Elvis Duran, Z100
Gwen Stefani, “Cool”
Why It Will Be Big: “It has an amazing hook that just makes you want to hear more and more.”
How You’ll Know It: The chorus, “I know we’re cool,” repeated again and again and again, until it’s tattooed on your skull.

Funkmaster Flex, Hot 97
Tony Yayo, “So Seductive”
Why It Will Be Big: “The lyrics are really innovative and the track has a lot of energy.”
How You’ll Know It: The bass line that sounds like “In Da Club”—DUN DUH na-na-na-na DUH-DUN—and the bad rhymes (“horny,” “morning”).

Steve Roy, 106.7 Lite FM
Maroon 5, “Sunday Morning”
Why It Will Be Big: “It makes me think of throwing a Frisbee in Central Park. The beat feels like summer is here.”
How You’ll Know It: The jazzy piano interludes and the inoffensive, breezy chorus.

Tim Sweeney, WNYU 89.1 FM
LCD Soundsystem, “Tribulations (Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas Remix)”
Why It Will Be Big: “Lindstrøm is the remixer of the summer. This is an eight-minute, ‘I Feel Love’–style epic that will rock clubs from New York to Berlin.”
How You’ll Know It: Mournful chorus—“Get your payment from the nation / for your trials and tribulations”—over pounding disco beat.

Vic Latino, 103.5 WKTU
Rihanna, “Pon De Replay”
Why It Will Be Big: “The lyrics are fun, the beat is infectious, and it’s a total top-down cruising song. It also makes the girls shake their tail feather very nicely.”
How You’ll Know It: On loop: “Come Mr. D.J., song pon de replay, come Mr. D.J., won’t you turn the music up.”

See also:
The 2005 Summer Playlist

Related:

• Archive: “Features”
• Table of Contents: Jul 4, 2005 issue of New York | Subscribe!