The best songs of 2025

1. "Elderberry Wine," Wednesday

Every year there's an alt-country song that worms its way into my brain and doesn't leave until I listen to it like 200 times in six months. This year that song was "Elderberry Wine." I'm not sure what hooked it there. Maybe it's the way Karly Hartzman sings the titular lyrics in the final moments of the chorus, her voice holding on by a thread to a note that's 95% of the way too high for her before falling back into her register like a child jumping onto a haystack from a barn loft. Maybe it's MJ Lenderman's guitar lines that manage to twang and noodle at the same time. Maybe it's the line, "I find comfort that angels don't give damn." Whatever it is, it sounds good to me. I'm not investigating this further, just listen to the song. It's good.

A special shoutout to Wednesday's other song "Townies," which would be on this list somewhere if I wasn't limiting it to one per band. But go listen to that one too, especially if you like your alt-country a little more, uh, headbangy.

2. "People Watching," Sam Fender

Sam Fender has won the Mercury Prize and earned No. 1 albums and has celebs like Andrew Scott starring in his music videos, and yet most Americans have no idea who he is. Well I'll tell you: Sam Fender is a fucking rock star. Before this year, I'd have called the English musician a very talented songwriter who was still trying to find his lane; he could certainly write a chiseled riff and a hook, but his personal lyrics were a bit surface-level and his social lyrics were well-meaning but misguided. He had never had everything come together the way the best rockers of the '80s and '90s did. (After this time, rock stars basically ceased to exist, and the ones that remained didn't have much of anything to say.)

But things have changed, and Sam Fender has arrived. Thanks to the help of Adam Granduciel (The War on Drugs), Fender found his sound: mesmerizing waves of guitar over tales from his small English town, with some saxophone for good measure. "People Watching," the title track from his 2025 album, is the best example of this, as Fender recounts his trip home after saying goodbye to his childhood mentor for the final time. It's poignant, it's electric, and it entrances you to shout along. Get with the program, America.

3. "So Be It," Clipse

Come on. Those Egyptian strings? Pusha T saying he’s “twirling your b**** like she in spaghetti,” and then making fun of Travis Scott for basically no reason other than to be mean? Malice saying “Can’t wrap your head ‘round that, you ain’t Arab”? This song is not only the best rap song of the year, it's one of the hardest of the decade. So be it, so be it.

4. "Piñata," Jack Van Cleaf

No one's writing songs about hating yourself like Jack Van Cleaf. It's a weird compliment to give, but a compliment all the same. JVC can barely get up the energy to put on a happy face before dropping the facade: "I'm full of sugar, I'm full of niceties, I'm full of shit," he says. "Hit me with sticks. I'll spill my guts on the green, green grass and you'll see how it is." It is not always a fun listen, but there is something refreshing about someone just... saying it. Not trying to cover their sadness in therapy language, or lying about getting better. With JVC — the album shares his initials — it's simple: Jack's more than a little depressed right now, and he's going to tell you about it. Other songs on the album deal with this theme in a heavier way , but "Piñata" manages to be something of an earworm thanks to its precise finger-picking guitar line and Van Cleaf's whisky-soaked vocals (as well as a feature from Charli Adams).

5. "Roundabout," The Beths

The Beths are the best guitar-pop band on Earth, and "Roundabout" showcases all of the reasons why: a massive chorus, soaring background harmonies, and lyrics about love that are sweet without being saccharine. "Never change, unless you do, unless you want to."

I'm putting "Roundabout" on the list because it's a crowdpleaser, but don't overlook the jittery guitars and off-kilter build-up of "Take," a song that proves this band should be much more respected as serious musicians than they are. Like I said: they're the best at what they do, and they don't miss.

6. "White Horses," Wolf Alice

I've talked before in these year-end spaces about Wolf Alice being MY band, the one I discovered on my own in college, then watched as they blossomed from playing a 200-person bar in Columbia, Missouri, to topping the British album charts multiple times. I love them very much. Wolfy's 2025 album, Bloom Baby Bloom, is probably my least favorite of theirs, but that has less to do with the quality of the music than it does my personal taste, which does not always align with the '70s folk-inspired music they pivoted to for this one.

That said, there's some very cool stuff on it, including "White Horses," a Fleetwood Mac-esque rocker that sees Ellie Rowsell share lead vocals with drummer Joel Amey — who sings with a very specific staccato rhythm that I love — over thumping acoustic and bass guitars. Meanwhile, Rowsell is allowed to what she does best over the chorus: absolutely wail. The result is frenetic and bold and sounds like no other music being made today (that I have heard, anyway). Listen with headphones. Wolf Alice forever.

7. "Actin' Up," Tommy Richman

I don't have much to say about this one. Sometimes you just need to listen to a song that makes you feel like a fucking dirtbag, in a good way. I may regret saying this in 12 months, but I'm all in on Tommy Richman. He's got the juice.

8. "Pickleball," Ruston Kelly

Ruston Kelly could do just fine for himself committing all of his time to cowriting mainstream country hits. Instead, he splits his time between doing that and putting out his own music, which is filled with complete rippers like "Pickleball," something of a cross between an early-'00s country hit and a Yellowcard song. "Fill my soul with solid gold, I'm complete, I'm whole," Kelly's voice sings soars on the chorus. "All I know is where you go, I will go, I will." Sing it with your significant other as you're flying down the highway, and you'll get what Kelly's Dirt Emo ethos is all about.

