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Having the top record in peak heat is a cultural phenomenon coveted by artists, debated by the media, and chosen by fans. But just what is the monetary value of having the seasonal hit?
Song of the Summer is a designation all have heard but few can confidently define.
First floated in the early 1900s and arriving as an official zeitgeist phrase as the century closed, Song of the Summer refers to the tune that not only owns the charts in America’s warmer months but becomes entirely inescapable. To academic critics, it’s a snapshot of culture at large. To mainstream music media and talkative fans, it’s a track chosen by the people that becomes massive in reach.
Regardless of one’s lens, Song of the Summer is undeniably lucrative.
Having the Song of the Summer catapulted Katy Perry‘s career in 2008, throwing rocket fuel on a run of hits that 15 years later resulted in a $225 million catalog sale. Song of the Summer status in 2019 took Lil Nas X from viral video standout to the subject of a major label bidding war with offers north of $1 million.
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More obscurely, the Song of the Summer can catalyze earning potential and halt it. In 2016, “One Dance” extended Drake’s run as an arena act, clearing $80 million on the road by the end of that fall. In 2024, being on the wrong side of Kendrick Lamar’s Song of the Summer candidate “Not Like Us” undercut Drake’s contract value when negotiating the follow-up to a $400 million record deal with UMG.
The Song of the Summer, though entirely subjective save chart data, is a big deal both culturally and commercially, even if it ends up being something silly like LMFAO’s “Party Rock” in 2011 or OMI’s “Cheerleader” in 2015. It can break stars at best or live on through licensing in advertising, movies, or college bars at worst.
But what is it actually worth? The year that just was may be the best model to evaluate.
In 2024, Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” edged out Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” by topping the Billboard Hot 100 for a record 19 weeks while owning the all-format Radio Songs chart for a historic 27 weeks. Based on a J-Kwon interpolation, the country crossover record was Platinum certified five times in December 2024, accounting for 5 million units sold. In January 2025, Forbes estimated that the Shaboozey single earned $10 million in streaming and royalty revenue.
All this attention earned him an inordinate amount of press, from appearing on the cover of Billboard, Forbes, and Hypebeast to scoring an invite to the Met Gala. The value of all that attention is tough to put a price tag on, but it’s easier to translate to the visibility it creates and thus the doors that are opened.
In 2025, Shaboozey starred in his first big national television campaign: a Super Bowl ad for Nerds Gummy Clusters. According to The Hollywood Reporter, A-list musicians made anywhere from $3 million to $5 million for ad appearances. Based on Song of the Summer status and the press bona fides Shaboozey earned from it, one could imagine millions were paid if he’s B-list at worst.
The success of “A Bar Song” brought Shaboozey plenty of press of the paid and priceless variety. It also gave him the notoriety and cachet to perform at major sporting events such as FanDuel’s Kentucky Derby Party in Louisville or the Detroit Lions Thanksgiving Day Game.
How much Shaboozey was paid to sing “A Bar Song” at halftime in Detroit is unknown. However, what Kendrick Lamar charged for rapping “Not Like Us” at the Super Bowl in New Orleans is public: $0 in booking but immeasurable marketing value.
Although “Not Like Us” may have won Song of the Summer’s silver medal where charts and certifications are concerned, culturally, its worth was greater than gold. The Drake diss track took Lamar to the Super Bowl, where artists aren’t paid for their services but make more than enough money off the backend.
Already, Lamar had made millions off of “Not Like Us.” Simply off streaming and royalties, Forbes cites the song as making $7.6 million, less than “A Bar Song,” but certainly nothing to scoff at. However, the equity of Lamar’s catalog before rap’s Cold War and the value of the victory raised the price and profile of everything attached to the Compton MC.
SZA and Kendrick Lamar perform during the Super Bowl LIX halftime show. (Cindy Ord / Getty Images)
The momentum of “Not Like Us” landed Kendrick Lamar not just the Super Bowl halftime show but also a Gatoradedeal. Moreover, it paved the path for a victory lap in GNX, an album that has already sold 2 million copies and spawned the Grand National Tour with SZA. The stadium tour, the first in Lamar’s career, earned $9.1 million on its opening night alone.
The Grand National Tour has already made over $42 million and is on pace to end in August with over $409 million in revenue. That would be roughly $90 million more than Drake’s record-setting road run in 2024. Perhaps more importantly, the Grand National Tour is powered in parts by “luther” – the Lamar and SZA duet off of GNX’s that’s in pole position to be Song of the Summer in 2025.
In mid-May, it’s far too early to call Song of the Summer and even tough to predict — though Spotify editors have already announced 30 candidates. Recent history shows us that Song of the Summer is always up for debate and only objectively determined by chart dominance once the season ends. Regardless of how hazy it is to define, it’s undeniably worth chasing.
Based on 2024 data, a Song of the Summer candidate can clear as much as $10 million in streaming and royalties, as seen by Shaboozey. Better yet? 2019 Song of the Summer “Old Town Road” is said to have made well over $14 million for Lil Nas X, with revenue still rolling in today.
Historically, being in the mix for Song of the Summer can make millions for a rising artist and elevate an act already of stature. Mid-career milestones like Usher’s “Confessions” and Drake’s “In My Feelings” extended their dominance and upped their tour earnings. “Not Like Us” created access to Super Bowl stages in Lamar’s case and has scaled the venues he’s played since.
As Lamar and Drake duel for Song of the Summer in 2025, not with diss songs but ballads and Y2K phone homages, the hazy title still means a lot societally and financially for the biggest acts aiming to stay on top or those hoping to reach or return to it.
This year, Song of the Summer could be a springboard for a rising star like Doechii, hitting highs off a repackaged release from 2019. Conversely, it could be a swan song for Lady Gaga or a reclaimed throne for Rihanna. No matter what, the people will pick the winner and debate the merit. But regardless of who the public crowns, at least one artist will have millions of dollars and endless exposure to show for finishing first, second, or whatever one corner of culture chooses to believe.
Song of the Year might be vague in definition, but it’s clear how much it matters across culture and at the bank.
