Potential summer anthems for 2018

For a good deal of 2018, the charts were topped by "God's Plan" — a monster smash that featured Drizzy's characteristic outside-the-box beats and a casual, braggadocious flow. Displacing himself at No. 1 was "Nice for What," a surprisingly empowering number based on a looped sample of Lauryn Hill's classic single "Ex-Factor" (which, incidentally, is also integrated into Cardi B's single "Be Careful"). It's nice for Drake to step aside from his somewhat problematic "good girl" aesthetic to make women a positive focus in his song (exemplified by the many actresses looking gorgeous in the corresponding music video), but given that it's already started a streak in the top slot, it's fair to say that Drake is your Song of the Summer contender by default.

Zedd's brand of easily-digestible EDM hits follow a pretty basic formula, but boy is it effective. What's most remarkable about "The Middle" isn't so much that alternative-country starlet Maren Morris (whose debut album is actually a stunningly funny and biting piece of work on its own) is singing lead on this, but that she got the gig after so many people had turned it down. Demi Lovato recorded a version of it, as did Camila Cabello (whose label felt the sound of the song didn't fit her aesthetic). Tove Lo, Carly Rae Jepsen, Elle King — these were all fabulous artists who gave it a spin, but now it's Maren's song to own, and she's reaping the rewards, as it hasn't left the Top 10 in weeks.

Love him or hate him, Post Malone is in full force right now, with his album "beerbongs & bentleys" topping the charts just every song from it hit the Hot 100. While people are probably familiar with "Psycho" and sick of the over-saturated "Rockstar", it's "Better Now" that has people's attention. It's a song where Post views a breakup as a game where he's got to try and "win the breakup," but some are theorizing it's already about the same girl whom he rapped about on "I Fall Apart", the legendary classic from his last album "stoney". While Post's songs have staying power for sure, "Better Now" has the right amount of momentum behind it to maybe make it a soundtrack worthy of the summer.

Following the horrific bombing at one of her U.K. concerts that left several dead, many — including Ariana herself — were unsure what the young pop star was going to do next. Would she reflect on the tragedy? Would she try and put out some Top 40 escapism to move away from it? As it turns out, the answer is kind of both: "No Tears Left to Cry" is a dance track, for sure, but one that finds Ariana trying to figure out what to do after so much disorientation. Those drum breaks and keyboard echoes definitely have us "picking it up" though, and after debuting high in the Top 10, a little bit of radio support is all that Grande would need to help make for one heck of a comeback.

While many were taken away by the strong, in-your-face attitude that Dua Lipa presented on her single "New Rules," the freshness of her sound was actually somewhat old-hat overseas. Amazingly, "New Rules" topped the U.K. charts all the way back in August of 2017, meaning it didn't make a dent in the U.S. Charts until months after the fact. Thus, although the music video was released in January of 2018, "IDGAF" — with its immediate guitar tones and defiant chorus — could very well be another sneak-attack single in the U.S., taking its time to slowly scale the charts before ultimately snatching that summer crown.

Shawn Mendes is blessed with that lucky combination of great looks and genuine talent, cranking out memorable rock jams that seem at odds with his very young age (he'll turn 20 by the time this summer is over). While every song he's released to build up his third album has been a hit so far, his politically-affected Khalid collaboration "Youth" feels like a genuine shift in a new direction. It's not buoyant or lovelorn: it's a bit sad, a bit empowering, and also really really catchy. It might be a slow-burner, but it'll burn brightly on the charts this season.

Although it's already had a brief appearance in the Billboard Top 10, this song about cheating on your partner with drugs instead of another person has a lot to say, and is a standout if not only because it's one of the tracks off of Cole's chart-topping album "KOD" that he didn't produce. Cheekily featuring the actual Kevin Hart in its music video, this slow-burn of a single could very well find a strong commercial foothold on the charts. It'd be an idiosyncratic Song of the Summer choice, but as with all things J. Cole: never doubt what he's capable of.

Simultaneously releasing two new singles at once, fans have already seemed to rally behind "Chun-Li" as the preferred new Nicki Minaj jam of choice. However, we're throwing our weight behind "Barbie Tingz" as a potential new breakout for Minaj, as its catchy sing-song chorus (starting with "I'm a baaaaaad bitch...") and percussion-heavy production leads itself to a certain immediacy that would jump out on radio. Either way, Nicki seems to want to tell the world that she's back and ready to conquer (which is good, as it legitimately seemed like she was phoning it in for a few years there).

Fresh off of the success of his Beyoncé collaboration "Mi Gente", J Balvin — already a gigantic Latin superstar — felt like he could do just about anything. One of the first things he did was collaborate with Nicky Jam for an odd, slowed down little number called "X," which, love it or hate it, has a sharp video game synth tone that absolutely sounds like nothing out there today. Already a hit on the Latin charts, it'll be curious to see if this has any pop radio crossover.

Although it debuted just a shade outside of the Top 40, never discount Meghan Trainor, as she has designed herself as a hitmaker since day one. Even with only one chart-topper to her credit, her songs consistently go multi-platinum, and even with the release of new singles "Let You Be Right" and "Can't Dance," it's the breezy, immediate burst of tell-off bliss that is "No Excuses" that we think just needs a little push from radio before it becomes nothing short of inescapable this summer.

When it comes to cranking out hits, you never count out Calvin Harris. His songs in a post-"We Found Love" world have been increasingly retrofitted, embracing disco and soul elements while putting a millennial-friendly dancefloor sheen on the end results. In Dua Lipa, Harris has found a dream collaborator, as her voice is distinct but not completely overpowering, giving his slinky synth sounds quite the sound to play against. Already a chart-topper in the U.K., we wouldn't be surprised if it makes similar moves Stateside. (Oh, and when those horns come in post-chorus? Absolute summer bliss.)

