Well, it’s the 9th installment of The WBW40, where I count down my top 40 favorite songs of the year. That’s pretty straightforward, right? The only real rule is that the song either had to have been released or made a major impact in 2025 (that’s really gonna come into play once we get to the Top 3). Other than that, there are no rules! All genres were welcomed, and you’re going to find yourself discovering some new-to-you songs (especially in the bottom 20!).
Ya know, I was really thinking this was Year 10. I wanted a *milestone*. Especially after the dumpster fire that was 2025. Now, into the second week of 2026, I’m ready to give it back. That said, that’s sort of how I felt about 2025 music at this time last year. I listen to a few pop podcasts, and they were already calling music “dead” by Spring, since milquetoast bores like Alex Warren and Benson Boone were topping the charts. Well, the world continued to burn, but music did get better as the year progressed. This wasn’t an especially hard chart this year, as the key artists were pretty apparent. Instead, I had to make decisions like “Do we really need TWO sombr songs?” Just like I started doing last year, there’s a Spotify playlist at the end, if you’d prefer to experience these songs through that medium. So, let’s get on with it!
40. Aloe Blacc – “One Good Thing”
There’s only one thing I know about Aloe Blacc, and it’s that he did the vocals on Avicii’s “Wake Me Up”, WAAAAAAY back in 2013. I think that was the year we went to Canada, and their radio stations loved the poutine out of that song! Otherwise, I would have assumed “Aloe Blacc” was some Star Wars Expanded Universe character. You know the one: Your friend growing up tells you how you’ve just GOT to read Knights of the Stardasher books, because Aloe Blacc is the most important Star Wars character never seen onscreen! Anyway, I’m that guy who walks through stores, Shazam-ing anything that isn’t Rob Thomas’s “Smooth”, and I’m sure that’s how I found this song. Nothing amazing. Just a nice, feel-good song to kick us off.
39. Illuminati Hotties – “777”
So, I feel like there’s a period missing in my formative music timeline, as you all know I grew up with Country, then shifted to what was called “Soft Rock”. There wasn’t really “Pop Music” again until about 96, so 1995 is when I journeyed into Alternative Rock. I don’t know that we’d call it now (I guess Classic Rock, at this point), but I couldn’t get enough of Weezer, No Doubt (those were the stations playing them originally), and Foo Fighters. Last week, my Bluesky buddy @brianarnold posted the Billboard Modern Rock Chart for that week in 95, and I was into ALL of those songs. “Glyercine”, Possum Kingdom”, “High and Dry”. Ooh, that took me back! Anyway, this sounds like it could have been recorded back then, and was just recently found in an abandoned storage unit.
38. Sigrid – “Do It Again”
When it comes to Pop, you can never count out the Swedes! Even if you’ve never heard of them. I mean, after Ace of Base, Max Martin, ABBA, and Robyn, they’ll never let you down. And that’s what I loved here, as it’s just a solid Swedish dance song, giving hints of Dido, Jem, and Robyn. I need to check out more of Sigrid’s stuff, as this might be the worst thing on her latest album, and I wouldn’t even know!
37. Lambrini Girls – “Cuntology 101”
We’re gonna chalk this up as this year’s “novelty song”. It feels like the sort of thing they would have made in the 90s, and you’d hear it blaring out of Abercrombie, but it would be some weird edit where “Cunty” was replaced with “Dunty”. And suburban moms would be like “What does ‘dunty’ mean, Stephanie.”, while Stephanie would simply reply “YOU JUST DON’T GET IT, MOM!” This is the video MTV would only air in The 10 Spot, and it would still be censored.
