7 best Summer Walker songs of all time

Having appeared towards the end of the 2010s, Summer Walker got her breakthrough signing with Love Renaissance, a powerful figure in the R&B and hip-hop industry. Later, she released her first mixtape, Last Day of Summer, in 2018, which immediately sparked public interest and went to the fortieth position in the Billboard 200 and the twenty-fifth one in the Billboard Top R&B Hip-Hop Albums.

Its longevity was also present, as it actually made it to the Billboard 200 Year-End list, making one hundred and eighty-seven. The real distinguishing factor with this mixtape was that Summer Walker presented her real talent and her real vulnerability through storytelling.

Her capacity to mutually support sultry intimate singing with personal-relatable stories, such as in tracks like Girls Need Love and CPR, formed the premise on which the artist will represent one of the most influential voices in modern R&B. Capitalizing on the success of Last Day of Summer, Summer Walker was not one to rest on her laurels with hype but rather made efficient use of it to drive home a long-lasting impression.

The massive success of the track Girls Need Love, and, particularly, its remix with Drake, took her further into the mainstream and confirmed her as not just an underground favorite but a mainstream force. This track led her to new opportunities, securing her additional airplay and streams that could be equated to a greater fan base craving her uncensored verses and candid delivery.

The high reception was confirmation that Summer Walker was onto something and that her strategy of intimate storytelling over mellow, ambient production was not just a fad but the groundwork of a career that would redefine the contemporary R&B game.

Disclaimer: This article contains the writer's opinion. The reader's discretion is advised!

Here are the top 7 Summer Walker songs of all time

When we talk about the top songs in Summer Walker's music list, some really stand out. They show her true style and have made a big splash in R&B. These songs are all about being emotionally open yet guarded in her music.

They often mix soft sound work with simple, true-to-life words about love, sad times, and finding out who she is. From her first big hits that introduced her signature sound to newer songs that show how she has grown and stayed strong, these seven tracks underline why Summer Walker is one of the best voices of her time.

1) Girls Need Love ft. Drake

First released in 2018 on Summer Walker's first EP, Last Day of Summer, Girls Need Love, released in 2018, softly marked the emergence of a bold, uncensored R&B voice. It was raw, real, and something everyone could relate to as the song was written to show a woman's mission through the erotic cause and effect as seen through her side without any sugarcoating of it all.

Its forthright lyrics appealed especially to listeners who wanted a fresh approach to contemporary love and lust. This song will go even further as Drake hopped on a remix, providing the song a mainstream boost, which made Walker become one of the fastest-rising stars in the R&B field practically overnight.

On this surge, Girls Need Love reached number thirty-seven in the Billboard Hot 100 and charted in several countries around the globe, gaining Platinum status in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. To some, this song will always stand out as a hallmark in the career of Summer Walker, as a brave person with whom the listener can be helpless and true in the present-day music industry.

2) Body

To Summer Walker, the track is part of an inseparable story in her discography, not only a breakout song on her album Over It, but also a candid depiction of her state of renewal as a woman. Summer takes the yearning intimacy of the old-school slow jam of 702 and samples their classic 1996 song, Get It Together, and sprinkles a dash of her own angsty, confessional, and contemporary flavor.

The song looks at how she feels about herself, her body, and who she is as she starts being a mom. The video shows her with her growing belly, making it a piece of art. It shows not just new life but also how much she loves and takes in who she is, right then and there.

The soft, trance feeling of the production is rightly matched with her intimate vocals, making one feel they are intruding on her innermost secrets.

The song reached number seventy-three on the Billboard Hot 100 and had received a Gold plaque by the RIAA, but what stood out most about this song was that it not only made a splash upon release, but also provided the listener with a gritty, relatable bop about learning to love and honor yourself in life in it most transcendent events.

In the case of Summer, Body is one of those tunes that serves as a definite milestone that reminds both the singer and the listeners that becoming stronger and being vulnerable are two forms of strength.

3) CPR

Among the first big hits from Summer Walker, CPR is a soft and open song that first showed her fans her deep and open way of singing. It is on her first big mixtape, Last Day of Summer. In the song, Walker sees her love as someone who gives her new life, just like CPR saves lives.

