The List: Best Summer Songs

With the mercury rising and the Fourth of July weekend bearing down us, the time has come to do what every good music geek does: create a list. We're going to try a game, and if it works, we could make it a weekly thing. So roll open the windows, crack open a cold one, and decide on the best summer songs of all time.

The Criteria: memorable hook, stong dance beat, and/or sing along chrous/lyrics. Here're our to five (in no particular order):

1. Low Rider - War
   
2. Ramblin Man - Allman Brothers
   
3. E-Pro - Beck
4. Summersong - The Decemberists
   
5. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - Rolling Stones

Let us know your picks for the top Summer Songs, and don't forget to take the survey!

Livin' la Vida: Coldplay Auditions Opening Acts via YouTube

The internet: the gift that keeps on giving. Radiohead's MySpace Music video contest lead off the week, then Beck leaked two tracks from his upcoming album, followed by Weezer's YouTube single hitting the waves. Now it is Coldplay's turn as they premier a YouTube contest giving unknown groups the opportunity to open for one of the biggest bands in the world during the Viva la Vida tour. The contest is cooperating with radio stations in six markets: Boston, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Hartford, Philadelphia and San Jose, CA, the tour stops scheduled to feature fledgling artists/contest champions.

Contestants are to upload their videos onto YouTube, where a panel of judges of radio station employees will watch them and whittle the field down to fifteen. After that, fan voting reduces the finalists to three (sound familiar?). Coldplay will watch the final trio and give the green light to their favorite. The gran prix: 20 minutes of stage time as Coldplay’s opening act, $2,000 and ten tickets to the concert. To enter, check out Coldplay’s tour page.

Beck "Leaks" Two New Songs, Plans Jukebox Revolution

In keeping with the changing landscape of music distribution, Beck has released the first two cuts ("Orphans", "Gamma Ray") from his upcoming album Modern Guilt via his iLike page. Both tracks are streaming in their entirety alongside the previously-released “Chemtrails.” Modern Guilt is due to drop on July 8. Unless your local bar has TouchTone jukebox that is. Starting on July 1, over 10,000 Touchtone jukeboxes will make the entirety of Modern Guilt available. Because nothing says pub music like Beck.