36. Corey Kent, feat Koe Wetzel – “Rocky Mountain Low”
Imagine, if you will, a timeline where Lorenzo Lamas didn’t star in Renegade, but rather a different syndicated 90s action series. THIS would be its theme song – especially when that chorus hits with, “And we go high-igh-igh-igh!” Onscreen, it would say “Starring Lorenzo Abdul Lamas (and you’d be like “Huh. Guess his middle name is ‘Abdul’ over here.”). Then, there would be footage of a truck jumping a crick, and some older police cruisers speeding down the highway. Hell, we’ll even call the show Rocky Mountain Low. Let’s hope Corey Kent works out a deal for streaming!
35. Jensen McRae – “Praying For Your Downfall”
I hold grudges. It’s not a good thing, but I’m honest with myself, even though it has probably taken years off my life. Well, McRae is singing about how she’s done wishing for an ex’s downfall, and I guess that spoke to me. Plus, I’m a sucker for twee indie singer-songwriter women.
34. Dijon – “Yamaha”
So, Kendrick has that friend named “Mustard”, and now there’s a “Dijon”? I can’t keep up with all this stuff. Anyway, I loved how this sounded like an 80s one-hit wonder single. For every “Thriller”, there were five “Because I Love You”s and “We Don’t Have To Take Our Clothes Off”s. This would have been THE prom jam of 1987. They should have worked this into the final season of Stranger Things somehow!
33. The Beths – “Straight Was A Lie”
This one starts out sounding like an OK Go song, but one you’ll actually remember, and not just know they made a wacky video for it. Then, it becomes something that could have easily come from The Rentals (I LOVE The Rentals). I’m gonna have to check out more of their stuff, as I see they’ve toured with Death Cab for Cutie (I LOVE Death Cab. No, actually, I love ONE album from Death Cab).
32. Coco Jones – “Taste”
I really appreciate a good sample. Growing up, they were sort of used sparingly, as only certain artists were allowing others to use their music. Say what you will about him, but Diddy knew his way about a sample, giving us some great stuff in the mid 90s. Early Jay-Z wasn’t bad, either (No, I’m not talking about “It’s The Hard Knock Life”, but rather Bobby Blue Bland’s “Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City” on The Blueprint album). Well, in my old age, I’ve gotten protective about certain songs. I heard this, and thought “How dare she sample Britney’s ‘Toxic’?! It’s not that old!” Y’all, “Toxic” is a 27-year old song now. Plus, I didn’t love that Britney era, so I’m more than find with the “New York Undercover jazz club” treatment Jones gives it here.
31. Role Model – “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out”
I like how this is sorta Mamas & the Papas-y. It’s got a real Classic Rock vibe to it. You’d have a Hell of a night if you went to see them perform at your local dive bar. On the flipside, it could just as easily be the vanity project of the son of a major celebrity. You’d be scrolling on your phone, and read that Chet Hanks has finally given up all that “Wigger” stuff, and was “going back to his roots”. Either way, it’s a fun song!
30. BigXThaPlug feat. Ella Langley – “Hell At Night”
There sure are a lot of black guys in Country now, huh? Yeah, that sounds terrible, but there was only Charley Pride for, like, 30 years. Then Darius came along. We got half of Kane Brown. Now, however, there are a lot of rappers getting into the game, and I’m curious to know what Nashville thinks about that. If you’ve been reading these lists since the beginning, you know they used to be roughly 70% Country. A lot of y’all weren’t as open-minded as I’d have wished, but I also just sort of gravitated away from the genre. Nothing makes sense to me over there now. Bobby Bones doesn’t seem to be Country’s Ryan Seacrest anymore. There are a lot of “midcarders” getting shots at that chart. The problem is a ton of folks flocked to Nashville, which is now home of the best equipment. So, you get artists – like Dan + Shay – who aren’t “Country”, but that’s the radio format that gives them airplay. Anyway, this feels more like an Ella Langley song, while BigXThaPlug drops some bars that sound like something I swear I heard on a viral video. The real star here is Langley, as she just might be the second coming of Gretchen Wilson, which is something Country has needed for A WHILE. I mean, Rob Schneider’s daughter (Elle King) tried, but she couldn’t seem to tame her…demons.
