My Favorite Songs of 2025
I'll admit, this year brought the biggest dilemma I've had yet when it comes to ranking these tracks. While my annual lists are always loosely ranked, I do pay special attention to the placement of the top ten and this year was especially the toughest to narrow down. Sometimes there is a very clear winner in my mind and I can always point out the singular song that defined the year for me, like last year with "CHIHIRO" by Billie Eilish and the year prior with "A&W" by Lana Del Rey. This time, every song in the top five easily felt like it could have taken the number one spot. They're all so different, yet they share a certain depth and introspection that really moved me. I truly love every song that ended up making it to this list and they all shaped my year in their own way.
I've been writing my favorite albums of the year lists since I started my blog in 2017, but I added the favorite songs list in 2023 as a way to highlight even more music I loved. I realized that some of the biggest standouts of the year didn't quite fit the criteria of loving a full album, yet they still deserved recognition. Often, some of these tracks aren't even attached to a full body of work at all, yet they still defined my year in such a major way.
A single song can hold so much individuality and impact, which is something I have been trying to integrate even more into my content over the past couple of years. From my monthly New Music Friday posts, to a new song of the week series I started this year - there were literally hundreds of songs I loved in 2025. While I do my best to write about them all throughout the months, for the sake of this list, I narrowed it down to my top 30 tracks of 2025.
Many of the artists featured were new discoveries for me in 2025, while others are long‑time favorites who have basically become mainstays on my annual lists. A lot of these tracks (and their corresponding albums) have full reviews elsewhere on my blog if you'd like to dive deeper into any of them. I also compiled all 30 of these tracks into a single playlist if you'd like to check them all out at once.
Enjoy!
"Egg" by Djo
It was undoubtedly the year of Djo for me - The Crux was not only my top album of 2025, but he ended up being my most‑played artist of the entire year too. The album strips back every layer of who Joe is in such an honest and deeply personal way, and I was so impacted by the story he tells across it. From the moment I first heard "Egg", I knew it would end up being one of my top songs of the year, there is truly nothing else I've ever heard quite like it. This song delves deep into the complexities of identity, perception and inner conflict of being who you truly want to be but being paralyzed by fear. "Egg" feels reminiscent of the existentialism and depth that shaped much of his sophomore album DECIDE, sharing a surrealistic quality while also maintaining the same kind of hypnotic production that makes it sound so immersive. There's an underlying sense of wanting to escape who you are but realizing you can't. That inner tension builds throughout the track and culminates in one of the album's defining moments.
The storytelling in "Egg" is so striking and thought-provoking, as well. The song takes so many turns as he faces every version of himself - his inner child, who he is to his friends, how the world sees him, and who he really is beneath everyone else's perception. The idea of being a reflection of all the people you know is at the heart of the The Crux. It lays out every version of himself in that way, but also presents the underlying desire to be someone else entirely. There is a moment at the midpoint of the song where he allows every doubt and hidden insecurity rise to the surface in such a raw confrontation of the parts of himself that he tried to push away.
One of the most important lyrics of The Crux is, "Can one be great? Can one be kind? When history shows, they're not intertwined, so what will you choose, your heart or your pride?" That's one of the most evocative lyrics I've ever heard, I am always deeply moved by it every time I listen to it. The sentiment of it echoes another powerful line from his song "Runner", "Love and hate decide, money grows and dies, people never change, but I have to try". Both lyrics explore the contradiction and persistence we must live with in a world that so often works against those ideals. At its core, "Egg" is about confronting every part of yourself, every doubt and fear, but deciding whether you'll let it define you or break out of that metaphorical shell.
favorite lyric: "Can one be great? Can one be kind? When history shows they're not intertwined" // "Is that you? Is that the child who's afraid in you? Stop, is that you?"
"Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party" by Hayley Williams
I was so torn about which track to highlight here because I loved this entire album so much, but the title track of Hayley Williams' third solo project, Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party, captures the thesis of the entire project with such precision. Set against the backdrop of a night out in downtown Nashville, she experiences this inner crisis and a real loss of her sense of identity. She also delves into the cost and sacrifice of chasing a dream without really understanding the cost at the time, and the realization that if she wants change, it has to come from within her.
