This is your summer playlist for when it's melting outdoors

Whether you're at a pool party, hutong bar or cowering inside, we've got ya

We get it, we get it. The outside world's a furnace and you're overheated, sweaty and miserable. Cheer yourself up with this playlist of some of the most thematically appropriate summertime songs we could round up. Grab your mates, crank up the AC or head to one of the city's plethora of outdoor pools with the best floatie you can find and sweat your ass off to the scorching sounds of these masterpieces.

Bonus: hit 'Read more' at the bottom of the page for our ready-made and extended Spotify playlist waiting for you. Summer = sorted.

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'Hot in Herre', Nelly

Don't take off all your clothes without having sunscreen to hand, readers.

'(Love Is Like A) Heatwave', Martha Reeves & the Vandellas

Deceptively sugar-sweet and exquisitely harmonised, this Motown gem is a sub-three minute frolic through the kind of summer romance that is guaranteed to end in tears come September, but is none the less steamy for that.

'Firestarter', The Prodigy

It's not sexy, but this '90s big beat classic was reportedly banned from MTV for scaring the kiddos, so is the perfect partner for the intensity of the Beijing summer. Danger illustrated, indeed.

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'Ring Of Fire', Johnny Cash

This country classic might as well have been written about the Third Ring Road, and the Man in Black has a voice like he's been chaining the Esse menthols just a little bit too hard.

'Good Vibrations', The Beach Boys

This is the epitome of a summery song, as well as possibly the most appropriate thing to jive on the tables at Kokomo to, other than The Beach Boys' equally summery hit, 'Kokomo'.

'Fit But You Know It', The Streets

All Brits reading this will wince in recognition at Mike Skinner's portrayal of crap holiday hookups. The 'leave it aaaaawt' bit is ridiculously fun to belt out at parties, too.

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'Drop It Like It's Hot', Snoop Dogg and Pharrell Williams

Everyone knows it, everyone loves it, and 'snooooooooooooooop' is one of the most fun things to sing in the English language.

'Summertime', DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince

SUMMERSUMMERSUMMERTIME! TIME TO SIT BACK AND UNWIND!

'Here Comes The Sun', The Beatles

It's perfection. No arguments accepted.

Hit 'Read more' to listen to the playlist in full for yourself.

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