100+ Favourite Songs of 2025

 

I did my best to find what I consider good music in 2025. I was able to do so (but it's taking more work each year). I humbly offer the following 120+ songs for your consideration.

1. “Anti-Superstar” – Haute and Freddy
2. “Spike Island” – Pulp
3. “Run Free” – Soulwax
4. “Cold. Hard. Love” – the Bug Club
5. “No One Leaves This Discotheque Alive” – Rialto
6. “Aerial Troubles” – Stereolab
7. “White Horses” – Wolf Alice
8. “davina mccall” – Wet Leg
9. “Punkrocker” – Teddybears featuring Iggy Pop
10. “It’s Amazing to Be Young” – Fontaines D.C.
11. “Horses” – Mallrat
12. “Stay” – Sea Lemon
13. “Dancing in the Club” – This Is Lorelei featuring MJ Lenderman
14. “catch these fists” – Wet Leg
15. “Lovebomb” – the Neighborhood
16. “Lonsdale Slipons” – the Bug Club
17. “Looking Back” – Lord Huron
18. “Inept Apollo” – Nation of Language
19. “Metal” – the Beths
20. “Good People Do Bad Things” – the Ting Tings
    
    
21. “UFO” – UFOs featuring Phoenix, Braxe + Falcon
22. “Dies Irae” – Patrick Wolf
23. “Lucky Dimes” – the Temper Trap
24. “cpr” – wet leg
25. “Appropriate Emotions” – the Bug Club
26. “She Cleans Up” – Father John Misty
27. “Palm Readers” – Palmyra
28. “Thorns” – Wolf Alice
29. “undressed” – sombr
30. “Lovers and Strangers” – a Flock of Seagulls
31. “Love” – OK Go  [best music video of 2025]
32. “Problems” – Being Dead
33. “The Wolf” – Witch Post
34. “Final Days” – Lucius
35. “The Scythe” – the Last Dinner Party
36. “Taxes” – Geese
37. “God Knows” – Tunde Adebimpe
38. “Bonnet of Pins” – Matt Berninger
39. “Hooked” – Franz Ferdinand
40. “Year of the Snake” – Arcade Fire
    
    
41. “Running Out of Heartbeats” – My Life Story
42. “Beta Fish” – Vundabar
43. “Forever” – Mother Mother
44. “Driver” – Soccer Mommy
45. “This Is the Killer Speaking” – the Last Dinner Party
46. “What Do I Know” – Deep Sea Diver
47. “Elderberry Wine” – Wednesday
48. “Undertow” – the Hidden Cameras
49. “Begin Here” – Goon
50. “The Great Unknown” - Ivy
51. “Scantily Clad” – Haute and Freddy
52. “Cathode Ray” – Folk Bitch Trio
53. “Time of Your Life” – Bob Moses
54. “Shovel” – Deep Sea Diver
55. “Polaroid” – Cloth
56. “Shy Girl” – Haute and Freddy
57. “We’re Both Idiots” – Shrink the Giant
58. “safeandsound” – Parcels
59. “I Love America and She Hates Me” – the Wombats
60. “Colors” – Eastern Souvenirs
    
    
61. “Ankles” – Lucy Dacus
62. “Bang Bang Bang” – Sports Team
63. “Wristwatch” – MJ Lenderman
64. “I Know You Are Watching Me” – the Dream Eaters
65. “This Hate Hurts” – Pinc Louds
66. “Running/Planning” – CMAT
67. “Him” – a Flock of Seagulls
68. “Ghost” – Delivery Service
69. “Empty Words” – Radio Free Alice
70. “Love to Death” – Mother Mother
71. “Nothing I Need” – Lord Huron
72. “Reverberotic” – Alison Goldfrapp
73. “Wait & See” – Saint Motel
74. “Eyes Full of Animal” – Midlake
75. “The Happy Dictator” – Gorillaz featuring Sparks
76. “Lord, Let That Tesla Crash” – CMAT
77. “Magnetic” – Tunde Adebimpe
78. “As Alive as You Need Me to Be” – Nine Inch Nails
    
79. “As Good as It Gets” – Katie Gavin and Mitski
80. “Dinner @ Brasserie Zédel” – Luvcat
    