It's so cleverly written and definitely tongue‑in‑cheek lyrically at moments, but always deeply introspective as she opens up about hitting a personal breaking point in her life and grappling with her own ego and identity. As her first independent release, this album marks a new creative era for Hayley, one rooted in owning every side of herself and having autonomy over every single decision she makes. Getting to decide what to do on her own terms brought a level of experimentation and fearlessness that makes her and this album really stand out in the music space today.
There's also this sense of having to go back to where she came from in order to reconnect with the parts of herself she feels she has lost, while also undoubtedly seeing the evolution. This song truly embodies every part of that journey. She really is the biggest star!
favorite lyric: "I'm the biggest star at this racist country singer's bar"
"The Subway" by Chappell Roan
The long‑awaited official release of "The Subway" feels like such a major moment in Chappell's career. After performing it live many times over the past year, I’m so happy the studio version is finally out. It's truly the best song she has released thus far, there's so much emotion packed into every single lyric. The song is deeply heartfelt and unflinchingly honest as she recalls the kind of specific, intimate details of a love that got away. All of the memories still linger, almost as if she's haunted by them.
This song is a portrait of a star‑crossed love that has continued to linger long after it ended. She remembers the small traits she had, describing how she sees her in faces in the crowd or smells her perfume in public and is instantly transported back to a version of herself that no longer exists. The storytelling is so vivid, as all of the memories and emotions are overflowing within every single lyric. The specific memories she sings about cling to her present day in a very real way, laid out with such striking honesty. On this song, Chappell is unafraid to show how someone can shape you and leave an indelible mark, even if the relationship is over that person is forever a part of you in some way.
favorite lyric: "It's just another day and it's not over 'til it's over, it's never over, 'til I don't look for you on the staircase or wish you thought that we were still soulmates, but I'm still counting down all of the days 'til you're just another girl on the subway"
"Fame Is A Gun" by Addison Rae
Addison's self‑titled debut album exceeded every single expectation I had for it, it is truly pop perfection in every possible way. "Fame Is A Gun" is one of the biggest highlights, it's so addictive and dramatic in all of the best ways. As someone who has long seen the vision of Addison becoming an iconic pop star of this generation, this entire year has been so exciting to see it come to fruition.
Throughout much of the album and on this song in particular, she is fully channeling the energy of Lady Gaga's early work, and giving into the spectacle and intensity that comes with striving for pop stardom. It particularly feels like an updated take on the title track of her 2008 debut, "The Fame" - especially as they share the same indelible hunger and fearlessness to succeed no matter who doubts you. "There's no mystery, I'm gonna make it, gonna go down in history...when you shame me, it makes me want it more" is a line that echoes that same raw ambition Gaga was channeling back then too.
There's something very Warholian about the song too, both in the production and the performance. It taps into that idea of image as art and the public gaze as the most valuable currency. Throughout the album, Addison reflects on her complicated relationship with fame and being a persona online, fully wanting to make the most of her 15 minutes of fame, so to speak. But here, she fully inhabits the role of the ultra-confident star that is empowered by the attention, regardless of it being positive or negative. "Fame Is A Gun" blurs the lines between reality and aesthetic in a way that's really smart. "Fame is a gun and I point it blind, crash and burn, girl, baby, swallow it dry, you got a front row seat and I got a taste of the glamorous life" she sings in the chorus.
In an interview with Apple Music, Addison shared that the song came from time spent in New York and the desire to make something "up-tempo and sexy and a little dark." She cited inspiration from Sheila E.'s 1984 track "The Glamorous Life," and you can definitely hear that influence in the retro-glam production. "I loved that concept of - yeah, I do want the glamorous life," she said. "Fame is almost the price that you pay for that life, and...you don't really know what you're doing with it when you experience it, so you're pointing it blind, and you're unsure of what is going to be destroyed by it when you're experiencing it for the first time and it's just really reckless."
favorite lyric: "Love is a drug that I can't deny, I'm your dream girl, but you're not my type, you got a front row seat and I got a taste of the glamorous life"
"David" by Lorde
The closing song of Lorde's Virgin, titled "David", leaves me speechless every time I hear it. The song's title is in reference to Michelangelo's sculpture of David, a universal symbol of strength rooted in the biblical story. An interesting parallel is that she was the same age making this album as Michelangelo was when he started working on David - a detail that definitely feels like an intentional metaphor on Lorde's part. The statue becomes a symbol of strength and transformation. She's chipping away at herself, reshaping her identity, and sculpting something new from the broken pieces.
