It Is Time To Declare the 2019 Song of the Summer

Every year, one song defines the season as a landmark in American culture. It may have no relevance to current events, in fact, it would be better if it didn’t. 2019 just took a DNA test, and turns out “Truth Hurts” is 100% the Song of the Summer.

A candidate for the title must have a few distinct qualities.

• Instantly recognizable within the first 2-3 seconds
• A hook that sticks in your head like a virus to a host
• Try to remain under 4 minutes unless absolutely necessary
• Get a shit ton of air play between May and September

“Truth Hurts” hits all of these. While I understand there are many, many songs that could fill this criteria, this is just a starting point. There are other factors that can help vault a song to the peak.

• Cause some sort of cultural experience (i.e. a dance, a meme, some sort of usefulness for the song outside of the song)
• Some sort of repetition that loops indefinitely until it is replaced next year.
• Chart well! I mean not necessarily #1 but you know, get up there.

There are not many songs that will fill this additional pocket. The only song that comes close this year is, of course, “Old Town Road”. If you wanted to tell me that song is the Song of the Summer, I wouldn’t really protest. Its a great, catchy song with a cult following. It sat on top of the Hot 100 for NINETEEN WEEKS (with the help of several remixes).

The reason I give the crown to “Truth Hurts” is because of what happened at the Cardi B (“I Like It” was last year’s SotS) concert here in Indianapolis a few weeks back.

Between second-act Kevin Gates and the headliner, a DJ played a bunch of popular tracks while the crews set up Cardi B’s golden stage. When she played “Truth Hurts” the crowd erupted nearly as loud as it did minutes later when Cardi arrived actually in-person.

Nearly everyone in the arena shout-sang every lyric to “Truth Hurts”. It was extremely loud.

Anyway, Lets end the debate if there even was one. Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts” is the song we’ll most remember the summer of 2019 for, even if she released it late summer 2017.