    
81. “Try to Sleep” – Chrissy Hynde featuring Debbie Harry
82. “Days Gone By” - Midlake
83. “mangetout” – Wet Leg
84. “Dracula” – Tame Impala
85. “Porcupine” – Sparks
86. “Break Right” – Hotline TNT
87. “Bag of Bones” – Lord Huron
88. “Now That You’re Gone” – Nation of Language
89. “I Can’t Escape Myself” – the Dare
90. “I Believe in You” – Ladytron
91. “I Want You” – Rialto
92. “5 Years Time” – Noah and the Whale
93. “Cradle the Pain” – Morgan Nagler
94. “The Actor” – Folk Bitch Trio
95. “Build It Up” – Franz Ferdinand
96. “Nightcall” – Kavinsky, Angèle, Phoenix
97. “Abracadabra” – Lady Gaga
98. “Basic Being Basic” – Djo
99. “Fashion Over Function” – Haute and Freddy
100. “A Stone Only Rolls Downhill” – OK Go
     
     
101. “Legalize Living” – the Hives
102. “Ticket to Explode” – He’s Dead Jim
103. “Wreck” – Neko Case
104. “Crash” – Leathers
105. “Cant’ Do Without You” – Pink Turns Blue
106. “Cherry Bomb” – Circa Waves
107. “Fades” – Warfield
108. “Inland Ocean” – Matt Berninger
109. “I hate this tune” – Royel Otis
110. “Enough” – Jeff Tweedy
111. “Drown in a Sea of Tears” – Sparks
112. “Private” – the Neighbourhood
113. “When Your Heart Is Broken” – Bob Mould
114. “Devotion” – Hot Chip
115. “The Traveller” – Art d’Ecco
116. “Neon and Ghost Signs” – Rialto
117. “Freaks” – Haute and Freddy
118. “Do Things My Own Way” – Sparks
119. “Incomprehensible” – Big Thief
120. “Watch Me Go” – Lord Huron
121. “Surprise Surprise” – Alkaline Trio
122. “In This Twilight” – Raven Numan
123. “Dancing with the Europeans” – Suede
124. “Who Laughs Last” – Lord Huron
125. “Champagne” – Declan McKenna
126. “We’re All Made of Stars” – Miami Horror featuring Telenova
127. “I Am the Fear” – IST IST

100+ Favourite Songs of 2024

 

My annual list of favourite new/newish music. Suprisingly solid listing.

1. “Big Time Nothing” – St. Vincent 

2. “Enter the Mirror” – Everything Everything 

3. “The Future Is a Foreign Land” – Ghost 

4. “In the Modern World” – Fontaines D.C. 

5. “People Are Good” – Depeche Mode 

6. “X-Ray Eyes” – LCD Soundsystem 

7. “Lost in Space” – Foster the People 

8. “Discothèque Inside My Head” – Telenova 

9. “The Howl” – Crowded House 

10. “Family Values” - Broncho 

11. “Matador” – Luvcat 

12. “Audacious” – Franz Ferdinand 

13. “Neon Pill” – Cage the Elephant 

14. “God’s Plan” – Mother Mother 

15. “Water Underground” – Real Estate 

16. “Night or Day” – Franz Ferdinand 

17. “Burial Ground” – the Decemberists 

18. “New Propeller” – Nada Surf 

19. “The Tower” – Future Islands

20. “Earth Worship” – Rubblebucket 

21. “Slowly Spilling Out” – Saint Motel 

22. “Blood on the Hospital Floor” – the Wombats 

23. “Devil Town” – Mother Mother

24. “It’s a Bitch” – John Grant 

25. “Capricorn” – Vampire Weekend 

26. “By the End of the Night” – Old 97’s

27. “Calling After Me” – Wallows 

28. “Change Shapes” – Lauren Mayberry 

29. “Don’t You Want to Sleep with Someone Normal” – Love Fame Tragedy

30. “Broken Man” – St. Vincent 

31. “Missing Out” – Maya Hawke

32. “Nomad” – Clairo

33. “Kleptocracy” – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

34. “Condensation” – Sports Team

35. “Murder on the Dancefloor” – Royel Otis 

36. “Never My Love” – Jakob Dylan and Norah Jones 

37. “Got to Be Mine” – Vulfmon featuring Evangeline 

38. “Not Afraid” – Cult with No Name 

39. “Onions” – Cults 

40. “Brain Damage” – Joywave 

41. “Boom Boom Back” – Hinds featuring Beck 

42. “Rot in Hell” – the Dream Eaters 

43. “Blue Sky & The Painter” – Bastille 

44. “Blue Roses” – Diamond Dog 

45. “Foam” – Royel Otis 

46. “Flea” – St. Vincent 

47. “Rain Can’t Reach Us” – Yannis and the Yaw 

48. “Buddy, Come Over” – Everything Everything 

49. “Tomorrow Is Today” – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark 