She likens herself to the young and vulnerable David, and her ex as the powerful and towering Goliath. "Oh, dark day, was I just someone to dominate?" she sings in the opening lines of the song. "Worthy opponent, flint to my blade, now we're playing with shadows, at the Sunset Tower, you said, 'Open your mouth', I did". The song is quite dark and heavy to listen to, as she sings about feeling taken advantage of and manipulated by people that were much older and more powerful than her in the music industry from a young age. It's clear that it draws from a very personal and specific time in her life, one that she alludes to in the lyrics and metaphors throughout. "If I'd had virginity, I would have given that too" is the lyric that chills me every single time.
Listening to "David" is a truly moving, transcendent experience. The power in Lorde's voice is undeniable, there's a rawness and a clarity to it, as if she is finally breaking through everything that's held her back. It really feels like not just this album, but the entirety of her career, has been building to this moment as everything culminates in such a powerful way. The glitchy, fractured production mirrors that emotional unraveling. It builds and distorts as she sings, "I don't belong to anyone, I made you God 'cause it was all that I knew how to do, but I don't belong to anyone". The climax of the song is incredibly powerful, which she opened up about in an interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music being a breakthrough moment for her in the album's recording process. "I didn't really understand the song when it was coming out and I kept feeling this composite of memories but it feels undeniable to me and inevitable in this album that that's the biggest I've ever been, the climax of that song," she said.
Everything about Virgin connects back to her early work in such a symbolic way that is deeply meaningful for those who have followed the journey of her music from the beginning. "David" features one of the best lyrics she has ever written: "Pure heroine mistaken for featherweight" - a reclamation of the woman she has always been. It honors the inner strength that has always lived within her, while fully embracing the legacy and impact she's carried into a new generation of artists. It's a beautiful moment of self-recognition, of acknowledging the power she held even when others couldn't see it, and even when she couldn't see it herself at times.
favorite lyrics: "Pure heroine mistaken for featherweight" // "I made you God 'cause it was all that I knew how to do, but I don't belong to anyone"
"Telephone Busy" by 5 Seconds of Summer
"Telephone Busy" is my new favorite song that 5 Seconds of Summer has ever released. The chorus is insanely infectious, it has the most hypnotic hook that has been stuck in my head ever since I first listened to it. If you needed any more indication of this song being my biggest obsession, it was released in late October and still ended up as my third most listened to song of the entire year. I have had it on repeat constantly!
Throughout the entirety of EVERYONE'S A STAR! they go back to their roots in a lot of ways, fully leaning into the cheeky and sarcastic lyricism that defined so much of their early work. This time, with a more mature and evolved lens, they allow their individual personalities to shine through in every song, but especially with "Telephone Busy". There is a confidence in the writing and delivery that shows just how much they have grown, without losing the playful energy that made so many of us fall in love with their music in the first place.
favorite lyric: "World is spinning, I'm not dizzy, call you, but your telephone busy, I been thinking, do you miss me? Does my memory make you wanna kiss me?"
"One of the Greats" by Florence + The Machine
Florence delivers yet another bold and emotionally charged anthem with "One of the Greats", the second single off her upcoming album. Lyrically, it is piercing and poignant, as she confronts the double standards she has faced with an unfiltered honesty. Thematically, it feels like a sister track to "Choreomania", which is another one of my personal favorites by her. Florence's writing always carries a deeply feminine and empowering perspective, and this is no exception. It also features some of my favorite lyrics of the entire year and one of my favorite vocal performances from her yet.
