SO LONG, SONG OF THE SUMMER

The idea of a pop monoculture has not only ceased to exist but also resulted in the loss of shared cultural touchpoints that connect millions of Americans.

- TAYLOR CRUMPTON

A fragmented culture stands in its stead, thanks to the rise of the curated algorithm and social media feeds perfectly sculpted to fit our interests and experiences. Yes, this has made us more—or at least feel more—disconnected. But is that so bad?

Perhaps, in the absence of the so-called meritocracy that once dictated culture, this abundance of choice for people to connect with music and pop culture could be a good thing. Maybe that's why the Song of the Summer feels like such a dinosaur. We've simply grown out of it.

In 2010, when Billboard created the Songs of the Summer chart, it explained that a song's place was determined by its “cumulative performance on the weekly streaming, airplay, and sales-based Hot 100 chart from Memorial Day through Labor Day.” This made sense, given the time. In 2010, Facebook was the most popular social media platform. The first-generation iPad had just been made available to the public. And “California Girls” by Katy Perry was the No. 1 song on the inaugural Song of the Summer chart. That song was everywhere—you couldn't escape it.

Fast-forward to 2024, and the