50. “Where Are Your Kids Tonight” – CMAT feat. John Grant

51. “Sickly Sweet” – NewDad 

52. “Panoramic View” – AWOLNATION 

53. “Bubblegum Dog” – MGMT 

54. “I Hope That You Spontaneously Combust” – Travis 

55. “Again” – Still Woozy 

56. “Planetarium” – Blitzen Trapper 

57. “Bored in the Summer” – Bad Bad Hats 

58. “Power” – Telenova 

59. “So Many Planets” – St. Vincent 

60. “These Ghosts” – Tyler Ramsey 

61. “Same Color as the Sun” – flor 

62. “Downhill” – Pom Pom Squad 

63. “Love Is Quite Nice” – Desmond Doom 

64. “Come Alive” – Phantogram 

65. “Blackberries” – Cold Cave 

66. “I like the way you kiss me” – Artemas 

67. “All That You Are” – Bear’s Den 

68. “Alive” – Travis 

69. “Canary” – Everything Everything 

70. “As You Are” – Day Wave 

71. “Glimpse” – Future Islands 

72. “He’s Back!” – Joywave 

73. “Alone” – the Cure 

74. “Some Dreams” – A Flock of Seagulls 

75. “Plastic Boxes” – Highly Suspect 

76. “A Fragile Thing” – the Cure 

77. “The Unloving Plum” – Haircut 100 

78. “Last Frontier” – Ride 

79. “Classical” – Vampire Weekend 

80. “Sweeter” – Cannons 

81. “Dancer” – IDLES featuring LCD Soundsystem

82. “High in Low Places” – Beach Weather 

83. “It Leads to This” – The Pineapple Thief 

84. “Howl” – She Drew the Gun 

85. “Next Exit” – Vacations 

86. “Cosmic Backseat Education” – Blitzen Trapper 

87. “Husk” – Men I Trust 

88. “Gaslight” – Travis 

89. “End of Beginning” – Djo 

90. “Rainbow” – Cage the Elephant 

91. “Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come” – the Wombats 

92. “Light Runner” – GIFT 

93. “Picture of You (X+W)” – U2 

94. “That Golden Time” – Villagers 

95. “The Town That Cursed Your Name” – the Reds, Pinks, and Purples 

96. “All a Mystery” – Phantogram 

97. “Regular People” – Moon Walker 

98. “Hot Sun” – Wilco 

99. “Stay Golden” – Saint Motel 

100. “Rats” – Suzanne Vega 

101. “Going in Circles” – GIFT 

102. “Bus” – Travis 

103. “Candy Coloured Catastrophe” – Redd Kross 

104. “Senna – Haux 

105. “Say It Like You Mean It” – Sleater-Kinney 

106. “Mary Boone” – Vampire Weekend 

107. “Stockholm Syndrome” – Hangwire 

108. “Magpie” – Peach Pit 

109. “Evil Love” – Kate Pierson 

110. “Chemical Animal” – the Jesus and Mary Chain 

111. “Ice Cream Sundae” – Inhaler

100+ Favourite Songs of 2023

Good music is out there. I just need to do some sleuthing to find many of the songs that comprise this list. Here are 100-and-some songs I dug this year (in mostly priority order). 

1.          “Ghosts Again” – Depeche Mode

2.          “Wild Bird” – the Coral

3.          “New Body Rhumba” – LCD Soundsystem

4.          “Daydream” – Being Dead

5.          “The Drop” – Sports Team

6.          “Loving You” – Cannons

7.          “Not Strong Enough” - boygenius

8.          “Weirdo” – Girl Scout

9.          “Aphrodite's Favourite Child” – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

