It's only April but the annual competition for Song of the Summer is already in full bloom. There's Chromeo's "Jealous (I Ain't With It)" and Bleachers' "I Wanna Get Better," Jason Derulo's "Talk Dirty" and Katy Perry's "Birthday," and this: 5 Seconds Of Summer's "She Looks So Perfect."
As noted on ThinkProgress, it's a pretty catchy tune, the kind that you'll hear in every mall in the contiguous United States from now until Labor Day. (Pity the men and women who work at Hollister Co., since they will likely listen to "She Looks So Perfect" roughly 400 times this summer.) It's also just like every other song released by post-punk white dudes in the last 15 years. Ahead, a brief history of boys singing pop songs like this. (Let us know which of your faves we've forgotten in the comments below.)
"1985" by Bowling for Soup (Released July 27, 2004)
"Stacy's Mom" by Fountains of Wayne (Released Sept. 29, 2003)
"My Friends Over You" by New Found Glory (Released July 22, 2002)
"Perfect" by Simple Plan (Released Aug. 26, 2003)
"Tonight Tonight" by Hot Chelle Rae (Released March 15, 2011)
"Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" by Good Charlotte (Released Sept. 2, 2002)
"Animal" by Neon Trees (Released March 16, 2010)
"Summer Girls" by LFO (Released June 29, 1999)
"Dirty Little Secret" by The All-American Rejects (Released June 6, 2005)
"Fat Lip" by Sum 41 (Released April 22, 2001)
"Sugar We're Goin' Down" by Fall Out Boy (Released April 12, 2005)
"Flavor of the Weak" by American Hi-Fi (Released Jan. 29, 2001)
"Right Now" by SR-71 (Released June 20, 2000)
"My Own Worst Enemy" by Lit (Released March 2, 1999)
"Check Yes Juliet" by We the Kings (Released Feb. 4, 2008)
"Every Morning" by Sugar Ray (Released March 2, 1999)
"Absolutely (Story of a Girl)" by Nine Days (Released April 2000)
"Hey Leonardo (She Likes Me For Me)" by Blessid Union of Souls (Released Dec. 29, 1999)
"Memory" by Sugarcult (Released April 13, 2004)
"Don't Trust Me" by 3OH!3 (Released June 1, 2008)
Subscribe to the "Brief History Of White Guys Singing Songs Like This" playlist on Spotify
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