Happy holidays and welcome to our 5th and final Year in Review. Before we get into the actual music, here’s a quick recap.

2025 opened with basketball player LiAngelo Ball’s viral “Tweaker,” which earned him a very real record deal with Def Jam.

In February, Kendrick Lamar headlined the Super Bowl halftime show, a victory lap after his year-long feud with Drake. That same month, Kanye West was dropped by his agency after selling a swastika T-shirt, then spent the rest of the year releasing antisemitic music. A$AP Rocky was found not guilty in his gun-assault trial, and Mark Zuckerberg dressed up as Benson Boone for his wife’s birthday.

In March, Kid Rock appeared alongside President Trump for an executive order aimed at limiting ticket scalping. Then Morgan Wallen walked off SNL.

April brought Kendrick and SZA’s Grand National Tour and Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour. We also learned Beyoncé is a Death Grips fan. At Coachella, Benson Boone got mad when his fans didn’t appreciate Brian May, which surprised no one except Benson. Somewhere in there, Katy Perry went to space.

In May, Taylor Swift regained ownership of her masters, effectively canceling Reputation (Taylor’s Version). Trump pardoned NBA YoungBoy. Billy Joel canceled all his shows due to a brain condition. Canadian politician Jagmeet Singh showed his belly and apologized to Drake for attending a Kendrick concert. The Foo Fighters fired Josh Freese, and, not to be outdone, the Who fired Zak Starkey. Again.

In June, BTS reunited for the first time since completing military service. Around the same time, The Velvet Sundown, an AI-generated band, pulled in hundreds of thousands of Spotify streams, forcing a debate over AI’s role in music.

July saw Oasis play their first show in 16 years, and in a rare thawing of old feuds, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham appeared to put theirs behind them too. Coldplay caught two tech executives cheating on the kiss cam. Tomorrowland’s main stage burned down, and Metallica stepped in to save the festival. And Keith Sweat brought out “Carnival Cruise Tyler,” a strong contender for white boy of the year.

In August, Will Smith launched a spectacularly bad comeback tour, Lil Nas X was hospitalized after assaulting a police officer, and fictional K-pop group HUNTR/X joined the Archies and Alvin and the Chipmunks as the only fictional acts to ever hit No. 1.

Despite not touring the U.S. due to ICE raids, in September Bad Bunny was named the next Super Bowl halftime performer, which went over exactly how you’d expect, even as he finished the year as Spotify’s biggest artist.

In October, Diddy was sentenced to four years in prison. Janelle Monáe said she time-traveled to the 1970s to see David Bowie. And for the first time in 35 years, there were no rap songs in the Top 40.

In November, Fyre Festival founder Billy McFarland tried again, hosting PHNX, a small island festival with French Montana performing for what looked like a few dozen people. Then came the year’s darkest story: singer D4vd was named a suspect in the death of his 15-year-old girlfriend Celeste Rivas.

December brought Timothée Chalamet hopping on EsDeeKid’s “4 RAWS,” settling the rumor that they’re the same person. And 50 Cent dropped the Netflix documentary The Reckoning.

And then there was the loss. Among many others, we lost Ace Frehley, Brian Wilson, Connie Francis, D’Angelo, Marianne Faithfull, Ozzy Osbourne, Sly Stone, Todd Snider, and merengue singer Rubby Pérez, along with more than 220 people killed when a roof collapsed during one of his shows.

But not everything was bleak. Sam Fender won the Mercury Prize. Mariah Carey received the Video Vanguard Award. Kendrick, Beyoncé, and Chappell Roan cleaned up at the Grammys. Outkast, Soundgarden, Cyndi Lauper, and the White Stripes led the Rock Hall class. President Biden gave Bono the Medal of Honor. And President Trump named KISS, George Strait, and Gloria Gaynor the first post-“woke” Kennedy Center honorees.

Records were broken too. Jack Black logged the shortest Hot 100 hit ever. Lady Gaga played to 2.5 million people in Rio, the largest concert in history. Bad Bunny and Fuerza Regida made chart history as the first artists to hold the No. 1 and No. 2 albums in the U.S. entirely in Spanish. Drake earned his 10th Diamond certification, the most of any artist ever, and then added six more before the year was out. With Life of a Showgirl, Taylor Swift locked down the entire Hot 100 Top 10 for the third time, still the only artist to ever do it. And Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” became the longest-running No. 1 hit in Hot 100 history, breaking a record we all assumed she already owned.

And now, for the music…

100 Best Songs of 2025 🔥

From Clipse’s triumphant return that put respect back on their name, to Addison Rae’s baffling transformation into a legitimate artist, to Geese’s rise as New York’s new it-band proving rock isn’t dead, the best songs of 2025 came from places that weren’t supposed to work. We ranked the 100 best songs of the year. Below is the top 25, with excerpts from our writing throughout the year. The full list is on Spotify.

