Dua Lipa and Miley Cyrus attend the Versace FW23 Show at Pacific Design Center on March 09, 2023 in West Hollywood, California. Bad Bunny, winner of the Favorite Male Latin Artist award, poses in the press room at the 2021 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on November 21, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.

When you’re soaking up the sun, you’ve got to have the tunes to match the vibe. Nothing is better than being in full-on relaxation mode than having the right music playing. We know it’s tough finding the right songs to fit the mood. Plus, when you’re unwinding, who has the time to sort through your music to create a queue? To make a solid beach playlist, we’ve created this list of 10 songs that are essential to having while hanging on the beach, or even in your backyard.

Artists like FIFTY FIFTY and WILLOW instantly put us in a zen mood. Meanwhile, for those who love to party it up, Dua Lipa and Bad Bunny are right there, too, to make you shake what your mama gave ya. You can’t forget about the girls going through heartache, though. With these breakup anthems, forget about your ex and thrive. Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus have that covered. Whatever your summer mood is, we’ve got the tunes to add a ray of sunshine to those long summer days. A perfect mix combines moods (“love is great” and “love is the worst”) and different tempos. It’s also fun to stack songs by superstars and newcomers on top of each other.

Take a look below at our top 10 picks for the best beach playlist.

  • Flowers - Miley Cyrus

    “Flowers” may have been released in January, but this song is perfect for the summer. We shall never tire of Miley’s confidence-boosting line of buying herself flowers and taking herself dancing. Nothing better than self-love, baby!

  • Dance The Night - Dua Lipa

    The Barbie soundtrack is filled with summer jams, but this Dua Lipa dance bop gets us dancing unconsciously. Just like many of her other upbeat songs, “Dance The Night Away” features the iconic claps that gets the crowd going.

  • Cupid - FIFTY FIFTY

    You’ve heard some version of this popular song on social media. Whether it’s the sped-up version or the original, this cute song is perfect to unwind to. Sung by the South Korean girl group FIFTY FIFTY, they debuted in November 2022, so they’re really new.

  • Where She Goes - Bad Bunny

    When we think of summer, we think of Bad Bunny. The Puerto Rican rapper has consistently delivered music that makes us want to dance, and everyone feels that way, whether or not they speak Spanish. With “Where She Goes,” the artist takes a subtle dembow rhythm with Jersey club elements.

  • Calm Down - Rema & Selena Gomez

    “Calm Down” is the perfect song to play by the water. It’s at just the right tempo to dance or take a little nap — the ultimate chill island vibe. So if you catch us dosing off, don’t bug us.

  • Cruel Summer - Taylor Swift

    Taylor Swift has a song for every mood and season. “Cruel Summer” is one of those songs that we put at the top of our playlists once summer hits. Off her 2019 Lover album, the song is a dreamy vibe.

  • Baby Don’t Hurt Me - David Guetta, Anne-Marie, Coi Leray

    This remix of Haddaway’s “What Is Love” from 30 years ago (wow) is an example of how songs can be modernized and made better. In this David Guetta-produced track, the DJ includes vocals by English singer Anne-Marie and rising rapper Coi Leray. Fun fact, Ed Sheeran co-wrote the song! That man has his hand in every genre.

  • Wait a Minute! - WILLOW

    Before Willow Smith went full-on rock, her debut album featured this experimental pop hit, “Wait a Minute!” Breezy and uplifting, this is a song that always puts us in a good mood. Your whole beach crew won’t be able to stop themselves from belting out the lyrics.

  • If We Ever Broke Up - Mae Stephens

    19-year-old British singer-songwriter Mae Stephens’ hit single went viral on TikTok, and since then, the song has been all over the internet and radio waves. It’s a nice uplifting take on how to handle a breakup during the summer — don’t be sad, get even!

  • beachin - piri & tommy

    This pop group gives us major Pinkpantheress vibes and with their song “beachin,” made the perfect summer anthem. Their 2022 mixtape, Froge.mp3, has zero skips and are all a chill vibe you’ve got to add to your playlist.

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