Escapist Tunes for a Post-Lockdown Summer

It’s too early to say which song or songs will dominate the season. The “song of the summer” accolade also isn’t what it used to be, experts say. That is because over the past decade, music listening has become highly fragmented, with some consumers turning on the radio, others relying on streaming playlists and still others buying CDs from big-box retailers like Target or paying more attention to live shows. With everyone in their niches, it’s harder for one song to feel ubiquitous.

But if there’s a well-known barometer, it’s Billboard’s Songs of the Summer chart, which began in 2010. On its most recent edition, BTS’ “Butter” ranked No. 1, followed by Olivia Rodrigo’s “Good 4 U,” Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” and Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More.”

Like its disco-influenced predecessor “Dynamite,” which hit No. 1 last year, BTS’ “Butter” is an English-language song—part of a continuing bid by the seven-member South Korean boy-band to dominate the globe. One of the co-writers and co-producers of the track, which contains the lyric “hot like summer,” is Columbia Records head Ron Perry, an ally of BTS’ label who helped launch Lil Nas X and—earlier in his own career—worked with Lorde and The Weeknd.

In the week ended July 1, “Butter” sold nearly 154,000 U.S. copies, including downloads, cassettes and vinyl, up 20% from the prior week, according to MRC Data, formerly known as Nielsen Music. “Butter” has been released in a variety of different versions and remixes, a popular tactic for boosting a song’s chart position.

Dua Lipa’s “Levitating,” meanwhile, was first released early last year, but has gotten a boost more recently from DaBaby’s featured appearance and its playful, joyous vibe, critics say. In just the past week, it notched around 20 million U.S. streams, up 5%, and topped Billboard’s Radio Songs chart.

The parade of sunny hits comes as artists, industry executives and music fans grow optimistic about the return of live music despite the continued threat of the Delta variant of the coronavirus. In recent months, the U.S. concert business has gradually reopened amid healthy ticket sales—rock band Foo Fighters last month played New York City’s first arena show since venues closed in March 2020—and this fall’s festival season is expected to be a traffic jam.

While many of the summer’s hits have a buoyant feel, there’s a darker undercurrent too.

“Good 4 U,” by Ms. Rodrigo, pop’s newest superstar, is influenced by pop-punk and part of a broader revival of that rock subgenre. For some time, a new wave of rappers such as the late Juice WRLD has drawn on emo, pop-punk and alternative rock; now, the trend is spreading outward with genre-blurring acts like Yungblud and Willow. For her debut album, “Sour,” Ms. Rodrigo worked closely with co-writer, instrumentalist and producer Dan Nigro, previously of rock band As Tall As Lions. “Good 4 U” is the past week’s most-streamed track, with around 34 million U.S. streams, according to MRC Data.

Other songs in the top 10 also have a moody feel. Boy-next-door songwriter and industry juggernaut Ed Sheeran’s new single, “Bad Habits,” which debuts at No. 5, has a nocturnal, throwback sound and driving tempo that some consider broadly similar to the Weeknd’s retro synth-pop smashes “Blinding Lights” and “Save Your Tears,” with Ariana Grande, which is currently No. 9.

On the latest album chart, which is separate from the singles chart, Tyler, the Creator is No. 1 with his new critically acclaimed record, “Call Me If You Get Lost,” which continues an artistic and commercial hot streak for the rapper-producer. One of its most popular tracks, “Wusyaname,” which features in-demand rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again along with Ty Dolla $ign, is a flirtatious, summery R&B ditty in which a protagonist tries to win over someone’s affections.