A recurring motif in Florence's songwriting that has always stood out to me is the way she writes about the state of music and the industry with such poignancy and unfiltered honesty. The confrontation and questioning of who gets to be taken seriously in the music industry and who gets dismissed is something she has explored many times over the years, especially throughout Dance Fever and her latest album Everybody Scream. "One of the Greats" becomes another very important piece of cultural commentary on the double standards female artists are still expected to overcome and conform to. Rooted in her own experiences in music, she opens up about these pressures with such a direct, unflinching voice.
favorite lyric: "But I've really done it this time, this one is all mine, I'll be up there with the men and the ten other women and the hundred greatest records of all time, it must be nice to be a man and make boring music just because you can, now don't get me wrong, I'm a fan, you're my second-favorite front-man"
"Walk of Fame" by Miley Cyrus & Brittany Howard
Miley's inescapable star power takes center stage on "Walk Of Fame". It is one of the album's most cinematic and evocative highlights, turning her personal ethos into a glam pop spectacle. "Every day, every night, it's all the same, hungry cries are callin' out my name," she sings in the opening verse, "You beg me to stay but I walk away, every time I walk, it's a walk of fame". It radiates so much confidence and theatricality in a way that doesn't feel performative at all, because Miley truly is just such a star. She has this attitude of being able to turn her everyday life into a performance - "I walk the concrete like it's a stage", she sings.
The song also features Brittany Howard, who played a significant role in shaping the overall sonic direction of the album through her guitar work, but her contributions to "Walk Of Fame" especially elevate it to a new level. It is simply so transcendent and truly an all-time career highlight for both of them. Miley has collaborated with so many iconic, legendary artists throughout her career, but this is truly the best duet she has ever released. Brittany's verse at the end is such a standout moment with how poignant and poetically it is written.
The imagery of a timeless Hollywood star, and all the symbolism used throughout this song is so powerful, it captures both the glamour and even the hint of inherent loneliness that can come with being placed on a pedestal in such a way. The commentary on fame, celebrity, and legacy becomes a poignant representation of both the preservation and impermanence of stardom. It captures how fame can both immortalize someone, while also revealing how easily that same spotlight can fade over time.
favorite lyric: "You'll live forever in our hearts and minds, an ageless picture, a timeless smile, we'll wear it on our T-shirts, a star buried in the pavement, everyone will walk around it, you'll live forever, you'll live forever, you'll live forever"
"Cross Your Mind" by Shelly
Shelly, the side project of close friends Clairo, Claud, Josh Mehling, and Noa Getzug, returned after five years with two addicting new singles, "Cross Your Mind" and "Hartwell". I absolutely love both songs, but "Cross Your Mind" especially is just such a burst of sunshine every time I listen to it. This was such an underrated release this year.
I love how nostalgic and sweet it sounds, as they sing about wanting to tap into that feeling of recapturing a piece of their youth and the energy they had at that time. It has this warmth to it that feels so effortless and genuine. I would also consider this my song of the summer, it perfectly captured the season for me and I still just can't get enough of it. It is so nostalgic and so sweet, tapping into a feeling of longing to hold onto a moment in time.
favorite lyric: "This is the worst I've been since I've been old, stealing bottles from the basement, hard to recreate the way I felt when I was seventeen, I'll keep trying if it kills me, baby"
"House Tour" by Sabrina Carpenter
"House Tour" was such a perfect glittering '80s disco sound that feels like it could have been on the Barbie soundtrack in the best way possible. She's never been known for subtlety, and lines like "I promise none of this is a metaphor, I just want you to come inside" proves she's fully embracing the playful innuendo. It fills the same space on Man's Best Friend that "Juno" did on Short n' Sweet, it's just pure campy fun from start to finish. The verses are packed with funny hyper-specific details of pineapple air fresheners, Chips Ahoy, and the fortune she spent on her wax floors.
