A Playlist For Your Watermelon Summer

If you aren’t yet on board with Summer of 2022 being officially called “Watermelon Summer” I’m going to keep giving you reasons to jump in. An important part of anything themed is a proper soundtrack and *good news* I’ve created a Watermelon Summer playlist for you.

Please note, this is almost more of a mixtape than playlist because I’m cultivating the order of the playlist. For those of you that never painstakingly figured out the perfect transition and length of songs for your cassettes to create your perfect mixtape, I’m telling you, no shuffle function can replace the art of musical transition. The thoughtful cultivation of order in a playlist gives a mixtape vibe and while mixtape seems to have taken on a new meaning, when I create a playlist, it is with vintage mixtape heart.

Watermelon Summer has a laid back vibe with a beat to it, perfect for anything by the water. I was calling it “chill house music” but it turns out, most of the playlist is actually “Bedroom Pop” which is quite possibly the best possible genre to get into after years of quarantine.

For those that don’t know, Bedroom Pop is just music that is created in one’s bedroom. It became truly popular right before the pandemic with the easy access to good quality sound engineering software and easy access to the internet, especially SoundCloud and TikTok.

But it really became a way of life for many musicians during the pandemic. It spans just about any genre you can imagine, artists are able to experiment and embrace influences new and old. And it also allows artists to release as much or as little music as they want, some artists are incredibly prolific and others only have one or two songs released.

For those of you that see no reason to listen to music after a certain date, don’t worry, I will share other playlists for different summer vibes. But I encourage you to give the official soundtrack to Watermelon Summer a go- music is the amazing cross between creativity and skill, I love nearly every era and genre of music but this genre is special because it has allowed creativity and experimentation like no other and it’s just worth a listen. Also, it’s the perfect soundtrack for anything near water.

The actual playlist is still being built and I welcome suggestions for additions. I think the ideal playlist is about three hours long. Watermelon Sugar by Harry Styles is absolutely on it, but it’s not in the top ten, which I’m profiling below.

Each song has the link to the artists’ Spotify page, which I encourage you to check out as well. If you have a perfect summer song that you think might fit onto one of the other playlists, I’m all in as well, the benefit to a playlist over the traditional mixtape is they can continually grow and evolve into even better works.

Watermelon Summer on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/51bDFLv9TDreQNj3wUHruW?si=e228288b338a41b5

1. Summer Vibe- Forrest Nolan: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3M8UUCqb0mIEn5S2lO13yv?si=b5JKqIO2QAmQeumcKPiLWA

· For every playlist/mixtape there is an origin song. The song that sets the vibe or perfectly captures it. It’s not always the first song, but it’s highlighted. The second I heard the simplicity of the cords and tidiness of the lyrics, I knew this was the headline song to Watermelon Summer. Forrest Nolan is a rising indie star that is heavily inspired by Radiohead. I have loved every song of his, he’s well worth a listen, especially this adorable ode to summer love.

2. seaside_demo- SEB: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7oPxPZSk7y5q0fhzpmX5Gi?si=Y0R0P4lES9q9VnFKdB5zNQ

· SEB released seaside_demo to share his authenticity in music and it became a sensation. If you’re on TikTok, you’ve definitely seen a video with this sound, several versions of it have gone viral, including a mash up with Harry Styles’ “Watermelon Sugar.” SEB’s goal is to bring vulnerability and imperfection into pop and I think it’s exactly what this world needs right now. If you need another reason to love SEB, in the song, he packs a picnic with snacks for us. Who doesn’t love snacks?

3. DOWN- BAYNK: https://open.spotify.com/artist/28yVvEvA2lT3K5RNIhV1Dj?si=pfgsN85xRNq6jRz84kJ0cQ

· BAYNK is a New Zealand artist that recently released his first album. There’s a lot of his songs on this playlist and the thing I love about his music is you can go one song to another of his, totally oblivious that you’re actually listening to the same artist. His music includes synth with traditional instruments with languid vocals that slip into the deepest parts of your subconscious. Totally the vibe we need for this summer.

