Time to choose my Summer Song 2026
2006 seems to have been quite a significant year in my life.
In April, I launched this website. In June, I landed a job as a TV host, which started my career in the media industry. In August, I started studying radio and TV broadcasting.
2006 also marked the start of what is now a 20-year tradition of choosing my official Summer Song. And now we’re about to choose my Summer Song 2026 – crazy!
It started off as a simple blog post about a couple of songs I had been playing on repeat that summer, both some new hits and some classics, and then it’s grown into a whole thing.
Here’s how the Summer Song process goes
I always compile a playlist of the songs I listen to most during the summer (May-August). The playlist evolves during the summer, of course – songs get added and dropped constantly.
Every September, I give shoutouts in various categories, like Best Retro (a song that’s usually at least 15 years old), Best Lyrics, and so on; the categories change a bit every year.
Finally, any one of the nominees (20 on average)is eligible to become the OFFICIAL SUMMER SONG of the year, regardless of genre or when the song came out.
The choice isn’t based on playtime, but on how it connects with what happened during those summer months. Does it remind me of a person, a feeling, an event?
Basically, it’s my way of keeping a diary, with some tunes playing over precious memories.
Past Summer Song winners include artists like Justin Timberlake, BANKS, The Doobie Brothers, Becky G, and Sabrina Carpenter. I’ll add the full list below. Who will win Summer Song 2026?
The OFFICIAL SUMMER SONG can represent any genre or era of music, as long as it always reminds you of THAT summer.
New finds and old gems
The summer produced some new gems. Here are some songs and albums I enjoyed:
- Deane: Are You There?
- Becky G: EPA
- Teyzo: Girls Born in the 90s (this sounds like The Weeknd, and what do you know, the credits list an “Abel”)
- The Rolling Stones: Foreign Tongues
- Tyla: A*POP
- Evanescence: Sanctuary (I felt like “my old favorite is back!”)
- Kelela: new avatar
- Portraits of Tracy: From Where Do Our Primal Instincts Originate? MTV!
Otherwise, this summer was all throwbacks and amazing live performances.
The former meant going through a big chunk of my CD collection; the latter meant seeing The Weeknd for the third time and going to Helsinki Synth City and Flow Festival.
And if you put throwbacks and gigs together, you might just find yourself dancing to an old electro-pop anthem at a Pitbull concert in Stockholm.
My Summer Song 2026
This takes us to choosing this year’s official song of the summer.
You can listen to all the nominees here.
The winner perfectly captures the amazing, positive energy of the Pitbull concert – and this summer overall. And that’s exactly what a Summer Song is supposed to do.
And that is why joining the pantheon of 20 years of Summer Song winners is Usher with “DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love.” How did I miss this banger back in 2010?
Shoutout to past Summer Song winners
We’ve had several special categories in the Summer Song competition over the years. Here are the official winners.
- 2006: Sexyback by Justin Timberlake
- 2007: Umbrella by Rihanna
- 2008: Warwick Avenue by Duffy
- 2009: Get Sexy by Sugababes
- 2010: Tere Liye by Lata Mangeshkar (from Veer-Zaara)
- 2011: Runaway by Bill Conti (from For Your Eyes Only)
- 2012: What A Fool Believes by The Doobie Brothers
- 2013: Get Lucky by Daft Punk and Pharrell Williams
- 2014: Love Life by John Mamann and Kika
- 2015: Waiting Game by Banks (the time the ceremony was on video)
- 2016: Alive by Sia
- 2017: Slide by Calvin Harris, Frank Ocean & Migos
- 2018: La Cintura by Alvaro Soler
- 2019: Mayores by Becky G and Bad Bunny
- 2020: Watermelon Sugar by Harry Styles
- 2021: Maailma meidän jälkeen by JANNA (first Finn to win)
- 2022: Tears Don’t Put Out The Fire by Alien
- 2023: Faith by The Weeknd
- 2024: Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter
- 2025: Easy Lover by Miley Cyrus
- 2026: DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love by Usher and Pitbull
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