Five Amazing Summer Albums

As the school semesters are ending, you’re going to need some tunes to ease into the summer season. Here is an assortment of throwback summer albums that will be necessary after you take that final exam.

Take Off Your Pants (Blink 182) – This pop punk blast from the past contains some of the sunniest hooks of the early 2000s. With tracks like “First Date” and “The Rock Show,” this trio proved that they were far from a one album wonder. Every song sounds it could be one of your favorite rockers when life was all about summer vacation. Turn it up and feel the angst for yourself!

The College Dropout (Kanye West) – With all the tabloid drama surrounding him in recent years, many forget how fresh West’s debut was. The breezy nature and crisp production on songs like “Through the Wire” and “All Falls Down” made people understand that Kanye was a name to be paid close attention. While he would go on to greater highs and lows on later releases, this album is a time capsule for summer jams.

What’s the Story Morning Glory (Oasis) – While this band has been kaput for over a decade now, their 1996 masterpiece has not aged a day. The songwriting of Noel Gallagher and the trademark nasality of his brother Liam make these songs come alive. These guys possess talent far greater than the Beatles rip-off band people tend to think they are. But that’s just my two cents…anyway here’s “Wonderwall.”

Songs for the Deaf (Queens of the Stone Age) – It doesn’t get more summer than desert rock, and these titans of the genre have been at it for 2 decades now. But their crowning achievement will always be this sizzling opus from 2002. Vocalist Josh Homme takes you on a journey through Joshua Tree with pummeling riffs and seductive singing. This album is also a concept record, so it works on two levels. Come for the bangers, stay for the story.

Purple Rain (Prince) – This flashback from the 80s shows the Purple One at his prime as he weaves his way through scorchers like “Let’s Go Crazy” and ballads like “I Would Die 4 U.” This album is the equivalent of going to one of the greatest parties you’ve ever been to and multiplies that feeling 1000x by the time the album ends. What we are left with is a summer jam that you’ll want to listen to again and again. Even though Prince is not with us anymore, this album’s style and song structure also shows us that he was one of the most talented musicians to ever live.