Photo: Gus Stewart/Getty Images

Iggy Azalea, Ariana Grande, Michael Jackson (R.I.P), and Coldplay may have early leads in the race to score 2014's song of the summer. But there's always a bunch that fly under the radar. So we went straight to the pros and asked them to offer up their picks for music that will up the cool quotient for your rooftop BBQs, festival pre-gaming, and boozy pool parties. Below, 25 artists, musicians, industry insiders and tastemakers weigh in with their picks—and why they rule.

Jason Bentley, Music Director and Host at KCRW Public Radio in Los Angeles
Pick: Ray LaMontagne, "Drive-In Movies"
Why It Rules: Ray waxes nostalgic for warm summer nights in small town America, when the local drive-in was everything. With a big sing-a-long chorus, this song is a highlight from one of the best albums of the year, Supernova.

Jonathan Galkin, Co-founder DFA Records (LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip)
Pick: Shamir, "I Know It's A Good Thing"
Why It Rules: Shamir is one of the absolute best singers songwriters and voices I have heard since forever. This whole new EP absolutely floors me, but this track checks all the right boxes: piano, 4/4 kick, soulful vocals and arrangement that keeps the voice and words uncluttered, simple and elegant. Plus if you loop the opening piano hook at the beginning it could sound like the bizarro version of the Jaws theme, and maybe a disco shark might come out of the water at any moment.

Kris Chen, Head of XL Recordings
Pick: Jamie xx, "Girl"
Why It Rules: This Jamie xx song is what you should hear all summer long. It doesn't scream anthem. It whispers suggestive rolling bass that sounds right booming from the car that's creeping down the West Side Highway at 2am.

 

Cortez Bryant, Co-CEO, Blueprint Group (Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne)
Pick: "Passive Casanova" by Nesby Phips and "Let Me Find Out Part 1" by 5th Ward Weebie
Why They Rule: These two songs are my songs for the summer because they take me back to the 90's New Orleans rap music scene. Passive Casanova is a laid back, cruising type of record, and "Let Me Find Out" is strictly for the block party—it is the essence of New Orleans bounce music.

 

 

 

Tiësto, DJ
Pick: Watermät, "Bullit"
Why It Rules: This is a happy song that has a very summer feeling to it. I can see this being the anthem of Ibiza and all the beach parties around Europe this summer!

Alexandra Patsavas, Music Supervisor (The Twlight Saga)/Owner of Chop Shop Music Supervision
Pick: Empires, "How Good Does It Feel"
Why It Rules: This Chicago-based alt/indie-rock band adopts traditional romantic idioms, both musical and lyrical, to mask deeper and darker personal truths. Lead singer Sean Van Vleet's raw evocative croon rises to match the band's musical muscle, conveying anxieties, hidden secrets, and a heartfelt longing for transcendence.

 

Kevin Drew, Songwriter/Broken Social Scene
Pick: The Mounties, "Tokyo Summer"
Why It Rules: This tune sounds like sleeping bags beside a lake. Sounds like sweat dripping dow the front of your boyfriend/girlfriend's neck while dancing under the stars at a tailgate party. It sounds like youth for the elderly. It sounds like summer.

 

Josh Young of Flosstradamus
Pick: Raury, "God's Whisper"
Why It Rules: We spend a lot of time working in Atlanta and always discover new underground music while we're down there. This last trip we found this song from Raury and it's been stuck on repeat ever since.

 

Curt Cameruci of Flosstradamus
Pick: Nicki Minaj, "Chiraq (feat. Lil Herb)"
Why It Rules: The first time I heard this beat it reminded me of all the Juke tracks I used to listen to when I was younger. It embodies old and new Chicago all in one track.

 

Jack Antonoff of fun./Bleachers
Pick: Miniature Tigers, "Sex on the Regular"
Why It Rules: I love that band. Honestly all their songs are major summer time feelings for me - there's just something about them that makes me want to leave the house and interact. Isn't that summer-ish?

 

Anne Litt, DJ and Host at KCRW Public Radio in Los Angeles
Pick: De Lux, "Moments" 
Why It Rules: De Lux's music is the perfect poolside, beachside, BBQ-side album for the summer. It takes me back to the sounds of old school disco, new wave and bands like Blondie, Talking Heads, Psychedelic Furs—with a decidedly 2014 edge and twist (think Hot Chip and Holy Ghost!), plus dreamy shimmering guitars and synths. It's breezy and fun, especially the track "Moments."

Hear It Here

Sean Lennon, Songwriter/The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger
Pick: Death Grips, "Birds" 
Why It Rules: This is the most interesting rap record I know of from 2014. The guitar sample on "Birds" is off-the-charts amazing. Death Grips continue to push boundaries, and reinvigorate what is often an overly commercialized genre. Zach Hill was already on my radar as an amazing drummer, and I liked the solo psych music he was publishing online. But when he hooked up with rapper Stefan Burnett something amazing happened and they became hip-hop revolutionaries. I grew up listening to what is now considered old school hip-hop in NYC in the 80s, but for several years it has seemed like hip-hop is in its "heavy metal hair spray" era. Death Grips are breaking the mold. Government Plates is definitely my summer jam record. Blasting this on the tour bus. "Birds" is my favorite song for the moment, but the whole record is dope.

