The Best Songs of April 2025 // New Music Friday!

"What Was That" by Lorde


Lorde summer is officially here! The lead single from her forthcoming album, "What Was That", feels like a true rebirth for Lorde as an artist. Collaborating with Jim-E Stack and Dan Nigro for the first time, she's brought a fresh yet deeply emotional energy with this new song, and I couldn’t be happier that she's back. Listening to this gave me the same joy and euphoria I felt when I first heard Melodrama at 17 years old. It's hard to put into words right now, but this is such an exciting time for pop music and Lorde is one of the key voices that are really shaping this transformative and exciting new era for the culture. 

"Egg" by Djo


An early contender for my favorite album of the year is absolutely The Crux by Djo. Every song is incredible, and I can't recommend checking out the entire album enough, but one that really struck me is "Egg". It is such a profound and thought-provoking exploration of identity, perception, and fear in a way I never heard described in a song in such a way before. So many lyrics stand out to me, but one that especially hit hard was "Can one be great? Can one be kind? When history shows, they're not intertwined". It's truly one of the best songs I have ever heard, I love it so much and am just so in awe of how someone can create a song like this - a sentiment I felt throughout the entirety of The Crux

Check out my full review of The Crux by Djo!

"Henry, come on" by Lana Del Rey

"Henry, come on" is the first single off of Lana Del Rey's upcoming tenth album, tentatively titled The Right Person Will Stay. After months of teasing, she finally released the track, plus another beautiful ballad "Bluebird", ahead of her performance at the Stagecoach Festival. This song marks a shift towards a more country-inspired sound, while still embracing her signature introspective and poetic songwriting style. I'm so happy she's releasing new music again and I can't wait to hear more to come! 

"Back To Me" by The Marías

The Marías released two new stunning singles ahead of their performances at Coachella this month, which both feel like a beautiful continuation of the narratives that made up their previous album Submarine last year. It is atmospheric, dreamy and deeply honest, as so much of their work usually is. María hinted at the band's new album to be released this October, which I will be anticipating until then! I have been so obsessed with their music over the past few months and I am always looking forward to what they do next. 

"Down to be wrong" by HAIM

Haim summer is also finally here! Every song they've released so far from their upcoming album, I quit, has been on constant repeat, especially their latest single, "Down to be wrong". The track dropped alongside the exciting announcement of their first record in five years, set to release this June. True to their signature artistry, the band continues to deliver music that feels both familiar and fresh, showcasing their ability to evolve while staying true to their unique sound.

"End of the World" by Miley Cyrus

Miley's upcoming album, Something Beautiful, is shaping up to be one of the most exciting releases of the year! "End of the World" was first debuted at an intimate show at the Chateau Marmont a few years ago, and I have been anticipating for it to be officially released ever since. She truly sounds better than ever, and I am so obsessed with the dynamic production and world building this song embodies. It's another stunning showcase of her artistry and I can't wait to hear more next month when the full album is released!

"Headphones On" by Addison Rae

"Headphones On" is a radiant and uplifting anthem that has such an infectious energy to it. This is already an early contender for song of the summer! I love that its full of positive affirmations - it makes me feel like maybe every good thing will come my way! Addison released this song alongside the announcement of her self-titled debut album, which has been a long time coming and so exciting that it's finally out in June!

"Sunshine & Rain..." by Kali Uchis

This is such a sincere and emotional ode to the power of love and resilience through the good times and the bad. Kali sounds so gorgeous and I'm so excited to hear more from her upcoming album!

"23:42" by Rachel Chinouriri

I can't believe it took me this long to discover Rachel Chinouriri's music, but I am so happy to have found it now! Her new EP, Little House, is such a gem and really captures what makes her such a refreshing voice in music right now. Her songwriting is both heartfelt and fun, blending pop and rock influences into a sound all her own. I can't wait to continue diving deeper into her discography!

"Death Wish (Live from The 02 Arena)" // Gracie Abrams


The first and (so far) only time Gracie performed her newest song, "Death Wish", was at her recent show at the O2 Arena. This stripped-back piano ballad showcases Gracie's beautiful and intimate storytelling, as she reflects on a friend's experience dating "a mega narcissist". The raw emotion and vulnerability in her performance makes this song such a special piece of her discography. 