It captures all of the best parts of Sabrina as an artist and all of her signatures, from the cheeky humor, to the glossy pop production, to the way she can make even the most ridiculous details feel charming in a way that only she can deliver.
favorite lyric: "My house is on Pretty Girl Avenue, my house was especially built for you, some say it's a place where your dreams come true, my house could be your house too"
"Dracula" by Tame Impala
The third single off Tame Impala's latest album Deadbeat is absolutely my favorite from the project. "Dracula" is so fun, catchy, and truly one of the best songs he's ever released. It's an effortless blend of his signature psychedelic haze with a more playful pop vibe. I love the neon synth‑pop, all‑night‑party energy running through it too, it creates such an electric atmosphere within the context of the rest of the album.
favorite lyric: "I'm on the verge of caving in, I run back to thе dark, now I'm Mr. Charisma, fuckin' Pablo Escobar, my friends are saying, 'Shut up, Kevin, just gеt in the car', I just wanna be right where you are"
"CPR" by Wet Leg
"CPR" is irresistibly fun, catchy, and completely addictive to listen to. It's one of my favorite songs I've heard from them yet and captures everything that makes Wet Leg such a singular voice in indie rock right now. It is bursting with the band's signature infectious energy and that effortlessly cool, deadpan delivery they've perfected so well. This also ended up being one of my most played songs of the entire year, which honestly was inevitable from my very first listen!
favorite lyric: "Are you the one, my ride-or-die? When I'm with you, I feel alive, is it fun? Is this a vibe? Is it love?"
"Swan" by Not For Radio
"Swan" feels like the heart of Melt and one of the most gorgeous songs María has ever written. It reads like a vow of love, unfolding with some of the most romantic and breathtaking lyrics I have ever heard, as she offers a promise of deep, enduring devotion. "I could love you like a swan would, I could love you 'til the end," she sings in the opening verse. "Take my body, this I promise, won’t let go of your hand".
Inspired by nature and the way that swans mate for life, the song becomes even more moving when you know the intention behind it. "It's a love letter to whoever my swan will be. I hope you find yours too," she said in a spoken‑word intro for the song prior to its release. That sentiment radiates through every line. "Swan" is so romantic and deeply sincere, with striking imagery throughout.
It also marks such a beautiful new chapter for María as an artist as she steps out on her own for the first time with her debut solo release under the name Not For Radio. So much of Melt feels as if it were written for the love of her life that she hasn’t even met yet, imagining what that connection will feel like or even envisioning a version of herself she has yet to discover. There is a yearning throughout the record for the experience of knowing and being known by that person, and it carries so much emotional weight within the core of the project.
favorite lyric: "Part of me is a part of you, it's a part of me too"
"Relationships" by HAIM
"Relationships" is the lead single off of Haim's I quit, and it serves as the perfect introduction to the themes they explore throughout the album. It also really gets to the core of what the theme of the album is as a whole; choosing to leave behind the things that no longer serve you, even when it’s complicated or painful. It was a very early contender for my top songs list this year, and it still feels like one of the defining tracks of this new era for them.
It serves as the perfect follow‑up to their 2020 album Women In Music Pt. III. It feels very connected sonically and thematically to that record in many ways. The song captures the push and pull of a relationship and that feeling of not really knowing if the situation you're in is right for you. It's one of the most addictive melodies of the year. For it being such a simple concept, they convey it and all of the conflicting emotions with such precision, turning something messy and complicated into a song that feels instantly relatable and impossibly catchy.
favorite lyrics: "Don't they end up all the same when there's no one left to blame? I think I'm in love, but I can't stand fuckin' relationships" // "Maybe that's just how it goes when you're not fully grown, but baby, when you know, you know"
"Sunset Tower" by Conan Gray
"Sunset Tower" is one of the many standouts from Conan's Wishbone. It's cinematic and deeply emotional in all the best ways, with a diaristic approach to his lyricism that feels very true to him as an artist. I love when a songwriter can take such a specific moment in time, with such detailed memories, and lace them with an emotion that even if you didn't live those moments yourself, you can still really feel and relate to what he was going through in that moment.
