Summer is fast approaching and students are ready to sit back, relax and rot in their beds for at least some of their break while enjoying new media. Last year, there was the historic box office battle between “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” Taylor Swift took the world by storm to begin her Eras Tour, Noah Kahan gained popularity from his album, “Stick Season” and “The Summer I Turned Pretty” came back for a much anticipated season two. What song, album, movie and television show will take those spots? Here is a comprehensive list of the possibilities:
Song of the Summer: “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter
Carpenter has the world “wrapped ‘round [her] finger” with this top-charting hit. The song has been all over TikTok, including edits of various on-screen couples and viral dances based on the addictive lyrics. Many fans in the comments on her “Espresso” YouTube video expressed their love for the song and said it has a “vintage summer” style and are happy she is “finally getting the success she deserved.” This song will have you dancing in your room and rolling down the windows while you’re driving to a summer beach destination.
Album of the Summer: “The Tortured Poets Department” by Taylor Swift
Swift is no stranger to the spotlight and is the leading Grammy Award-winning artist in the “Album of the Year” category with four wins. It is no surprise that, once again, she will most likely take the summer title for her brand new album which includes a whopping 31 tracks, beating Drake’s record of 25 tracks on one album. Fans are already enamored with Swift’s work, filling the list of top 10 songs from the Billboard Hot 100 with songs solely from this album.
Movie(s) of the Summer: All three of these movies are possible contenders, especially depending on the audience’s demographic.
“Inside Out 2”
“Inside Out 2” brings back the original emotions in Riley’s head, but with added teenage emotions such as Anxiety, Envy and Embarrassment. After almost nine years, young fans of “Inside Out” are now living through the emotions that Riley is dealing with in this second movie, making it appealing to older and new audiences this summer.
“The Fall Guy”
After their “Barbenheimer” feud last summer, Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt are co-starring in this film about a stuntman who wants to impress the director at one of his jobs. Tom Ryder, the star of the movie, goes missing and Gosling’s character is tasked with finding him. The action-packed trailer is full of stunts and a lot of comedy, which can make a summer movie great.
“The Idea of You”
Anne Hathaway, the Oscar-winning actress, and Nicholas Galitzine, star of “Red, White & Royal Blue,” star in “The Idea of You,” a romantic comedy based on the book by Robinne Lee. Galitzine plays the heartthrob pop star who falls in love with Hathaway’s character Solène after meeting backstage at a concert at Coachella. Many fans have praised the pairing and cannot wait for its release, making it a possible hit for a summery rom-com for the books.
TV Show of the Summer: Season Three of “Bridgerton”
After two successful seasons, “Bridgerton” is back for a third, this one focusing on the love story between Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton. Netflix has been littering its social media feeds with various promotions for the highly-anticipated season and fans have been already making videos about the couple on TikTok. With the beautiful gowns and scenery, season three of “Bridgerton” is a must-watch this summer.
Though 2023 gave audiences many hits and blockbusters, the summer of 2024 has many strong contenders for interesting content that audiences have been dying to see.
