Song of the summer

Each year, music critics and fans alike unofficially christen one Top 40 single “The Song of the Summer.”  Typically dance-oriented and hook-heavy, these songs get stuck in our heads and, for better or worse, stay there.  Many find these sticky-sweet pop tunes to be vapid, unimaginative schlock – yet there is certainly a science to crafting the perfect soundtrack to our summer vacations. To understand what makes these songs so irrepressible, we’ll talk with songwriter BONNIE McKEE who works with Prescription Songs, the hit factory responsible for more than thirty number-one singles. Also joining us is DAN DELUCA, who writes about pop music for the Philadelphia Inquirer.  We’ll also hear from RYAN MIYAKAWA, one of the programmers/authors behind Hooktheory, which explains pop-music theory.