Ten Amazing Summer Albums

    Summer is on its way, and while I won't be doing a lot of partying personally, that won't stop me from dancing around my room pretending to party. So, I thought I'd list off ten of my favorite summer albums. These are albums that make me want to have fun and dance, or else relax with a cold drink. 

    Before we get started, here are a few rules. One, only one album per artist. Two, these albums are in no particular order. And three, I'll try to include as many genres as I can, though obviously I can't include everything. Now that that's out of the way, let's get started with album number one. 

#1. Kesha - Warrior (2012)

    Those of you who saw my last post know that I love Kesha. Not only is her music a lot of fun, but she's way more intelligent and funny than people give her credit for. On this album, she adds more rock elements than on her previous album Animal and also continues the theme of making music for outcasts instead of spoiled rich girls that started with her EP Cannibal. She does all of this while maintaining the sense of fun that her previous projects had.

    Back when I did my list of ten albums I like from genres I don't like, I said this was my favorite album from her. Rainbow has since topped it for me, but this album is still fantastic. Thinking of You is a downright brutal takedown of a cheating ex, Warrior is the anthem for my inner rebel, and Dirty Love and Supernatural are sexy as fuck. The list goes on, but those are some of the highlights. If you like your pop singers to have attitude, like I do, check this album out if you haven't already.

#2. The Cars - The Cars (1978)

    Late 70s/80s pop rock and new wave are the most summer-y genres I've ever heard, and this album combines them. This is the ultimate party album from that era, with tight grooves, catchy choruses, and infectious melodies. The first six songs on here are certified classics, and the other three are quite good too. 

    This is also the album I tend to show millennials and zoomers who are closed-minded about classic rock to get them into it. Mainly because it's a bit less intense than, say, Led Zeppelin. It's a good starting album, and those of us who have been into this shit for years can also enjoy it. While I don't think The Cars would ever quite top this album, they continued to release great music well into the 80s. Put this on your summer playlist and cruise around town a bit. You might like it.

#3. DJ Sabrina the Teenage DJ - Makin' Magick (2017)

    DJ Sabrina the Teenage DJ is one of the most unique house musicians I've ever heard. Her name is a Sabrina the Teenage Witch reference, and all of her albums have a magic theme. If that wasn't cool enough, her music has a genuinely futuristic sound that will likely still sound futuristic years from now. If the Star Trek crew had a night club room on their ship, this is what would be playing.

    The samples on this album are also extremely catchy, and while the two hour run time may intimidate some, I'm usually having too much fun to care. It's a party album for people who hate parties, as shown by its high score among the RateYourMusic crowd, and it's so warm and inviting that I can't help but agree with them.

#4. The Aqua Velvets - The Aqua Velvets (1992)

    Nothing says summer like surf music, am I right or am I right? The Aqua Velvets are a 90s surf act, and their music is relaxation personified. It really does make me feel like I'm surfing on a nice day, or else relaxing by a pool or the ocean. Like most surf albums, this album is all instrumental. The instrumentation is quite varied ranging from slower songs like Spy in the House of Love to songs that are borderline rockabilly such as Swampabilly Hop. 

    Everything about this screams summer, from the music to the cover. If you want an entire genre of summertime music, this is the genre for you. 

#5. Miami Nights 1984 - Early Summer (2010)

    Here we have a genre known as synthwave, a genre originating in the early 2010s. Inspired by 80s action, horror, and science fiction movies, this genre can range from the extremely dark to some of the brightest, happiest music out there. Since this is a summer list, you can guess which one the debut album from Miami Nights 1984 is. 

    Miami Nights 1984's Early Summer is extremely bright and happy. If I had to describe its sound, I would say it sounds exactly like the album cover. Retro synth tones, strong melodies, and a danceable beat. What more can you want from a summer album?

#6. Blink-182 - Enema of the State (1999)

    Here we have one of the best pop punk bands of all time, if not the best, Blink-182. These guys may have fallen off a bit in recent years, but between 1999 and 2003, they released a run of albums that was practically flawless. This is the first of those, and while the humor on songs like Dysentery Gary can seem a bit childish, this band's writing is way more clever than many would give credit for. 

    Take for example Adam's Song, which is a song about overcoming depression. Most of the songs on here are goofy fun with polished production, melodic guitar riffs, and catchy choruses. Even Adam's Song has a somewhat hopeful tone if you look at the lyrics near the end of the song. However, all of this doesn't change the fact that these guys are great songwriters and a lot of fun to listen to.

#7. The Beatles - Abbey Road (1969)

    The Beatles need no introduction. Any of their albums could've worked for this. After all, pretty much all of them have bright, upbeat instrumentation and an extremely hippy-ish obsession with love. However, I went with Abbey Road for one reason: Here Comes the Sun. Aside from being the younger generation's favorite Beatles song, this may also be the best summertime song of all time. After all, it is called Here Comes the Sun. 

    The other songs work well for summer, too. Especially Octopus's Garden, which is basically an exceptionally well-written kids' song. Even the darker Maxwell's Silver Hammer is upbeat enough to work for this list. As a side note: If you're going to listen to this album, go on YouTube and look up versions that aren't the 2009 remasters. Those remasters are terrible, especially if you're listening with earbuds. Look up other versions, and you'll enjoy the experience a lot more.

#8. The Skatalites - Ska-Boo-Da-Ba (1965)

    Those of you who are familiar with ska at all are probably familiar with third wave ska (Reel Big Fish, The Aquabats). If you know your history, you might be familiar with 2 Tone/2nd wave ska (Madness, The Specials). But unless you know your Jamaican music, you probably don't know anything about first wave ska. 

    Originating in Jamaica and often seen as a predecessor to reggae, this genre includes acts such as The Skatalites. Unlike later incarnations of the genre, first wave ska has little to no rock elements. It basically sounds like really upbeat jazz. It's also usually all instrumental, though Ska-Boo-Da-Ba does have one song (Shame and Scandal) that has vocals. 

    Now that I'm done educating you, I can tell you that this album is a lot of fun. It's catchy, danceable, and it has a relaxing island feel to it that is just perfect for summer. Ska as a whole is a good summer genre, by the way, so if you want more summertime albums, check out the 2nd and 3rd wav acts listed above.

#9. Pennywise - Pennywise (1991)

    Pennywise is a skate punk band from the 90s signed to classic skate punk/melodic hardcore label Epitaph Records. When it comes to summer music, it doesn't get more perfect than skate punk. After all, skateboarding is a primarily summertime activity. Aside from the skateboarding thing, this genre is also a lot more upbeat, catchy, and melodic than other forms of punk, especially hardcore. It's basically saying, "Yeah, fuck the establishment, but let's have fun as we tear it all down and build something new and better!" There's less anger here, and I definitely appreciate that. 

#10. Parliament - The Mothership Connection (1975)

    Funk is another genre that is just perfect for summer. It's upbeat, catchy, fun, danceable, etc. Like the DJ Sabrina album I have listed above, this one feels extremely futuristic. In this case, it's about black aliens taking over a radio station to play an album's worth of funk. Basically, the idea is: What if black people made it to space? Considering we still haven't had a black person in space almost 50 years later, I'd say this concept is still relevant. 

    Even ignoring the cultural implications of this album, it's still amazing. The grooves are fantastic and the lyrics are hilarious. Also, you may recognize the title track as being sampled in Let Me Ride by Dr. Dre. That's how much of a classic this album is. 

    And that's my list. Follow my blog if you want to see more. Sorry I haven't posted in three years, I'll hopefully be getting back to it soon. Anyway, comment your favorite summer albums below, and I'm out.