It's the kind of song that could only ever be about one person, and you can hear that in every line. He balances a level of nostalgia for the past and the way things once were with the reality of knowing he is so much better off now, and he does it in such a beautiful way.
favorite lyric: "I wish you the best but hope that you die inside every time I'm playing in London"
"The Dream" by The Favors
The Dream marks a new chapter for close friends and longtime collaborators Finneas and Ashe, joined by drummer David Marinelli and guitarist Ricky Gourmet. Collectively they make up The Favors, a band born out of friendship and the shared desire to make music without boundaries.
One of the most compelling aspects of The Dream is the way it continually shifts perspectives. Sometimes the songs are written from the outside looking in, observing those down on their luck in search of their big Hollywood break and examining the enduring allure of the city. Others capture the viewpoint of those left behind by someone chasing their dreams, haunted by the lingering questions of what might have been if they had stayed. At other times they take on a more insular approach, reflecting on their own personal experiences as native Californians navigating what it means to chase your dreams and the sacrifices that often come along with it.
The title track "The Dream" best represents the overall thesis of the album. It paints the portrait of someone lying to themselves and everyone around them, clinging to the idea of that they're living the dream, while the reality beneath the surface is much darker and more bleak. It captures the superficiality and desperation of chasing this lifestyle, while also exposing the hollowness beneath the façade. The bridge drives that point home with unfiltered honesty, ending it with a simple and poignant line that really captures the realities of the entertainment industry, "It's all about who you know".
favorite lyrics: "You lied to your mother, she thinks that you're famous" // "It's all about who you know"
"RIP KP" by King Princess
After quite a long wait, King Princess is finally back with her new album, Girl Violence. There's such a cool edge to the lead single, "RIP KP", this gritty, chaotic, and distorted sound that feels like a natural evolution for her. She leans into a sharper, more unfiltered energy here, and it really highlights what a singular and underrated voice she is in rock music.
favorite lyric: "My girl could destroy your life, like she did to mine"
"X-Ray" by Inhaler
"X-Ray" is completely different than anything else on Open Wide, it holds such an important space toward the end of this record. From the opening guitar riff, the listener is pulled right into its haunting tone, it even has the slightest country-inspired influence in its first moments. It showcases their versatility and their willingness to be more experimental with their music than ever before.
This song is made up of a very distinct blend of influences that I have never heard Inhaler experiment with before. Lyrically, "X-Ray" is also among the most thought-provoking on Open Wide as well. "Feels like heaven, even if there's not one, I will chain myself to your soul", Eli vividly sings in the song's chorus. This is such an experimental direction for them to be going in and I would love for them to continue to expand upon this sound with future releases.
favorite lyric: "Feels like heaven, even if there's not one, I will chain myself to your soul"
"Can we talk about Isaac?" 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 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.
One of my favorite moments on the EP is "Can we talk about Isaac?" I love the way she captures the rush of falling in love and that feeling of it being all that's on your mind. It’s such a sweet song, full of warmth and sincerity, and it perfectly showcases her ability to make something deeply personal feel instantly relatable. I loved listening to her music this year, and I’m so excited to hear where she goes next.
favorite lyric: "I don't know nobody who knows somebody like you"
"Stateside" by PinkPantheress
"Stateside" blends such a fun, infectious mix of Euro‑dance and electronic influences. PinkPantheress worked with The Dare for the first time on the production, and I love seeing her collaborate with artists who push her sound in new directions like this. The energy of the song is incredible, and the lyrics are just so cute and playful. She has such a distinct voice in pop music that is so unique and instantly recognizable, and "Stateside" really highlights that.
favorite lyric: "Nеver met a British girl, you say? No one trеats me this way, are all boys out here the same?"
"Dallas Major" by Lily Allen
West End Girl is bold, messy, and self‑aware in all the best ways. It's an album that really needs to be experienced in full to grasp the depth of the honesty she’s working with. Lily's writing is brutally honest and so sharp, she holds literally nothing back when it comes to sharing her experiences. On "Dallas Major" she's unflinchingly open about every contradiction within herself and the situation she has found herself in. It really captures her experience of dating after her divorce with a mix of vulnerability and the dark humor that's so distinctly her own.
favorite lyric: "So I go by Dallas Major, but that's not really my name, you know, I used to be quite famous, that was way back in the day"
"Hampstead" by Ariana Grande
With her 2024 album, eternal sunshine, Ariana proved that she could find the light within herself in even the darkest of times, amidst experiencing so much heartache in the wake of her divorce. Now with the release of an additional six songs and a corresponding short film for the brighter days ahead deluxe version, she proved to herself that brighter days are already here.
