Music

The Post’s Top 10 Songs of the Summer

By
Social Links for Hardeep Phull
Published June 30, 2014, 7:54 p.m. ET
Iggy Azalea rules the summer airwaves with “Fancy,” her collaboration with Charli XCX.
Iggy Azalea rules the summer airwaves with “Fancy,” her collaboration with Charli XCX. Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP

Princess Elsa of “Frozen” ruled the cold, hard winter, but now that the sun’s out, she’s a distant memory. The Queen of Summer 2014 is without a doubt Australian rapper Iggy Azalea. “Iggy is red-hot right now,” agrees Skeery Jones, producer/co-host of the “Elvis Duran and the Morning Show” on Z100. “She’s got a style and energy that suits the summer really well.”

Azalea’s “Fancy” and “Problem” — the Ariana Grande track she guest stars on — tick all the boxes: They sound great blaring out of the car radio, you can blast them at the beach and get down to them on the dance floor. “Fancy” edges out “Problem” for the No. 1 spot, however, due to the viral-hit video that spoofs the classic 1995 teen movie “Clueless” and has racked up more than 100 million YouTube views.

Although Iggy takes the crown, the rest of the pack are just as sizzling. Here are The Post’s Top 10 Songs of the Summer for 2014, ranked from the all-conquering, inescapable No. 1 tune to the dark-horses at No. 9 and No. 10 that could creep into dominance by the time Labor Day rolls around.

  1. 1. Iggy Azalea Feat. Charlie XCX -- "Fancy"

    The ladies rule in this spunky rap tune, which sees Iggy Azalea go from hip-hop laughing stock to superstar in the space of four funky minutes.

    Z100’s Skeery Jones: “This is going to be the song of the entire summer. Iggy exemplifies rebellion, which sounds so good at this time of year. She can express herself really well and the song is so simple and instant with a great hook from Charli XCX. Less is more!”

  2. 2. Ariana Grande Feat. Iggy Azalea -- "Problem"

    The Nickelodeon star Ariana Grande is growing up to be a swaggering pop star, and has already taken the summer by storm with this sax-encrusted R&B jam.

    Romeo, host of the iHeartRadio Countdown: “Ariana is the second coming of Mariah Carey — everyone always says that when they hear her voice. That, coupled with the fact that she has such a strong social media following from her days on TV, means that it’s going to happen for her this summer.”

  3. 3. Magic! -- "Rude"

    Canadians doing reggae? Who knew? Magic! has gone from being complete unknowns to the Top 10 during the past few weeks thanks to this chilled tune about a very angry confrontation.

    Z100’s Skeery Jones: “During the summer, I always tend to break out some Bob Marley. Reggae is great in the summer, and that’s why ‘Rude’ is so hot right now. I can almost imagine myself on the beach, sipping a cocktail as I listen to this song.”

  4. 4. DJ Snake & Lil Jon -- "Turn Down For What"

    The French DJ serves up some dirty trap beats and Lil Jon shouts like a maniac. The duo kept it simple for their collaboration, but it still sounds like the kind of party you want to be at.

    iHeartRadio host Romeo: “It’s such a memorable hook, but the funny thing is, you could stop 10 people on the street and nine of them wouldn’t be able to tell you what Lil Jon is saying! No one knows and he’s not really saying, either. That air of mystery helps.”

  5. 5. Sam Smith -- "Stay With Me"

    Even summer needs a ballad, and this year, it’s provided by British soul-boy Sam Smith, who wears his heart on his sleeve with this fragile, gospel-influenced single.

    Jason Lipshutz, associate editor, Billboard. com: “This isn’t a dance song and it doesn’t necessarily have the normal summer-song spirit, but there’s a feel-good quality to it, especially in the chorus when the choir sings. A lot people have him down as the male Adele, and this song is a great example of that.”

  6. 6. Calvin Harris -- "Summer"

    Romance doesn’t have to come in ballad form, and the Scottish DJ/producer shows that with this euphoric dance track.

    Jones: “I’m not just picking this because of the name! Romance is always big in summer songs, and Calvin Harris captures how a silly fling can blossom into something more serious by the fall. Summertime is when you do your fruit picking!”

  7. 7. Jason Derulo Feat. Snoop Dogg -- "Wiggle"

    It’s a dumb song about large butts, but neither Derulo or Snoop care what the snooty music fans of the world think, because their racy hip-hop collaboration is inspiring clubbers to bump-and-grind en masse.

    Lipshutz: “Not only do people like the song but it’s becoming a viral hit. I’ve been seeing fans film themselves singing and dancing along to the chorus. It’s catchy enough to have that effect — it’s almost like the twerk phenomenon of last year!”

  8. 8. Charli XCX -- "Boom Clap"

    Taken from the soundtrack of “The Fault in Our Stars,” this electro-pop anthem has a chorus big enough to park an SUV on. A sleeper hit if ever there were one.

    Romeo: “She sang the hook on Icona Pop’s single ‘I Love It’ last year. She also sings the hook on ‘Fancy,’ so this year, it’s her time to break through on her own. She’s definitely got the talent.”

  9. 9. Tiësto Feat. Matthew Koma -- "Wasted"

    The Dutch DJ marries club-friendly trance with an almost whimsical melody about the simple, hedonistic joys of getting it on while being drunk.

    Jones: “Summer songs almost always have the common theme of freedom and a lack of responsibility — but in a positive, fun way. To me, this just sums up reckless youth!”

  10. 10. Nicki Minaj -- "Pills n Potions"

    The Queens rapper turns down the crazy and shows she has heart and soul on this big hip-hop ballad.

    Lipshutz: “People have started to realize that Nicki can’t be pigeonholed into one genre. ‘Pills n Potions’ is a song that doesn’t seem to fit anywhere and people don’t know what to do with it — but they like it. It’ll gradually grow into a big hit.”