29. Kevin Powers & Shaboozey – “Move On”
Oh, God! I swear I didn’t intentionally segregate them! I was glad to find this song, as I was scared Shaboozey was a one-trick pony with “Tipsy”, but this has an edge to it I love. Country really needs to figure out new video concepts, as this is that tired “We’re just going out to the desert to lip sync in front of our lifteds. You’ll never actually see us in the trucks, as we’re not insured to drive them.”
28. Japanese Breakfast – “Picture Window”
Japanese Breakfast is one of those acts that I’ve heard of, but didn’t know a thing about. Well, that’s not exactly true – I knew that the frontwoman was one of those people that also does something else. Yeah, I know that sounds vague, but then I figured it out: Michelle Zauner also wrote the bestselling book Crying in H Mart: A Memoir, which just happens to be on my To Be Read pile. Anyway, the song starts out with a real “One Headlight” vibe, and it just slowly builds. It’s an odd song, but it hits all the right notes for me.
27. Marina – “Everybody Knows I’m Sad”
I know not all Family Guy fans migrated over to American Dad (which is, by far, the superior show), but there was a multi-season plotline where Haley’s husband, Jeff, was abducted by alien Roger’s people. They’re gonna castrate him unless he can perform a song with his emotions and memories to prove his love is real. Anyway, the beginning of this song sounds exactly like the song the alien ruler sings in that episode. Plus, I just love boppy pop. This could just as easily have come from The A-Teens or STEPS. No complaints!
26. Wednesday – “Townies”
Remember how much Pandora used to suck? They never had what you wanted, but they’d recommend something kinda like what you had searched for. If you searched for “Sheryl Crow” on Pandora, “Townies” is what you’d probably have gotten. It’s a very specific era of Crow, though, where she hasn’t fully broken up with Lance Armstrong yet. So, this kind of song would have been played while she wearing a LiveStrong bracelet.
25. RAYE – “Where Is My Husband!”
This would have been the perfect song for pre-Lemonade Beyoncé, which is my favorite Beyoncé. It would have been a great follow-up to “Crazy In Love”, if not a little on the nose. It would almost be the whole Four Tops “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)”/”It’s The Same Old Song” situation all over again. Anyway, Spotify loved throwing this one when one of my playlists would end, and it didn’t take long for it to grow on me.
24. Olivia Dean – “Man I Need”
Speaking of Spotify, Olivia Dean became THE artist that the app pimped on me throughout the year. And this was one of those situations where there were multiple songs of Dean’s that could have made the list, but this is the one that pulled ahead of all the others.
23. The Marias – “Back To Me”
The Maria’s made their chart debut on last year’s list, with “No One Noticed”, and they’re back again, with “Back To Me”. I just love their sound. They’re not really making singles, but full albums. I feel like a Marias album is a front to back listening experience, but we can’t do that here, so this is what you get. This song would have been perfect for a paranormal drama on The WB, with ‘Tonight’s episode of Vampire Church contained music by The Marias.” Superb!
22. Rascal Flatts & Backstreet Boys – “What Hurts The Most”
On my podcasts, Adam likes to tell me I say “A lot of folks don’t remember… a lot, but it’s TRUE, and I’m gonna say it here: After boybands peaked, and we were getting a new one every month, a lot of folks don’t remember that there was a brief window where Rascal Flatts was promoted as a “Country Boyband”. And they got a lot of attention because they filmed a risqué music video that CMT didn’t wanna play, because it showed a dude’s butt cheek. Anyway, boybands imploded after *NSYNC’s Celebrity, but Rascal Flatts luckily weathered the storm. They would go on to become a HUGE Country act – We’re talking Dixie Chicks level HUGE, without all the Bush stuff. Then, they abruptly broke up back in 2021, only to reassemble when asked to perform for Trump’s second inauguration. Some friends in Nashville tell me there was some WEIRD stuff going on there, but I ain’t trying to get sued! Anyway, they did the thing that was only a notch above releasing a greatest hits album: They released a duets album, teaming with hotter, more relevant artists. And the Backstreet Boys. Still, this performance just drives home my long-held theory that this would have been the PERFECT song for a boyband. I’m sure there’s probably some story about how BSB was originally offered the song, but passed to do “Larger Than Life” instead or something. I mean, the first version I ever heard wasn’t by Rascal Flatts, but rather from ex-S Club member Jo O’Meara’s solo debut, Relentless.
21. Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”
No, Sabs didn’t break the Top 20. Here me out: It’s a fun single. My problem is I think she rushed this album out. Man’s Best Friend came out almost exactly one year after Short ‘N Sweet. We all know Short was a smash, but she had been on tour for it, and she hadn’t really evolved any. So, there’s no growth here. This just sounds like a song that didn’t make the cut for Short, but might have been included on a scrapped Deluxe Edition.
20. Saja Boys – “Soda Pop”
I’ve said before that I totally missed the onset of the K-pop movement, so I don’t really have a favorite group, per se. They’re breaking all the rules out there! More than 5 boys?! A k-pop group that isn’t even really “k-pop”, but rather a “global girls group”. But, oddly enough, the best gateway to this world was a movie that Sony had dumped off on Netflix. Well, I don’t have to tell you that K-Pop Demon Hunters was BEYOND HUGE, catching a lot of suits off guard. And, as good as the movie is, the soundtrack is pitch perfect. They understood the assignment, giving us radio-ready bops that sound like they could have come from anyone from NCT to MONSTA X to BTS. If you get bored, go back and see what I wrote about BTS’s “Dynamite”. I thought it was dumb, but it was catchy. This is MILES AHEAD of that song.
19. Madison Beer – “bittersweet”
So, apparently, Beer has been awhile for over a decade. Oh, and she was born the week I was on my Senior Trip. Nice. Anyway, I just like everything going on here. The echoes, the synths. It kinda snuck up on me, and I’m going to need to check out more of her stuff. I had written her off as one of those “Breathy Warblers”, like Addison Rae and Tate McRae, who went to the Britney Spears School of Sexy Pouting. I was WRONG!
18. Audrey Hobert – “Thirst Trap”
So, Hobert is best known as the “co-writer” of most of Gracie Abrams’s The Secret of Us album. I mean, you can definitely hear that sound here, making me wonder if Abrams is just a nepo baby, who got Hobert to do the whole thing for her. But I digress…This whole album is so fun, and it really was a chore to figure out which song to choose. It’s giving that mid 00s Hilary Duff vibe, without all the Lizzie McGuire baggage. And that fake-out ending?!
17. Benson Boone – “Sorry I’m Here For Someone Else”
So, I can’t ignore Boone’s influence on the charts, even if I don’t love all the songs that were drilled into our heads, like “Mystical Magical”. The lead single off Boone’s sophomore album, “Sorry I’m Here for Someone Else” peaked at 19 on the Billboard Hot 100, and I love that for it. It was nominated for the 2026 Song of the Year by the iHeartRadio Music Awards (Why do we allow the corporation that CONTROLS the airwaves decide the “winners”?), but that’s like being nominated for a Teen Choice Award. Folks used to keep those things in their garage! It means it doesn’t get overplayed, and you can sort of pick up on the song’s subtleties. Plus, he’s not doing his whole “I’m the second coming of Freddie Mercury” thing here.
16. Teddy Swims – “Guilty”
Who hurt you, Teddy? There is PAIN in that man’s voice! I’m convinced Chet Hanks (TWO Chet mentions?!) met Teddy at a party, and left thinking “I gotta BE that dude!” People love to talk about white people being “invited to the cookout”, but Teddy doesn’t even want the invitation. He knows his ex Shalonda gonna be there with her new man. Anyway, he’s got a gig across town later tonight. Either way, Theodore Abdul Swimmington IV is someone you should definitely take seriously! (His real name is Jaten Collin Dimsdale, but you know you liked that “Abdul” callback!)
