Addison Rae’s Addison might be a definitive project of the season.
Six years ago, I asked a bunch of artists at New York City’s Governor’s Ball festival to tell me the songs they would be defining their summer. The findings were surprising. Their picks weren’t so much the mainstream hits of the moment, but beautifully random selections that ranged from favorites from their high school years (shout out summer nostalgia) to oldies like America’s “Ventura Highway.” It reminded me that while working in the biz can sometimes make you overly obsessed with focusing on the new, the songs that ultimately stick with you through beach days and park hangs are the ones that tell a personal story. (Our picks for 2025’s Song of the Summer are still worth checking out.)
While posted up in the press tent at this year’s Gov Ball, I repeated the survey and gathered another diverse set of answers. Perhaps the biggest takeaway is that Addison Rae’s Addison might just be a definitive project of the season, picked by both pop heartthrob Conan Gray and punk powerhouse Marisa Dabice of Mannequin Pussy. Marcus Brown from Nourished By Time and Amber Mary Bain of The Japanese House put us on to more eclectic tunes: a jungle heater by Rozie Ramati and the accordion jazz-pop stylings of Anatole Muster. Check out their picks ahead, which we’ve compiled into a helpful playlist.
Conan Gray
“My album of the summer is definitely Addison. [At her Spotify New York City show] I felt like we were witnessing a piece of history, it was really special. Two of my closest friends produced that album with Addison, so it was a very proud moment. We were kind of geeking out, it was very emotional. And I really think it’s just fucking great music.”
The Beaches
“Disco Cowgirl” by G Flip
“Sally, When The Wine Runs Out” by ROLE MODEL
“Manchild” by Sabrina Carpenter
Mannequin Pussy
COLINS REGISFORD: I don’t have a song of the summer but I do have an album of the summer and that is the new Bad Bunny [album DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS]. To me, not only is it the album of the summer but it’s the album of the year, I cannot stop listening to it. [My top songs] are “NUEVAYoL” and “BAILE INoLVIDABLE.” It’s a beautiful, beautiful album, front to back.
MARISA DABICE: I fucking love that Addison Rae song “Diet Pepsi.” That is a sexy song.
Wasia Project
WILLIAM GAO: “Move On Up” by Curtis Mayfield. It’s beautiful, summery, I feel like I’m at the beach, in the sun. Trumpets, good drums.
OLIVIA HARDY: “Tonight” by PinkPantheress. I’ve been saying that, it’s the only one I’ve heard.
Joey Valence & Brae
“‘WASSUP’ featuring JPEGMAFIA will be the song of the summer.”
Snow Wife
“‘YoYo’ by me. It really is. ‘YoYo’ to me sounds like the little hamsters in the car commercials, so that’s what I envision [when I listen to this song].
Nourished By Time
“Rozie Ramati. Her music’s really, really good. She has this song called ‘Drown in the Clouds of Dew.’ That’s my fave. I would say that’s really underrated.”
Montell Fish
“I love Jane Remover’s new album. ‘JRJRJR’ is amazing. I also love ‘Psychoboost’ because I love Danny Brown, I feel like Danny Brown doesn’t get enough love. Seeing him collab with Jane Remover and other artists [recently] has been really cool.”
The Japanese House
“I’m obsessed with the artist called Anatole Muster. He plays accordion and he writes such a wide span of music, dives into jazz in places and poppy electronic stuff in others, and it just really ticks a lot of my boxes. There’s a whole circle of musicians around him that I’m obsessed with. Also, I’m still into Brat, can’t get over it.”