9. "Porcelana," Rosalia

If this ranking was based purely on technical proficiency, "Porcelana" would easily be No. 1. The same could be said for any song off Rosalia's LUX, a genuinely astonishing piece of Art. I chose "Porcelana" because it is a banger, and it is catchy, and it features lyrics in FOUR languages, one of which is LATIN, and another is JAPANESE, and Rosalia RAPS IN BOTH OF THOSE, which is just an absurd thing for an international pop star to do. I love it. Rosalia does not give a FUCK about being called pretentious or whatever. She is pushing boundaries. She lives for this shit. Also, the beat that comes in at the 0:28 mark makes me feel like I'm being abducted by aliens when I listen with good headphones, and that whips ass.

10. "When You Tie Your Hair Up," Dove Ellis

This kid is the next Radiohead. Ellis' debut album Blizzard came out this month, and there are several stunning songs on it, but "When You Tie Your Hair Up" is the one that gives me the most chills when I listen at night. There's a fair chance this ranking is about nine spots too low. Get on the bandwagon before his next album drops and he's suddenly everywhere. And remember where you heard the name.

11. "cut hands," Deftones

Did not think Chino Moreno would rap on a song in the year of our Lord 2025. Also did not think it would go this hard. Song absolutely rips. Deftones still got the fastball.

12. "Leona Street," Pool Kids

I don't shy away from the fact that I'm a music nerd. I realize that most of the bands on this list would be unknown to a normie. That's part of the reason why I do this; if even one person discovers Dove Ellis or Ruston Kelly from reading my lists, that's enough to keep me going. I don't expect everyone to love them.

That said, I have no idea why Pool Kids aren't one of the biggest indie bands on the planet. All of the elements for superstardom are there. They have slick production, guitar and melodic hooks for DAYS and a singer who actually has a unique, powerful voice and isn't trying to copy one of the Boygenius girls! (No offense to Boygenius, who is innocent.) Try to listen to "Leona Street" without nodding along. It can't be done. Pool Kids!!!! Get into them!

13. "Striptease," FKA twigs

twigs' music kinda scares me and excites me in ways that only truly great artists can. I am watching and listening THE MOST respectfully. No one is doing more respecting than me, except maybe Aretha. When she sings "My sternum stretched wide" and her voice actually stretches and vibrates and sounds like it's coming from another dimension, and then the fucking breakbeat drums come in, I lose my mind every time.

14. "Climbing Down," Bleed

I have been flirting with trying to write a screenplay for a few years now, and one of the bad ideas I have for an action scene is two guys preparing to swing through a gigantic window on bungee cords at night. But before they swing, one of them (the dumb one) says to the other one, something to the effect of: "Wouldn't it be awesome if a nu-metal song started playing right now?" And then the other guy says: no. And then the dumb guy starts vocalizing the riff he's talking about, doing the record scratching and everything, and the other guy tells him to shut up. And then they jump, and of course the song the guy is talking about starts playing for real, and then they start kicking a bunch of bad guys' asses in the dark. It will suck so bad but it also also be awesome. And then as the song settles in and becomes tense instead of just monster riffs and record scratches, it turns out that these guys are in a bit over their heads, and shit gets serious.

Anyway, this is that song. Look forward to hearing it in a movie that gets a 40% RT critics score but an 85% RT audience score in like 10 years.

15. "Parachute," Hayley Williams

The best song off Miss Paramore's best solo album. I could say more, but I'd rather let the second verse speak for itself:

"You told me you waited for me / You said that you won / Asked me on a plane from Rio, Do I ever think of “us”? / And you were at my wedding, I was broken, You were drunk / You coulda told me not to do it, I woulda run, I woulda run / Tell me what was the moment you decided to give up? / You could’ve told me what you wanted, I woulda done, I woulda done, anything / I woulda done anything."

Whew.

16. "There's a Rhythm / Au Revoir," Bon Iver

How did we get to the point where Bon Iver is now under-discussed? Maybe it's that we're taking him for granted. Ho hum, another beautiful album about love and self-growth. Ho hum, another album closer like "There's a Rhythm" that feels like a warm bath on a December night. Since his rise in the 00s, others have taken his sound and tried to do different things with it, but no one can match Bonny Bear.

17. "Us," First Day Back

A lot of modern emo bands try to sound like the year 2002. First Day Back actually succeeds. This is the highest of compliments. Do you like Braid? Do you like Sunny Day Real Estate? Jejune? Great. Meet your new favorite band.

(And this is their debut. I cannot wait to see how they grow from here.)

18. "Tilt," Free Range

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. Those strings! I don't really know anything about Free Range, honestly; this is a very recent discovery. But I love this song.

19. "I'm Not Ready for the Change," Nation of Language

I'm including this song for two reasons.

1.) It's a great synth-pop song, sugary without being cloying and balanced by vocals that are as smooth as honey. The combination just works.

2.) To the synth player: if you ever read this and you're single… well, "hello."

20. "Trinidad," Geese

THERE'S

A

BOMB

IN

MY

CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR

THERE'S A BOMB

IN MY CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR

THERE'SABOMBINMYCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!!!!!!!!!!

And so forth. Great song. Geese lives up to the hype.