24 Songs To Add To Your Fourth Of July Playlist This Year

For a different kind of Fourth of July, you need a different kind of playlist. This year’s backyard BBQ might be a wee bit less festive and a lot more intimate than years past due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the music doesn’t have to be. What this year’s July 4th needs is music that speaks to the moment. So instead of recycling last year’s playlist full of the usual suspects, we’ve given the Fourth of July party playlist a much needed upgrade for these socially distant times. Sure, we all love hearing Bruce Springsteen’s “Born In The U.S.A.,” but let’s give the Boss a rest and let Megan Thee Stallion score your (responsible) holiday weekend.

Along with the new songs, you've got to mix in a few Independence Day staples. Honestly, did Fourth of July even happen if you don’t hear Katy Perry sing “Firework”? The answer is no, especially in a year where you may prefer not to hear any fireworks at all. But this playlist is dedicated to the best songs of summer 2020, which sound just as good with a mask on. 

More than a few will have you dancing on your own until we can party safely again like Bad Bunny’s "Yo Perreo Sola," which translates to "I twerk alone." We admit that may be a little too on the nose if it wasn’t so good. Of course, Zoom is always an option for those who want to turn their low key July 4th into a virtual dance party soundtracked by Lady Gaga, Charli XCX, and Chloe x Halle’s TikTok stunner “Do It."

It’s a playlist that has Taylor Swift crooning about how cruel this summer feels and The Chicks, who dropped the "Dixie," taking bad men to task. Along with future warm weather classics like Harry Styles’ “Watermelon Sugar,” which doubles as a poolside snack. Some of these selections even have summer in the title — the smooth jazz of Haim’s “Summer Girl,” the Scooby-approved “Summer Feelings” by Lennon Stella and Charlie Puth — because there’s no shame in needing a friendly reminder of what season it is after all your quarantining. And of course, no playlist celebrating America would be complete without Beyoncé. Nothing but respect for our president! 

So in the wise words of Rina Sawayama, we’re so confident that no matter how you choose to celebrate the Fourth this year, this playlist will turn it into a party. Even if it's a party for just one or two.