As we approach the tail end of July, I have one question to ask all my Seattle hotties: How’s your “hot girl summer” going? Now, some of you might be asking yourself, “What the hell is a hot girl summer and am I even having one?”
A phrase originated by rap star and “H-town hottie” Megan Thee Stallion back in 2019, a “hot girl summer” “is just basically … women — and men — just being unapologetically them, just having a good-ass time, hyping up your friends, doing you, not giving a damn about what nobody got to say about it. You definitely have to be a person that can be the life of the party, and, y’know, just a bad bitch.”
No matter what your hot girl summer looks like, it deserves some music to accompany it. So, I have curated an assortment of albums for you to choose from to be your hot girl summer soundtracks — you know those songs that just make you feel like you are the main character.
While there is no shortage of hot girl anthems to select from, my main criteria for the artists I included in this selection was contingent on them having released a full-length album within the last calendar year. As Meg has established, a hot girl summer takes many shapes and forms, so these albums range from party girl bangers all the way to summertime sadness.
Seeing as she is the reason for the season, it only seemed fitting to start off this list with Megan’s latest album, “MEGAN.” In the 14th installment in her discography, Meg has solidified that she is, without a doubt, “that bitch.” In fact, she explicitly says so in the intro of “Rattle.”
If I had to describe this album in one word, it would be unapologetic. With songs like “HISS,” “Figueroa,” “BOA” and “Cobra,” Meg has set the record straight — she doesn't care what anyone has to say about her. “MEGAN” is an album that really explores all the sides of who Meg is. “Where Them Girls At” and “Accent,” loaded with booty-bumping bass and hip hop beats, take me back to the origins of thee hot girl summer, while “Worthy” and “Moody Girl” explore the more vulnerable side of what it means to be a baddie.
I would be amiss if I didn’t mention “Otaku Hot Girl,” which pays homage to Meg’s love of anime, and “Mamushi,” which has become an viral fan favorite and has officially taken the hot girl movement international with its feature by Japanese rapper Yuki Chiba.
The internet has proclaimed summer 2024 to be a “brat summer,” a turn of phrase that is not only in reference to Charli xcx’s sixth studio album but I believe was also born out of hot girl summer’s legacy. The iconic lime green that graces the album cover has completely taken over my Instagram, Tik Tok and, honestly, brain, confirming “BRAT” is, like Charli says in the opening track “360,” everywhere.
While the album, produced in part by hyperpop pioneer A.G. Cook, is filled with certified partygirl anthems like “Club Classics,” “Von Dutch” and “Mean Girls,” it is also extremely nuanced, exploring complex themes like generational trauma in “Apple.” Additionally, “BRAT” has its fair share of existentialism with songs like “Sympathy Is a Knife,” “I Might Say Something Stupid” and “Girl, So Confusing” (shout out to the remix featuring Lorde), where Charli delves into her feelings of insecurity, self-doubt and loss.
For me, “BRAT” not only cements Charli’s identity as an artist but her influence on modern pop. The album closes out full circle — no pun intended — with “365,” a remix of “360,” where Charli sends the message that no matter where you look, you will always see her — 365 days of the year.
Speaking of hyperpop, if you are building out a playlist featuring songs with at least 130 beats per minute, look no further than LVL1’s “PLAY.” LVL1 is a Spanish, queer rapper and singer probably best known for the track “FVN!” that went viral on TikTok in 2021. The three-minute song is jam-packed with house beats, synths, bilingual rapping and nods to the voguing and ballroom scene, all of which can be found throughout the rest of the album.
Listening to “PLAY” instantly transforms any setting into a mega club and is perfect for those Seattle rooftop hangouts or just even the usual hot girl errand walk.
With a run time of 24 minutes, my only complaint is that the fun is over too fast!
Caroline Polachek is often described as otherworldly, a label definitely reflected in this album, which is an extended version of her 2023 release by the same name. All the usual suspects from the original that radiate folksy summer energy are present, like “Welcome to My Island,” “Sunset” and “Blood and Butter.”
In the “Everasking Edition,” however, there are seven additional songs, including four previously unreleased ones. My favorite of the bunch is Caroline’s cover of Operating Theatre’s “Spring Is Coming with a Strawberry in the Mouth;” it evokes the feeling of frolicking in a field in one’s most ethereal dress.
As we established, hot girl summer can take many forms and, with “Desire, I Want To Turn Into You: Everasking Edition,” I am transported to a far off land filled with palm trees, blood red sunsets and volcanoes.
While I wasn’t able to catch her performance at Capitol Hill Block Party, after witnessing Chappell Roan at Coachella this year, I can say with full confidence we are 100% witnessing the rise of a pop star in real time.
Billboard reported that her streams have increased exponentially, from 2.5 million weekly in January to 80.3 million in July; it’s clear we are all hungry for what she’s serving.
With songs like “Femininomen,” “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl” and “Pink Pony Club,” Chapell is leading the charge to make pop music, femme and fun again. Oh, and also super gay.
I seriously haven’t found this much pure joy from an album since maybe Hannah Montana. I mean, there’s just something about songs like “HOT TO GO!” that just make you want to “snap and clap and touch your toes.” This 14-song album has been a constant in my rotation this season, just “like cicadas in the summertime.”
Alright, I know summer can’t all be fun and games, so in case you are looking for something to help invoke the melancholic heartbreak of summertime sadness, whew, do I got the album for you. South London singer-songwriter Rachel Chinouriri’s debut album has highs, lows, twists and turns, all brought to you through the most quintessentially sad girl indie pop. This album is seriously underrated, and I would be willing to bet money Rachel Chinouriri will see an influx of fans in the next year to come. It features spectacular song-writing that highlights loss, depression, suicide, substance abuse and patriachal oppression through catchy pop hooks. If you like the works of Chappell Roan or Olivia Rodrigo, this is the artist and album for you.
OK, so look, I know “going…going…GONE!” might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I’m asking you to give it a chance. This debut EP by 24-year-old alt-pop singer hemlock springs delivers all the kitschy, and maybe wacky, pop I crave. Chances are that you might have even heard her song “Girlfriend,” which has garnered more than 42 million streams on Spotify. The 1980s-inspired synths combined with hemlocke’s unique vocals scratch my brain in just the right way, making me feel like I’m a retro video game character.
You know I couldn’t end this list without including a local musician right? Jaymyloni is a Seattle-based artist you might have seen perform if you attended Capitol Hill Block Party. In their debut EP “UNISEX OPERA,” Jaymyloni explores gender fluidity and androgyny through intense rap flows paired with high-energy electronic beats. Jaymyloni released a visual dialogue where they explain the meaning behind “UNISEX OPERA,” stating, “My mom played both roles, so why can’t I? We all carry both sex’s traits. Of course I’m masculine, of course I’m feminine. I feel both — unisex. I’m a man … but the baddest bitch you’ve seen, truly. So, that’s Unisex Opera.” This EP is experimental, gritty and reflects the raw talent that is the Seattle music scene.
Dominique Morales is the editor in chief of Real Change. Check out her playlist at
tinyurl.com/hotgirlsound.
Dominique Morales is the Editor in Chief of Real Change News. She oversees the direction and production of the weekly print paper. Contact her at [email protected].
Read more of the July 24–30, 2024 issue.