The sounds of summer 2024

MANILA, Philippines —For a few weeks last April, it really felt like a real summer season was upon us. It was hot, hot, hot. Unfortunately, though, the kids were still in school and sweltering under some of the hottest days ever recorded in Philippine history. So it did not really feel like it was “summer” for them.

We are now a few weeks into the month of May and along with it came the very welcome arrival of rain, alternately soft and misty or pouring in torrents. The kids have now started their “summer” vacation. It is not really summer with all the rain but since we Pinoys like to imagine that we live in temperate climes and since the school term is over, we think of wet, wet, May as “summer.”

Anyway, being on vacation, summer or not, means having fun and having fun is more fun when done with a soundtrack of today’s most popular tunes. These are mostly by Hev Abi, the young rapper from Morato St. in Quezon City with his lovelorn musings. It seems like this guy can do no wrong as far as creating hit songs is concerned. He scores a hit with almost every single he drops.

Now giving Hev very stiff competition is the girl group BINI. They had been around for some years now, recorded and did gigs consistently but it is only now that they were able to top the charts. Brilliant idea, these girls’ new sound which conjures up warm “summer” nights dancing on the beach.

Here now is a list of the most played tunes these past two months. These are the songs that will forever be remembered hereabouts as the sounds of summer, 2024.

Walang Alam by Hev Abi; Babaero by gins&melodies and Hev Abi; Salamin, Salamin by BINI; Pantropiko by BINI; Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter; Alam Mo Ba Girl by Hev Abi; we can’t be friends (wait for your love) by Ariana Grande; Makasarili, Malambing by Kristina Dawn and Hev Abi; Take All the Love by Arthur Neri; Saturn by SZA.

Being on vacation, summer or not, means having fun and having fun is more fun when done with a soundtrack of today’s most popular tunes. These are mostly by Hev Abi, the young rapper from Morato St. in Quezon City with his lovelorn musings. It seems like this guy can do no wrong as far as creating hit songs is concerned.

Tadhana by UDD; Faded by Illest Morena; Lil Kasalanan Shortie by Hev Abi; Tingin by Cup of Joe and Janine Tenoso; Marikit by Juan Caoile; Heaven Knows (That Bird Has Flown) by Orange and Lemons; Rom Com by Rob Deniel; Fortnight by Taylor Swift and Post Malone; Isa Lang by Arthur Nery; and Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift.

Meanwhile kids in the U.S. of A. are now looking forward to their own summer experiences. Thoughtfully Billboard Magazine has lined up a list of tunes with which this summer would be more fun and with which it will always be remembered.

As expected the tracks deemed to be in competition to become the Song of Summer 2024 are mostly by female artists and the prolific hip-hop stars. They are the ones who are now consistently generating the big hits. Although some already are, most of these tunes still have to become big hits. They have the next two months to accomplish that and then one of them will be named, the Song of Summer 2024.

As listed these are: Training Season by Dua Lipa; Illusion, also by Dua Lipa; Fortnight by Taylor Swift and Post Malone; Lunch by Billie Eilish; we can’t be friends (wait for your love) by Ariana Grande; TEXAS HOLD ‘EM by Beyoncé; A Bar Song (Tipsy) by Shaboozey; I Had Some Help by Post Malone and Morgan Waller; Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter; Good Luck, Babe! by Chappell Roan.

Like That by Future, Metro Boomin and Kendrick Lamar; Not Like Us by Kendrick Lamar; Euphoria, also by Lamar; Meet the Grahams, again by Lamar; Push Ups by Drake; Family Matters also by Drake; Saturn by SZA; Jump by Tyla, Gunna and Skillibang; Too Sweet by Hozier; and Lose Control by Teddy Swims.