Summer is finally upon us, and one of the things we most wonder about early in the warm months is what anthem will power our beach trips, club nights, and shower sing-alongs until the fall. Last year, the “Te Bote” remix achieved ubiquitousness seemingly overnight, giving everyone the breakup perreo anthem we never knew we always needed. In fact, over a year later, it’s not ok that the song still hits like it does.
So without further ado (and after many heated debates in the office), we’re proud to present our list of potential songs of the summer, in no particular order.
And feel free to check out the handy Apple and Spotify playlists we curated with the songs that might be the jam of summer 2019, and other hits to keep you partying all day and night long.
Lunay - “Soltera” (Remix) ft. Daddy Yankee and Bad Bunny
The blazing airhorns that appear in the first 30 seconds of the “Soltera” remix arrive like a warning, an auspicious sign of a defiantly euphoric breakup song in the making. The pretty boy of reggaeton recruits both the old and new school of perreo for this remix; El Cangri and El Conejo Malo arrive on the scene as willing chorus boys, echoing the song’s jubilant celebration of independence. The co-sign is a good look for fresh-faced Lunay, who’s poised to become another major player in the pop-reggaeton universe. If “Te Boté” gave us a chance to embrace the joy of autonomy, then “Soltera” is poised to follow in its footsteps. -Isabelia Herrera
Sech - “Otro Trago” ft. Darell
Sech recently released one of the best urbano albums since Bad Bunny’s X100PRE, and the Panamanian reggaetonero is quickly gaining momentum as one of the most exciting voices to come out of the genre in recent time. “Otro Trago” features the kind of undeniably catchy chorus that will stay in your head for weeks. And with an upcoming (and much-teased) posse remix featuring just about every big name in urbano, this has a real chance of ruling the summer. -Eduardo Cepeda
Guaynaa “Rebota”
There are many ways to secure a hit song – perhaps through a mind blowing music video or a powerhouse collaboration. But a true song of the summer needs to be transcendent, as in the case of Guaynaa’s gloriously crass breakthrough smash “Rebota.” The furor surrounding the young reggaetonero and his endlessly quotable ode to booty and bosom-shaking has achieved golden meme status, and may eventually eclipse all other releases from Puerto Rico’s already formidable 2019 track record. Sure, that might be a bold claim now, but before you dismiss it, consider how many children born this year will likely be named Mamarre. -Richard Villegas
Gailen La Moyeta - “Ruede”
Six years ago, the dembow universe was overflowing with talented mujeres who were introducing women’s agency to a genre that often treated them as objects. Gailen La Moyeta seems poised to restore the movement to its former glory, and the dembow sizzler “Ruede” is proof. Over a skeletal dembow riddim, the La Romana native brews a potent baboso antidote, reminding listeners she’s got a collection of tigueres lined up to replace your basic ass at any moment. Next time a dude gets too close on the dance floor, take Gailen’s advice y ruede pa’llá. -Isabelia Herrera
Daddy Yankee - “Con Calma” ft. Snow
Let’s get real: The Katy Perry version does not exist. It was a collective hallucination, and thankfully we are now past that. “Con Calma” might not be the greatest Big Boss song to grace the airwaves, but it has a lot going on. Pulling the hook from one of the catchiest (if cred-deficient) songs of the early ‘90s would have been enough to get the party going, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. The instrumentation is revamped to be fresh and throws in Snow all the nostalgic millennials in the back; add some trademark Yankee fuego, and you get something unstoppable. Pros might tell you that no one has a formula for writing hits, but Daddy Yankee may actually be the greatest Song of the Summer provider of all time. -Marcos Hassan
Bad Bunny ft. Tainy - “Callaíta”
