10 Songs That Saved My 2025
Are you aware of the phenomenon known as "Taste Freeze"?
According to Psychology Today, the term has grown in relevance as we now stream music more than ever before. It describes an aspect of aging in which most people stop listening to new music by their early-to-mid-30s. They tend to stop listening to Top 40, but that doesn't mean they stop listening to music altogether. Instead, they're more likely to revisit songs from their youth or slightly shift to other genres.
I am not one of those people.
While I do enjoy a nostalgic playlist of jams from the '80s and '90s (I've put together plenty over the years), I like to remain plugged into current releases, most of which are variations or sub-genres of pop and dance. I frequently visit my New Music Friday collection on Spotify. I make a conscious effort to sit with a new song or a full album as if I were sitting down to binge a really good TV show.
Because music has always been a significant part of my life, I enjoy having an extensive soundtrack that can help me unlock memories and connect to special moments from my past. I've gone from recording songs off the radio for mixtapes...to burning mix CDs in college and throughout the rest of the 2000s...to curating playlists on streaming platforms that I can immediately share with friends (whether they ask for it or not).
So, if you're reading this and you're over the age of 35 with no recognition of half the artists I've listed below, I welcome you to explore and listen to the songs that I had on repeat throughout 2025.
1. "BORN AGAIN" by Lisa, Doja Cat & Raye – One of K-pop's biggest stars teams up with two of our most exciting rapper-singers to deliver a tenacious triptych of R&B-pop lyricism. There hasn't been a dynamic musical trio like this since 2014's "Bang Bang."
3. "THE MAN I NEED" by Olivia Dean – The retro soul-pop track of the year that'll keep you dreaming about being the star of your own rom-com.
4. "THE SUBWAY" by Chappell Roan – Longing for a lost love never sounded so bewitching, and our favorite Midwest Princess goes all out by the end of this standalone single, serving vocals with alternating homophones ("she got away"/"she's got a way").
5. "PLASTIC BOX" by Jade – With familiar notes of Robyn and Ariana Grande, this pulsating track from the former member of Little Mix is an ode to toxic insecurity, echoing those irrational thoughts you know you've had about your lover's exes.
6. "BACK TO FRIENDS" by Sombr – This Gen Z anthem is undeniably hypnotic, with its gritty vocals and a tone that matches its singer's namesake. Solely produced and written by the artist himself (real name: Shane Michael Boose), "Back to Friends" exudes a bruised vulnerability that eventually earned a well-deserved Grammy nod.
7. "SUMMER'S ENDING SOON' by The Midnight – No one taps into melancholic nostalgia quite like The Midnight, and this synth-laden single from their latest album, Syndicate, does just that – in nearly seven mesmerizing minutes.
8. "SHOCK TREATMENT" by Caroline Kingsbury – Imagine if Cyndi Lauper had a niece who was into neo-New Wave, and you'd get a taste of the bombastic artistry behind this track.
9. "WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE" by Huntr/x – Sure, "Golden" was the song that dominated every corner of pop culture this year, thanks to the record-breaking success of K-Pop Demon Hunters, but this is the empowering anthem we needed for 2025. Inspiring, rousing, and seismic enough to start a movement.
10. "END OF THE WORLD" by Miley Cyrus – The title of Miley's vibrant track may suit the sensibilities of our current moment, but its defiant, glam-rock goodness will inspire anyone to keep on keepin' on in the face of doom and darkness.
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