Put A Record On: The 2025 Summer Playlist (Natalie's Version)

Time has done its standard-issue flying and somehow we’re once again at Memorial Day Weekend, the official dawn of Summertime Shenanigans and (depending on where you live) an increasingly rapid ascent in temperature. I’m thrilled to have a watermelon and some lemonade in hand as I embark on what will hopefully be a chill holiday weekend, along with — you guessed it — a brand-new summer playlist, hand-crafted for your enjoyment.

I remember trying to make summer playlists on my first mp3 player, a brick that was considerably less sleek (and slightly less expensive) than those first iPods — picking exactly the right songs for walking to 7-11 to get a Slurpee and magazines that I would read in my Seattle backyard. Even though I now live in a place where you can barely go outside for much of the summer (and, coincidentally, where 7-11 was founded), the urge to soundtrack the dream summer vibe has not even faded a little. This year, I was aiming for a slightly lower-key vibe; more beers and grilling in the backyard than full rowdy rager. Somewhere between last summer’s pop-country goodness and the acoustic porch playlist — a little mellow but still fun.

Anyway! See my 2025 summer playlist below — I do my best to not repeat songs year to year! I really hope you enjoy, and have a wonderful weekend in spite of everything.