These albums are perfect for a day at the beach or a long summer road trip.
The Beatles: “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”
The Beatles set the bar in so many categories with this record that it’s easy to forget this 1967 release became the gold-standard for the modern-day summertime album. It garners excitement, starts musical debates, and improves with time. Each time this record spins, you discover new intricacies to obsess over. Turn up the volume and get lost in the summer of ‘67.
Tom Petty: “Full Moon Fever”
The best time for a road-trip is summertime, and Tom Petty has a full catalog that act as stellar road-trip counterparts. “Full Moon Fever” offers the greatest set of shiny tunes with an undeniable summer stamp. “Free Fallin’” and “Runnin’ Down a Dream” are all you need to cruise down the highway.
Beastie Boys: “Paul’s Boutique”
In July of 1989, the hip-hop trio’s sophomore album quickly gained a cult-like following with its psychedelic samples and stories of debauchery. The effortless brilliance of shouting, “Hey Ladies,” has created one of the best pool-party soundtracks … even if you don’t have a pool. Walkmans might be a thing of the past, but you can still hear the music anywhere with your wireless headphones.
Beach Boys: “Wild Honey”
The Beach Boys pioneered the fun-loving summertime sound throughout their entire body of work, and “Wild Honey” is a collection of classic summer tunes wrapped in one renowned album. This release perfectly captures the sensation of a hot, beer-drenched beach. Each song embodies the mood and spirit of cars, longboards, and pure 60s hedonism!
Dr. Dre: “The Chronic”
This album is full of laid-back anthems to match the summer season, yet is still hard-edged enough to emulate its Southern California roots. Before the divide of east coast and west coast, musical preferences were meshed together by the embodiment of story-telling and raw social realism. This album had the effortless hooks and artistry that defined an urban, early 90s sound, and produced new ground for west coast MCs to create an innovative hip-hop virtuosity.
Katy Perry: “Teenage Dream”
Katy Perry is known for having huge hits, and “Teenage Dream” is by far her biggest summer album. Perry produced an album with more substance and perspective into her life than she had previously shown, and departed from her previous soft-rock driven sound to capture a lively, summertime emotion. Headlined by “California Gurls,” “Teenage Dream,” and “Firework,” this album enhanced the summer sound … amongst other things.
There you have it -- 6 summertime albums perfect for your record collection. In case you can’t get enough music this summer, be sure to stop by our store for all of your music needs!