Movies

The Best Songs of 2025 So Far

BBG News

The dominant narrative in the world of music in 2025 persists, much as it has for quite some time, around the question of how music is discovered. Streaming giants and social media algorithms continue to shape what we listen to and its sound. The phenomenon of TikTok popularity and playlist automation capturing listeners’ focus can lead to a homogeneous musical landscape. However, independent artists with their distinctive journeys are very much alive and well. This list, which primarily features lesser-known names, aims to counteract that predicament by highlighting the most outstanding albums of 2025 across pop, rock, electronic, rap, and Latin genres so far.

The ongoing tale in music during 2025 revolves around the method of discovering tunes, as streaming behemoths and social media algorithms continue to dictate what we listen to and how it sounds. The rise of TikTok virality and playlist automation sweeping through listeners’ attention can lead to a uniform musical experience. Yet, independent artists forging their unique paths are still thriving. This compilation, focusing mainly on lesser-known acts, serves as a remedy to that dilemma by showcasing the year’s most remarkable releases across pop, rock, electronic, rap, and Latin music thus far.

Wednesday, “Elderberry Wine”

Since its formation in 2017, the North Carolina band Wednesday, headed by Karly Hartzman, skillfully blends the intense, dreamy textures of shoegaze with the sorrowful twang of country (let’s call it “rootgaze” for simplicity). This unique blend serves as a powerful platform for intricate, vivid storytelling, rich in literary detail. One standout track from their sixth full-length album, set to release in September, is their most finely crafted tune yet, featuring MJ Lenderman on guitar, who has also gained recognition with his cover of This Is Lorelei’s “Dancing in the Club”, one of the year’s top releases thus far. The song’s title metaphor refers to a healing herb that can turn harmful with an incorrect dosage, much like love, which needs careful balance to achieve harmony.

Jenny Hval, “To be a rose”

Approximately ten years ago, the Norwegian artist Jenny Hval unveiled her fifth album, “Apocalypse, girl”, solidifying her position as a leading figure in modern art-pop. In addition to being a novelist, Hval creates albums that are rich with presence, intelligence, and possess an ethereal quality reminiscent of Laurie Anderson or Suzanne Vega. Similar to some of her most notable songs such as “That Battle Is Over” and “American Coffee”, the song “To be a rose”, from her May release, “Iris Silver Mist”, can be considered an electroacoustic coming-of-age story. It appears to weave together two abstract narratives, her own and that of her mother, both striving for beauty, building up to grand synth chords and incorporating references to Gertrude Stein.

Nourished by Time, “Max Potential”

2023 sees the release of Marcus Brown’s first album, titled “The Passionate Ones,” which he recorded in his family’s basement during the pandemic while he was isolating. Known as Nourished by Time, this Baltimore-based songwriter and producer skillfully combined intricately structured club anthems with homemade textures, aiming for a powerful emotional impact. The electrifying lead single from the upcoming album, titled “Max Potential,” best exemplifies his work to date. In this song, Brown sings, “If I’m going to lose my mind/ At least I’ll be loved by you.” Each word is elongated into a colossal hook, marking a blissful new milestone in his musical journey.

Marie Davidson, “Sexy Clown”

Montreal electronic artist and poet Marie Davidson composes spoken-word elements that pierce through the cold veneers of club culture, confronting listeners directly. Drawing influence from Shoshana Zuboff’s “The Age of Surveillance Capitalism,” this electroclash track from “City of Clowns” embodies the sensation of a digital footprint getting lost in a carnival mirror labyrinth—much like living in the algorithmic maze of targeted advertising and self-promotion. The song “Sexy Clown” challenges the entire system, with Davidson’s sincere chorus asking, “Can you feel the sharp edge/ Of my fading tenderness?” inviting listeners to disconnect for the sake of their true selves.