4. Lean into Life- Petey: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4TeKBLCqmYXzvcgYX4t4YA?si=1aN-4iMwSx6HQQHskzZBXg

· Petey’s career is born out of the pandemic, he’s as much a TikTok comedian star as he is a musician. Lean into Life has an enduring beat that draws you in with lyrics that can speak to anyone. The song questions choices made and pushes beyond those past choices to the realization that no matter what, you need to lean into life just a little to really experience it.

5. Wave of You- Surfaces: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4ETSs924pXMzjIeD6E9b4u?si=uKhbrvdCSdCDVwanAY-yPg

· If “Summer Vibe” was the origin song for this playlist, Surfaces was the inspiration for all of Watermelon Summer. Although from Texas, you can hear the reggae/ soul/ pop influences in their beachy, cool sounds. They found their inspiration online on Soundcloud and the duo create most of their own sound. You’ll find several of their songs on the playlist. “Wave of You” made more sense in the flow of music for the first 10, but if I were to just pick a song to showcase Watermelon Summer, it would absolutely be “Come with Me” with Salem Ilese.

6. Sexy MF- Labrinth: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2feDdbD5araYcm6JhFHHw7?si=JyX05gICRTq6YS0pKVd82g

· There is a sensual side to summer and no real summer playlist is complete without a clear nod to that steamy side to the season. Cue “Sexy MF” by Labrinth. This playful song is the catchy, flirty song we all need come August. Labrinth is a London based artist with an incredible discography that goes well beyond this adorable song.

7. idwtgtbt- the booyah! kids: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0ypSujQpBRgRAeOS7YzhnP?si=jWkesB5HRQaRDB_IuZ7TAg

· If you do your summer right, you have at least one night of “I don’t want to go to bed tonight (idwtgtbt).” This catchy tune has simple vocals and accompaniment. I love coming across emerging artists like the booyah! kids, they are so well worth a listen.

8. SUMMER GIRL- Ian Hugel: https://open.spotify.com/artist/24uWm1jxjtBwiVnEGT0pjC?si=rYjdqmuOTyCicktDZt5c5A

· If you have a sneaking suspicion that the real reason that this song is in here is because the lyrics talk about taking me on a picnic, you wouldn’t be wrong. I am clearly a sucker for picnicking and snacks. But even without such a beloved reference, this song is a must on any summer playlist. Ian Hugel only has three songs on Spotify, with many more on SoundCloud, regardless, I hope he continues to release incredible songs like this one.

9. Sunroof- Nicky Youre, dazy: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7qmpXeNz2ojlMl2EEfkeLs?si=MJQnLfDqS26-2Il9A4VV4A

· Although he has many more followers and listens than Ian Hugel, Nicky Youre also only has three songs on Spotify. In some cases, that’s what you get when you listen to Bedroom Pop, and it’s totally worth it. This song is a total summer anthem, it’s everywhere and absolutely should be.

10. Get Down- Still Woozy: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4iMO20EPodreIaEl8qW66y?si=IgEfZmAfQuejf0ocEXF0sA

· Still Woozy gives you that lazy, sultry summer vibe. His music is that sigh that you make when you are finally able to relax on vacation. You know instantly when one of his songs start playing and you look forward to each song, wanting to stay in his musical vibe for as long as possible.

11. Feet Don’t Fail Me Now- Joy Crookes: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5XMyhVhi5ZN2pi0Qwi1zXS?si=I40FzHtATE6MpdkyZUZDRQ

· I’m going with 11 for all you Spinal Tap fans. Also because if there’s one artist for you to listen to, it’s Joy Crookes. You’ll hear Amy Winehouse in this singer/ songwriter’s voice and old school Marvin Gaye in her influences as well. I haven’t heard a song of hers I don’t love and she’s the perfect way to round out the top eleven.

As promised, here’s some other summer inspired playlists in case you’d like a little something extra in your world.

Coconut Cruise: Created for a laid back surf rock boat ride. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7w8L4HN5xPoadZEUEHreCc?si=1dbbf84171b2466d

Humidity: Inspired by the sultry, deep humid of August.