7 Songs That Scream Summer

Salon’s critics pick the songs that sizzle in summer 2008—from Estelle and Kanye West's sartorial lust to Tilly and the Wall's bubble gum New Wave:

1. Estelle with Kanye West, “American Boy”: Elegant English beats blend with in-your-face American lyrics.
2. Jonas Brothers, “Burning Up”: Saccharine silliness that fills a hole in our inner 13-year-old, boy-band-loving hearts.
3. Ida Corr, “Let Me Think About It”: Sexy beats that have kept us dancing (and Corr in the Top 10) for 40 weeks.

4. Duffy, “Rockferry”: Honeyed British vocals and echoey piano chords sound like the summer of '68.
5. Beck, “Gamma Ray”: Hypnotic riffs and heat-soaked lyrics from the king of minimal and mellow.
6. Tilly and the Wall, “Falling Without Knowing”: Bubble-gum lyrics and lightweight, New Wave beats.
7. Sharleen Spiteri, “Don’t Keep Me Waiting”: A clutch of summer staples (including the “na na na” chorus) from a lustrous Scottish singer.

(More Jonas Brothers stories.)