25. Lady Gaga, Abracadabra (Pop)

“Once again, Gaga has the mainstream audience under her spell. She’s the gift that keeps on giving—a living legend who will not, and cannot, fade away.” – February 17

24. Chappell Roan, The Subway (Rock)

“‘The Subway’ is an amalgam of all that makes Roan such a breath of fresh air today: sharp and relatable writing, reverence for pop’s past, and a novelty that cuts through the noise.” – August 4

23. McKinley Dixon, Quelle Chris & Anjimile, Sugar Water (Hip Hop)

“‘Sugar Water’ is yet another showcase of Dixon’s ability to craft layered, complex commentary while maintaining a musicality that is informed, technical, and bursting with life.” – March 3

22. Addison Rae, Headphones On (Trip Hop)

“What the hell is going on in Addison Rae’s camp? This shouldn’t have worked. She can’t miss. It’s impressive. But also baffling. How did she get this good, and seemingly overnight?” – April 28

21. Sudan Archives, DEAD (Electronic)

“On ‘Dead,’ Sudan Archives digitally alters some of the instruments while leaving others untouched, creating a push and pull between the natural and artificial. It sounds like one of the year’s most adventurous and richly crafted pop tracks.” – June 9

20. Jane Remover & Danny Brown, Psychoboost (House)

“Jane Remover’s production feels like a deranged collision of hip-house and hyperpop. Danny Brown’s wild, unhinged delivery pushes the track to another level.” – April 14

19. Little Simz, Free (Hip Hop)

“With everything seemingly falling apart around us, it’s good to have an artist like Little Simz reminding us of one universal truth: Love really is the answer.” – April 1

18. Deafheaven, Winona (Metal)

17. Model/Actriz, Cinderella (Rock)

“‘Cinderella’ revolves around a single note on guitar, slightly off the beat, like an extremely rhythmic record skipping. Deep bass and subtle effects add to the song’s dark, moody atmosphere, while Haden recounts feelings many queer people will find painfully familiar.” – May 12

16. underscores, Music (Electronic)

15. Hayley Williams, Parachute (Rock)

“In ‘Parachute’s’ first verse, the grief in Hayley Williams’ voice is unmistakable. The song contrasts familiar sounds with more ambitious ones, and she sings with some of the greatest emotional depth of her career.” – September 8

14. PinkPantheress, Stateside (Electronic)

13. Deftones, milk of the madonna (Metal)

“‘Milk of the Madonna,’ plays to Deftones’ long-standing strengths: massive guitars, Chino Moreno’s ageless voice, shoegazy wall-of-sound production, and technical precision. It's everything a Deftones fan could hope for.” – August 19

12. By Storm, Double Trio 2 (Hip Hop)

11. Slayyyter, CRANK (Hip Hop)

“On ‘CRANK,’ everything explodes. The production is crunchy, offensive, and unrelenting. The lyrics are raw and salacious. Slayyyer is the quintessential party girl, and unlike her peers who get lost in introspection in the dark corners of the club, she is here to have a good time.” – November 10

10. Miley Cyrus & Brittany Howard, Walk of Fame (Disco)

9. Geese, Taxes (Rock)

“‘Taxes’ pushes Geese’s sound in a brighter, more carefree direction. It still preserves everything fans love about the band, especially Cameron Winter’s unmistakable vocal delivery. But more than anything, it feels like the work of a fully realized band doing exactly what they want and having a blast doing it.” – July 21

8. Quadeca, FORGONE (Pop)

“There is no rapping here—just a man and his piano, an acoustic guitar slung on his back, singing his absolute heart out. Carefully crafted and perfectly paced, ‘Forgone’ proves Quadeca is no longer just a YouTuber who makes music. He is a musician, period.” – June 23

7. Freddie Gibbs, The Alchemist & Anderson .Paak, Ensalada (Hip Hop)

6. Magdalena Bay, Second Sleep (Pop)

“With ‘Second Sleep,’ hot off the success of Imaginal Disk, it’s clearer than ever that Magdalena Bay are carving their own lane entirely—a gleaming blend of prog and pop that feels wholly original.” – October 6

5. Maruja, Look Down On Us (Rock)

“Over nearly ten minutes, Maruja take listeners on an odyssey through the hellscape of late-stage capitalism, offering love and beauty as an antidote to the woes of a broken world. And it sounds incredible.” – May 26

4. FKA twigs, Striptease (R&B)

3. Mac Miller, Funny Papers (Hip Hop)

“Balloonerism showcases just how quickly Mac evolved as an artist, moving from the ‘frat rap’ of his early years to intimately opening up his inner world. Occasionally, it makes for eerie listening, as themes of death, finality and mortality show up frequently. On ‘Funny Papers,’ he says he ‘Didn’t think anybody died on a Friday.’ He did.” – January 20

