Sounds of Summer: The UK’s Most-Popular Holiday Anthems

Whether you’re blasting tunes en route to the airport, vibing quietly through your headphones on a beach walk, or throwing a barbecue with friends, building the ideal mix is a fun and essential part of holiday prep.

Luckily, with thousands of public Spotify playlists available, there’s no shortage of inspiration to help shape your ultimate summer vibe. From beach bangers to poolside chill-outs, these curated lists reflect what people want most from their summer – sunshine, freedom, and feel-good energy.

Royal Westmoreland, provider of luxury homes for sale in Barbados, has analysed the data to reveal the top tracks and artists making the biggest impact on holiday playlists this season – and the results might just inspire your next download.

How many playlists are out there?

A search for ‘summer holiday’ on Spotify brings up 147 public playlists – which might not sound like a lot, but remember, plenty of people keep their holiday bangers tucked away in private playlists. The real number of summer soundtracks is likely far higher.

Altogether, those public playlists contain 23,547 tracks – that’s an average of 160 songs per list. Clearly, we like a bit of variety in our holiday soundtracks. But among all that choice, which songs are stealing the show as the world’s top summer tunes this year?

Top 20 playlist songs

Here are the 20 most popular tracks featured across these playlists. From nostalgic anthems to new-age hits, the list highlights both timeless favourites and fresh releases heating up 2025.

Highlights include:

• Calvin Harris dominating the top five with tracks like Summer and One Kiss.

• Vance Joy’s Riptide showing enduring popularity, with over 3.1 billion streams.

• Recent hits like Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso quickly climbing the charts.

It’s a fascinating blend of dance, pop, house, and tropical-infused beats – all with one mission: to make you feel like summer.

Who’s the top summer artist?

When it comes to dominating the soundtrack of the summer, one artist stands head and shoulders above the rest: Calvin Harris.

The Scottish DJ claims three of the top five spots, plus two more appearances further down the list. His infectious blend of upbeat energy and unforgettable hooks seems to hit the right note for holidaymakers year after year.

In total, Harris’ top summer playlist tracks add up to 7.15 billion streams. To put that in perspective, it’s the equivalent of 48,500 years of listening time – all from the 147 playlists analysed. That’s enough music to last multiple lifetimes, all set to the beat of the sunshine.

His 2014 hit Summer is the most popular song titled for the season and appears in 17% of all public ‘summer holiday’ playlists – almost one in five. Yet despite its popularity, it’s still eclipsed in total streams by Riptide, which continues to pull in listeners years after its release.

Ready to build your own ultimate playlist?

If you’re thinking about curating your own summer soundtrack, this is your cue. Whether you're lounging by the pool, embarking on a coastal road trip, or chasing golden hour vibes, these sunshine-soaked favourites are guaranteed to elevate the mood.

Don’t forget – the right playlist isn’t just background music; it becomes a core memory of your trip.

So, headphones on. Volume up. Summer starts now.