15. sombr – “Back To Friends”
So, I said this when sombr performed on SNL, and I still feel that way: This feels like another nepo baby vanity project. Like, I wouldn’t be in the least bit surprised if someone was like “Oh, sombr? Yeah, that’s George Clooney’s nephew.” I love the sound, but unless the “rich privilege” is built into your act, it can be detrimental. I mean, The Strokes got away with it, but that was kinda their thing. I just love how this would have been called a “demo” 20 years ago. It’s like how underdone cookies sort of became intentional. He’s had one album. Let’s see if he releases a second.
14. Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra”
The return of Lady Gaga! Not Stefani. Not Harley Quinn. Mother Monster herself. And it’s a great return to her old sound. But it ain’t the best song on the album. I mean, this is her “Just Dance” for the Mayhem album, but my favorite song from that album is coming up in a little bit.
13. Taylor Swift – “Eldest Daughter”
I didn’t love The Life of a Showgirl, which was difficult, given I live in a house of Swifties. We even went to the “album release party” that Regal Cinema was throwing the night the album came out. Yeah. Anyway, not a great album. Not a bad album, but less than I expect from her. Since Covid, and the whole Folklore era, she seemed to be focused on “artistry”. Her releases were planned out projects, weaving in story points for those listening closely. This album is just “Tee-hee! I’ve never been so happy, and my football player boyfriend has a huge penis!”. Seriously, there’s a song called “Wood” that is about just that thing. That’s not to say there aren’t some bright spots on the album, and this is one of them. I love the opening, “Everybody’s so punk on the Internet…” She should have called this “The Bluesky Anthem”. It’s a beautiful ballad that stands out from the rest of the album’s tracks.
12. Lily Allen – “Relapse”
We all know what this album is about. Once you get over the fact that it was inspired by the action’s of everyone’s second favorite Hellboy, you noticed there’s a really intricate album here. She performed on SNL a few weeks ago, and it was terrible. She’s a studio musician, so you might wanna skip her on tour. Still, the fire that she gave us on Alright, Still 20 years ago (!) is still there, and it was just looking for a spark to reignite it. I could have used one of the songs with the voicemail recordings, but those felt gimmicky, despite the fact the entire album is excellent. After her first bit of fame, she dealt with well-publicized substance issues in the UK, so this song is about how her life situation is pushing her to possibly relapse. I love how it sounds kinda like she recorded it underwater. Check it out and you’ll see what I mean.
11. HARDY – “Luckiest Man Alive”
Back in the 90s, one of the biggest Country stars not named “Garth” was Travis Tritt, who’s best known now for his terrible politics. Still, in 2000 he released a cover of “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive”, which can be best described as a “silver lining” song. The gist is that you can’t let little things get you down, because you’re still alive, which means that’s another day when something special can happen, even if “special” is unique to the individual. It sounds hokey described like that, but I’ve got to admit that it works. I love the Hell out of that song, and whenever I listen to it, it accomplishes exactly what it was written to do. Well, that’s what HARDY does here, as he gives us yet another Down Home Boy “silver lining” song. Ya know, spilled coffee on my shirt, and got to work late, but I’m gonna do the best I can, as there’s a cold beer waiting for me at the end of the day. HARDY is great at crossing genres, as his talent is merging Country with Hard Rock. HARD Rock. That’s not exactly what happens on this song, but I loved it for its “throwback” nature. Folks commonly denounce the genre as “My wife left me, and my dog just died”, but modern country is usually about lift kits and hot girls. Not a lot of “love songs”, but rather a bunch of hard-working guys trying to get laid. Possibly in the bed of their lifted trucks.
10. Hayley Williams – “Good Ol’ Days”
Does Hayley ever disappoint? This is another situation where it was hard to choose just one song off her 2025 album, Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party. The album is a genre-blending masterpiece, and definitely one of the best albums of the year.
