September 4, 2020

What three songs will best define the summer of 2020, and what is the surprise hit of the summer?

Jammer, WEZB: Harry Styles “Wateremelon Sugar,” The Weeknd “Blinding Lights,” Dua Lipa “Break My Heart.” Surprise hit: Juice WRLD/Marshmello “Come And Go.”

Jeremy Rice, WBLI: Harry Styles “Watermelon Sugar” (#1 by a mile!), Jawsh 685 x Jason Derulo “Savage Love,” DaBaby “Rockstar,” plus COVID-Protest Credit to “If The World Was Ending” which WBLI broke in March! Surprise hit is SAINT JHN “Roses.”

Bartel, WKTU: Harry Styles “Watermelon Sugar,” Justin Bieber “Intentions,” Dua Lipa “Break My Heart.” Surprise hit: Benee “Superlonely.”

Matt Johnson, KSLZ: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights,” Dua Lipa “Break My Heart,” Harry Styles “Adore You.” I would have to say “Rockstar” was a surprise from two artists (DaBaby and Roddy Ricch) who are relatively new to the format.

Rick Vaughan, KENZ: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”, Dua Lipa “Break My Heart”, SAINt JHN “Roses.” Surprise is Benee “Supalonely.”

Mike “OD” O’Donnell, WKRZ: Lewis Capaldi “Before We Go,” Blackbear “Hot Girl Bummer,” Harry Styles “Watermelon Sugar.” Surprise will be Miley Cyrus “Midnight Sky.”

Brian Mack, WXXL: Harry Styles “Watermelon Sugar,” Dua Lipa Break My Heart” and “Don’t Start Now.” Sleeper: Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande “Rain On Me.”

Valentine, WBHT: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights,” Harry Styles “Watermelon Sugar,” Doja Cat “Say So.” Surprise is Juice WRLD/Marshmello “Come and Go,” and end of summer surprise smash is 24kGoldn “Mood.”

Java Joel, WAKS: Harry Styles “Watermelon Sugar,” Megan Thee Stallion “Savage Love,” and that immortal toe-tappin’ instant Cardi B classic… “WAP”.

Drew Heyman, Y100: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights,” Harry Styles “Watermelon Sugar,” and DaBaby “Rockstar.”

 

Orlando, WLLD: DaBaby “Rockstar,” Roddy Rich “High Fashion,” Lil Baby “Emotionally Scarred.”

Chris Michaels, FM100: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights,” Dua Lipa “Break My Heart,” Harry Styles “Watermelon Sugar.” Gabby Barrett/Charlie Puth “I Hope” was also a strong summer song. This record has been massive all year with Country, but quickly flew up the Pop charts this summer.

Jonathan Shuford, WRVW: Megan Thee Stallion “Savage,” Harry Styles “Watermelon Sugar,” Avenue Beat “F2020.” Surf Mesa is definitely the surprise. I did not see that one coming.

Josh Wolff, WAEB:  DaBaby “Rockstar,” Harry Styles “Watermelon Sugar,” Dua Lipa Break My Heart.” The big surprise was from Juice WRLD. The song was always so strong on its own, the surprise was that I didn’t know he had such great material still in the can. It came out of left field in a good way!

Todd Nuke’EM, KXRK: Blindlove – “I Wanna Be Okay” (Because we all want to be okay. 2020 is a rough year.) Blue October – “Oh My My” (Happy and uplifting!) Neon Trees – “Used To Like” (Great to see this band back with a huge hit!) Biggest surprise hit: All Time Low – “Monsters” (These guys have been at it forever and finally have a huge hit!)

Jon Zellner, iHeartMedia: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights,” Dua Lipa “Don’t Start Now,” Harry Styles “Adore You.” Surprise: JP Saxe f/Julia Michaels “If The World Was Ending.”

Buster Satterfield, Q102: Harry Styles “Watermelon Sugar,” DaBaby “Rockstar,” The Weeknd “Blinding Lights.” Surprise hit: Powfu “Coffee For Your Head.”

Bob Patrick, WXLK: DaBaby “Rockstar,” Harry Styles “Watermelon Sugar,” Dua Lipa “Break My Heart,” and SAINT JHN “Roses” really came out of no where and was a huge surprise bop this summer.

Keith Dakin, Connoisseur Media: This is a tough one. The song of the summer for radio is probably Harry Styles – “Watermelon Sugar.” The song of the summer in culture is definitely Megan Thee Stallion and Beyoncé – “Savage.” And the songs that spoke of the times, “Level of Concern,” “I Think We’re Alone Now” and maybe even “Caution.”

Twisted Todd, WTPT: “A Little Bit Off” by Five Finger Death Punch, “Dangerous” by Seether and “Trials” by Starset. Honorable mentions to “Work” by Pop Evil and “Save Me” by Skillet. And the new Pretty Reckless (“Death by Rock and Roll”) is a beast that no one saw coming!

Jagger, WKSS: Harry Styles “Watermelon Sugar,” Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande “Rain On Me,” Dua Lipa “Break My Heart.” Sleeper Lewis Capaldi “Before We Go.”

 

Next Week’s Question Of The Week:
If you could go back in time and spend a day with any person from the music industry (artist, producer, mogul, etc.), who would it be and why?
e-Mail your responses to: jodorisio@deanemediasolutions.com or bburke@deanemediasolutions.com