As the summer holiday concludes and the fall semester starts, let’s look back at my top four songs of summer 2025.
“Manchild” by Sabrina Carpenter
As the lead single from Sabrina Carpenter’s newest album, Man’s Best Friend, “Manchild” was hugely successful in streams following its June 5 release date. I am not ashamed to admit that many of those millions of plays can definitely be attributed to me.
As my most played song in June, July and August (according to Apple Music Replay), this track’s fun and upbeat nature easily wins the award for my song of the summer. Not only is it immensely relatable, but “Manchild” flexes Carpenter’s lyrical muscles by taking a frustrating subject and making it both hilarious and incredibly cheery.
“Manchild” has only had three months to fight its way onto this list, but with over 200 plays in that time, there is no doubt in my mind that this track deserves its place in this catalogue.
“Time Will Tell” by Gregory Alan Isakov
Gregory Alan Isakov’s “Time Will Tell” quietly invaded my personal soundscape early in April as I was finishing up my final papers and preparing for life at Brock to conclude for the summer.
The song’s quiet and wistful nature is based on a rolling banjo rhythm, complemented by hints of piano and acoustic guitar. The sepia-toned track engenders an immense feeling of nostalgia for times that have passed, the memories of which are hazy and beginning to fade at the edges. Isakov’s lyrical messages encompass this sentimental feeling, sharing the message that no matter how quickly or quietly time passes you by, you have to trust that everything happens for a reason.
In a period of my life where I often needed to be reminded of this message, Isakov and his music became a crucial part of many personal moments of growth. This sentiment alone makes it clear that “Time Will Tell” was one of my top songs of summer 2025.
“Wild Child” by The Ghost of Paul Revere
In a grungy pub 10 minutes from the Halifax waterfront, I was introduced to “Wild Child,” a song which permeated my entire trip to Nova Scotia (yes, I went to Nova Scotia and yes, it was awesome). Tapping my fingers on the top of the bar, sticky with varnish and the remnants of many a spilled alcoholic beverage, I immediately knew this anthem would impact my personal soundscape.
“Wild Child” by The Ghost of Paul Revere is a folky, acoustic track with immense heart and yearning. The song’s warm banjo rhythm creates a warm and welcoming sonic atmosphere that draws the listener into a tender embrace. The track’s continued upward trajectory, punctuated by a hard-hitting percussion section and a dynamic acoustic guitar line, builds to a thrilling, palpitating conclusion, leaving the listener desperate to hear it all over again.
Perfected by the landscape in which I discovered it, “Wild Child” earned its spot on the list as one of my favourite songs from this summer.
“All My Friends” by LCD Soundsystem
A seven-and-a-half-minute-long psychedelic trip of a song, “All My Friends” by LCD Soundsystem is the kind of track I would include in a movie about this era of my life.
Opening with a repetitive piano line, “All My Friends” doesn’t mind taking a moment to grow into its undeniably life-altering nature. While some listeners (e.g. those of my friends who were forced to listen to this track all summer long) find the piano section to be agitating, it fulfils an immensely important purpose: building anticipation for what’s ahead. Accompanied by heavy-hitting snare beats and a pulsating electric guitar line, the song’s instrumental beginning kicks open the door for the heart-thumping body of the track.
The perfect contribution to any coming-of-age film, “All My Friends” is by far one of my favourite songs of all time and has been the best addition to this ever-changing period of growth in my life.
—
While it was immensely difficult for this self-proclaimed music connoisseur to pick only four songs to make an appearance on this list, these tracks are my tried and true for summer 2025. As I conclude what is likely to be my last addition to this ongoing series, one which I have loved writing for the past three years, I look forward to all the summers and all the songs that will come after I am gone from the Press.