9. The Weeknd – “Hurry Up Tomorrow”
So, for the past few years, The Weeknd has tended to end up in my Top 10. He’s just had such an incredible run since “Blinding Lights”, and I had to give credit where it was due. Now, if you’ve been following the artist and his projects, it’s been pretty clear that “The Weeknd” is a character that is portrayed by Abel Tesfaye. And, since around the time of the aforementioned “Blinding Lights”, he has been telling a story about the debauchery that is leading to the downfall, and eventual death, of The Weeknd. In the music videos, you’d watch as he would get beaten up and bloodied between albums. He clearly wasn’t on a great path, and it was announced that Hurry Up Tomorrow would be The End of that persona. Now, here’s where it gets tricky: You see, Hurry Up Tomorrow was the name of the album, but ALSO the name of his box office film that was supposed to be part-autobiographical. So, the album was sorta serving as a soundtrack for that venture? He was really going for a whole 360 multimedia approach, but the problem is he first whet his whistle on HBO’s The Idol, which was a colossal failure, killing any interest in his film. The first single released for the album was “Dancing In The Flames”, with an accompanying video where the character appears to die in a car accident. However, when the album was released, that song was nowhere to be found, nor was any explanation given for its absence. So, we’re left with an album that’s sort of like the “afterlife” for The Weeknd, taking him to some pretty dark places, until he emerges here, in the final track, where it seems like the character might get salvation after all. It’s the kind of song that would have made a terrible single for radio, but in the context of the lore, it hits pretty hard, and I love that about it.
8. Miley Cyrus – “End of the World”
I’ve always said that my favorite thing about Miley is that you never really know which Miley you’re gonna get with each new release. You might get “Party In The U.S.A.” Miley, or you might get “Wrecking Ball”. Then, you might even get “Edge of Seventeen” Miley. She has range, which is reflected in whatever is going on in her life at the time. Well, here, you get “Miley decided to record an 80s song”, and I’ve got absolutely no problem with that.
7. Alex Warren – “Ordinary”
Yeah, I was trash talking him earlier, but this was a HUGE song. You’ve also gotten be careful, though, as it might be doing something you don’t realize. You see, in college, a friend and I used to joke about how Contemporary Christian Music had stolen all of the best melodies in existence. This is the kind of song where you have to really pay attention to the lyrics, because it could be about the love between people OR the love between God and His creation. This has “Michael W. Smith Youth Retreat” written all over it. Just a bunch of white teens in t-shirts, with their hands outstretched to the Lord. This song was written for one of two reasons: 1) To recruit young folks to the Lord OR 2) get red-blooded Americans to buy trucks. “The new 2025 RAM truck – for when you want to show the world you’re more than…ordinary!”
6. Laufey – “Tough Luck”
I love the “vintage” feel of this song, as it’s not the sort of thing you’re gonna find flipping through terrestrial radio station. This is the type of song that can flourish outside of the domain of iHeartMedia. I made this joke on social media when I first heard this song, but it still stands: This is the sort of thing you listen to at the USO show, the night before you ship out to give Hitler and Hirohito the ol’ What For! This one’s for the boys who didn’t make it home!
5. Chappell Roan – “The Subway”
Yeah, Chappell sort of had an amazing year in 2024, so I shouldn’t really be surprised she’s here this year. I AM surprised she’s this high up the list, though. You see, I’d kinda written her off as some sort of “weird girl” novelty act. I think we all went to high school with this girl. The one who was too overstimulating for even the drama kids. But she accomplishes something pretty impressive here. This starts out as a Wilson Phillips song, but somewhere in the middle it becomes an Alanis Morissette song. Give it another listen. It’s all pretty, twee harmonies at the beginning, but then there’s this emotional vocal wail that takes over for the rest of the song. In a cappella, we used to call this “souling out”, which is exactly what’s happening at the end, with her “She’s got, she’s got a way!”
