Five Burning Questions About the Song of the Summer Race’s Very Early Contenders
Categoria: Musica
As temperatures rise, this week's Five Burning Questions looks at some of the songs looking to play a part in the annual competition to be the hottest song of the hottest season.
Por Billboard | 19/05/2026
Even though it’s only mid-May, it certainly feels like summer around the Billboard office in midtown Manhattan. And with the official post-Memorial Day debut of this year’s Songs of the Summer chart just weeks away, Billboard ‘s staff thought it was time for a check-in on how the race is shaping up so far. The first name that has to be mentioned in the discussion is undoubtedly Ella Langley , who has the top two songs on the Billboard Hot 100 this week (dated May 23), and a third hit just outside the top 10. But she’ll be competing with big hits from big names like Olivia Rodrigo and Noah Kahan — as well as from a likely chart onslaught coming from the most prolific artist in Hot 100 history — in addition to some artists who we haven’t even heard from yet this year, but are almost certain to make their presence felt by season’s end. Should Ella Langley be considered the frontrunner? And which late entrants might be pacing the race before long? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below. 1. With three songs around the top 10 and both of the top two, Ella Langley seems the likely frontrunner for Song of the Summer. Do you think she’ll be able to keep her momentum through the summer — and do you see either of her other current hits overtaking “Choosin’ Texas” at any point? Katie Atkinson: It feels like “Choosin’ Texas” hit No. 1 too early in the year to sustain through the summer, but if we rewind back to 2023 – when Langley’s country compatriot (and duet partner) Morgan Wallen took the Song of the Summer crown with “Last Night” – the One Thing at a Time single first topped the Hot 100 in mid-March. So Langley had a month-plus head start, but that precedent does make it feel at least conceivable. Then there’s “Be Her” — my favorite song on Dandelion , but maybe a little too low-key to climb any higher than No. 2. The likeliest scenario might be her Wallen duet “I Can’t Love You Anymore,” currently No. 11 on the chart after debuting at No. 7, continuing to gain momentum (after next week’s Drake chart storm subsides, at least), climbing all the way to No. 1 and staying there for a spell. Even if it doesn’t end up unseating “Choosin’ Texas” in longevity, it could have the better pre-summer timing, and the combination of Langley and Wallen feels particularly potent right now. Kyle Denis : I think the summer is definitely Ella’s to lose. I expect “Choosin’ Texas” to continue sticking around — for comparison, Alex Warren’s “Ordinary,” last year’s No. 1 Song of the Summer, is currently enjoying its 65th week on the Hot 100 at No. 6 (chart dated May 23). I could also see a scenario where “Be Her” eventually takes over before the fall. Josh Glicksman : I expect summer to be a breeze for Langley. Two of those three hits (“Be Her” and “I Can’t Love You Anymore”) still feel like they have plenty of room to st