When an old favorite song from your past pops back up on your radar years later, certain songs automatically bring to life memories as if you were right back in that time. Those memories and the prominent songs that bring them back to you, always seem to have that summer twist: a spot by the pool, beach, lake, grilling out, or the crazy times that a red hot late summer night brought. These are the good times that stick out and music is the lifeblood that help make those times special.
What are those songs for the summer of 2016 that will etch themselves in your brain forever and ever? Such is the times of the popular music in 2016, you can turn your FM radio on while at the pool and hear the same 4 songs by the same 4 artists every hour on the hour. Oh those songs will etch themselves in your earlobes like an annoying nat that won’t go away. Stick with most FM radio, and 2016 probably won’t sound so great looking back.
Luckily for the fiends with OpenEars today, music is more accessible than ever, and in 2016 there is a whole lotta good stuff to love that doesn’t sound just like everything else out there. Since most of that good good isn’t playing on our FM dial, we put together OpenEars Summer Radio Mix 2016, a Spotify playlist.
Our playlist sticks to mostly music released in 2016, from pop gems perfect for the by the pool (Chelsea Shag, M83, Phantogram, Wild Belle), to scorchers that kick it into high gear (The Coathangers, The Kills, Parquet Courts, The So So Glos, Chrome Pony, etc.), and even few country gems (Margo Price, Sturgill Simpson‘s Nirvana cover). Plus there’s that Wheeler Walker Jr. song great for the depressed drunk guy to belt out by the pool (“Fuck You Bitch”). Every summer needs those late night psychedelic songs (Sad Fish, Gringo Star) for when things get weird. Hearts & Plugs Summer Essentials made a prominent appearance with perfect summer music from the label’s artists released over the last few years (Grace Joyner, Brave Baby, Hermit’s Victory, The High Divers), and of course you can chill on the beach with your best friend Jesus Christ (SUSTO). There’s plenty of amazingness that is great for any summer day or night listening (Local Natives, Caveman, Little Tybee, Cass McCombs, Justin Peter Kinkel-Schuster, Hello Ocho, and many more). And you can’t forget the stellar summer chillaxing tropicalia album just released from Fantasy Guys, which we took many songs from.
Get off your FM Radio dial, and make your summer music something you will look back upon and still want to hear years later. This is the OE Summer Radio Mix 2016 on Spotify, hit that shuffle button, and enjoy the sweet sweet sounds of 2016:
