Hurraakerkko.com

Category: Milestones

Website milestones

  • Here’s the best song of summer 2026

    Here’s the best song of summer 2026

    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.

    Summer Song 2026 Deane Are You There album cover
    Deane’s Are You There? was a strong contender for Summer Song 2026.

    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

    For more pop culture, read my blog and subscribe to my YouTube channel.

  • After 20 years, here’s the what, how, and why of Hurraakerkko

    After 20 years, here’s the what, how, and why of Hurraakerkko

    20 years of celebrating creativity.

    This website turns 20 years old today!

    That means I’ve been writing about pop culture, marketing, brand strategy, and the arts for two decades.

    I remember wanting my own website as soon as we learned to type with 10 fingers and search for information online with AltaVista. This was in our eighth-grade computer studies class, where everyone just wanted to join online chat rooms or play Quake over a local network. It was all very 90s.

    I had no idea what I would’ve done with my own piece of digital real estate. Nevertheless, I felt compelled.

    The school didn’t offer hosting, so I had to hold on to my dream until 2006, when blogging was becoming more mainstream and publishing platforms were becoming more available.

    The website started as a personal diary, before becoming more focused on pop culture and marketing. Here’s the full oral history in Finnish.

    Nowadays, it increasingly represents my professional self, highlighting my work experience as a brand strategist and creative.

    That said, I’ve always written about movies, music, books, and video games – and don’t plan on separating my fanboy self from my professional self anytime soon. Because both marketing and pop culture boil down to the same thing: creativity.

    What is the Golden Circle of brand positioning?

    As a thought experiment, what if I used one of the most common brand positioning tools on this website?

    The Golden Circle, popularized by Simon Sinek, aims to define a brand’s what, why, and how. That makes it one of the easiest ways to distill a brand’s essence.

    The Golden Circle

    Why

    This is the purpose, the belief, 
the very reason the brand exists.

    How

    These are things that set the brand apart from competitors.

    What

    These are the products or services that the brand offers.

    So, what are the what, how, and why for this website? For Hurraakerkko.com, the Golden Circle would be something like this:

    What 

    An inspiration source for creative minds.

    How

    Hot takes on brand-building and pop culture classics.

    Why

    To celebrate creativity.

    After two decades, what does creativity mean for me?

    Much like brand strategy tools like the Golden Circle, creativity helps me anchor myself.

    By writing, making videos, and composing music, I learn more about myself and the world. Whether I’m working on something original or analyzing someone else’s work, it is my experience, my point of view on display.

    I wouldn’t be myself without creativity. And for the past 20 years, this website has been at the heart of my creative journey, both professionally and personally.

    Feeling thankful for reaching this milestone. Thanks for reading,

    Kerkko

  • What is the best summer song of 2025?

    What is the best summer song of 2025?

    Time to announce my official summer song 2025

    I’ve selected an Official Song of the Summer since 2006 on this site. I’ve compiled playlists and playlists of candidates that play on repeat or otherwise represent something that was going on that year. The playlists become a sort of musical diary or scrapbook.

    The Official Summer Song can represent any genre or era of music, as long as it always reminds you of THAT summer.

    This summer’s playlist definitely delivered on the bops and the drops, and one of the songs I kept going back to will be dubbed my Official Song of the Summer 2025. Watch the video for the award winners, and continue reading for more musical highlights that made me dance and daydream.

    Best retro

    I was thrilled to hear my old favorite bands, Journey and Foreigner, come back to compete. I especially enjoyed Wheel In The Sky this summer.

    But alas, my top throwback is another favorite; one whose music mixes sensuality with spirituality like nobody’s business. The band called Enigma continues to blow my mind.

    The winner of Best Retro 2025: T.N.T. For The Brain by Enigma

    Best newcomer

    TikTok has helped me discover so many wonderful independent or small label artists this year.

    I can’t wait to hear the new album by Cinquemani, whose bedroom jams perfectly capture the sound of ”80s-’90s pop soul. Sophie Marks also goes for the 80s sound, only with a more haunting vibe.

    Then, somewhere in between these romantic and melancholy extremes, is the soulful Norhan, whose song I’d Rather Love mixes commercial R’n’B with Middle-Eastern influences.

    Best lyrics

    This next song was a strong contender for my official song of the summer. The production on Ariana Grande‘s Twilight Zone was beautiful and nostalgic – perfect summer vibes – but I especially want to highlight the lyrics.

    There’s a line that is meant as an insult within the context of the song, but I definitely know people to whom I could say the same thing but mean it in a good way.

    “Not that I miss you, I don’t. Sometimes, I just can’t believe you happened.”

    Ariana Grande: Twilight Zone

    Other highlights

    I saw some amazing live performances this summer. Charli XCX, FKA Twigs, and Underworld rocked Flow Festival. Ultra Bra’s gig at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium made me realize how popular their songs were – and how wonderful their lyrics could be.

    And then there was Blastromen, who turned their apparent Kraftwerk and Daft Punk influences into aggressive synthwave.

    While I didn’t listen to the songs too much, Tate McRae‘s Just Keep Watching and Sabrina Carpenter‘s Manchild featured highly entertaining music videos.

    My official song of the summer

    But now, it’s time for the main event. The “honor” of My Official Song of the Summer goes to another artist I’ve been fawning over for years.

    The song hasn’t necessarily made huge waves, but whenever it plays, the groove and the raspy vocal performance just pull you in. It’s irresistible.

    That’s why my number one song of summer 2025 is Easy Lover by Miley Cyrus.

    Bonus points for the Phil Collins tribute.

    BONUS: Watch who won last year!

  • What is the best song of summer 2024?

    What is the best song of summer 2024?

    It’s time to announce my Official Summer Song 2024.

    It’s once again time to announce my official song of the summer. But before that, let’s celebrate some of the other musical highlights of summer 2024.

    This tradition harkens back to the early days of this website. Since 2006, I have highlighted some of my favorite musical tracks of the past summer months.

    One of those tracks became my Official Summer Song, but I’ve also given special shoutouts in various categories, two of which have been mainstays every year: what song has the best lyrics, and what was my favorite throwback song of that summer?

    Receiving any of these questionable honors relates, in part, to which song I’ve listened to the most – but there’s more to it than air time. The official definition for the Official Summer Song is that it can represent any genre or era of music, as long as it always reminds me of that summer.

    The Official Summer Song can represent any genre or era of music, as long as it always reminds you of that summer.

    So, what were the musical highlights of summer 2024? Check out all the nominees in this playlist.

    Best music platform

    The soundtrack of the summer was decidedly electronic – and the sources included your usual suspects like VUM and Flow Festival. The film Challengers also had an amazing electronic soundtrack by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

    But the number one musical medium was YouTube, with its plethora of DJ sets. Here are a couple of channels to get your house party on.

    Best lyrics

    I’m sometimes bummed by contemporary songs being something like two minutes long (or short) on average – it’s just content for TikTok or Spotify, not a full song.

    Other times, artists don’t seem to put any effort into telling compelling stories. But there are exceptions – Dua Lipa, for example. Sure, her lyrics aren’t necessarily all that deep but at least they’re laced with plenty of delightful double entendre.

    But if control is my religion
    Then I’m heading for collision
    Lost my 20/20 vision, please
    Whatcha doing to me, baby?
    I’m scared to death that you
    might be the one to change me

    Dua Lipa: Whatcha Doing

    Her latest album, Radical Optimism, might not turn into the same kind of success as Future Nostalgia, but Whatcha Doing is one of the album’s many wonderful pop tunes. Its lyrics are all about letting your guard down and surrendering to your passions.

    Best throwback song

    This category celebrates songs that are at least 15 years old. I usually find them in movies, on the radio, or on social media, in video games, or then they simply pop up from my subconscious. But even I don’t know where I came up with this year’s pick.

    Imagine a time when record labels were actively trying to combine the commercial pop aesthetic of boy bands like New Kids On The Block with the street credibility of rappers like Vanilla Ice (using “credibility” quite loosely here) – and you get East 17.

    Their hit It’s Alright is such a catchy anthem that it should be called It’s Amazing. The music video is high-energy and full of quick cuts to the weirdest dance moves.

    And going back to my riff on the length of modern pop songs – It’s Alright represents a wonderful time when pop songs and their music videos could easily be five minutes long, with extended intros and dance breaks.

    My Official Summer Song

    And so, we get to the main event.

    This year’s winner is pure pop perfection. The song is happy and catchy, and the singer’s silky voice is utterly seductive. The winner has also been a massive hit all over the world – there’s no way you haven’t heard this song.

    My Official Summer Song cannot be anything else but Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter.

    Easter Egg: Here’s last year’s winner.

  • 40 little things that make life better (40th birthday special!)

    40 little things that make life better (40th birthday special!)

    It’s my 40th birthday!

    Today is my fortieth birthday. To celebrate this special occasion, I’ve compiled a list of 40 little things I enjoy about life.

    I consider myself an optimist and try to look for the good in every situation.

    At the same time, I know life can be brutal at times. I’m aware of the everyday hardships we all face. Optimism doesn’t mean being oblivious; it means to keep going despite the bad things.

    That’s when being aware of all the small, good things helps you keep going. As Michael J. Fox says, “With gratitude, optimism becomes sustainable.”

    I got this from his wonderful autobiography, No Time Like The Future. I’ve read the book several times and highly recommend it.

    Once you begin reminding yourself of the good things, you realize you can keep pushing through.

    Growing older is a good thing

    Of course, turning forty reminds me of my limited time on this Earth. Yet, I feel good about growing older. I now appreciate both the good things and even the bad (at least, after enough time has passed).

    I want to lead a full life. In fact, acknowledging the small pleasures of life is one way to make that happen.

    My list includes:

    • Book stores
    • Vinyl records
    • Domino biscuits (I like to keep them in the fridge)
    • Vintage boxing matches
    • G-Funk, the hip-hop subgenre
    • The SNES controller (btw, here’s a video about the NES)
    • Gigs and how the bass sounds fill your lungs
    • Dancing
    • Writing lists
    • And much, much more…

    You thought I would write the full list here? You thought wrong. Therefore, you should watch the video I made.

    I hope you enjoy the video. However, you can also check the list out on my Pinterest board. Pin those posts and comment what YOUR favorite little things would be.

    What is gratitude?

    Gratitude is the quality of being thankful; the readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

    With gratitude, optimism becomes sustainable.

    Michael J. Fox
  • My Official Summer Song 2023 – watch the video!

    My Official Summer Song 2023 – watch the video!

    It’s again time to look back on some of the musical highlights of the past summer.

    For almost 20 years, I’ve had this tradition of choosing my Official Song of the Summer. The winner of that title can represent any genre or era of music, as long as it will always make you remember that summer.

    Before announcing the number-one song of summer 2023, we’ll also celebrate the most memorable lyrics and the top nostalgic pick.

    Best lyrics

    This summer was a delightful mishmash of all kinds of music from Italo disco to salsa to techno, and I’ve probably never danced so much. I also dug into some classics – which takes us to the first categories of this “ceremony.”

    Girl, do you remember me?
    I was the one who loved you long ago

    Do you remember me?
    From the days when our hearts were young

    “Do You Remember Me”
    Jermaine Jackson

    Over the summer, I listened through all the solo albums of Michael Jackson’s brother Jermaine.

    Jermaine pales in comparison to his brother in terms of vocal talent and sheer charisma, but he does have a couple of bangers, such as Let’s Get Serious, So Right – and Do You Remember Me, the chorus of which has so much nostalgic weight. I’m a sucker for bittersweet love songs.

    Best retro

    Still, another song wins this year’s Retro category, and funnily enough, it represents the same genre and time period as Do You Remember – and also has a connection with Michael Jackson.

    The song has quite a compelling story. It was composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto, whose work has influenced early hip-hop and techno artists and includes film scores such as The Revenant.

    Behind The Mask was originally made for a Japanese commercial in 1979, and then expanded into a longer version with Sakamoto’s band Yellow Magic Orchestra.

    Since then, the song has been covered by such a diverse group of artists as Eric Clapton, The Human League, and yes, Michael Jackson. But my favorite version is the high-energy and synth-heavy take by Greg Phillinganes.

    My Official Summer Song 2023

    I’ve discovered many amazing new tracks over the summer, but this year’s Official Summer Song is a bit of a throwback to pre-Covid times that I rediscovered thanks to a phenomenal live performance in June. I’ve been playing this one on repeat ever since.

    The song is catchy, sexy, and dark as hell – it’s everything you’d expect from one of my favorite artists. My Official Summer Song for 2023 is Faith by The Weeknd.

    Remember to subscribe to my YouTube channel.

    P.S: Suomalaiset kävijät voivat nauttia aiempien vuosien Kesäbiisi-voittajien valinnasta kotikielellä. Täältä löydät viime vuoden voittajan.

  • Kerkon Virallinen Kesäbiisi 2022 – katso video!

    Kerkon Virallinen Kesäbiisi 2022 – katso video!

    Kesämusiikin keräilijä

    Lisäsin hellekuukausina useita mahtavia löytöjä vaatimattomaani vinyylikokoelmaani. En ole audiofiili, joka herkuttelisi vinyylisoundin nyansseilla, mutta klassinen formaatti on aina kiehtonut ja nyt kun viimein hankin soittimen, olen arvostanut, miten vinyyli tekee kuulijan aktiiviseksi osaksi musiikkielämystä, kun pitää asettaa neula paikalleen ja vaihtaa puolta. Se saa keskittymään ja arvostamaan itse musiikkia enemmän.

