Official Top 40 biggest songs of summer 2011

2011 was one of the warmest on record for the UK; something that’s reflected in the flurry of sunny pop bangers that make up most of the top songs that summer.

Around a third of the Top 40 biggest tracks were dance tunes, led by Pitbull, whose electro-pop raveathon Give Me Everything was the season’s biggest song, racking up 519,000 sales in the three months running June-August.

Give Me Everything was Pitbull’s second UK chart-topper, following his feature on Jennifer Lopez’s On The Floor that same year - and cemented his status as the self-proclaimed ‘Mr Worldwide’ after a recent rebrand from rap to mainstream pop.

Featuring and co-written by Ne-Yo, the track’s lyrics about living in the moment mixed with Miami rave horns proved to be a winning formula. Give Me Everything spent three weeks at Number 1 and finished the year as the UK’s sixth best-seller - its total UK chart sales stand at a healthy 1.54 million. While some may say its sound feels very of the moment, the numbers tell a different story, so far racking up 58 million streams since 2014.

MORE: Official Top 40 songs of summer 2010

Dance smashes dominate

In second place is Changed The Way You Kiss Me by Example; the British artist's first Number 1, with 498k sales that summer, while in fourth is Louder by drum & bass producer DJ Fresh ft. Sian Evans (429k). The song debuted at Number 1 in July - thanks in part to being the soundtrack to a Lucozade TV advert, plus various computer games and sporting events - and is widely considered the first dubstep song the top the UK chart.

Other big dance hits that summer were Mr Saxobeat by Romanian star Alexandra Stan at Number 6 (360k), while Calvin Harris makes two entries with back-to-back Number 2 hits Bounce ft. Kelis (7) and Feel So Close (38).

Another DJ/producer who enjoyed massive success that summer was David Guetta, landing three entries on the summer Top 40 with Where Them Girls At (20), Little Bad Girl ft. Taio Cruz and Ludacris (23), and his dance remix of Snoop Dogg’s Sweat (33) – all Top 5 hits.

Elsewhere, two big boybands each released dance-friendly tunes that summer: The Wanted’s signature hit Glad You Came – a Number 1 in July - places fifth, and JLS’ She Makes Me Wanna – their fifth and final Number 1 released in August - is 15^th.

MORE: Contenders for song of the summer 2021

A-list stars score big hits

Plenty of global superstars also landed big summer hits in 2011; including Beyonce’s clap-back anthem Best Thing I Never Had (8), a Number 3 hit in July, and Nicki Minaj’s neon-bright banger Super Bass (11).

Katy Perry’s party bop Last Friday Night (TGIF), the fourth consecutive Top 10 from her Teenage Dream album thanks in part to a star-packed music video - ranks 13th, just ahead of Lady Gaga’s The Edge Of Glory at 14. Adele’s anti-summer singalong Set Fire To The Rain places 16th, while another rain song, Coldplay’s Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall, is 25^th.

Big summer breakthroughs

Cutting through the dance tracks that summer was up-and-comer Ed Sheeran, whose haunting debut single The A Team peaked at Number 3 in June. The song also lands in third on the summer Top 40 with 483k sales.

Soul-R&B artist Aloe Blacc scored his first UK hit that summer with I Need A Dollar, peaking at Number 2 and placing tenth on the summer chart. 2011 was also a breakout year for British singer Loick Essien – his track How We Roll ft. Tanya Lacey was the 19^th biggest song of the season. Finally, US singer/rapper Dev made her UK chart debut with Bass Down Low ft. The Cataracs, placing at Number 37 on the summer chart.   

Official Top 40 biggest songs of summer 2011

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