With each summer comes the race to crown the definitive song of the season. But when you look at the songs dominating the discourse this year—from Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” to Olivia Rodrigo’s “the cure” to Charli xcx’s “SS26”—the vibe is not very fun-in-the-sun. Music journalists Emilie Hanskamp, Carl Wilson, and Reanna Cruz explain why, in the world of pop music, this summer has been a real bummer.
