7/17/14

SUMMER PLAYLISTICLE: Entertainment Weekly's 100 Greatest Summer Songs (1996)

Eighteen years ago next month, Entertainment Weekly published a cover story on The 100 Greatest Summer Songs.  This was their stated criteria:
They had to have been released as singles. The singles had to peak during summer months (ruling out ''Good Vibrations,'' a classic that hit in the dead of winter). More vaguely, each had to capture the breezy, loopy, head-spinning quintessence of summer.
They fudged a little by grouping more than one song at the same position (see 42, 28 and 26) so what we truly have here is the 105 Greatest Summer Songs.  (In case you're curious like HERC was, the oldest song is from 1955 and the newest two songs are from 1995 with the average year of release for the songs listed is 1972.)  Read the entire list below or scroll down to bottom of page to listen to Spotify playlist.

Which one of these three will top the list?


titleartistyear
100See You In SeptemberThe Happenings1966
99Stay (I Missed You)Lisa Loeb1994
98TennesseeArrested Development1992
97We're an American BandGrand Funk1973
96SummertimeBilly Stewart1966
95Radar LoveGolden Earring1974
94The Love You SaveThe Jackson 51970
93Handy ManJames Taylor1977
92Dancing In The DarkBruce Springsteen1984
91FunkytownLipps Inc.1980
90Yakety YakThe Coasters1958
89Summertime, SummertimeThe Jamies1958
88Kiss From A RoseSeal1995
87Macho ManThe Village People1978
86My Cherie AmourStevie Wonder1969
85SummerWar1976
84WaterlooABBA1974
83SummertimeDJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince1991
82The End of the InnocenceDon Henley1989
81San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair)Scott McKenzie1967
80Under the BridgeRed Hot Chili Peppers1992
79Wild ThingThe Troggs1966
78Hot BloodedForeigner1978
77Takin' Care of BusinessBachman-Turner Overdrive1974
76Rikki Don't Lose That NumberSteely Dan1974
75Don't You Want MeHuman League1982
74Tell Me Something GoodRufus1974
73What's Love Got to Do with ItTina Turner1984
72Unchained MelodyThe Righteous Brothers1965
71Sunny AfternoonThe Kinks1966
70I'm Still in Love with YouAl Green1972
69A Whiter Shade of PaleProcol Harum1967
68Let's Get It OnMarvin Gaye1973
67So Much in LoveThe Tymes1963
66VacationThe Go-Go's1982
65Little Red CorvettePrince1982
64Feel Like Makin' LoveRoberta Flack1974
63We Are FamilySister Sledge1979
62Fooled Around and Fell in LoveElvin Bishop1976
61KodachromePaul Simon1973
60Where Did Our Love GoThe Supremes1964
59Sea of LovePhil Phillips with the Twilights1959
58The Loco-MotionLittle Eva1962
57This Guy's In Love with YouHerb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass1968
56Can't Take My Eyes Off YouFrankie Valli1967
55All You Need Is LoveThe Beatles1967
54Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)Looking Glass1972
53Sealed With A KissBrian Hyland1962
52Philadelphia FreedomElton John1975
51The LetterThe Box Tops1967
50SledgehammerPeter Gabriel1986
49I'm Not In Love10cc1975
48You Should Be DancingThe Bee Gees1976
47Take It EasyEagles1972
46(We're Gonna) Rock Around The ClockBill Haley & his Comets1955
45Live And Let DiePaul McCartney & Wings1973
44I Got You BabeSonny & Cher1965
43Buffalo StanceNeneh Cherry1989
42Hound DogElvis Presley1956
42Don't Be CruelElvis Presley1956
41Green OnionsBooker T. & the MGs1962
40Sunshine SupermanDonovan1966
39Good TimesChic1979
38Grazing In The GrassHugh Masakela1968
37Groovin'The Rascals1967
36Spill The WineEric Burdon & WAR1970
35Stand By MeBen E. King1961
34Ramblin' ManThe Allman Brothers Band1973
33My SharonaThe Knack1979
32Miss YouThe Rolling Stones1978
31WaterfallsTLC1995
30Cruel SummerBananarama1984
29All I Wanna DoSheryl Crow1994
28The TwistChubby Checker1960
28Let's Twist AgainChubby Checker1961
27Born To Be WildSteppenwolf1968
26GreaseFrankie Valli1978
26Summer NightsJohn Travolta & Olivia Newton-John1978
26You're The One That I WantJohn Travolta & Olivia Newton-John1978
25Like A Rolling StoneBob Dylan1965
24Don't Go Breaking My HeartElton John & Kiki Dee1976
23White RabbitJefferson Airplane1967
22(They Long To Be) Close To YouThe Carpenters1970
21Go All The WayThe Raspberries1972
20Every Breath You TakeThe Police1983
19Wouldn't It Be NiceThe Beach Boys1966
18Wipe OutThe Surfaris1963
17A Hard Day's NightThe Beatles1964
16Maggie MayRod Stewart1971
15In The SummertimeMungo Jerry1970
14The MessageGrandmaster Flash & the Furious Five1982
13I Get AroundThe Beach Boys1964
12Rock The BoatThe Hues Corporation1974
11Summertime BluesEddie Cochran1958
10(I Can't Get No) SatisfactionThe Rolling Stones1965
9Hot Fun In The SummertimeSly & the Family Stone1969
8BorderlineMadonna1984
7Dancing In The StreetMartha & the Vandellas1964
6Light My FireThe Doors1967
5Under The BoardwalkThe Drifters1964
4Heat WaveMartha & the Vandellas1963
3School's OutAlice Cooper1972
2California GirlsThe Beach Boys1965
1Summer In The CityThe Lovin' Spoonful1966





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