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The 2016 Song Of The Summer Is...

Connecticut Public Radio | By Colin McEnroe
Published June 8, 2016 at 6:22 AM EDT
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Richard Ha / Flickr Creative Commons
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Madyson Frame - Student at the Journalism & Media Academy.
Chion Wolf / WNPR
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Eric Danton - Writes about music and pop culture. His work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Paste and Salon, and he was rock critic at the Hartford Courant from 2002-2012.
Chion Wolf / WNPR
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Joan Holliday - Afternoon drive DJ at 93.9 The River WRSI in Northampton, MA., and is the former host of The Happy Club on WWUH.
Chion Wolf / WNPR

Every year, we do a song of the summer show. It always makes people angry. There is no evidence that it has ever made people happy. A lot of it has to do with the way we define the term.

This was accomplished perfectly in 2014 by Amanda Dobbins:

Let’s be clear about how this works: There is no such thing as a "personal" song of summer. We do not anoint multiple songs of summer. There can only be one; the Song of Summer, by its very definition, is a consensus choice. It is the song that wrecks wedding dance floors. It is the song that you and your mother begrudgingly agree on (even though your mom has no idea what rhymes with "hug me" and won't stop yelling it in public). It does not necessarily have to hit No. 1 on the charts, but it should probably be on the charts, because it must be widely played. It must bring people together. It must be a shared enthusiasm.

What's your pick for 2016's song of the summer? Email Colin.

THE SONGS WE PLAYED (in order of appearance):

GUESTS:

  • Brendan Jay Sullivan - Writer, producer, and DJ best known for his work with Lady Gaga
  • Joan Holliday - Afternoon drive DJ at 93.9 The River WRSI in Northampton, Mass.
  • Eric Danton - Writes about music and pop culture
  • Madyson Frame - Student at the Journalism & Media Academy

Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Chion Wolf contributed to this show.
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Colin McEnroe
Colin McEnroe is a radio host, newspaper columnist, magazine writer, author, playwright, lecturer, moderator, college instructor and occasional singer. Colin can be reached at colin@ctpublic.org.
See stories by Colin McEnroe

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Federal funding is gone.

Congress has eliminated all funding for public media.

That means $2.1 million per year that Connecticut Public relied on to deliver you news, information, and entertainment programs you enjoyed is gone.

The future of public media is in your hands.

All donations are appreciated, but we ask in this moment you consider starting a monthly gift as a Sustainer to help replace what’s been lost.

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