Move over King Kenny Chesney, there’s a new queen of summer songs in country music.

This list of the 10 best country songs for summer 2025 includes one or two summer love songs, an accidental heartbreaker and a vocal that relies on just about every summer sound you could imagine.

These are new songs, released mostly within the last few months. Perhaps one day they’ll make our timeless list of the 50 best country summer songs ever.

What Makes a Great Summer Song?

There’s no formula for a great summer song, but typically an intoxicating mix of nostalgia and freedom will get the job done. Our playlist includes plenty of both.

Summer songs are almost always great live songs. You long to see the artist perform these hits during concerts and spend plenty of time beforehand singing along to the radio.

Lyrics that describe road trips, intense, but short-lived romances, or transcendent experiences are good for summer playlists. You’d figure tempo matters, but in actuality, a ballad is as likely as a fast-paced rocker to be remembered for summers forever.

The Best Country Summer Songs of 2025

If you’re thinking Kenny Chesney makes this list, you’re absolutely right. Few years go by without country’s summer king releasing a jam that amplifies his live show, but his entry here — at No. 5 — is a little different.

Scotty McCreery has given beach vibes before, but his new song with Hootie & the Blowfish is essential summer listening this year.

Russell Dickerson, Tucker Wetmore and Shaboozey are a few more who make the cut.

The No. 6 song on this list deserves its own special explanation. “Worst Way” by Riley Green barely fits any of the requirements we listed, but there’s always an exception that’s deserving of a spot. His love ballad simply burns, and we’ve got a feeling it’s the sort of mood that will lead to some of those wistful summer memories 10 or 20 years from now.