10.      “Chalk Flowers” – the Clientele

11.      “Pepper” – Death Cab for Cutie

12.      “Endless Sea” – Dream Room

13.      “Kisses” – Slowdive

14.      “Ride On” – the Nude Party

15.      “Empty Nest” – Sivlersun Pickups

16.      “Rigor Mortis Radio” – the Hives

17.      “Geometry” – Rubblebucket

18.      “North Wind” – the Coral

19.      “Escalator” – Sparks

20.      “Now and Then” – the Beatles

21.      “The Sadness in You, the Sadness in Me” – the London Suede

22.      “Blue Marbled Elm Trees” – King Creosote

23.      “Prizefighter” – Youth Lagoon

24.      “Post-Traumatic Love” – ACTORS

25.      “Off My Mind” – Joe P and K. Flay

26.      “The Walk Home” – Young the Giant

27.      “An Arrow in the Wall” – Death Cab for Cutie

28.      “Wolf” – Yeah Yeah Yeahs

29.      “Cold Reactor” – Everything Everything 

30.      “Let Us Die” – King Princess

31.      “Your Side of Town” – the Killers

32.      “Wake Up” – Young the Giant

33.      “Wide Awake” – Strange Ranger

34.      “Bauhaus Staircase” – Orchestral Manoeuvres inthe Dark

35.      “Thinking About You” – Beck

36.      “In the Dark” – Biig Piig

37.      “Let’s Make a Mistake Tonight” – Tennis

38.      “For Your Soul” – Josh Ritter

39.      “Angelcover” – the New Pornographers

40.      “Blue Over Blue” – the Clientele

41.      “The Perfect Pair” – beabadoobee

42.      “Eraser” – Sweeping Promises

43.      “Lose You” – Bully featuring Soccer Mommy

44.      “Honey” – the Lone Bellow

45.      “Surefire” – Wilderado

46.      “Pages” – White Reaper

47.      “The Narcissist” – Blur

48.      “Tropic Morning News” – the National

49.      “Just to Keep You Satisfied” – Inhaler

50.      “This Is Why” – Paramore

51.      “Desire” – Cannons

52.      “Pistol” – Cigarettes after Sex

53.      “Oceans Apart” – the Coral

54.      “City of Angels” – Ladytron

55.      “My Favourite Stranger” – Depeche Mode

56.      “Insomnia” – the moss

57.      “The Way” – Manchester Orchestra

58.      “Evergreen” – Mt. Joy

59.      “Bang Bang” – Momma

60.      “Padam Padam” – Kylie Minogue

61.      “Runaway” – Leathers

62.      “Delirious” – Cindy Wilson

63.      “Highlands” – Middle Kids

64.      “Los Angeles” - Lol Tolhurst x Budgie xJacknife Lee featurig James Murphy

65.      “Hello” - Grouplove

66.      “Go Down River” – the Heavy Heavy

67.      “Exhausting Lover” – Ben Folds

68.      “That’s Where She Belongs” – the Coral

69.      “Atomic City” – U2

70.      “Nothing Matters” – the Last Dinner Party

71.      “Sole Obsession” – Nation of Language

72.      “Angry” – the Rolling Stones

73.      “Nothing Is Perfect” - Metric

74.      “One Like You” – LP

75.      “When We Were Very Young” – Belle andSebastian

76.      “Really Really Light” – the New Pornograpers

77.      “You Were Meant for Me” - Sparks

78.      “Faces” – Ladytron

79.      “Brazilian Iris” – Faded Paper Figures

80.      “Loner” – Day Wave

81.      “Road to Joy” – Peter Gabriel

82.      “Fleez” – Yeah Yeah Yeahs

83.      “Slow Train” – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

84.      “Too Much, Enough” – Nation of Language

85.      “So You Are Tired” – Sufjan Stevens

86.      “Black Moonlight” – Duran Duran

87.      “Four Kinds of Horses” – Peter Gabriel

88.      “Muriel’s Big Day Off” – Being Dead

89.      “Born Leader” – Coach Party

90.      “I Want to Be Your Only Pet” – Bombay Bicycle Club

91.      “Danse Macabre” – Duran Duran

92.      “Vaporized” – Sea Lemon

93.      “Panopticom” – Peter Gabriel

94.      “Only Wanna Dance” – almost monday

95.      “Just Before the Morning” – Local Natives

96.      “Your Day” – Pastel

97.      “Sightseer” – Nation of Language

98.      “Black Eye” – Allie X

99.      “Crumble” – the National featuring Roseanne Cash

100.  “Anything” – Frankie Rose

101.  “Echolalia” – Yves Tumor

102.  “Emergency Contact” – Pierce the Veil

103.  “i/o” – Peter Gabriel

104.  “Call Me What You Like” – Lovejoy 

105. “Bug Like an Angel” - Mitski

106.  “Half Life” – Object of Affection

107.  “Nothing Is as Good as They Say It Is” – Sparks