Especially in the middle of summer, a song about how you work hard every day and don't get appreciation for it could speak to millions. The fact that he's collaborating with Marshmello — a regular chart fixture these days — shows the potential of this song, which already landed in the Top 40. The only thing against it? That too-long music video, which clocks in at a full 10 minutes.

Selena — what are you up to? Although initially (and rightly) dismissed as a manufactured pop princess, Gomez's incredible 2015 record "Revival" hit the reset button on her career, as the most-followed person on Instagram co-wrote almost every song on the album and embraced a striking form of pop minimalism that stood out from the kitchen-sink production of nearly every other song on the radio. Since then, however, she's teased us with genre-busting pop classics ("Bad Liar") and color-by-numbers chart fodder (her Marshmello collaboration "Wolves"). There's still no new album yet, but this stately little ballad from the soundtrack to the second season of "13 Reasons Why" (which she executive produces) may be the kind of break we need this summer: something that's casual, emotional and truly soundtrack-worthy.

Ever since the release of "This is America" (which kicked off what America would soon refer to as "Donald Glover" week, where he put out new music, hosted "Saturday Night Live," saw the season finale of "Atlanta" air, to say nothing of the pending release of the "Star Wars" movie he's in), people have analyzed, called out, and rewatched that epic, daring, dramatic music video. This is dark, brooding, intimidating song about America's racist tendencies seems to be the anthesis of a Song of the Summer, but the hype and discussion surrounding it caused it to garner nearly 100 million YouTube views in a week. When you add those streaming numbers together and realize we're gonna be talking about Donald Glover all summer — this might be one of the most unlikely Song of the Summer candidates in history.

For this London-born, New York-raised singer-songwriter, success has been a hard time coming. Signed to DJ Mustard's label, she flirted with fame briefly when the group she was in auditioned for season 11 of "The X Factor," but her EPs and singles have basically gone nowhere. "Boo'd Up," meanwhile, is a sleek, synth-heavy number that makes for a perfect bedroom jam and personal anthem all at once. Its energy is infectious and it's already hitting the R&B charts in the U.S., meaning that Ella Mai is one to keep an eye on — and one to look out for.

Whether you love or hate Rae Sremmurd is beside the point: they've succeeded despite the odds being stacked against them. Their latest album is a surprising triple-disc affair, featuring one new Rae Sremmurd album as well as a separate solo disc from members Swae Lee and Slim Jxmmi on top of that. "Powerglide" — a ridiculous, intensely-relistenable celebration of wealth — feels like the kind of jam you'd hear from any number of passing cars through the months of July and August, especially during those hot summer nights. Bonus points if you hear it blaring out of a Lambo (which you will).

Xtina's last album (2012's "Lotus") came and went without much mention, so fans were excited to finally have their girl back in the spotlight with the release of her new, Kanye West-produced song "Accelerate" — but it kind of didn't go anywhere, despite its promise. The quiet followup "Twice" feels like a deliberate and wise countermeasure to the muted response of "Accelerate," going full piano ballad and pushing those Christina vocal performances front and center. It's a bit of a downer, but is also the first time we've heard this "Voice" coach in this mode since her 2013 collaboration "Say Something." Nice to have you back, Christina.

Charlie Puth is the real deal, often producing and performing his songs all by himself. His latest solo efforts have proven to be bigger than ever, and with his album (the horrendously-titled "Voicenotes") out now, one jam has stood out from the rest: the stark, simple, and alarmingly fun synth workout "Boy." His voice glides up and over these '80s-indebted keyboard sounds, but when you hear all these electronics come together during the chorus, it feels like the kind of catharsis that can only be reached when listening to this late at night in the middle of summer. Well-played, Puth. Well-played.

The longer John Mayer's career has gone on, the weirder it's gotten, and we're all about it. With "New Light," Mayer seems to be shifting into full yacht-rock territory (with a bit of a modern rock edge, of course), and we're here for it. He may no longer be at the height of his commercial powers, but audiences are still having a blast watching him chase his muses in whatever odd form it takes. Sure, this is the kind of thing that artists like Josh Rouse have been doing for years, but if Mayer commits to this new persona, it could yield in his funnest album to date, of which we no doubt predict there will be legitimate hits on.

Once a Latin pop crossover star, the back half of Enrique Iglesias' career has been nothing short of fascinating, as he's been hell-bent on his quest to make nothing but sex jams. Collaborating with Pitbull for the ninth time in his career, this boom-clap of a beat gives listeners everything they'd want from an Enrique/Pitbull joint: almost risqué lyrics, a groove to shake your butt to, and Enrique just being that guy your dad warned you about. The formula is clearly in play, but the question is: will it work again?

For this generation of up-and-coming YouTube stars, yeah, releasing a few pop singles feels like part of the playbook: of course you need to build up your empire and be "on brand" by adding songs to the mix. However, Troye Sivan isn't your typical YouTube star, as this South African-born gay star has been working hard on his music for close to a decade now. He's collaborated with great artists like Betty Who and Alessia Cara before, but he started out 2018 by dropping one of the best songs of the year with "My My My!" and securing a guest slot on "Saturday Night Live." His latest effort, "Bloom,"has been declared as "an anthem for bottoms" and truly embraces that '80s synth production he loves so much. Already an indie hit, this could turn into a sleeper summer anthem.