Here are some hits and deep cuts that will keep you on the aux and proud to be in the best state for summer, whether you are trekking up Highway 31, making the pilgrimage from Hell to Paradise, or keeping cool in the city.
10. “Detroit Swing 66” by Gomez
Gomez offers a cool, rhythmic anthem that will make you want to put on your shades and post up for a smoke on a city corner. Otherworldly electronic sounds, brass instruments for depth, and breezy lyrics about “trying to keep from getting uptight” make this a deep cut that will impress your rock-appreciating friends.
9. “No Surrender” by Bruce Springsteen
Less of a deep cut, this is one of the quintessential summer anthems by the Boss himself. The ’80s synth, gritty vocals, and energetic guitar make you want to burst out on the last day of school and pile in a car with all your friends to fly down country roads. As usual, this Springsteen song channels the feeling of youthful invulnerability and middle-American pride. Both are necessary to have the best Michigan summer ever.
8. “Gone” by JR JR
While this list will be rock heavy (what can we say, Detroit rocks!), summer requires at least some upbeat, feel-good pop to keep energy high all day long. Gone by JR JR is an exciting, upbeat pop piece. Put it on, close your eyes, and feel the sun on your face on the way to the beach. If you’re a fan, be sure to check out their concert in Ferndale this August.
7. “Baby Jane (Mo-Mo Jane)” by Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels
Take it back to some old school Detroit R&B! Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheelers made it big in the ‘60s, exemplifying how much the country loves the Detroit sound. They produced five hit singles in the top 30 from January ‘66 to May ‘67. The music still holds its own today, and you’ll feel like you’re in an old-school movie with this on the speakers.
6. “Blue Orchid” by the White Stripes
The White Stripes are probably Detroit’s most famous contribution to the garage-rock revival of the early 2000s. This song in particular keeps your foot tapping, or maybe holding down the accelerator. While my favorite album is “White Blood Cells,” this is easily my favorite song off of “Get Behind Me Satan.” No worries if the raw sound isn’t your cup of tea, but on a list of music for Michiganders, you’ve got to embrace the garage-rock realness. Detroit has a great history of making music that appeals to rock ’n’ roll fans looking for innovative and authentic sounds.
5. “Rock and Roll Never Forgets” by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
What’s a Michigan summer without Bob Seger? He has enjoyed this state his entire life. If you’re a “Grown Ups” fan—my favorite Adam Sandler movie—you know that even Hollywood recognizes the perfection of Bob Seger’s classic rock sound for enjoying a day on the lake. Arrow roulette? That’s up to you.
4. “Go-Go Round” by Gordon Lightfoot
Here is some classic folk brought to you from the man who brought us the ballad “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” Lightfoot loved Michigan, and this is one of his many songs in which he mentions the state by name. You have to add this jaunty number by our favorite Canadian to your summer playlist. He gets it.
3. “One Piece At A Time” by Johnny Cash
Don’t worry, country fans, I haven’t forgotten about you. Once again, Cash uses his unbeatable storytelling abilities to sing about a GM factory worker looking to build himself a fancy car by smuggling it out one piece at a time. It’s right up there with “A Boy Named Sue” for style and humor. I listened to it while working at my own warehouse job, and let me tell you, if you get the working man “Summertime Blues” like Mr. Alan Jackson does, this song might just be a cure.
2. “Sweet” by Lana Del Rey
Come on, this song is totally for the Michigan girls. We even get a Genesee! “Sweet in north country, you can find me where no one will be” are lyrics for retreating to pine forests, or standing in the surf of Lake Michigan. This is an anthem for the sensitive escapist who reads, daydreams, and reminisces while surrounded by all the beauty Michigan has to offer. And besides, Michigan women are just sweet.
1. “Lonesome Dreams” by Lord Huron
Indie folk fans already know Lord Huron. The band has remained one of the most important players in the genre for well over a decade. While they have many songs that invoke an adventurous, bohemian spirit befitting Michigan scenery, the lyrics to “Lonesome Dreams” rings with particular Michigan inspiration. The lead singer and band founder, Ben Schneider, grew up in Okemos and chose the band name in reference to all of his childhood memories on Lake Huron.
With these additions, your summer playlist will be as fresh as just-squeezed lemonade.
Anna Bassols is a contributing writer for Michigan Enjoyer.