The final song "Hampstead", is named after the North London neighborhood that served as a significant setting for a very formative time in her life. It's where she lived while she was filming Wicked and also where she ended up falling in love with someone new in the wake of her divorce. This song, just like the place it was inspired by, serves as a marker for an important period of her life, both professionally and personally. The song captures the essence of this transformative chapter, blending vulnerability with strength in a way that feels raw and unfiltered.
Once again wanting to reclaim the narrative of her life in the court of public opinion, she boldly declares that she would rather live her life the way she wants to, rather than giving in and conforming to other's perceptions of who she is and who she should be. It is mostly a stripped back piano ballad, with her incredibly chilling vocals at the forefront. It serves as such an emotional finale to this album and the entire story she tells the listener on throughout. "Hampstead" is a crucial song in Ariana's discography, one that offers such profound insight into who she is and the journey she has been on thus far.
"You think you've read the book I'm still writing" is the single lyric that best sums up the message of this entire album. It is so direct, so clear, and arguably the best she has ever written. It's a bold statement of reclaiming her own narrative and a reminder that no one else gets to define it for her. eternal sunshine, an album that was largely centered around her divorce and the emotional aftermath, concludes with the poignant repetition of "I do, I do, I do". It's so symbolic to end the album with a phrase that traditionally symbolizes commitment, now reimagined as a declaration of self-acceptance and closure.
favorite lyrics: "I'd rather be seen and alive than dying by your point of view" // "You think you’ve read the book I'm still writing"
"Abracadabra" by Lady Gaga
The category is dance, always. Lady Gaga is a true mastermind of crafting perfect pop songs, which she has showcased time and time again throughout her career, with "Abracadabra" being among her best yet. The energy and theatrics is just on another level with this song, I love that she knows where she shines the most as an artist and fully went all the way with it. The post-chorus is so insane, I'm obsessed with the way she sings "feel the beat under your feet, the floor's on firе". It's such a wild song, it's truly one of her best singles in a very long time. A gorgeous lyric that always stands out is, "Phantom of the dance floor, come to me, sing for me a sinful melody", she operatically sings in the bridge.
"So much of what I did with 'Abracadabra' was about claiming music and imagery that's my own invention — meaning the combination of those things is my own invention, and I wanted to really own that for myself," Gaga said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. She added in another interview with AP News that "...very often as a woman in music, they say it was other people. You're a product, like you were made. Something that was really important to me on this was really taking from myself my own inventions."
favorite lyric: "Hold me in your heart tonight in the magic of the dark moonlight, save me from this empty fight in the game of life"
"Ring Ring Ring" by Tyler, The Creator
Tyler, The Creator surprise released DON'T TAP THE GLASS earlier this year and it may just be my favorite project he's released yet. It is so dynamic in its production, with such a bold and vibrant sound throughout. "Ring Ring Ring" is such a highlight, I love how effortlessly it blends funk, R&B, and hip hop influences into a sound that is so unmistakably his own.
favorite lyric: "I had to protect my heart and build a wall so tall, I couldn't look ovеr"
"Pie in the Sky" by Post Animal
The second single off of Post Animal's IRON, is the endearing "Pie in the Sky". The track is a fun, romantic ode to love, blending dreamy and dynamic melodies with the band's signature charm. I love the way they compare a lover to the brightness of the moon, it's such a sweet image, and it fits perfectly within the song’s lovestruck atmosphere. It's so warm and full of light. The sense of being completely captivated by someone in a way that feels almost cosmic is conveyed with such sincerity and charm.
favorite lyrics: "Great beauty, pie in the sky, yours truly, light of my life, I miss you half of the day, big cheddar, lightin' my way" // "Make me wanna sell my soul for just a bit of your shine, how am I gonna fill this hole, if your heart ain't mine?"
