The biggest celebration of the summer is upon us. Fire up the the grill and make sure you have enough beer in the cooler because it's the 4th of July — and nothing says happy birthday 'Merica more than a day of drinking and burgers.
Independence Day is the day to celebrate this great nation, and as tradition has it, chances are you are either hosting or attending a 4th of July barbecue.
While you may have all your red, white and blue out, you will need to set the mood and keep guests entertained with some good tunes.
Get the party started by streaming these best 4th of July bbq playlists on Spotify, Pandora, Songza, and iHeartRadio.
Spotify
Spotify users can browse through different genres and moods with algorithms curating your perfect playlists. Searching for "4th of July" will bring up related albums, artists and playlists.
We recommend tapping on "see all playlist" to make your selection. 4th of July Jams will give you hits from Jimmy Buffet, Bruce Springsteen and Miley Cyrus, while 4th of July - 'Merica will play some Tom Petty, Toby Keith, and Lenny Kravitz.
Pandora
Pandora recommends content based your artist and genre preferences. Click on the "Create Station" tab, followed by "Browse Genre Station." You will then be able to create your own BBQ playlist for each genre.
Hipster BBQ is worth playing if you will be sipping on PBR at a rooftop party, with music by Generationals, Empire Of The Sun and Fitz & The Tantrums. Reggae BBQ Radio will get your hips moving with songs from Bob Marley, Beres Hammond, The Fugees and Tony Rebel. Southern Rock BBQ Radio may be just the perfect soundtrack with songs from Waylon Jennings, Eric Clapton and Lynyrd Skynrd.
Songza
Songza (which was acquired by Google in 2014) uses data to predict the types of music you want to hear based on the time of day, weather, location and activity. That means finding a 4th of July playlist has never been easier.
This music streaming app offers a few playlists worth checking out. Search for 4th of July (which will likely be a featured activity that day), and choose from six different categories that have three playlists each. Party in the U.S.A. offers the best dance party tunes from that range for hip-hop classics from Notorious B.I.G to pumped-up beats by Duck Sauce.
Looking for something more classic? Choose the Great American Cookout category for classic rock summer, sunshine R&B and country summer playlists.
End the night with a bang with the Epic Fireworks Soundtracks category, and select Stars & Stripes Forever! to play as you watch the fireworks display.
You can also search for the activity barbecuing for even more related playlists like BBQ Tropical music or Grill Master Favorites for some timeless tunes.
iHeart Radio
Listen to your favorite stations or create your own specifically for your bbq bash using iHeart Radio.
On the app, tap on "Perfect For" tab to search for 4th of July hits. The station Rockin In The USA is your best bet, and will play songs like "American Boy" by Estelle and Kayne West, and "It's America" by Rodney Atkins.
However, the desktop version provided more stations under its "Perfect For" tab. Use the drop down menu to select July 4th Weekend. The stations under this category include: Pop Parade, Country BBQ, Real Fun Beach Radio, Rockin' the 4th, Red White & Clues, and Classical Fireworks. Songs range from new hits from David Guetta to classics like The Beatles.
You can also search this station on the app (and they will probably be spotlighted on the 4th).
Whichever music streaming app you prefer, there are plenty of playlists ready at your fingertips — all you need to do is hit play. Whether you are looking for background music for beer pong, or music to swim along to in the pool, Spotify, Pandora, Songza and iHeart Radio have you covered, creating the ideal soundtrack for your summer festivity.
Photo: Sharon Mollerus | Flickr
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