2. Ehtel Cain, Nettles (Americana)

“‘Nettles’ finds Ethel Cain reminiscing on tender moments while likening herself to a stinging nettle—something painful to touch. Over eight minutes, her lyrics unfold against guitars, banjo, and strings that gradually grow richer in texture.” – August 19

1. Clipse, So Be It (Hip Hop)

“Pusha and Malice, elder statesman in rap at 48 and 52, still sound razor sharp. Their bars are cutting, their chemistry is intact, and Pharrell’s beat, built around a hypnotic Saudi Arabian sample from the ‘70s, matches their diabolical energy.” – June 23

25 Best Albums of 2025 💿

25. Mac Miller, Balloonerism (Hip Hop)

“An album so excellent it makes you wonder why it never saw the light of day. It’s Mac rapping through what was clearly a dark period in his life, which feels even stranger when you remember he was only 21 at the time. At the end of the album, a phone rings for an uncomfortably long time, reminding us that he’s not here to pick up.” – January 20

24. Oneohtrix Point Never, Tranquilizer (Ambient)

23. Weatherday, Hornet Disaster (Rock)

“A sprawling, kaleidoscopic experience that cements Weatherday’s place as both a forward-thinking musician and a deeply emotional artist. Hornet Disaster highlights their willingness to expand the limits of lo-fi. It’s exciting to hear sounds like this at the cutting edge of modern music.” – April 1

22. Little Simz, Lotus (Hip Hop)

21. Rochelle Jordan, Through The Wall (House)

“Imagine this: you walk into a dark club at midnight. A couple of drinks in, the bass syncs with the liquor in your body and pulls you toward the dance floor. Rochelle Jordan’s Through the Wall is a masterful exploration of house, DnB, and alternative R&B.” – December 22

20. Candelabro, Deseo, Carne Y Voluntad (Rock)

19. Model/Actriz, Pirouette (Punk)

“Pirouette is a portrait of a band fully locked into their artistic vision and unapologetically themselves. As another contentious Pride month approaches, bands like Model/Actriz are worth protecting: loud, visible, and proudly queer in a world that still tries to shove them back in the closet.” – May 12

18. Ninajirachi, I Love My Computer (Electronic)

17. FKA twigs, EUSEXUA (Electronic)

“FKA twigs is taking her genre-defying style to the dance floor with Eusexua, an album steeped in electronic club music. Drawing from avant-pop artists like Kate Bush and Madonna, she serves entrancing, colorful music built for raving until sunrise.” – February 3

16. Ichiko Aoba, Luminescent Creatures (Folk)

“On Luminescent Creatures, the ocean is the anchor, its sound as fluid and unbound as waves just beyond reach. Here, Ichiko Aoba wades further into the unknown, embracing both the wonder and quiet dread of the abyss. This is music that invites surrender. For a moment, the weight of reality dissipates, and listeners drift elsewhere.” – March 3

15. Deafheaven, Lonely People With Power (Metal)

“Deafheaven have returned! Well, in truth, they never actually went anywhere, but after taking a sharp turn into lush shoegaze, swapping the fury of Slayer for the ethereal tones of Slowdive, the band has reestablished their heavier instincts. This is the most punishing they’ve sounded since 2019. Don’t be afraid.” – February 3

14. Quadeca, Vanisher, Horizon Scraper (Pop)

“Vanisher, Horizon Scraper is a remarkable feat. It showcases Quadeca’s artistic maturity, ambition, and sheer capability. The album closes with what can only be described as a sonic depiction of drowning. It is nothing short of chilling. If this is what he can do at 24, we can’t wait to hear what comes next.” – August 4

13. Natalia Lafourcade, Cancionera (Folk)

12. Swans, Birthing (Rock)

“Birthing is a love letter to the decades-long musical rollercoaster Swans has taken us on. The album bridges the band’s many eras together without collapsing under their weight. This isn’t casual listening. It demands—and rewards—your full attention. If this truly is the end of Swans, they couldn’t have gone out more triumphantly.” – June 9

11. Racing Mount Pleasant, Racing Mount Pleasant (Rock)

10. Jane Remover, Revengeseekerz (Electronic)

“It’s challenging to discuss music this unapologetically maximalist. Revengeseekerz floods the canvas with a whirlwind of deep-fried guitars, clattering drums, warped synths, strings of all stripes, and samples ripped from pop culture. It’s bold, brash, disturbing, and thrilling. It’s wholly unique and undeniably cool.” – April 14

9. Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist, Alfredo 2 (Hip Hop)

8. Anna von Hausswolff, ICONOCLASTS (Rock)

“On Iconoclasts, Anna von Hausswolff turns toward the light. It’s an epic work overflowing with musical detail, confronting the world’s darkness through her own strange kind of radiance. With performances this bold and, yes, iconoclastic, it’s a wonder she isn’t already a household name.” – November 10