"Bullseye" by Lucy Dacus & Hozier
"Bullseye" is one of the most intimate and heartfelt tracks on Lucy's Forever Is A Feeling. Her voice pairs so beautifully with Hozier's, who brings such a warmth to the song. The song reads like a message to a past love with a bittersweet longing running through it. It conveys the feeling of wishing them well from afar while also wishing, in some small way, that you could still be in each other's lives. Lucy recalls these specific, beautiful moments that shaped her, and the way she threads those memories into the song makes it feel incredibly personal and universal at the same time.
favorite lyric: "I'll miss borrowin' your books to read your notes in the margin, the closest I came to readin' your mind"
"Crown" by Finn Wolfhard
"Crown" is one of my favorites from Finn Wolfhard's debut solo album Happy Birthday. It has such a grungy, raw sound that feels both nostalgic and fresh. This song, like the rest of the record, really channels the 90's alt-rock influences, while still keeping things fresh and current.
favorite lyric: "Can I still have a crown?"
"Younger And Hotter Than Me" by Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco
"Younger And Hotter Than Me", a vivid and haunting reflection of Selena's time as a child star. Selena and Benny collaborated with Finneas on this track, as well as a few others on their collaboration album I Said I Love You First. They have each worked with him many times before, but this marks the first time all three of them have collaborated together. The overall lyrical tone feels so reminiscent of Finneas' distinct signature style, which works so well for this song.
This track offers a fascinating and introspective look back at Selena's experience with childhood stardom. It's framed through the lens of an adult now far removed from that world, yet still grappling with the mental repercussions of growing up in an environment like that. It is also an interesting look at her experience in Hollywood for all of these years too, and the way women are often perceived as they grow older, commonly facing pressures of being replaced by someone newer and better. Although Selena has had a very singular experience as one of the most famous women in the world since she was a teenager, these feelings are often representative of the universal female experience too. This theme resonates deeply in regards to both her experiences in the entertainment industry and in relationships.
"All of the girls at this party are younger and hotter than me, and I hate what I wore, but I hate myself more," Selena sings, "For thinkin' you were different, wish I never loved you, we're not gettin' any younger, but your girlfriends seem to". The lyricism is so sharp, she really doesn't hold back at all in telling her story completely unfiltered. This song also features one of the best vocal performances of Selena's entire career, she sounds so angelic.
favorite lyric: "Wish I never loved you, we're not gettin' any younger, but your girlfriends seem to"
"Back To Me" by The Marías
The Marías released two new stunning singles ahead of their performances at Coachella back in April, which both felt 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.
favorite lyric: "Meet me in Montauk, picture my face waitin' by the altar sayin' your name, promise to be near you, promise I'll stay, if I get the chance to remember this day"
"DAISIES" by Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber surprise‑released two new albums in 2025, and the initial release of SWAG is truly some of the best work he's put out in years. The lead single, "DAISIES" is a standout moment and easily one of the strongest tracks of his career. His vocals are stunning as always, but there's something especially effortless about the way he glides over the laid‑back R&B production. It suits him perfectly, giving the song this warm, breezy confidence that he embodies so well.
favorite lyric: "Whatever it is, you know I can take it, I'm countin' the days, how many days 'til I can see you again?"
As promised, here's all 30 songs compiled into one playlist - the title is inspired by a lyric from my song of the year, "Egg" by Djo + the cover image is by Andy Warhol🍳
I've written more about music this year than I ever have in my eight years of having this blog, and it's been incredible to watch how much it has grown in that time. I truly can't believe how many people have read my writing this year. I'm always so grateful for anyone who takes the time to read my work and support what I do, it means more than I can ever say! It's such a joy to be able to share my love of music here, and I can't wait to see what 2026 will bring next!
If you're interested in reading about even more of my favorite songs, be sure to check out my New Music Friday series as well as my song of the week series.☆Happy New Year!
All credit to photo owners - header designed by Melissa Kacar
Related Posts:
Comments
Post a Comment