Carly Rae Jepsen, who shares a record label with Justin Bieber, is enjoying a summer atop the pop charts with the infectious “Call Me Maybe.” (AP)
You can’t escape the heat this summer — and you can’t escape “Call Me Maybe,” Carly Rae Jepsen’s ubiquitous hit. The tantalizing track from the 26-year-old Canadian pop star — and “Canadian Idol” finalist in 2007 — has more than 140 million plays on YouTube, and there’s no end in sight. And why not? Catchy lyrics and an infectious hook mixed with the hope of summer lovin’ — “here’s my number, so call me maybe” — make it the perfect hot-weather tune.
“Summer songs are all about living your life, and that’s what seems to be the theme for 2012: living your life and being free,” says Z100’s DJ Riddler.
Bingo. Jepsen takes the top spot with The Post’s song of the summer — and with the rest of the hottest tracks (in no particular order), here’s the complete list of 10 tunes for your soundtrack to the season.
1. “CALL ME MAYBE,” Carly Rae Jepsen
Blame it on Bieber. Carly Rae Jepsen’s smash hit “Call Me Maybe” easily snags our top spot for song of the summer after a steady climb up the charts, thanks in part to a Twitter shout-out from the tween idol. The song was already a hit in Canada, home to Jepsen — and Bieber.
Dozens upon dozens of viral videos later — everyone from James Franco to the Harvard baseball team has lipsynched to the song — the track has risen from hidden Canuck treasure to Web sensation to bona fide summer anthem. “You know it’s big when you start seeing YouTube videos of people singing the song,” says Z100’s DJ Riddler. “That speaks volumes to how big the record is.”
Having reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and Pop Songs lists, “it’s the kind of bouncy tune that seems like it should stick around in the Hot 100 top 10 for the summer,” says Billboard charts director Silvio Pietroluongo.
2. “PAYPHONE,” Maroon 5 feat. Wiz Khalifa
The Los Angeles rock band’s breezy love tune “Payphone” has Billboard chart-staying power due to a killer beat and standout vocals by Adam Levine. “This song is just about love. It’s all about summer beginning and ending a relationship, but then starting a new one,” says Micki Gamez, the afternoon host on 92.3 Now. “As one sun sets, another rises.” Sounds like a day at the beach.
3. “SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW,” Gotye feat. Kimbra
Gotye, a 32-year-old Belgian-Australian singer-songwriter, churned out a minimalist beat and whispery vocals for his song. It’s not the usual bouncy summer anthem. On Billboard’s Hot 100 for 25 weeks — and still in the top five — “Somebody That I Used To Know” is “still one of the most played songs in the country,” according to Billboard charts director Silvio Pietroluongo. “It’s the quintessential song for dating. The song is just terribly relatable and is becoming really popular!” says 92.3 Now’s Micki Gamez.
4. “LET’S GO,” Calvin Harris feat. Ne-Yo
An American and a Scot collide in “Let’s Go,” a summer collaboration by Scottish DJ Calvin Harris and R&B star Ne-Yo. This pop song combines a techno rhythm with a mainstream hook sure to get scenesters dancing. “Let’s Go” is “oozing summertime fun right now,” says DJ Phill Kross.
5. “TITANIUM,” David Guetta feat. Sia
With a mixture of heavy techno beats and crisp, clear vocals by Sia, an Australian beauty, Guetta’s “Titanium” is a summer winner. Empowering, the song is all about taking control of your destiny and love life. “These songs that are coming out are dance-y, fun, pop, edgy, but the message of ‘Titanium’ seems to be better,” says Gamez. “I can picture this song being the theme for some Olympian or gymnast. You can’t break [them] down.”
6. “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN,” Rihanna
A scorching electro-pop song, “Where Have You Been” has been tearing up the clubs (and we’re not talking about bottle throwing!) thanks to captivating hooks and super-sexy beats — and the super-shaking 24-year-old pop star herself. “You can’t get away from it,” says DJ Riddler of Z100. “It’s an up-tempo record, but the lyrics are what people are drawn to.” And it appears to be unstoppable. “It has potential to be the No. 1 song on the Hot 100 before the summer’s over,” says Billboard’s Pietroluongo.
7. “SCREAM,” Usher
This Texas native’s single is heating up airwaves with his glossy vocals layered over a super-sonic beat — making an explosive dance-floor hit. “Usher does a nice job of infusing his lush vocals into ‘Scream,’ giving it a smooth R&B feel, while still maintaining the popular house-pop style to fill up club dance floors this summer,” says DJ Dan Flugger of DJNYC. Yes, it will make you want to scream.
8. “ONE THING,” One Direction
“One Thing” we know for sure is that boy band One Direction’s smash hit will carry us all into a summer of love. The Brit-Irish pop band’s fame and good looks, combined with the song’s playful lyrics, make it a tune that is sure to make every girl swoon when she hears these five teenage studs serenade her over the radio. “ ‘One Thing’ fills the void for summertime bubble-gum pop in 2012, producing a solid dance anthem for tweens,” says Flugger.
9. “BOYFRIEND,” Justin Bieber
With lyrics such as “If I was your boyfriend, I’d never let you go,” all the ladies will want Bieber to be their boyfriend after hearing this sultry summer hit. Attempting to prove that’s he’s a grown-up now, the 18-year-old pop star wants to melt hearts this summer with this sizzling single from his latest disc, “Believe.” The sexy, low-tempo track’s more R&B and hip-hop than the pop “Baby” we’re used to — particularly at the song’s opening when Bieber displays his crooning rap. “When girls hear [the lyrics], he is really singing a song about what we ladies really want to hear,” says 92.3 Now’s Gamez. “It’s a feel-good song.”
10. “WIDE AWAKE,” Katy Perry
Katy Perry, who was the belle of the summer beach ball in 2010 and 2011, is cooling summer down with her super-chill single “Wide Awake,” a welcome break from her usual upbeat summer melodies. “It’s not the prototypical Katy Perry party song,” says Pietroluongo of the California Gurl’s soothing summer anthem. The shift in style may be thanks to her breakup with actor-comedian Russell Brand. “Katy Perry delivers a breakup-style pop ballad in ‘Wide Awake,’ symbolizing the end of a destructive relationship and a new beginning,” says Flugger.