"Statewide" by PinkPanthress

"Statewide" brings such a fun, infectious mix of Euro dance and electronic influences. PinkPanthress worked with The Dare for the first time on the production, I love seeing him collaborate with more artists like this! The energy of the song is incredible, and the lyrics are just so cute and playful. I can’t get enough of it!

"cool" by Michael Clifford

Michael Clifford of 5 Seconds of Summer finally released his very first solo single, titled "cool" this month! It feels very true to his own personal pop punk influences and an honest representation of his individual artistic identify. "Confidence doesn't come so easily when you're the guy who caught fire with the colored hair, from the band with the song about underwear" is such a clever, funny and self-aware lyric that really encapsulates his charm! This is such an exciting start to this new chapter of Michael as an artist!

"Don't Forget You Love Me" by Calum Hood

It was a big month for 5SOS fans! Calum Hood also finally released his very first solo song this month, which is such an exciting new chapter for him. "Don't Forget You Love Me" is such a strong debut single - its also the perfect soundtrack for 12 am on Taco Tuesday 😉 I absolutely love getting to hear each member of the band explore their own musical style while still contributing to the incredible work they create together. It's so cool to see how they bring their own perspectives to their solo projects and as a collective. Calum also officially announced the release of his upcoming debut album, which is set to be released in June!

"LCA" by The Dare


"LCA", short for "Lights Camera Action", is such a standout new track from The Dare. The energy is electric and among my favorites he's released yet!

"Azizam" by Ed Sheeran


Ed Sheeran dropped the really fun and feel-good lead single from his upcoming album, Play, this month. The title, "Azizam," is a Persian word meaning "my dear," "my love," or "darling". It truly embodies the cute and heartfelt message of the song. It's definitely setting the tone for the energy I’m hoping to see throughout the rest of his new record!

"Worst Of Me" by Cynthia Erivo


Cynthia's powerhouse vocals truly shine on "Worst Of Me", delivering an emotionally charged performance that leaves a lasting impression. This song is such a testament to her artistry, and it only builds the excitement for what's to come with the full album.

"Bottom of a Bottle" by Julien Baker & TORRES

Julien Baker and TORRES released their joint country album Send a Prayer My Way this month, and it's such a beautiful collaboration. Every song is threaded with honesty and reflective storytelling that feels so raw and genuine. One standout track, "Bottom of the Bottle," captures the emotional depth of their songwriting, blending vivid imagery with heartfelt lyrics in a way that is so authentically them. 

"Last Goodbye" by Post Animal


For the first time in nearly a decade, all of the original members of Post Animal reunited to record their upcoming album IRON. In just 30 days together, they recorded the entirety of it, including the beautiful lead single "Last Goodbye". I'm looking forward to hearing more from the new album soon, and to take a deeper dive into more of their past work!

"Thin (demo)" by Nell Mescal

Nell Mescal's demo of "Thin" is such a heartachingly beautiful and honest reflection of love and struggling with body image. She is such a powerful and emotive songwriter who always knows how to convey raw vulnerability and deep emotion in her music.

"I Don't Know Why (I Just Do)" by Jeff Goldblum & Ariana Grande

Wicked co-stars Jeff Goldblum and Ariana Grande have reunited for a stunning rendition of "I Don't Know Why (I Just Do)". This song holds special meaning for Ariana, as her grandfather used to sing it to her. That heartfelt connection truly shines through in her performance. Her voice sounds absolutely gorgeous, I love hearing her fully embrace the jazz style on this collaboration!

"Whenever" by Megan Thee Stallion


"Whenever" is such a bold and empowering new track from Megan! I love that her confidence and clever wordplay is on full display - as usual!

"North Poles" by Samia


Samia released her stunning new album Bloodless this month and I was so blown away by the beauty of every single song. "North Poles" was one of the many highlights that captures so much of the emotional depth of her artistry that makes this album so special. 


This has been another incredible month filled with amazing new music releases, and it's already shaping up to be such an exciting summer ahead! April was also a milestone month for my blog, and I wanted to thank you for all of your continued support with my writing over the past several years. I appreciate it so much and can't wait to continue sharing more music content in the months and years to come!

Thanks for reading! Be sure to check out more of my New Music Friday posts here, as well as my song of the week series.☆

-Melissa 


All credit to photo owners - header designed by Melissa Kacar



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