Gold Radio's Top 50 Summer Classics are revealed - see the full chart

2 August 2026, 16:00

The votes are in, the sun is out, and Gold Radio has counted down the biggest and best summer songs of all time!

From big rock anthems to laid-back reggae, with a good helping of soul in the mix, our Top 50 Summer Classics is packed with the tracks that sound absolutely glorious when the sun's shining — and now we can reveal the full final chart.

Taking the crown at No.1 — and what else could it possibly be — Bryan Adams and 'Summer Of '69'. That unmistakable opening riff, the singalong chorus and all that nostalgia for the best days of our lives made it a runaway winner.

Bryan Adams - Summer Of 69 (Official Music Video)

Behind Bryan, The Kinks kept things gloriously breezy in second with 'Sunny Afternoon', while Electric Light Orchestra brought the feel-good factor to the podium at No.3 with 'Mr. Blue Sky'. The Isley Brothers' 'Summer Breeze' and The Beatles' 'Here Comes The Sun' rounded out a truly golden top five.

There was plenty of sunshine soul and reggae further down, too. Bill Withers' 'Lovely Day', Bob Marley's 'Three Little Birds' and 'One Love', and Johnny Nash's 'I Can See Clearly Now' all made the cut, alongside dancefloor fillers like Wham!'s 'Club Tropicana' and The Jacksons' 'Blame It On The Boogie'.

And of course, no summer chart would be complete without The Beach Boys — who turned up no fewer than five times, from 'California Girls' to 'Kokomo'.

You can listen back to the whole chart again on Global Player.

Gold Radio's Top 50 Summer Classics:

1. Bryan Adams – 'Summer Of '69'
2. The Kinks – 'Sunny Afternoon'
3. Electric Light Orchestra – 'Mr. Blue Sky'
4. The Isley Brothers – 'Summer Breeze'
5. The Beatles – 'Here Comes The Sun'
6. Don Henley – 'Boys Of Summer'
7. Billy Ocean – 'Caribbean Queen'
8. Johnny Nash – 'I Can See Clearly Now'
9. Bill Withers – 'Lovely Day'
10. Wham! – 'Club Tropicana'
11. 10cc – 'Dreadlock Holiday'
12. Bob Marley – 'Three Little Birds'
13. Eagles – 'Hotel California'
14. Bob Marley – 'One Love'
15. The Jacksons – 'Blame It On The Boogie'
16. Martha Reeves & The Vandellas – 'Dancing In The Street'
17. Otis Redding – '(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay'
18. Mungo Jerry – 'In The Summertime'
19. The Beach Boys – 'California Girls'
20. Katrina And The Waves – 'Walking On Sunshine'
21. The Beach Boys – 'Surfin' USA'
22. The Beatles – 'Good Day Sunshine'
23. Lovin' Spoonful – 'Summer In The City'
24. Glenn Frey – 'The Heat Is On'
25. Billy Idol – 'Hot In The City'
26. Martha And The Muffins – 'Echo Beach'
27. John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John – 'Summer Nights'
28. The Bellamy Brothers – 'Let Your Love Flow'
29. The Beach Boys – 'Do It Again'
30. Lynyrd Skynyrd – 'Sweet Home Alabama'
31. The Drifters – 'Under The Boardwalk'
32. Eagles – 'Take It Easy'
33. Donovan – 'Sunshine Superman'
34. The Monkees – 'Pleasant Valley Sunday'
35. Boney M. – 'Sunny'
36. Barry Manilow – 'Copacabana'
37. The Beach Boys – 'Kokomo'
38. Bobby Hebb – 'Sunny'
39. The Zombies – 'Time Of The Season'
40. Martha Reeves & The Vandellas – '(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave'
41. Los Lobos – 'La Bamba'
42. The Young Rascals – 'Groovin''
43. The Lovin' Spoonful – 'Daydream'
44. The Small Faces – 'Itchycoo Park'
45. The Beach Boys – 'Sloop John B'
46. Four Tops – 'Loco In Acapulco'
47. Chubby Checker – 'Let's Twist Again'
48. Scott McKenzie – 'San Francisco'
49. Eddie Cochran – 'Summertime Blues'
50. Jimmy Cliff – 'Wonderful World, Beautiful People'