    Lisäsin hellekuukausina useita mahtavia löytöjä vaatimattomaani vinyylikokoelmaani. En ole audiofiili, joka herkuttelisi vinyylisoundin nyansseilla, mutta klassinen formaatti on aina kiehtonut ja nyt kun viimein hankin soittimen, olen arvostanut, miten vinyyli tekee sinut aktiiviseksi osaksi musiikkielämystä, kun sinun pitää asettaa neula paikalleen ja vaihtaa puolta. Se saa keskittymään ja arvostamaan itse musiikkia enemmän.

    Yksi albumi, joka ei todellakaan jäänyt kesän varrella taustahälyksi, oli espanjalaisen Rosalían Motomami, joka sekoittaa musiikkityylejä ja tunnelmia kakofonisesta Saokosta eleganttiin Sakuraan.

    Mikä Virallinen Kesäbiisi?

    Kesään kuului paljon muutakin ilahduttavaa musiikkia. Onkin jälleen aika valita Kerkon Virallinen Kesäbiisi.

    Tämän kyseenalaisen kunnianosoituksen vastaanottaja voi edustaa mitä genreä tai aikakautta tahansa, kunhan siinä tiivistyy juuri tuo kulunut kesä.

    Kesäbiisiperinne käynnistyi 2006 ja vuosien varrella titteli on myönnetty mitä erilaisimmille kappaleille, kuten

    Kesän 2022 virallisen tunnusbiisin paljastuksen ohella on syytä käydä läpi muita mieleenpainuvia musiikkihetkiä kesän varrelta. Kaikki ehdokkaat löydät Spotifystä.

    Kesän kiireinen keikkakalenteri

    Kesäbiisin metsästys alkoi ja päättyi mahtavien live-keikkojen äärellä. Viime vuodenkin kisassa huomioidun Dua Lipan toukokuinen esiintyminen Berliinissä oli pelkkää kohokohtaa. Kesäksi tehokuunteluun pääsi kappale Cool.

    Keikat kutsuivat kesän aikana Allas Sea Poolilta Ääniwalliin, kunnes elokuussa oli viimein mahdollista nauttia Flow Festivaleista jälleen kerran.

    Eniten kesän päätösjuhlissa ilahdutti se, että kaikista huokui se vapauden tunne, että ”olen vain iloinen tänne pääsystä”, mutta myös artistikattaus oli erinomainen. Erityisen paikan sydämessäni sai pippurinen Princess Nokia. Muita kovia vetoja olivat massiivinen Gorillaz, eteerinen Malla ja voimakas Florence & The Machine.

    Vuoden värssy

    Keikoilla parasta on se, kun oma sydämenlyönti hukkuu bassorummun kuminan alle. Musiikki on parhaimmillaan kokovartaloelämys. Kosketus ei ole kuitenkaan vain tuotantoarvoista kiinni, vaan myös lyriikoilla on merkitystä.

    Kunniamaininnan kesän parhaista lyriikoista saa vanhan koulun AOR-hempeily I Really Want To See You Tonight. Kappale vaikuttaa aluksi viattomalta, kunnes tajuaa, että koko kertosäehän on vain maskeerattu booty call. 70-luvulla kysyttiin ‘u up?’ huomattavasti tyylikkäämmin.

    I’m not talking ’bout moving in
    And I don’t want to change your life
    But there’s a warm wind blowing the stars around
    And I’d really love to see you tonight

    “I’d Really Love to See You Tonight”
    by England Dan & John Ford Coley

    Viime kesänä tutustuin tarkemmin klassisiin rock-bändeihin, kuten Rage Against The Machine. Tänä vuonna herkullisin tutkimusmatka koski japanilaista 80-luvun city pop -musiikkia, jonka raikkaat melodiat saavat aina hymyn huulille.

    Yksi genren kärkinimistä on Mariya Takeuchi, jonka vuonna 1984 julkaisema kappale Plastic Love oli hyvin lähellä perinteisen retropalkinnon voittoa, mutta kategorian voittaakin kappale, joka on myös

    Vuoden 2022 Kerkon Virallinen Kesäbiisi

    Kesäbiisikisan voittajaksi nousee katkeransuloinen power-balladi. Aliarvostettu helmi vuodelta 1988 kertoo kaipuusta ja miten vaikeaa toisesta on päästää irti. Kappale yhdistää lyyriset sanoitukset voimaannuttavaan melodiaan. Katso video niin saat tietää, mikä on Kerkon Virallinen Kesäbiisi 2022.

    Kiitos katsomisesta – jos tykkäsit tästä videosta, muistathan tykätä ja tilata YouTube-kanavani.