Perfume Genius, “It’s a Mirror”

Over the past 15 years, Mike Hadreas, known as Perfume Genius, has created an impressive collection of captivating music outside the mainstream. His latest work, titled “Glory“, is a collaboration with his partner Alan Wyffels and producer Blake Mills. This album embodies a refined indie-rock sound that mirrors the elegance and solidity of mid-century architecture. The opening track, “It’s a Mirror”, showcases Hadreas in his comfort zone as he ponders, through lyrics, how one can prepare for the world and confront one’s own reflection. Blake Mills, who has worked extensively with Fiona Apple, is familiar with this theme: the introspective self-examination of a highly sensitive individual.

Turnstile, “Never Enough”

As a passionate film enthusiast might say: In 2021, with their album Glow On, Baltimore’s rock quintet Turnstile rose to become one of the most significant bands to burst onto the scene from the global hardcore genre in recent memory – and arguably ever. The post-pandemic era’s restlessness was just one element that fueled the incredible surge that propelled Turnstile and their electrifying, interactive live performances into the heart of pop culture. In the bracingly honest title track of their much-anticipated follow-up album, Brendan Yates sings, “At the right place, at the right time/ And still you sink into the floor,” a poignant reminder that behind Turnstile’s whirlwind moment lies a powerful bond shared by fans.

Spellling, “Alibi”

Tia Cabral, a Bay Area artist known initially for her homespun R&B magic, has since established herself as an inheritor of the grandiose synth-pop quirks of Kate Bush and the bold vocal style of Minnie Riperton on her 2021 album, “The Turning Wheel“. She’s taken an unexpected turn yet on this powerful breakup track from “Portrait of My Heart“, with raw guitar riffs and amplified melodies reminiscent of the emotionally charged performances that dominated MTV during her teenage years. Collaborating with Turnstile guitarist Pat McCrory, “Alibi” embodies its firm post-breakup stance: “I won’t take you back this time!” she passionately declares, discovering a new facet of herself in the process.

Lana Del Rey, “Henry Come On”

Apart from occasionally using phrases like “giddy-up” and “hey y’all,” this lead track from Lana Del Rey’s upcoming album doesn’t seem particularly rural. However, it is rumored that this album will feature a country twist from the California-based artist known for her fatalistic style, whose most popular album included a sprawling psych track titled “Venice Bitch.” This supposed cowgirl persona is purely Lana, as she sings about her fate alongside a tormented man with a somber deadpan. She sings, “Yesterday I heard God say/ I was born to the one,” who holds the hands of the man who flies too close to the sun.

Saba & No ID, “How to Impress God”

In this bold mini-anthem against materialism, two generations of rap royalty from Chicago join forces for a dialogue with the creator, questioning what truly holds value. Luxury items such as jewelry, cars, and clothes are firmly rejected. Album streams receive another try. A dismissive “Woo” is given to packed arenas. Hidden within the second half of Saba and No ID’s collaborative album, “How to Impress God,” lies a moment of casual genius from Saba’s insightful pen. When he eventually speaks for God, self-acceptance is the message: “Didn’t you know I gave you keys before you even had a piano? Don’t you know yourself enough?” (A call to Turnstile.)

Bad Bunny, “DtMF”

Bad Bunny’s latest album, titled “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS“, which translates to “I Should Have Taken More Pictures”, has been referred to as his most authentically Puerto Rican work yet. Despite spending recent years away from home, he told the New York Times that being distant sometimes allows for a clearer perspective and greater appreciation. This album showcases traditional Puerto Rican rhythms powerfully, with its chart-topping title track embodying the spirit of a plena, bridging generations through its live instrumentation and catchy communal hook, much like a realistic portrayal in cinema. (And yes, it’s popular on TikTok as well.)

Read More

2025-06-07 15:06

Previous post Patsy Kensit reveals pals were banned from visiting her childhood home due to regular police raids as she opens up about profound impact of her ‘villain’ father’s criminal career and association with gangsters the Krays
Next post True Fear 3 concludes the acclaimed thriller trilogy this July 3, with horror and puzzle-filled gameplay