This idea of coming back to life weaves through the words, as they tell of her deep want to connect and how love can bring someone back from being alone and empty. What grabs you about CPR is how easy Summer's warm, rough voice moves over the simple, deep music, making a tune that feels both calm and real.

It's this plain truth, along with how open she sings, that made CPR hit home for lots of fans. The song did more than just show a bit of what she could do; it set the base for her name as a singer who shares her deep feelings, mixing old R&B feels with a new, raw way of showing emotion.

For a lot of listeners, CPR stands out as a key time that showed Summer Walker as a voice able to turn very personal moments into songs that lots of people can feel part of.

4) Session 32

When Summer Walker put out Session 32 in 2018, it had no link to an album, but its pure truth soon made a spot for her in the R&B world. She wrote it all by herself. In the song, she talks with an open heart about her upset feelings for an old lover who did not give back the love she gave him.

Though easy to make, the song's raw feel touched many, setting the stage for the open style she's now famous for. Years on, in 2022, Summer Walker gave this first big hit a new life with a sad piano version at the Women in Music event. This act showed fans how strong her voice is in sharing both loss and power.

That night, Ari Lennox gave her the Chart Breaker Award, not just for Session 32 but also for the huge hit of her next album, Still Over It, which was number one on the Billboard 200. The track’s big effect is clear too, now Gold in the US and Canada, and used in new ways by artists like Moneybagg Yo and Lakeyah, showing that often, the easiest truths can ring the loudest.

5) Playing Games ft. Bryson Tiller

Playing Games, a top song from Summer Walker's first big album Over It, talks about the hard times when one feels not cared for enough in a bond where grand gestures replace genuine emotional effort. In this song, Summer Walker tells with an open heart about a person who aims to make her happy with big spends and fancy gifts, but can't give the true heart support and trust she really wants.

By using bits from Destiny's Child's hit Say My Name, she ties her own tale to a past song that also spoke about needing truth and respect from a lover who may be untrue. The song's true feel hit home with lots of fans, making it jump up to number sixteen on the Billboard Hot 100. It also did well in other places, getting to number twenty-four on the UK Singles Chart.

Certified Platinum three times in the US and once each in Australia and Canada, Playing Games shows that Walker's mix of real-life R&B and old love for '90s music hits home with more than just her main fans.

Its open heart and common story have led to covers by acts like Chiptune Punks and 8 Bit Arcade, proving that the wish for true love is an ageless worry that spans many styles and ages.

6) Come Thru ft. Usher

One top moment in Summer Walker's work that shows her skill to mix old R&B with a new style is Come Thru. Found on her first album Over It, the song uses Walker's soft, deep voice with Usher's help. Usher's hit You Make Me Wanna… is the core of this song's old sound.

They do not just redo the old song, but they give it a new vibe. They turn it into a late talk about not being able to forget an old love. The way they sing together makes the song feel deep and close. This gives the song a slow, strong beat that pulls in people who like both old tunes and new feels.

Come Thru did more than just touch the hearts of fans; it also saw big success in sales, hitting number forty-two on the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. Its Platinum status in the US and Canada, and a Silver badge in the UK, shows that Summer Walker's music pulls on old heartstrings while staying current, proving she's all set to lead the way in the next phase of R&B.

7) Ex for a Reason ft. JT of City Girls

Ex for a Reason is a standout track from her sophomore album Still Over It. On this song, she teams up with JT from City Girls. They mix their own sounds to make a strong song that sets firm lines when past loves try to come back.

Nija Charles also helped write it; her writing has been on big songs like Chris Brown's No Guidance and Cardi B's I Do with SZA. This tune has both open talk and fun, catchy parts.

The song's words are strong, telling people to avoid going back to what should stay gone. With its bold feel and clear voice, Ex for a Reason hit home for many. It rose to number thirty-three on the Billboard Hot 100 and also got big in the UK Singles Chart. It shows how well Summer Walker can turn her own limits into a song that many can connect with and that does well on the charts.

In general, Summer Walker's songs show how she has made a place for real, said-out-loud truth in modern R&B. From her first big hit Last Day of Summer to the open Still Over It, she has made songs that turn messed-up feelings and hard love into songs that talk to you.

When she sings about a broken heart, valuing herself, or setting lines, her songs seem like they are pages from a secret book, written in ink and emotion. Altogether, her music is a sign that you can be open and strong at the same time, making her one of the truest voices of her time.