 

Martin Kierszenbaum, Chairman of Cherrytree Records / Sr. Executive A&R for Interscope/Geffen/A&M
Pick: Jean Luis Guerra, "La Bilirrubina"
Why It Rules: Juan Luis Guerra is one of my favorite artists of all time. His music combines the most vibrant elements of Merengue with masterful strokes of pop, Caribbean and African music. His new version of "La Bilirrubina" from his new A Son de Guerra Tour live album is particularly essential for this Summer because it'll raise the temperature on any pool party and get the dancing started on contact.

 

Le1f, Rapper
Pick: Ratking, "Puerto Rican Judo (feat. Wavy Spice)"
Why It Rules: Ratking dropped a classic New York rap album this year. It really captures what it's like growing up in 90s/2000s NYC. Making actually lovely love songs as a rapper always seems to be challenging, and can become very corny quickly, I think. The Ratking guys along with Wiki's girlfriend/goddess Wavy Spice really managed to make something so endearing and "plur" but still keep all of their bold and bro-ey vibes, over a surprisingly cool house beat.

Owen Pallett, Musician/Academy Award Nominated Composer
Pick: Sean Nicholas Savage, "Please Set Me Free"
Why It Rules: Recording in a rainstorm always sounds like such a great idea! The rain comes down and you're like "Oh goodie! Hit record!" But rain takes on a weird sound on recordings, more like static energy, electricity. The rain on this song is unquestionably Montreal rain, in fact I remember this exact rainstorm last summer, I was on my porch with a whiskey and wishing I had a song this good to record. At the time I could've used this song, "please set me free / from myself", love this guy, great track.

Stuart Meyer, A&R Manager, Sub Pop Records
Picks: "We Sink" by CHVRCHES and "Do It Again" by Röyksopp & Robyn
Why They Rule: If you've got a Giorgio Moroder fetish like I do, these fit the bill perfectly.

 

Tom Windish, Owner of The Windish Agency
Pick: Lorde, "Tennis Court"
Why It Rules: I know it's obvious but Lorde is a phenomenon that's here to stay. She's the real deal and a genuine artist. People dubiously asked me early on if she had a single to follow up "Royals." Then she released "Team" and now "Tennis Court." Personally, I'm excited to hear what she's conjuring up in her brain now.

Faith Newman, Senior Vice President, Reservoir; A&R Executive for Nas' Illmatic
Pick: Son Little, "Your Love Will Blow Me Away When My Heart Aches"
Why It Rules: This is perfect for an introspective sunset drive. It's brooding and downtempo, which isn't necessarily what you think of for a "summer song," but his voice is so warm and soulful, like a combination of Little Willie John and Bob Marley, that it makes you slow down and listen. This is soul music for the hip-hop generation. It gives me hope for the future of music.

 

Mathieu Schreyer, DJ and Host of KCRW Public Radio in Los Angeles
Pick: Sirens of Lesbos, "Long Days Hot Nights" 
Why It Rules: "Long Days Hot Days" appears on the debut release from the Greek band Sirens of Lesbos. This song is all about positivity, from the piano stabs and driving drums to the passionate singing and lyrics. It's simple, it's light, it's fresh, which makes it perfect for summer consumption.

Jonathan Rado of Foxygen
Pick: White Fence, "Live on Genevieve"
Why It Rules: Any song that uses slide guitar is, to me, a summer song, and this song sounds like it has like 6 or 7 slide guitars on it. Also, like all great summer songs (i.e. that Third Eye Blind song about meth), Tim Presley is probably singing about something pretty dark here, but who knows? All that can be made out is that he wants to live on Genevieve Street with you. And that's fine with me!

Dean Wareham, Songwriter/Dean & Britta/Luna
Pick: Papercuts, "Boys of Summer"
Why It Rules: This is from a compilation a few years back and I never cared for Don Henley's "Boys of Summer" till I heard it covered by San Francisco's Papercuts. Henley has a great voice but it connotes life in a fast lane, not heartbreak. Papercuts' Jason Quever has a voice that actually delivers the obsession and melancholy that is hinted at in the lyrics.

Hear it Here

Jay Buchanan, Rival Sons
Pick: Future Islands, "Seasons (Waiting on You)"
Why It Rules: This is my go-to song for the good vibe right now. From the inside of the tour bus you see summer happening through the window and hearing Samuel T. Herring's charismatic voice really hits home on this nostalgic synthpop song. Feels like an outdoor evening with friends and when I'm so far away from home for the summer a song like this puts me where I want to be.

Curtis Harding, Singer
Pick: King Tuff, "Sun Medallion"
Why It Rules: The lyrics boast about going outside and day dreaming out. Getting into your Chevy and feeling the engine turning... It's the perfect song for a road trip, BBQ, or just chilling on your front porch or the beach. From the classic production to the TUFF guitar solo, this is my song of the summer.