How many beach trips do you have planned this summer? Now that sunny days are approaching, your answer should have the words “…and counting” after whatever number you replied with. No matter which beach you end up at this summer, there are a few things you definitely need to bring. First up? A well-thought out beach play list, of course! Beach towels, some sunscreen, and a bathing suit will come in handy, too. But some good tunes are especially important, because they set the entire mood of a trip! If you find yourself thinking the same thing, then go ahead and check out this list of the best beach songs to add to your summer playlist.
Ahead, you’ll find a collection of the best songs about the beach or for the beach that capture that wide-open ocean mood. If you’re looking for a ’60s California sound, The Beach Boys have tons of classics to tide (😂) you over, with tunes like “Catch a Wave” or “Surfin’ U.S.A.” Anyone looking to stack their playlist with country songs can find plenty of those here, too, including The Avett Brothers and Blake Shelton. And a list of beach songs wouldn’t be complete without the ’50s style bop about summer love from Ree Drummond’s favorite movie musical, Grease. Grab your straw hats and swimsuits, and turn up the tunes!
Here are more ways to have fun on the beach:
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“All Summer Long” by Kid Rock
Here’s a quintessential summer listen! Sampling iconic tracks like Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” and Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London,” it’s a nostalgic sing-along anthem that blends rock, country, and a touch of hip-hop for plenty of fun.
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“Malibu” by Miley Cyrus
Play this heartfelt and dreamy track during relaxing, mellow moments by the water. It’s a pop-folk personal ode to love and a fresh start, inspired by life in the scenic beauty of Malibu.
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“Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles
You can’t help but bop to this Grammy-winning anthem, which is an irresistible blend of retro-style production and feel-good pop lyrics that celebrate the sweetness of love and the joys of summer.
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“Beachin'” by Jake Owen
A seamless blend of country charm and breezy beats, this catchy tune will instantly transport you to a sun-soaked day of warm sand with a cold drink in hand.
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“Magic In The Hamptons” by Social House
With its upbeat rhythm and flirty lyrics, this dancy track feels like a summer fling in song form. It captures the feel of fun escapades in the sun with the beach as a backdrop.
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“Riptide” by Vance Joy
You might not want to get caught in a riptide, but you’ll sure want to listen to this song by Vance Joy. The melody will have you craving a car ride t0 the beach with the windows down.
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“Escape” (The Pina Colada Song)” by Rupert Holmes
Pina Colada, anyone? You kind of have to have one when listening to this song! As a matter of fact, sipping on one while laying in the sand sounds like a perfect idea for summer.
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“Santeria” by Sublime
No, there isn’t a beach mentioned in this 1996 song. That hardly matters, because the alternative and indie hit is synonymous with words like “chill” and “relaxing,” which is exactly how you want to feel when heading to the oceanside.
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“Surf City” by Jan & Dean
It’s a surfer’s world, and we’re just living in it! That’s what it feels like come summertime, anyway. Head to Surf City with Jan & Dean by blasting this carefree tune before each beach trip!
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“Rockaway Beach” by The Ramones
Every beach deserves its own anthem. Thank goodness Rockaway Beach had The Ramones to take care of this task! If your favorite spot doesn’t yet have one, then maybe it’s *your* time to shine! 😂
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“(Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding
Going fishing or just lounging about on a slow summer day? Otis Redding has a song just for those warm afternoons “watching the tide roll away.”
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“Island in the Sun” by Weezer
The dorkiest guys in 2000s rock and roll composed one of the most chilled-out summer songs of their generation, exemplifying the SoCal vibe. It was a hit on the radio and one of the band’s biggest hits ever outside the US, but the song almost didn’t make it onto Weezer’s self-titled album.
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“At the Beach” by The Avett Brothers
This Avett Brothers’ song captures the healing power that going to the beach has for everybody. They talk about giving their worries to the sea and how the ocean lets us leave the stressful world behind.
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“Catch a Wave” by The Beach Boys
Close your eyes and let the upbeat beach pop hit carry you to the ocean! Like so many Beach Boys bops, this one is replete with gorgeous harmonies that sound like musical sunshine. It’s a simple song that’s all about surfing.
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“Under the Boardwalk” by The Drifters
Few songs capture the spirit of relaxation like this 1960s hit. Originally performed by The Drifters, “Under the Boardwalk” has been covered by innumerable artists and tells the story of a tryst between a man and a woman in a seaside town.
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“Some Beach” by Blake Shelton
Here’s a feel-good country song to make you want to hop in the car and head to the sandy coast! It tells the story of a man who imagines “some beach, somewhere” that’s waiting for him whenever life becomes frustrating.
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“When the Sun Goes Down” by K.Chesney and Kenny Chesney
This hit by K. Chesney has the upbeat feel of a Beach Boys song with the narrative fun of classic country. The first lyrics capture an afternoon staying at the beach perfectly, “Suntan toes ticklin’ the sand / Cold drink chillin’ in my right hand.”
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“No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems” by Kenny Chesney
A lighthearted intro of guitar picking and strumming welcomes you into this song as Kenney continues to layer in keys, fiddle, and drums. It’s a laid-back country song that reminds you that summer = no problems.
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“Soak Up the Sun” by Sheryl Crow
If you lived through the 2000s, this song was everywhere during summer. Sheryl Crow’s fun alt-rock tune will get you hopping and dancing around and ready to go “soak up the sun.”
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“Knee Deep” by Zac Brown Band
Hello, upbeat beach day! Zac Brown Band captures our feeling so well in the chorus to this summery song, “Wishing I was knee deep in the water somewhere / Got the blue sky breeze and it don’t seem fair / Only worry in the world is the tide gonna reach my chair.”
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“The Boys of Summer” by Don Henley
Throw it back to the ’80s with this synthy sun-drenched hit! It may be almost forty years since this tune first dropped, but it’s still a quintessential summer song about clinging to love.
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“Surfin’ U.S.A.” by The Beach Boys
The moment the initial chords of “Surfin'” play, you just immediately know what song it is—that’s how memorable this Beach Boys tune has proven. It became emblematic of the “California Sound” aesthetic and the American dream, as typified by surfboards, beach parties, and hamburger joints.
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“Toes” by Zac Brown Band
There’s truly nothing better than your toes in the water, your bum in the sand, and a cold drink in your hand! Zac Brown Band celebrates leaving Georgia for a vacation where things are mellow and they’re perfectly content.
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“Summer Nights” by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John
A beach playlist wouldn’t be complete without this Grease song! It’s a quintessential song of summer love and tells the story of how Danny and Sandy met by the ocean. “Summer loving had me a blast / Summer loving happened so fast,” the pair sing.
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“Margaritaville” by Jimmy Buffett
Spend the season by the beach with Mr. Jimmy Buffett. Another laid-back tune, this time about someone with nowhere to go and out of luck with a woman. They stay by the beach “watchin’ the sun bake all of those tourists.”
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