Spotify's 'Songs of Summer' Is Just the Usual Suspects

Spotify rolled out its 'Songs of Summer' list this week, and if you were hoping for some deep cuts or overlooked gems, well—keep it moving. The playlist is basically a formality: it's the five biggest streaming songs from the last few months, dressed up with talk about 'cultural impact' and editor expertise.

Look, there's nothing wrong with celebrating what actually connected with millions of listeners. That's real. But let's be straight: this is Spotify showing you what the algorithm already told us was hot. The streaming numbers don't lie, but they also don't tell the whole story about music's moment.

On a separate note, Spotify's also reviving the Soul Train Awards—which is a move worth paying attention to. That's about honoring legacy and putting weight behind Black music and culture in a more intentional way than a algorithm-generated playlist ever could.

The 'Songs of Summer' list does what it's supposed to do: reflect what dominated. Just don't mistake it for curation with real vision.

Read the full story at Music Ally → https://musically.com/2026/09/04/spotify-reveals-songs-of-summer-and-revives-soul-train-awards/