Now that barbecues, beaches and sundresses are commonplace once again (along with, sadly, burnt burgers, beach traffic and mandals), Billboard's annual Songs of the Summer chart returns to Billboard.com.
The 10-position running tally, presented by Pepsi, tracks the most popular songs based on cumulative performance on the weekly Billboard Hot 100 chart from Memorial Day through Labor Day. At the end of the season of sun and fun, the top song of the summer will be revealed. ( LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem," featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock, took the title last summer.) The chart will be updated with new weekly data each Thursday when Billboard.com's chart menu is refreshed.
Having ranked at No. 1 on the weekly Hot 100 not just since Memorial Day but for eight weeks until this week, Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know," featuring Kimbra, takes an early lead in the running for Billboard's top song of this summer, ranking at No. 1 on Songs of the Summer.
Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" places at No. 2 on the chart. With the bouncy track having dethroned "Somebody" on the Hot 100 this week, "Maybe" could be in line to overtake Gotye's hit on the cumulative Summer chart in coming weeks.
Maroon 5's "Payphone," featuring Wiz Khalifa, looks to be another strong candidate in the race for this summer's top hit, taking the No. 3 spot on the tally. With "Somebody" in its 23rd week on the Hot 100 and "Maybe" in its 16th, "Payphone," at just eight weeks old, could hit its chart prime during the summer and likewise challenge for the season's top smash.
Fun.'s "We Are Young" (featuring Janelle Monae), now descending the Hot 100 after spending six weeks at No. 1 in March/April, and Nicki Minaj's "Starships," a top 10 Hot 100 fixture each week since its March 3 debut at No. 9, round out this year's inaugural Summer Songs top five at Nos. 4 and 5, respectively.
Click here for this season's first Songs of the Summer ranking in its entirety.
