head-bopping examples range from the Lovin' Spoonful's 1966 ode to skirt-chasing, "Summer in the City," to Coolio's "Fantastic Voyage," which the Grammy-winning rapper took in 1994.
Will Smith made a seasonal statement in 1991 with his hot-weather hit "Summertime." The actor-rapper sets a happy-go-lucky scene, waxing nostalgic about "the smell from a grill" and advising listeners to "break to ya crib, change your clothes once more/Cause you're invited to a barbecue that's starting at 4." The song is successful because it paints an inviting picture of summer, said singer Fergie.
Further, it has another essential ingredient: a relaxed vibe. "In the summertime, I think it's chillin', not really so much fast-paced," the solo act and frontwoman for the Black Eyed Peas recently told The Associated Press. "It's more of a laid-back joint for me.
" The Barbados-born Rihanna, who has a No. 1 smash with rock-tinged jam "Umbrella," said songs that hit big during the season can be on the slower side yet remain upbeat. Her example: Mariah Carey's 2005 comeback single "We Belong Together," a bittersweet and bouncy ballad about a woman pining for an ex-boyfriend.
"It has to be very melodic and catchy," Rihanna told the AP. "You know, songs that people want to sing along to while they're driving in the car. They just wanna turn it up, they just wanna hear it in the club, they just want to party to it all summer long.
" In this day and age, a slickly produced, sexually-charged sound is a big part of what makes a song popular during the summer, said music producer Danja. Take note, would-be hit-makers: Danja worked with Timbaland on "SexyBack" and "Promiscuous," two of the sexiest, most hook-laden tracks of 2006. "It's the summertime, and that's how everybody is feeling sexy and promiscuous," he said.
Yet another Timberlake tune, "Summer Love," is rising on the charts this summer. "It's a good summer song because it feels good," said Danja. "There's the feeling how people meet over the summertime and springtime, how people find love over the summer.
A lot of people break up over the same time so they can be promiscuous through the summer." The warm temperatures, however, summon canoodling couples as well as singles on the prowl to the local parks and watering holes. As the heat rises, so does the libido.
Which means the music becomes more flirtatious, easy-breezy and, well ...
Although the biggest hits may continue ruling the radio through the fall, their impact hits hardest and burns brightest in July or August. So which song will define this summer? With Labor Day several weeks away, it's a tad too soon to tell.
For now, we can stand under Rihanna's "Umbrella." "It has to have some tempo, it has to have some energy," said Sean Ross, vice president of music and programming at Edison Media Research, which surveys the radio industry.
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