The best playlists for your summer, according to the Fashion Journal team 

Best enjoyed with a rosé in hand. 

Unless you have a love of music so strong it’s become a personality trait (that, or you’re a DJ), chances are you have a tendency to fall into a musical rut. It’s human nature, really, to restart the same playlist over and over again until you can predict the order of tracks and realise you now know the words to every song Sade has ever performed. 

Instead, why not let this be your summer of better music? As we all know, the right track list can make those summer moments even sweeter – like waving your arm out of a moving car window on your way to a far-off swimming spot, or dancing in the summer rain. 

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Personally, I like to pour myself a rosé with friends and listen to them gossip over an easy, upbeat backing track. It’s in these moments that I feel truly present and remember why I love summer – and that ‘summer feeling’ – so much. 

Australian-made rosé brand, SOMME, has been thinking along those same lines, with the launch of its new campaign SOMME Summer Club. It’s all about embracing that summer feeling in its whole entirety, being in the moment and creating memories with loved ones. In the spirit of SOMME Summer Club, the FJ team has shared our favourite playlists for every summer moment we hope you’ll enjoy this season. 

For dinner parties al fresco

Recommended by Cait Emma Burke, Fashion Journal’s Digital Editor 

My housemate’s aptly titled playlist, ‘Nice1’, is my go-to whenever we’re hosting dinner parties. It’s the perfect blend of upbeat but chill music – think Sade, Four Tet, Todd Terje, Al Johnson and Angie Stone – and at seven hours and 26 minutes long, I never need to stress about what to play next while scrambling around in the kitchen. Stress levels can be high when hosting, so I appreciate how reliable this playlist is.

For the post-dinner dance party

Recommended by Izzy Wight, Fashion Journal’s Editorial Assistant

It’s arguably the best part of a summer getaway – after a long dinner spent swapping stories, munching on delicious food and heading back to the kitchen for refills, you clear the table and blast your favourite dance playlist. ‘SOMME Sounds Vol #1’ is a personal favourite for crowd-pleasing enjoyment. It’s the right mix of driving beats (think Chance the Rapper and Major Lazer) and songs to grab your friends and sway to (from artists like Mac DeMarco and Japanese Breakfast). 

For the morning clean-up

Recommended by Giulia Brugliera, Fashion Journal’s Managing Editor 

I’m an early riser, so tend to be one of the first traipsing through the beach house early the next morning. It also means I tend to be that friend who gifts everyone a clean-up. The post-drinks tidy can be hellish (particularly where soft cheese is involved) but this playlist has got me through many soiled dishes without too much strain. It’s got just enough boogie, but is also soft enough for sore heads. I’ve also learnt to make the morning cleaning easier, it’s best to avoid too much glassware, as it saves a lot of handwashing. Brands like SOMME have great canned options (even for rosé!) and have been a personal saviour of mine many, many times. 

For the road trip

Recommended by Ella Taverner, Fashion Journal’s Campaign & Partnerships Manager 

As a big indie, surfer-gorl wannabe back in the day (my email address was ilovesummer96 for crying out loud), I always love revisiting the sweet, nostalgic sounds of one of my OG playlists, aptly coined ‘00s sun’. I remember painstakingly crafting it during a long car drive with my family, ensuring it nailed the perfect balance of indie rock and electronic dance – think Vampire Weekend and Passion Pit. It’s seen me through many a road trip, plane ride and general beach lazing, and always makes me feel 16 again.

For that golden hour after you’ve showered, but before you’ve started getting ready

Recommended by Giulia Brugliera, Fashion Journal’s Managing Editor 

You know the slot. You have a towel wrapped around your head, your skin is tight from a day in the sun, you’ve lathered on your moisturiser, but you’re not quite ready for the evening preparation to begin. This is my favourite moment of any summer holiday – picking grapes from a bowl on the bench and lizarding around the house. It’s also when that first drink of the evening tastes the sweetest. This playlist has long been my go-to for that sacred sliver of time; it’s just the right amount of cruisey energy. 

For the sunrise/sunset runs

Recommended by Cait Emma Burke, Fashion Journal’s Digital Editor 

As an avid runner and pop music aficionado, I’ve curated a playlist full of absolute bangers (other runners have also told me they run to it, so it has more than just my seal of approval). These songs are made for running (not in a literal sense, obviously) because they’re fast-paced with anthemic choruses and sticky sweet hooks. My personal highlights are Gwen Stefani’s iconic bop ‘What You Waiting For?’ and ‘Not Gonna Get Us’ by everyone’s favourite faux-lesbian duo, t.A.T.u.

For the wedding/hen’s preparations

Recommended by Giulia Brugliera, Fashion Journal’s Managing Editor 

Last summer I had a wedding or a hen’s do every single weekend, sometimes both. Summer is, of course, also the season of nuptials. There’s something truly joyous about getting really, really dressed up with girlfriends, compliments pouring in and that first drink in hand (I opt for SOMME’s Rosé Rosé), while knowing you’re about to see a friend marry the love of their life. This playlist by Sydney stylist Millie Sykes offers the right mix of energy and nostalgia to fit the moment. It does just what it says on the label and I challenge you to listen without bopping along. 

For curing the pack-up blues

Recommended by Izzy Wight, Fashion Journal’s Editorial Assistant

Why must all holidays come to an end? It’s necessary but always a little sad, that morning spent folding up your sandy belongings and trying to cram 17 empty containers of hummus into a tiny recycling bin. But fear not! My playlist, ‘The Golden Era of Indie’, is a cure-all, designed to uplift even the most sombre of moods. It captures the era of indie we all know and love, featuring circa 2010 hits like ‘Undercover Martyn’ by Two Door Cinema Club and ‘Carried Away’ by Passion Pit.

The above playlists are best enjoyed with a can of SOMME Rosé Rosé in hand. Find it at BWS or Dan Murphy’s stores, or browse the brand here.