Post-X100PRE Bad Bunny is triumphant, and rightly so. “Callaíta” is the first solo track by El Conejo Malo since his debut album dropped, and fittingly, it’s an effervescent hymn, featuring Benito’s warbling baritone chronicling the story of a woman who is unassuming, but secretly a freak in the sheets. Its lyrics – take, for example, “el perreo e’ su profesión” and “Buena, pero le gustan delincuente’” – are almost begging to be captions for your thirst traps this summer, and Benito’s references to the beach, sex, and alcohol make “Callaíta” seem like it was engineered in a lab designed to produce summer bops. -Isabelia Herrera
Rosalía “Con Altura” ft. El Guincho and J Balvin
La Rosalía has given us non-stop ear candy over the past year, and before falling into tired typecasting as a flamenco revivalist, the Barcelona-born diva switched gears, linked up with reggaeton golden boy J Balvin and dropped a pop culture bop. With El Guincho returning on production duties, as well as the song’s raspy hook, “Con Altura” is the overwhelmingly satisfying club anthem we always knew Rosalía was capable of delivering. From cred-affirming shout outs to Hector El Father, to a hilariously worded reference to flamenco icon Camarón de la Isla, “Con Altura” is kooky, cocky and oh so catchy. Add a little Balvin swag, and instantly viral choreography and you have without question one of the biggest songs of 2019. -Richard Villegas
Tomasa del Real - “Braty Puti” ft. Eli Fantasy
The First Lady of Neo Perreo is attempting to bring reggaeton to the next level by setting fire to the house, and generating heat from all corners of the genre. Hits like “Barre Con El Pelo” have put her on the map and dancefloors worldwide, and “Braty Puti” might be her strongest offering to date. The DJ Blass/Mista Greenz-produced banger is all high temperature, from the sweaty lyrics to the surgically-precise ass romper of a beat; “Braty Puti” is an ode to liberation and owning your sexuality, so basically, #summergoals. -Marcos Hassan
Jhay Cortez “No Me Conoce” (Remix) ft. Bad Bunny and J Balvin
With “No Me Conoce,” Jhay Cortez proves himself a ladies’ man, a top-notch entertainer, and a calculating pro. The song seems to be built from a thousand different hooks, all guaranteeing repeat listenings to get through all of them, and the beat is designed to go hard in any corner of the world. “No Me Conoce” screams “hit,” but just so not to leave things up to chance, Cortez assembled the same supporting cast that Cardi B gathered for last year’s juggernaut “I Like It,” and Balvin and Conejo Malo bring on their larger than life personalities and naughtiest rhymes to the table. This is for all the dudes bad enough to become a girl’s dirty little secret, or at least those who wish were as smooth. -Marcos Hassan
Rosalía - “Aute Cuture”
The princess of neoflamenco ventures further outside of her realm for “Aute Cuture,” a celebration of nail art and vampy seductresses. With its throbbing horn breaks and addictive hook (“Esto está encendi’o”), Rosalía continues to demonstrate her range beyond the world of austere, punishing vocals – the Barcelona native can make you cry, but she can also make you sweat. -Isabelia Herrera
Ozuna “Baila, Baila, Baila” ft. Daddy Yankee, J Balvin and Farruko
Posse remixes are sort of cheating when it comes to making a memorable song, but you have to step it up if you’re going to have a worldwide label’s worth of talent in your track. In the case of “Baila Baila Baila,” Ozuna trades his usual trap and dembow beats for some slow meren-house/electrocumbia that’s just a little East of the ‘90s to trigger nostalgic clips of Ilegales lip-syncing in Caliente. The instrumental tightness offset how loose the vocals get, with every singer showcasing their different personalities in their own ways, executing their best to hook you in. There’s a lot to keep you coming back but also a lot to bump the subwoofer to in the car or the club. -Marcos Hassan
YG - "Go Loko" ft. Tyga and Jon Z
YG’s video for “Go Loko” caused a small uproar online when it dropped a few months ago, with some accusing the Compton rapper of cultural appropriation. But regardless of how you feel about his red Mariachi suit, there’s no denying the song’s trumpet samples and devilishly filthy verses from Puerto Rican rapper Jon Z (which he recently treated Ellen’s entire audience to) make this song an unbridled summer slap. -Eduardo Cepeda