Summer has finally arrived, bringing with it long evenings, road trips, weekends at the lake, music festivals, and the promise of new adventures. To celebrate the season, we’ve put together our Summer 2026 playlist, featuring mostly new releases from the past year alongside a handful of songs that perfectly capture the warmth, freedom, and optimism of summer.
Now streaming on Spotify, TIDAL, and YouTube.
Songs for Sunshine and Long Days
The playlist opens with Jake Vaadeland’s “Keep on the Sunny Side,” setting an upbeat tone before moving into Ellen Froese’s “Tide Pool,” Mia Kelly’s “Big Time Roller Coaster Feeling,” and Colton Venner and Donovan Woods’ “Have A Good Summer.” From there, the soundtrack unfolds naturally through songs like Leeroy Stagger’s “Summer Rain,” Zenesoul’s “Summer Breeze,” Jessica Spurrell’s “Sandcastles,” and Jesse Brown’s aptly titled “sunny.”
As the playlist continues, you’ll discover more seasonal gems including Katie Tupper’s “Tennessee Heat,” Trevor Sloan’s “Cup of Sunlight,” Robert Adam’s “Summertime,” Joseph Shabason and Thom Gill’s “My Boat,” Melissa Laveaux’s “the rain, the dogs, the beach, the ghost,” Super Plage’s “POOL PARTY,” Jesse Mac Cormack’s “Dive,” Said The Whale’s “Fourth of July,” Arkells’ “Next Summer,” The East Pointers’ “The Cabin,” and Good Kid’s refreshing “Ginger Lemonade.”
More Than Just Summer Songs
While many of these tracks wear their summer inspiration proudly, the playlist is about more than song titles. It reflects the feeling of the season—warm afternoons, cool evenings, time spent outdoors, spontaneous road trips, and the sense that life slows down just enough to appreciate the moment.
Like Canadian summers themselves, the music is wonderfully varied. Indie folk sits comfortably beside dream pop, soulful R&B, electronic grooves, indie rock, jazz-inspired instrumentals, and experimental sounds. Artists like Dominique Fils-Aimé, Purity Ring, Shabason & Krgovich, Badge Époque Ensemble, Mas Aya and Lido Pimienta help showcase the remarkable diversity that continues to define Canadian independent music.
Your Soundtrack for Summer
Whether you’re heading to the cottage, firing up the barbecue, relaxing on the patio, or simply enjoying a walk on a warm evening, we hope these songs become part of your summer memories. As always, the goal is to celebrate both the artists you already love and the ones you’re about to discover.
So roll down the windows, turn up the volume, and let Canadian indie music accompany every adventure this summer.
The Summer 2026 playlist is available now on Spotify, TIDAL, and YouTube. Happy listening—and happy summer!
TIDAL Music:
https://tidal.com/playlist/41165a2e-299f-40f4-b1aa-008e4378b213
YouTube playlists:
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