Behold! At long last, my list of picks for the 50 best songs of 2025. Link to the playlist at the end!
“Abracadabra” – Lady Gaga
Let’s go, everybody better be jumpin’!
“Autopilot” – Grant Knoche
I would absolutely let this boy put me on autopilot.
“Lost Your Faith” – Ava Max
Interesting choice for a lead single but an earworm nonetheless.
“Go Outside!” – Alessia Cara
I’m trying, girl, but going outside is hard!
“Use My Heart Against Me” – Jessica Simpson
I won’t forgive any of you for sleeping on the reinvented country-folk-Americana version of Jessica Simpson.
“Nothing’s Broken” – Sub-Radio
Underrated band, underrated song, underrated album. Go pay them their dues.
“Too Much” – Dove Cameron
Finally, an anthem for those of us who have always been too much.
“Face Like Yours” – Alex Porat
“You seem so good on paper, but you’re boring as Excel” is the most iconic way of describing men.
“Waiting On a Wish” – Rachel Zegler
Yes, I’m including a Disney Princess song from a live-action Disney movie that deserved so much better than what it got.
“Garden of Eden” – Lady Gaga
Should have been a single. I repeat: should have been a single!
“The Giver” – Chappell Roan
Please let Chappell record a whole country album. I ask for so little.
“Crème Brulée” – David Archuleta
While you’re at it, please let David Archuleta record more fun queer pop albums that get better exposure. Also, this is my favorite music video of the year.
“FUFN (Fuck You For Now)” – Jade
Fuck you for now? Fuck you forever.
“Yippee-Ki-Yay” – Kesha
Did you hear? Kesha’s a free woman, bitch.
“End of the World” – Miley Cyrus
Miley’s latest album from this year was a… choice… but this song is wonderful.
“Run!” – Betty Who
When Betty Who tells you to run, you run.
“Heart By Heart” – Joe Jonas
Should have been bigger. Joe Jonas reminded us this year that he’s the strongest Jonas vocalist. Deserves the solo success Nick has had. I can go on.
“Dreamsicle” – Maren Morris
As sweet, sappy, and heartfelt as the title suggests.
“Young & Dumb” – Avril Lavigne feat. Simple Plan
Those were the days.
“Lovin Myself” – Ava Max
Do you give yourself butterflies? If not, make that your top resolution for 2026.
“Movie Star” – Grant Knoche
Okay, I want the receipts for this song so bad, but whatever movie star did this gorgeous man wrong, give me his number. I just want to talk.
“Princess of Power” – Marina
I was not the biggest fan of this era of Marina’s at first… but the princess grew on me. She took over. She rules my life now.
“I Choose Love” – Cynthia Erivo
What a huge goddamn talent.
“Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
Stupid? Slow? Useless? Yes, all words that could easily describe Sabrina’s album from this year, but this song is cute.
“Love Language” – Mimi Webb
God bless Mimi Webb for saving 2025 for us all with this song and album.
“I ❤ You” – Marina
Take me with you to the seventies, Marina, it’s all I’ve ever wanted.
“Miss You to Death” – Holly Humberstone
I really do miss Holly to death. New album in 2026, please!
“The One” – Kesha
Kesha has always been the one. Period.
“Disaster” – Alex Porat
All crushes on men are disasters, frankly.
“Wet, Hot American Dream” – Ava Max
Could’ve been the song of the summer. But all of you are too busy being snobs.
“Red Flag” – Kesha
This song reminds me the most of early 2010s Kesha but without the unnecessary autotune and yucky Dr. L*ke vibes. Which is why I love it so much.
“Chaos” – FLETCHER
She could have what Tate McRae has now. But they won’t let her.
“The Subway” – Chappell Roan
Never thought someone could make such a crazy-good song named after the subway or singlehandedly increase tourism to Saskatchewan, but here we are.
“Fast” – Demi Lovato
Look, is EDM Demi the best Demi? No, but we’re along for the ride.
“Don’t Click Play” – Ava Max
She said it best: “‘Cause you gon’ like it, love it, wanna play it twice.” And reader, I have played it more than twice.
“Tables” – Jonas Brothers
Please just let these men have their own solo careers… but also, this song is great.
“Sucks to Be My Ex” – Ava Max
Imagine being Ava Max’s ex? I pity them.
“Here All Night” – Demi Lovato
Still not the best version of Demi, but we’ll dance it out with her anyway.
“Rom Com” – Mimi Webb
Seriously, where was Mimi Webb’s pop recognition this year? Where?!
“Tit For Tat” – Tate McRae
I didn’t really get the appeal, TBH… but I do now.
“The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift
Um, yeah, there are way too many mixed emotions to express here about this particular singer’s album from this year, but this song is nice, I guess.
“Audrey Hepburn” – Maisie Peters
If I may paraphrase Juliette Lewis, “Can’t you save us, Maisie Peters? Can we be saved?!”
“Blue” – Joshua Bassett
I wish this boy would fall in love with me and make dreamy music videos with me instead, but I guess I’ll have to hold out hope for another year.
“You You You” – Maisie Peters
One of the best hooks I’ve heard in a song in a while.
“Sorry to Myself” – Demi Lovato
Ah yes, there it is, the one anthemic song that Demi is contractually obliged (to me) to record for each new album.
“Die Happy” – Holly Humberstone
I will totally die happy with a new Holly Humberstone album next year. I’m so serious.
“In the Dark” – Selena Gomez
So, sources differ, but depending on the clues we have this song is either an unreleased Revival track OR an unreleased track from a scrapped album Selena was working on in the late 2010s. I’m torn. But I do know that I wish there was more of this Selena Gomez around.
“Mature” – Hilary Duff
Song of the Year at the Grammys or I riot.
“Say My Name in Your Sleep” – Maisie Peters
I will totally be saying your name in my sleep until your new album comes out.
“Changing” – Kevin Jonas
Okay, so we now have concrete evidence that each of the Jonas Brothers are talented enough on their own. Thanks for the nostalgia and all that, but please let the family group die now. I’m begging you.
What were your favorite songs of 2025?
Jeffrey Reads 