Spotify’s Song Of The Summer Is Exactly What You’d Expect, But For Good Reason

Every summer comes with its own soundtrack that perfectly captures the season's carefree vibes. And according to Spotify, one specific track dominated all of our sun-drenched antics this year, and you likely already know what it is. That's right, folks — the remix of Daddy Yankee and Luis Fonsi's "Despacito" (featuring Justin Bieber) is Spotify's most streamed song of the summer with 786 million streams, according to a press release. And honestly, it makes complete sense.

While there were some worthy challengers in Spotify's top 10 summer songs — including French Montana's "Unforgettable," Ed Sheeran's "Shape Of You," and DJ Khaled's "I'm The One" and "Wild Thoughts" — none of them share the same ubiquitous sense of the season as "Despacito." Granted, the song has been everywhere, which helps. So much so that even if you've been trying to live off-the-grid all summer, you've likely still heard it blasting out from some strange space at least once.

However, "Despacito" is more than just a catchy hook or familiar melody that you find yourself inexplicably singing. The song has everything we often look for in a summer track, while also pushing beyond the default formulas. It's worth mentioning that the song isn't just Spotify's most streamed of the summer, "Despacito" is the most streamed song of all time. That's including the original version of the song released in January, and the Bieber remix released in April.

On top of that, "Despacito" is only the third Spanish-language song to be a U.S. number 1, joining the ranks of former summer hits, "La Bamba" (1987) and "Macarena" (1996). And that isn't something that should be underplayed in the song's overall success. By blending Bieber's vocals with Yankee and Fonsi's, "Despacito" has a broad appeal. The sound is both fresh and familiar, alongside a melody that feels sensitive yet energetic — it practically ticks every box.

"Despacito" is just as capable of filling a dance floor at a wedding, as it would be in taking the edge off the hangover that follows. It works as a gym anthem, but also as one to kick back and enjoy a well-deserved break. And it could easily be the musical backbone of a blissful vacation, or the radio pep a restaurant staff needs to make it through another tourist-heavy shift.

The best part of "Despacito" lies in its simplicity. With sparkling steel string guitar strums and laidback drums, the song sounds like everything summer should be. It's infallible in its positivity. And like spending a day under the beaming sun, it's difficult to bask in that without feeling good in some way. Whether you love or hate the track, you can't help but feel some part of the song moving your body to the beat.

A good summer song isn't always one that everyone can agree is a masterpiece. It isn't even always one that people can agree is good. But a solid song of the summer is one that unites people regardless. "Despacito" achieved exactly that this year, and those Spotify streams are the receipts to prove it.