8. Calvin Harris – Summer

Chart run: 1-2-4-7-10-11-15-17-16-16-15-17-23-23-24-28-33-35-42-44-51-55-58-61-66-72-64-52-63-73 (30 weeks)

Sales at number 1: 100,168

Year End: 19

Number 2 peaks behind the chart topper: None

Onto Calvin Harris’s first number 1 of 2014 now, this was his 6th to date and was actually in the middle of a hat trick of chart toppers over late 2013 to late 2014. He really did have a great 2010s.

This is one of the few tracks that Calvin actually sings on himself – other notable tracks are the wonderful I’m Not Alone and Feels So Close. I seem to prefer these rather than the rent-a-singer songs and I would put this comfortably in my Calvin Harris top 5. Doing some research, I see this is quite a polarising song with some reviewers rating it as one of the worst songs of the year to average at best. I am clearly on the other side of the debate.

Summer is not entirely about summer (though at the time we had emerged from a pretty cold winter so the thought of summer was very welcome), it’s more a reminisce of how a relationship started in the summer and then changed as the seasons progressed:

When I met you in the summer

To my heartbeat sound

We fell in love

As the leaves turn brown

And we could be together baby

As long as skies are blue

You act so innocent now

But you lied so soon

When I met you in the summer

Of course, all this is attached to a banger of a synth beat in typical Calvin Harris style, which is not exactly subtle but it does the job and made it summer festival and holiday ready.

As an aside, this was the track that interrupted Mr Probz’s number 1 run (see number 9 in the rate).

As mentioned, I am on the love side of this, I am not a massive Calvin Harris fan but this does grab me still and it sounds immense to this day. It helps that he looks pretty fine in the video as well haha.

I think 'Summer' is absolutely horrific, I can't stand it.

'Waves' is gorgeous though.

Waves is a pleasant song, I like Tropical House, but it usually doesn't get the blood pumping with excitement. Robin Schulz still has the gift of the producer though - see his current collab with Watermat, Take It Slow, which is better than both the number ones here. That has a bit more oomph, current top 20 for me where this one peaked at 58 - it would still be down the lower to mid region of the rate for me.

Summer was fun, catchy and upbeat. Prob around the top 20 region on the rate, though amongst Calvin's back catalogue it's on a par with Acceptable In The 80's, Ready For The Weekend rather than top tier Promises, Under Control, Pray To God. Good though!

I love the sound of 'Prayer in C' by Lilly Wood. Perfect chilled, summer drivetime anthem. I'm not a fan of the tropical house sound but this is from the early days and has good production so it holds up better than 2016-17 when every other DJ and pop star was copying the sound.

I think 'Summer' is Calvin Harris' weakest single. It does not stand out as much as 'Outside' and 'Pray To God' which were better singles from that album.

Edited 16 hours ago16 hr by Charlielargepotatoes

I thought Summer would be one that most of you disagree on! 🤪😂

Summer is a great synth-pop-dance banger from Calvin - one of his best. My #14 in a very strong field.

02. Sam Smith - Money On My Mind (34)

04. Meghan Trainor - All About That Bass (32)

05. Rixton - Me And My Broken Heart (27)

06. Oliver Heldens x Becky Hill – Gecko (Overdrive) (15)

07. Mr Probz – Waves (Robin Schulz Remix) (09)

08. Lilly Wood & Robin Schulz – Prayer In C (10)

09. Ella Henderson - Ghost (11)

10. Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk (13)

11. David Guetta ft. Sam Martin – Lovers On The Sun (20)

12. Cheryl Cole - I Don't Care (29)

13. Nico & Vinz - Am I Wrong (19)

14. Calvin Harris – Summer (08)

15. Pitbull ft. Ke$ha – Timber (12)

17. DVBBS & Borgeous ft. Tinie Tempah – Tsunami (Jump) (28)

18. Sam Smith - Stay With Me (31)

21. Ed Sheeran - Sing (18)

22. Magic! - Rude (33)

24. Pharrell Williams – Happy (14)

25. Calvin Harris ft. John Newman – Blame (16)

26. Rita Ora – I Will Never Let You Down (25)

27. 5 Seconds of Summer – She Looks So Perfect (22)

28. Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud (21)

29. Cheryl Cole ft. Tinie Tempah – Crazy Stupid Love (30)

30. Aloe Blacc - The Man (23)

31. Take That - These Days (17)

33. Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea – Problem (26)

34. Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj – Bang Bang (24)

35. Gareth Malone’s All Star Choir – Wake Me Up (36)

36. Will.i.am ft. Cody Wise – It's My Birthday (37)

37. Ben Haenow – Something I Need (38)

38. Band Aid 30 – Do They Know It's Christmas? (35)

'Waves' is decent but not a big fave or anything.

'Summer' the same too actually but enjoyable. 'Pray To God' is my fave of this era for him and became his 1st #1 for me. Deserved better in the official chart that.

'Ghost' was a decent debut for Ella although it sounded a little played out after a while. 'Budapest' and 'Chandelier' are my favourites of the interlude section.

The two Robin Schulz remixes would have been #2 and #3 for me - in both cases the guitar over beats works a treat, but 'Prayer In C' hits harder with the lyrics and the production shifting to match it, so I'd rank it just above. That's all of my top 6 out, although there are certainly some I quite like out of the dance hits left.

'Summer' is fine and works with Calvin's own vocals, it just feels like it's missing something in the instrumental bits.