SONG OF THE SUMMER

Ariana has a Grande shot.

This summer has been unlike any other, as the coronavirus pandemic has gotten its mitts on just about everything we love to do during the warm weather months.

Trips to the beach, backyard barbecues with friends, church services, vacations, hikes in the mountains — none have been the same in 2020.

But even though we probably aren’t enjoying it in the same ways that we are accustomed to during the season, music still bonds us together even in this time of social distancing.

That’s what the Song of Summer is all about. It’s the track that unites millions, as it’s played countless times in all manner of situations from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekend, creating memories that will last forever.

Past Songs of Summer have included such tuneful timestamps as “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus (2019), “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen (2012) and “Hot in Herre” by Nelly (2002).

ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES

ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES

What will be the song that ends up defining this unprecedented season? Here are the top nominees for Song of Summer 2020.

“SAVAGE (REMIX),” MEGAN

THEE STALLION FEATURING BEYONCÉ >> The original version of this hot hip-hop number was already a viral sensation on TikTok, as millions tuned in to watch folks participate in the cool “Savage” dance challenge. Yet, the song would reach a whole new level once fellow Houston native Beyoncé joined forces with Megan Thee Stallion for the charttopping remix.

“RAIN ON ME,” LADY GAGA AND ARIANA GRANDE >> Two of music’s biggest stars combine forces on this discopop retro-’90s gem, which, in normal times, would be dominating dance floors from Miami to Ibiza all summer long. It’s no wonder that this tune debuted at No. 1 in multiple countries, given the amount of star power behind it. “Rain on Me” is Lady Gaga’s second single to debut atop the Billboard Hot 100 and Grande’s fourth — which is reportedly an all-time record.

“STUCK WITH U,” ARIANA

GRANDE AND JUSTIN BIEBER >> If Grande doesn’t take the Song of Summer title with Gaga, perhaps she will with Justin Bieber on this warmly romantic, and COVID-inspired, ballad. The voices of these two megastars mesh well on what is one of the best pop-music slow jams to come around in quite some time.

“SAY SO (REMIX),” DOJA CAT

FEATURING NICKI MINAJ >> The original model, delivered as the lead single from the sophomore effort “Hot Pink,” was an amazing enough slice of discopop-rap. Then Nicki Minaj was added to the equation, bringing along some of the hottest hip-hop of the year, and the result was an instant classic.

“BLINDING LIGHTS,” THE WEEKND >> This single from the artist’s fourth studio album, “After Hours,” came out way back in November, which would seem to knock it out of contention for the Song of Summer. But the groovy, driving electrosoul-pop song took its time getting to the top, eventually hitting No. 1 in mid-April, and has remained red-hot to this date.

“WATERMELON SUGAR,” HARRY STYLES >> “Watermelon Sugar” feels like an unabashed attempt to write a summer song, one that could someday make it onto the same seasonal playlist as “Under the Boardwalk” and “Summertime Blues” (kids, ask your parents). It’s sunny, upbeat and uncomplicated, with a video shot at the beach and “dedicated to touching.”

“TOOSIE SLIDE,” DRAKE >> This chart-topper is another viral sensation, with millions of homemade videos — usually showing folks dancing to bits of “Toosie Slide” — being viewed billions of times on TikTok. Drake is certainly no stranger to the Song of Summer race, having been at the forefront of the conversation several times since releasing the debut album “Thank Me Later” in 2010.

“BREAK MY HEART,” DUA LIPA >> This one hasn’t experienced the kind of commercial success as the others on this list — at least not yet. But it’s such a terrific dance-pop offering, with a fun retro tilt to the ’80s and ’90s, that it deserves to be in the running. Chalk it up as further proof that Dua Lipa appears well on her way to becoming one of music’s biggest stars.

“ROCKSTAR (BLM REMIX),”

DABABY FEATURING RODDY RICCH >> The original version of the song came out in late April and first hit No. 1 in mid-June, about the same time that these two risingstar rappers released an even more poignant remix version that was inspired by the death of George Floyd. It’s anything but ordinary Song of Summer fare, but it’s also a number that truly resonates in 2020.

GETTY IMAGES ARCHIVES Ariana Grande hasn’t hurt her standing as one of the biggest pop stars on the planet with two hits in contention for unofficial Song of the Summer status.

ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES Megan Thee Stallion has quickly emerged as one of hip-hop’s top performers, and her ubiquitous hit “Savage” and its remix with Beyoncé hasn’t hurt her ascent one bit.

Harry Styles’ charming hit “Watermelon Sugar” might be the most summery song in our Song of the Summer list.

ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES Ariana Grande seems to think she has this Song of the Summer contest in the bag, what with two songs in the running and all.

DaBaby has proved that a Song of the Summer candidate doesn’t have to be a frothy affair. His entry, “Rockstar,” is a poignant Black Lives Matter-themed tune.

GETTY IMAGES Singer-songwriter Dua Lipa has a knack for writing and performing songs that emerge as anthems. “Break My Heart” is her latest.