Every summer needs an anthem. The song that blasts from car windows, drowns out beach crowds, and ends up playing on repeat long after Labor Day.
I asked radio programmers at some of the country’s biggest stations to name their contenders for Song of the Summer 2026. Here’s what they said.
The Pop Contenders, Per iHeartMedia’s Dan Hunt
Dan Hunt, Program Director at iHeartMedia, kept his picks short and pointed. His three pop contenders are Tame Impala and Jenni’s “Dracula,” Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drop Dead,” and PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson’s “Stateside.” It’s a compact list — but each track carries real weight heading into the warmer months.
Pup Dawg’s East Coast Read: Weather Plays a Role
DJ Pup Dawg of JAMN 94.5 Boston offered the most candid take of the group. He’s keeping a close eye on French Montana’s “Ever Since You Left Me.” “That’s just a fun record,” he said. He also sees Bruno Mars’ “I Just Might” as a potential comeback story.
On Drake’s latest project, Pup Dawg was skeptical. “I don’t really see a Summer banger … like all year long, kind of deal,” he said. He called “Good Flirts” a slow creeper — the kind of song that takes time to reveal itself. For Boston listeners, he noted, climate matters. “When the weather cracks, that record’s gonna connect here,” he explained. “The weather plays a big play on music for us here.”
His final verdict? French Montana takes it. “If I had to choose, I’ll probably say that one’s not going to go away.”
Hot Girl Summer: Molly Cruz’s Top 3
Molly Cruz, Audacy’s CHR Format VP and Brand Manager at B96 Chicago, came ready with a theme. “It’s a Hot Girl Summer, for me,” she said. Her top three contenders: Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas,” Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drop Dead,” and Zara Larsson’s “Midnight Sun.” Cruz was direct about the last pick: “I want Zara Larsson to win so bad.”
Erik Bradley’s Bold Call: Grammy Bound?
Erik Bradley, Audacy Brand Manager of too many stations to name, had the most expansive list of the group — and the most confident hot take. “In general, for me that’s ‘Choosin’ Texas’,” he said. He went further: “I can’t see how it’s not Song of the Year at the Grammy’s next year.” That’s a big swing for a song still finding its national footing.
Beyond Ella Langley, Bradley’s list runs deep. He mentioned Bruno Mars’ “I Just Might,” sombr’s “homewrecker,” and multiple Zara Larsson cuts. “‘Stateside’ and ‘Midnight Sun’ have solidified” Larsson’s superstar status this year, he said. He also threw in a curveball: Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj’s “Beauty & A Beat.” The song is years old, but Bieber’s Coachella return sparked a long tail of renewed interest. Bradley argued it belongs in the conversation.
Among his personal favorites, Bradley added Justin Bieber’s “Speed Demon” and hyped the new Ariana Grande single “Hate That I Made You Love Me” that dropped on Friday. “It’s incredible,” he said. He also has high hopes for Olivia Rodrigo’s album. “‘Drop Dead’ feels like another one that will eventually be on her future greatest hits album.”
Trevor Morini Knew Instantly — And He’s Still Certain
Trevor Morini, SVP of Programming at iHeartMedia Charlotte and Raleigh, didn’t need long to make up his mind. “Within the first 45 seconds of hearing Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Drop Dead’ I called that as the song of the summer,” he said. His confidence hasn’t wavered — it’s still his top pick.
Morini also sees this as Zara Larsson’s summer to own. He cited both “Midnight Sun” and her “Stateside” collab with PinkPantheress as strong contenders. “It’s also the summer of Zara Larsson,” he said flatly.
On the bubbling-up front, he pointed to Ella Langley’s crossover push. “Ella Langley has been huge at country radio for a minute now, and she’s breaking through at CHR, similar to Morgan Wallen a few years ago,” he said. His read on the data is simple: “There’s a point where all the data is undeniable.”
Will Calder: The Monoculture Is Gone — Watch for Overlap
Will Calder, longtime programmer and DJ, who is currently “on the beach”, offered the most contrarian frame of the group. He’s not sure the traditional Song of the Summer even exists anymore. “I think our world is too fragmented to call right now,” he said. “The old monoculture version of ‘Song of Summer’ is basically gone. TikTok, streaming, radio, nightlife, and real life do not always agree anymore.” His method: watch for overlap, not just chart ranks.
His most-heard artist across different circles right now is Olivia Dean. “So Easy (To Fall In Love)” hitting No. 1 at Top 40 validates her moment, he said — but he has doubts about its timing. The song may already be a consensus record carrying into summer rather than a fresh breakout. He also noted it doesn’t carry the obvious sonic markers people usually associate with a summer anthem.
On paper, he sees “Stateside” by PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson as the cleanest case in the field: Top 3 Pop, No. 1 Rhythmic, still climbing, and sitting inside the Top 30 on Spotify USA. He’s also watching Don Toliver’s “E85” and Malcolm Todd’s “Earrings” as tracks worth following.
But he’s not ready to crown anyone. “If there is going to be one true Song of Summer in 2026, I don’t think it has fully raised its hand yet,” he said.
The Verdict: One Song, or a Fragmented Summer?
Six programmers in, and two schools of thought are emerging. Most of the group points to a clear frontrunner. Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drop Dead” is on nearly every list — Morini called it in 45 seconds, Hunt named it from the jump, Cruz put it in her top three, and Bradley sees a future greatest hits track. That’s rare agreement across major markets.
Zara Larsson keeps showing up no matter who you ask. “Stateside” and “Midnight Sun” have collectively landed on five separate lists. Ella Langley’s crossover from country to CHR has the data behind it — and both Bradley and Morini say it’s undeniable.
But Calder’s warning hangs over all of it. The playlist era has splintered the summer soundtrack. There may not be one song — there may be six, each winning a different corner of the culture.
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Bethany Kent is a Music Radio Editor for Barrett Media. She spent nearly 20 years bringing radio to life on stages, across the airwaves, and through unforgettable listener experiences. Her career spans local markets including Providence, Philadelphia, and New York City, most recently serving as National Director of Music Initiatives for Audacy. From producing major live events like HOT 97’s Summer Jam to leading strategic national marketing initiatives, she has built a career at the intersection of music, media, and culture. She can be reached at bethany@barrettmedia.com.