7. billy woods, GOLLIWOG (Hip Hop)

6. Ethel Cain, Willoughby Tucker, I'll Always Love You (Rock)

“Pitched as a prequel to Preacher’s Daughter, Ehtel Cain’s sophmore LP merges that record’s slowcore Americana with the drones of her latest EP, Perverts, creating something cinematic, entrancing, and unmistakably hers.” – August 19

5. ROSALÍA, LUX (Classical)

“Rosalía’s LUX is a transformative, lush genre clash that employs ancient texts and religious imagery to answer the unanswerable. Perhaps the only certainty we have in this life is our mortality.” – December 22

4. Maruja, Pain to Power (Rock)

“Pain to Power channels proletarian rage toward billionaires, politicians, and the sycophants who keep us distracted and divided while they line their pockets. It’s a ferocious debut, equal parts rallying cry and demonstration of musical chemistry.” – September 22

3. McKinley Dixon, Magic, Alive! (Hip Hop)

2. Clipse, Let God Sort Em Out (Hip Hop)

“Clipse have delivered one of hip-hop’s most remarkable comebacks. While some moments nod to the duo’s 2000s heyday, Pusha T and Malice deserve credit for pushing their sound forward rather than relying on nostalgia. If the 50-year-old brothers decide to keep making music together, this could mark the start of an exciting new chapter. But if this is the end, it’s hard to imagine a better note to go out on.” – July 21

1. Geese, Getting Killed (Rock)

“Of the countless indie rock bands New York City has produced, not one sounds like Geese. Whether blazing through frenetic post-punk riffage or slowing things down for blues-rock ballads, Geese are instantly recognizable. Their ability to follow instinct over structure, paired with Winter’s singular voice, makes them one of the most idiosyncratic rock bands working today—and one we’ll be talking about for years to come.” – October 6

15 Best Music Videos of 2025 🎥

You can’t really talk about the year’s best videos without first mentioning Quadeca’s visual album film, Vanisher, Horizon Scraper. Released alongside his fourth studio album, the full-length film follows a sailor’s journey through isolation, told through surreal, cinematic visuals. It sits outside the rankings below, but it would feel strange not to acknowledge it.

15. Charli xcx, party 4 u (Dir. by Mitch Ryan)

14. Chappell Roan, The Subway (Dir. by Amber Grace Johnson)

13. Jim Legxacy, ‘06 wayne rooney (Dir. by LAUZZA)

12. Tyler, the Creator, DARLING, I (Dir. by Tyler, the Creator)

11. FKA twigs, HARD (Dir. by Jordan Hemingway)

10. JENNIE, ZEN (Dir. by Cho Gi-seok)

9. Paris Texas, They Left Me With A Gun (Dir. by Dan Streit)

8. PinkPantheress, Tonight (Dir. by Charlotte Rutherford)

7. Addison Rae, Headphones On (Dir. by Mitch Ryan)

6. Sabrina Carpenter, Manchild (Dir. by Vania Heymann & Gal Muggia)

5. ROSALÍA, Björk & Yves Tumor, Berghain (Dir. by Nicolás Méndez)

4. Clipse, So Be It (Dir. by Hannan Hussain)

3. ARTMS, Icarus (Dir. by Moon Seokho & Seong Wonmo)

2. Lady Gaga, Abracadabra (Dir. by Lady Gaga, Parris Goebel & Bethany Vargas)

1. Doechii, DENIAL IS A RIVER (Dir. by Carlos Acosta & James Mackel)

10 Worst Songs of 2025 🗑️

Before we get to the 10 worst songs of the year, a quick note on what’s not here.

Kanye West released a run of genuinely objectionable songs this year, including tracks titled “Heil Hitler” and “Diddy Free.” We could have filled this entire list with Kanye songs alone. Most of them are barely available on streaming platforms anyway, so we’ve left them out for everyone’s sake.

We also left out AI music. This year, it found its way into the hands of people who should have known better. The clearest example was Timbaland releasing “Glitch” alongside his AI-generated artist Tata Taktumi. That’s a much bigger conversation than this list needs, so we’re skipping AI music entirely.

10. NLE Choppa & Imagine Dragons, Dare U (Pop)

9. Lil Wayne, Peanuts 2 N Elephant (Hip Hop)

8. Falling In Reverse & HARDY, All My Women (Rock)

7. Jessie Murph, 1965 (Pop)

6. Ice Spice, Big Guy (Hip Hop)

5. PARTYNEXTDOOR, Drake & Chino Pacas, MEET YOUR PADRE (Flamenco)

4. ian, Oh Ok (XXL Freestyle) (Hip Hop)

3. Will Smith, Pretty Girls (Hip Hop)

2. Benson Boone, Mystical Magical (Pop)

1. Alex Warren, Ordinary (Pop)