Summertime is the perfect time to lean into pop music. It’s typically bright, grooving, and all-around a good time. Is that not the ideal descriptor for the perfect summer day as well? If you want to stay up to date on the latest perfect pop albums, find our three recommendations, below.
3 Pop Albums for Summer 2024
1. Radical Optimism (Dua Lipa)
Dua Lipa never fails to make the perfect songs for the summertime. In fact, her entire career has been built around creating sunny, dance-able tunes. Her latest release, Radical Optimism, takes her typical style and turns it up a notch. She gets more introspective on this record than is typical of her. It’s an added edge to an artist who is already killing it.
Videos by American Songwriter
1. “End Of An Era”
2. “Houdini”
3. “Training Season”
4. “These Walls”
5. “Whatcha Doing”
6. “French Exit”
7. “Illusion”
8. “Falling Forever”
9. “Anything For Love”
10. “Maria”
11. “Happy For You”
2. Eternal Sunshine (Ariana Grande)
[RELATED: Behind the Meaning of “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” by Ariana Grande]
Ariana Grande‘s latest release, Eternal Sunshine, is perhaps her best yet. She strikes a strong balance between radio-friendly hits and personal think-pieces. From commentaries on her recent divorce, to the breakdown of love in general, this album is a triumph for Grande.
1. “intro (end of the world)”
2. “bye”
3. “don’t wanna break up again”
4. “Saturn Returns Interlude”
5. “eternal sunshine”
6. “supernatural”
7. “true story”
8. “the boy is mine”
9. “yes, and?”
10. “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)”
11. “i wish i hated you”
12. “imperfect for you”
13. “ordinary things (feat. Nonna)”
3. COWBOY CARTER (Beyoncé)
It was highly anticipated and well worth the wait. Beyoncé’s COWBOY CARTER took the experimental drive she had on Renaissance and added a country flare to it. The songs across this sprawling tracklist fall somewhere between Texas country and pop, but it has enough floor-fillers that we feel comfortable adding it to this list.
1. “AMERIICAN REQUIEM”
2. “BLACKBIIRD”
3. “16 CARRIAGES”
4. “PROTECTOR”
5. “MY ROSE”
6. “SMOKE HOUE – WILLIE NELSON”
7. “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM”
8. “BODYGUARD”
9. “DOLLY P “
10. “JOLENE”
11. “DAUGHTER”
12. “SPAGHETTII”
13. “ALLIIGATOR TEARS”
14. “SMOKE HOUR II”
15. “JUST FOR FUN”
16. “II MOST WANTED”
17. “LEVII’S JEANS”
18. “FLAMENCO”
19. “THE LINDA MARTELL SHOW”
20. “YA YA”
21. “OH LOUISIANA”
22. “DESERT EAGLE”
23. “RIIVERDANCE”
24. “II HANDS II HEAVEN”
25. “TYRANT”
26. “SWEET – HONEY –BUCKIIN’”
27. “AMEN”
(Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for TIME)
More The List
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Aerosmith Aerosmith, Steven Tyler, Vorst-Nationaal, Brussels, Belgium, 31st October 1993. (Photo by Goedefroit Music/Getty Images) -
UNSPECIFIED – JANUARY 01: John LENNON between 1970 and 1973. (Photo by Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images) -
1972: (L-R) Jim Hodder, David Palmer, Denny Dias, Donald Fagen, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter and Walter Becker of the rock band "Steely Dan" pose for a portrait in 1972. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images -
Kyu Sakamoto. (1941-1985) Japanese singer, best known outside Japan for his international hit song "Ue o Muite Aruko" (known as "Sukiyaki" in English-speaking markets), which was sung in Japanese and sold over 13 million copies. It reached number one in the United States Billboard Hot 100 in June 1963, making Sakamoto the first Asian recording artist to have a number one song on the chart. (Photo by Sjöberg Bildbyrå/ullstein bild via Getty Images) -
Picture taken in 1974 in Stockholm shows the Swedish pop group Abba with its members (L-R) Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Agnetha Faltskog and Bjorn Ulvaeus posing after winning the Swedish branch of the Eurovision Song Contest with their song "Waterloo". – Sweden's legendary disco group ABBA announced on April 27, 2018 that they have reunited to record two new songs, 35 years after their last single. The quartet split up in 1982 after dominating the disco scene for more than a decade with hits like "Waterloo", "Dancing Queen", "Mamma Mia" and "Super Trouper". (Photo by Olle LINDEBORG / TT News Agency / AFP) / Sweden OUT (Photo credit should read OLLE LINDEBORG/AFP via Getty Images) -
IN CONCERT – Airdate: March 1, 1974. (Photo by ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images) LINDA RONSTADT
