Hot weather plus nostalgia makes for a potent mix(tape). In order to aid your festive flashbacks, we analyzed the Billboard Hot 100 chart for each of the past 26 years and came up with this definitive list of the 10 jams that pumped out of your stereo most between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Crank up these hits and feel the heat.
2011 Summer Songs Chart | Top 30 "Summer" Songs Ever
These hot tunes are ranked based on each track's performance on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the summer. For the period of 1985 to 1991, prior to the advent of Nielsen BDS radio monitoring data and Nielsen SoundScan point-of-sales data, the rankings are based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at No. 100 earning the least. For the years corresponding with Nielsen Music data, 1992 to 2010, the rankings are based on accumulated radio and sales points, and points from other data sets that were included in the Hot 100 during those respective years.
1. Shout
3. "The Power Of Love" - Huey Lewis & The News
4. "A View To A Kill" - Duran Duran
5. "Sussudio" - Phil Collins
6. "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" - Sting
7 . "Raspberry Beret" - Prince and the Revolution
8. "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)" - John Parr
9. "Heaven" - Bryan Adams
10. "Never Surrender" - Corey Hart
1. Papa Don't Preach
3. "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel
4. "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)" - Billy Ocean
5. "Invisible Touch" - Genesis
6. "On My Own" - Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald
7. "Higher Love" - Steve Winwood
8. "Holding Back The Years" - Simply Red
9. "Venus" - Bananarama
10. "Mad About You" - Belinda Carlisle
Alone
3. "Shakedown" - Bob Seger
4. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - U2
5. "La Bamba" - Los Lobos
6. "I Want Your Sex" - George Michael
7. "Who's That Girl" - Madonna
8. "Head To Toe" - Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam feat. Full Force
9. "Heart And Soul" - T'Pau
10. "Only In My Dreams" - Debbie Gibson
1. Roll With It
3. "Hold On To The Nights" - Richard Marx
4. "Monkey" - George Michael
5. "Pour Some Sugar On Me" - Def Leppard
6. "Hands To Heaven" - Breathe
7. "Sweet Child O' Mine" - Guns N' Roses
8. "Make Me Lose Control" - Eric Carmen
9. "I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That" - Elton John
10. "Foolish Beat" - Debbie Gibson
1. Right Here Waiting
3. "Cold Hearted" - Paula Abdul
4. "If You Don't Know Me By Now" - Simply Red
5. "Batdance" - Prince
6. "On Our Own" - Bobby Brown
7. "Baby Don't Forget My Number" - Milli Vanilli
8. "Good Thing" - Fine Young Cannibals
9. "Don't Wanna Lose You" - Gloria Estefan
10. "So Alive" - Love And Rockets
Up for Discussion