Summer is, or almost is, upon us. That means going to the beach, finding your new favorite ice cream place and adventuring with friends and family. Now that sunglasses and flip-flops are daily essentials, you might want to spice up your music playlist to fit the season. Well, I’ve gathered a collection of songs that are a part of my perfect summer playlist. Obviously, everyone has his or her own taste in music, but I hope that you find something on this list to your liking that you can add to your own perfect summer playlist.

“Another Night On Mars” by The Maine. This song from this Arizona alternative rock group is one of their most popular to date. It’s a song about friendship and how special those essential friendships are. Sure, that sounds a little corny, but friends are pretty important, right? This song is a great mood booster, and you can’t help but want to tap your foot along with it. Listen to this song at your Fourth of July barbecue.

“The Beach” by The Neighbourhood. We’ve all heard “Sweater Weather.” But we haven’t all heard their newest album. The album, “Wiped Out!” came out last fall, and some of the songs go very well with the summer season. My favorites are this one, “The Beach,” and “Greetings From Califournia.” Also check out “#icanteven,” which was released on their mixtape “#000000 & #FFFFFF.” I know, the name isn’t my favorite thing, either, but it’s a great song, and a little edgier than their other songs. Listen to this song while relaxing, and maybe even taking a nap on, fittingly, the beach.

“Free” by Broods. This New Zealand duo is gaining popularity in Oceania with their electric, indie pop sound. The single “Free” was recently released prior to their newest album, “Conscious,” which is expected to drop in late June. This will be their second album, and I must say I’m looking forward to it; their first album set the bar pretty high. “Free” definitely gets the album off on the right foot. This song is about, as you might expect, breaking free. The narrator is being held hostage by someone who doesn’t want to let her go, but the narrator wants to be free, even if it means losing everything. That can be relatable for most college students the last few weeks of the semester. Listen to this song while driving with the windows down and the stereo blasting.

“Gold” by Years & Years. This British electronica group uses R&B and house elements to create a very unique sound. They released their first full-length album last summer, which topped the UK charts. In Europe, they were nominated for multiple awards for their success as a new group. “King,” their first and biggest hits (that also has an amazing music video), put them in the public eye, but songs like "Gold" prove that they will be more than a one hit wonder. Listen to this song while you and your friends are having a bonfire.

“Craving” by James Bay. You may know James Bay from his multiple Grammy nominations or his hits “Hold Back The River” and “Let It Go.” But have you checked out his whole album yet? This British singer/songwriter has an amazing indie rock sound, and even has hints of the blues. He’s one of my favorites right now, and “Craving” is one of his best in my opinion. I encourage you to become acquainted with him, because he’s going to be huge, and you better be ready to jump on the Bay bandwagon. Listen to this song to kick off your summer road trip.

“Carnivore” by Bear Attack! I was originally drawn to this band because of their interesting name. Comprised of USC music students, this indie pop band is just starting to get off the ground. “Carnivore” is my favorite song from their upbeat EP. The narrators of this song are standing up and cutting someone toxic from their life. The combination of the empowering message and exciting beat make this song perfect for summer. Listen to this song while playing a game of beach volleyball with friends.

“Can’t Be Broken” by Twin Forks. This song, as well as all of Twin Forks’ songs, lifts your spirits and makes your day a little better. Chris Carrabba brought this group together to pursue a more indie sound, which is what originally attracted him to music in the first place. He used to be in Dashboard Confessional, whose punk sound could not be much more different than Twin Forks’ Americana sound. This song is about a love that… can’t be broken. It’s an upbeat song that makes you as happy as the melody is. I also recommend “Back To You;” it’s one of my other favorites by this group. Listen to this song while running through your yard with the sprinklers on.

“WILD” by Troye Sivan. You’ve probably heard “YOUTH” on the radio recently, but you may not be familiar with all of Troye Sivan’s work. He began as a Youtuber, and eventually starting moving into the world of music. He began his music career with “Happy Little Pill,” and has now succeeded in releasing his first full-length album, “Blue Neighborhood.” The name of the album comes from a line in the chorus of this song. His electro-pop sound has found him a lot of success, and I don’t think he’ll be slowing down anytime soon. Listen to this song while hanging out at your friend’s pool.

“Step Out” by Jose Gonzalez. This song was featured in the album for the film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. I didn’t see this movie, but I came across this song and I really enjoyed it. This song is about leaving your problems behind and finding adventure. In the trailer for the film, this song plays as Ben Stiller jumps onto a helicopter right before it leaves the ground – very fitting. Jose Gonzalez is also a member of the group Junip, which I encourage you to check out as well. Listen to this song as you forget about all the stresses of school, and focus on the freedom you have this summer.

“Magnetised” by Tom Odell. British singer/songwriter Tom Odell gained international attention with his first album, “Long Way Down.” This album is one of my all time favorite albums, and even went platinum in Switzerland. However, he is yet to make many waves in the US – yet. He has been putting out singles in preparation for his next album, many of which are more upbeat than songs from his first album. This updated sound is similar to that of James Bay, and as I’ve already shared, James Bay is awesome. Tom Odell is evolving, but not changing who he is as an artist, which I love. If you’re in the mood for something a little quieter, check out the acoustic version of this song as well. Listen to this song preparing a refreshing glass of frozen lemonade.

If you would like to see more, click here for the entire Spotify playlist.