I hate to say it…I hate to even acknowledge it…but it’s the truth: the summer is ending. Sure, the solstice technically goes until late September, but we know the real summer ends after Labor Day.

And while we soak up these last few peaceful weeks of Summer Fridays and vacations on the beach, the looming threat of the fall and colder weather is quickly approaching. We avoid the very thought of it like the plague.

But, I want to make the most of the end of summer 2024. When you look back at it, we’ve had a crazy summer in terms of pop culture: the rise of Chappell Roan, the reign of Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poet’s Department, Charli XCX teaching us what it means to have a BRAT Summer, Billie Eilish’s enormous hit, “BIRDS OF A FEATHER,” and of course, Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” and “Please, Please, Please” to soundtrack our summer.

Yes, the pop girlies have ruled the scene this summer…alongside major country vibes with albums from Zach Bryan, hit songs like “The Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey, and even fresh country additions from Lana Del Rey and Quavo with their single “Tough.”

The Song of Summer 2024 may forever be up for debate, with a few top contenders already mentioned. Former President Barack Obama just released his Summer Playlist, and it got us thinking.

What I’m looking for are songs that are perfect for closing out the summer. Different from my usual Weekend Playlist, these songs aren’t necessarily new…but they’re still astonishing.

Some were released this year, and some just perfectly embody the end of the summer. If you’re already feeling a tad nostalgic and blue about summer 2024, here’s a playlist that’ll help you feel better:

“Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter

Let’s start it off with Sabrina, who is becoming one of the biggest pop stars in the world as we speak. Her new album — Short ‘n Sweet, out August 15 — and she’s somehow still eligible for Best New Artist at the Grammy’s this year?

“Espresso” is an awesome start to the playlist because it also kicked our summer off with a bang. With fun little lyrics like “that’s that me espresso,” we can’t help but hit replay each time the song ends.

Spotify says, “Since June, the song has spent 20 days at #1 on Spotify’s global charts – topping 25 regional charts in countries like Australia, Malaysia, Jordan and Singapore.”

“HOTTOGO” by Chappell Roan

It’s the summer of Chappell Roan, we can’t even lie. Her insane rise to superstardom deserves to be marked in history books. Thousands flock to see her perform at festivals before it gets too tough to buy her tickets on Ticketmaster.

With hit songs like “Good Luck, Babe!” and “HOTTOGO” from her album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, have certainly soundtracked our summer. She’s one of the most exciting artists we’ve seen in forever, so of course we had to include this banger.

Spotify data says, “The song saw its biggest spike of the summer on June 10 (globally), the day after her Gov Ball set in New York City.”

“Back On 74” by Jungle

This song is viral on social media because of its feel-good vibes. I love any Jungle song this summer because they keep it lighthearted, with a bit of a nostalgic, retro feel to their sound.

It’s an exceptional mix of modern and classic, and “Back On 74” delivered fantastic energy all summer long. If there’s anything we’ve learned, it’s that Jungle can make a cohesive album throughout.

“Guess (Remix)” by Charli xcx and Billie Eilish

We are totally having a BRAT Summer, and when Charli and Billie collabed on this “Guess” remix…the world felt it.

When two representatives of today’s culture and music industry come together to create a fun, sexy track that combines pop and electronic music in the best way…it just works. This remix is like a shock of energy to the system from the second you turn it on.

Especially with Eilish and Charli having such huge summer albums, this feels like an acknowledgement that the music industry is going to be okay…and they’re in complete control.

“BIRDS OF A FEATHER” by Billie Eilish

Obviously, we had to mention Billie Eilish’s solo work: her third album, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, is a complete masterpiece. A how-to on production and high-quality vocals, Billie Eilish and her brother, FINNEAS, are up there with the best — and youngest — singer-songwriter-producers in the industry.

“BIRDS OF A FEATHER” is one of the singles on the album. A viral success that constantly tops charts and breaks records, this song is nothing short of sensational. It’s proof that Billie gets better with age, using all of her knowledge so far and channeling it into her latest album.

According to Spotify, “Billie had a refreshing return to tempo this summer with this breezy summer hit. A leading track from her third studio album, the song reached a fever pitch after a poignant performance at the summer games closing ceremony – quickly rising to #1 on Spotify’s global charts with over 678M streams and counting.”

“She’s Gone, Dance On” by Disclosure

Year after year, Disclosure gives us countless dance tracks to highlight our summers. They’re highly regarded in the house industry as juggernauts who know how to get people up and dancing.

“She’s Gone, Dance On” was previewed at Coachella by Dom Dolla, as the American Royal Couple — Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift — danced in the crowd. Shortly after, the song was released to the public and we haven’t stopped listening to it since.

“360” by Charli xcx

Again, we can’t mention a Charli remix without an original BRAT song. “360” is an introduction to what it really means to have a BRAT Summer. It’s carefree, fun-loving, and club-ready.

It makes us want to let loose and forget about our problems for a while. Charli XCX has started a movement, and solidified herself as our fearless BRAT leader.

“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey

There seriously hasn’t been a time this summer when I’ve been out at a bar and this hasn’t played. I would be biased if I didn’t include Shaboozey’s song in this playlist, because it truly has been everywhere. “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is his follow-up after a massive feature on Beyonce’s COWBOY CARTER.

Spotify data suggests that since June, the song has hit #1 on Spotify’s Charts in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, and the US and has been #1 on Billboard for six weeks so far. It reached #1 on Spotify’s US Chart for the first time on July 4th, proving it to be the perfect summer holiday anthem.”

What the song does well is capturing everyone’s attention early on and opening up into a full-out stomp-and-holler country song that we all love. It’s a summer of country for a reason, and this is great for country fans and non-fans alike.