4. Lady Gaga – “Vanish Into You”
And we’re back to Gaga, as I told you we’d be seeing her again. So, I’d say my favorite Gaga song is probably “Bad Romance”. There’s just SO much going on in that song, and the way it all converges is just such a joy. Well, since that was released way back on 2009’s The Fame Monster, most of the subsequent “on brand” Gaga albums have given us another “Bad Romance”. By that, it’s a song that pretty much uses the same chords, and features the same crescendos and dynamics. There are a ton of YouTube videos about how common this is in pop music, but I think Gaga is the only artist really using it to their advantage, as each new album gives us a new presentation on the theme. 2011’s Born This Way gave us “Judas”, and 2025’s Mayhem gave us “Vanish Into You”. It begins with a waling intro that immediately takes you on a familiar ride. I’ve also seen some of her live performances of the song, and it’s one of those moments that really lets her connect with her fans. In that context, it’s less of a song, than it is an EXPERIENCE.
3. Jess Glynne – “Hold My Hand”
Remember how I teased that some of these songs might not have been released in 2025, but still made an impact? Well, I was talking about this. If you just read the artist name and the song title, you probably have no idea what song we’re talking about here. However, if you were on any app that played viral videos, then 2025 was the year you learned that nothing beats a Jet2 holiday. While this campaign is fairly familiar in the UK, 2025 was the year Jess Glynn crossed the pond, asking us to hold her hand. You never heard this on the radio, but there’s no way you made it through 2025 without encountering it. Even the edgelords running the White House social media accounts used it for I.C.E. videos. Glynne released this song in 2015, as something of a middling dance hit, and I’m sure she had no clue that it would resurface a decade later, all around the world. That was enough to get it into the Top 3.
2. Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia”
Hands down the best song on The Life of a Showgirl, and I’m glad it was the “lead” single. I put that in quotes because Taylor released every track simultaneously, basically dominating the entire Top 10 that week. Still, this is the only song that got an actual video. I’ve said that the album didn’t feel as mature as her recent offerings, yet this song is giving “girl who really wants you to know she took AP English”, and that’s more Taylor’s speed these days. Plus, sonically, it’s a great song. I’m not a big lyrics person, so I don’t know what the Hell she’s talking about in places, but I just like how it *sounds*. Even though she got a little annoying in Q4, 2025 was The Year of the Swiftie, with this album not only marking the end of her ultrasuccessful Eras Tour, but also signifying a turning point in her personal and professional lives.
1. Ejae, Aubrey Nuna, and Rei Ami – “Golden”
After everything we’ve discussed here, we’ve come to the best song of the year. And I wouldn’t even recognize the artists if they were sitting next to me on a bus! Despite K-Pop Demon Hunters turning out to be an entertaining jaunt, the glue that really gave it legitimacy was the music. They took it seriously. They didn’t just write songs that were “good enough”. HUNTR/X were the biggest band in the world, and the songwriters delivered a song that would be performed by the biggest band in the world. Not since A Goofy Movie has that been attempted and achieved. This is the kind of song that could have easily stood on its own, and been a hit. They could have given this to KATSEYE or even the reunited Fifth Harmony, and it would have been a radio hit. Instead, it was attached to the sleeper success of the year, which just gave it that extra push. Near the end of the year, the singers started doing live appearances on late night, and at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. They don’t seem used to public performances yet, but I really hope they can work on that, as they’ve got something special going on, and I don’t want them to only be “the K-Pop Demon Hunters singers”. It’s gonna be hard to shake, but that’s looking to the future. We’re here to look at the recent past. At that era was DOMINATED by K-Pop Demon Hunters, HUNTR/X, and “Golden”.
There you have it: my 40 favorite songs of 2025! Thanks for taking this journey with me, as this is my favorite annual post. How many of these songs made your list, and how many were new to you? Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and let me know if you discovered any songs that you think I should check out!