Madonna's 'Danceteria' Leads the Pack
Madonna's 'Danceteria' is hailed as a potential club revival anthem, with its spoken-word vocals and frisky bassline evoking New York's early-80s dance scene. Laura Snapes describes it as a song that makes you want to go out and 'let life happen to you.'
Kim Petras' 'Jeep': A Country-Hyperpop Fusion
Kim Petras' 'Jeep' is called 'the best outsider country song in recent memory' by Owen Myers. The track blends hyperpop and Americana, telling a flyover state love story with lyrics about 'Four Loko-fueled hookups' and 'gas station canoodling.' Myers notes that when Petras performed it unannounced at a Charli xcx show, it already felt like an anthem.
Nirosta Steel's 'English Party' and Big Freedia & Sophie's 'Blaze That Ass'
Nirosta Steel's 'English Party' is described as a summer party track with sexy funk guitar, allegedly recorded as a demo for Madonna. Emma Madden says it 'deserves to enter the gay summer canon immediately.' Jessie Doris highlights Big Freedia and Sophie's 'Blaze That Ass' as a renewable resource for keeping spirits up against rightwing efforts to erase Black, brown, and trans people. The track, created a decade ago, found official release on Juneteenth.
Veeze's 'Malice in the Palace' and Isabella Lovestory's 'Gorgeous (Remix)'
Jayson Buford praises Veeze's 'Malice in the Palace' for its dark comedy and dense sports references, calling it the soundtrack for 'boys stepping outside, spitting game to women on the block.' Lydia Wei describes Isabella Lovestory's 'Gorgeous (Remix)' as a 'nuclear alt-pop crossover' that feels timeless, produced by Oscar Scheller.
Kacey Musgraves & Miranda Lambert's 'Horses and Divorces'
Jim Farber notes that 'Horses and Divorces' finds former rivals bonding over shared experiences, with a chorus that 'cries out for a mass sing-along.' The song's message of finding common ground is seen as prescient amid political factionalism.
Izco's 'Wonderluv' and Olivia Rodrigo's 'Stupid Song'
Kate Hutchinson calls Izco's 'Wonderluv' a 'sublime, breezy confection of vintage soul' with a breakbeat that gives it 'inner-city, pavement-pounding grit.' Benjamin Lee compares Olivia Rodrigo's 'Stupid Song' to early Arcade Fire, highlighting its 'giddy abandon' that transcends age.
Zara Larsson & Shakira's 'Eurosummer (Girls Trip)' and Jump Source's 'Endlessly'
Alaina Demopoulos says 'Eurosummer' conjures scenes of midsummer excess with a chorus including 'Naked and never sober.' Michelle Hyun Kim praises Jump Source's 'Endlessly' for its detailed production and ear-worm bassline, calling it 'a crisp glass of orange wine.'
CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso & Anderson .Paak's 'Ay Ay Ay' and D'Leesa's 'Healer'
Stefanie Fernández reports that 'Ay Ay Ay' was written after the artists ate 'shroom chocolates' and took an ice bath, resulting in a heady mix of Brazilian batucada drums and bachata. Harry Tafoya describes D'Leesa's 'Healer' as a 'sexy empath' anthem with a minimal beat that builds to a gauzy chorus, calling it 'one of the most exciting breakout singles this summer.'
