Posted by Top Songs of 2025
We had a weak year for singles, and that’s not just my opinion. All of the most streamed songs of 2025 on Apple Music came out in 2024…that’s insane. As someone who loves pop songs that take over the cultural zeitgeist (in a Song of the Summer-esque fashion), that’s a huge disappointment. But even though we may not have seen brand new original mega-hits this year, we got plenty of great tracks from artists of all genres. Here are some of my favorites.
Honorable Mentions
“DtMF” – Bad Bunny
“NOKIA” – Drake
“a FEW songs” – Saba & NO ID
“Tears” – Sabrina Carpenter
“Arm’s Length” – Sam Fender
“People Watching” – Sam Fender
“SUCKA FREE” – Tyler, the Creator
“LOOK OUT FOR ME” – Turnstile
“I CARE” – Turnstile
“Husbands” – Geese
“Caviar” – Benny Sings (feat. Mathilda Homer)
“There It Is” – Sunny Lou, 414BigFrank & Run Along Forever
“Children of the Baked Potato” – Thundercat & Remi Wolf
“Potion” – Djo
“Lonesome is a State of Mind” – Djo
“Man I Need” – Olivia Dean
“Baby Steps” – Olivia Dean
“Baby Blue” – SG Lewis & Oliver Sim
Top 15 Songs of 2025
I had to give these 5 more of a shoutout because they do stand a cut above the other honorable mentions.
15. “Au Pays Du Cocaine” – Geese – Perfect song to show off why Geese is so appealing. Emotional vocal performance from Cameron Winter, and goofy, catchy, yet profound lyrics. You can change and still choose me is one of my favorite lines of the year.
14. “mangetout” – Wet Leg – Unbelievable hook here from Wet Leg please go listen if you haven’t. Packed with energy and swagger and cheekiness. Simply everything you want out of these smug punk rockers.
13. “Say Goodbye” – El Michels Affair & Florence Adooni – The bass on this goes stupid hard. Great feature from Florence Adooni bringing the African vocals over Leon Michels signature smooth and sultry production is just a match made in heaven. The chorus was stuck in my head all summer. One of the more obscure picks on my list so do yourself a favor and check it out if you haven’t.
12. “Catching Bodies” – Sekou – Shoutout to my friend and Cutlet Radio fan-favorite guest, Erin McCarthy, for putting me on to this absolute slapper of a modern soul song. This guy’s voice is gorgeous and the funky soulful horns and bounciness of this song makes it impossible not to tap a toe while listening to this banger.
11. “Relationships” – HAIM – This song is very good fun pop commentary on modern relationships for the first two minutes and then has one of the best breakdowns in a song ever. The switch in the bass riff and bringing in some piano was definitely a touch from Rostam (former Vampire Weekend member and unreal alt-pop producer) and buddy, does it send this track into another stratosphere. I was running this one back-to-back for a long time.
Top 10 Songs of 2025
10. “START UP A RUMOUR” – Sam Gellaitry. This guy knows how to catch an absolute GROOVE. Sam Gellaitry consistently finds a swing that other DJs can’t seem to nail. He gets some chopped up synths, tosses on those dreamy processed vocals over some sort of petty but fun EDM lyrics, and finds one little unique noise. In this case that noise is some sort of squeaky keyboard sound that crawled into my brain and had me playing air keys every time I popped this on. Can not explain why I loved that little riff so much but BOY did I.
9. “Islands of Men” – Geese – This new Geese album uses a lot of repitition in the lyrics, and I think this would be a criticism of laziness with most artists but I think this song really shows why the repitition works and serves a point. The repeating line you can’t keep running away, from what is real and what is fake over and over while more instruments are added to the song, and more emotion is emitted from Winter’s voice, slowly overwhelms you with emotion and introspection. To me, it’s about being frustrated with how easy it is to serve convenience instead of connection. Whenever I get mad I’ve wasted a night scrolling on Instagram instead of actually making plans to connect with friends I’m reminded of this song. It’s so easy to run away from what’s real, but the more you do it the further away you get from reality. Grateful we got this warning delivered in a extraordinary way from this band.
8. “Victory Lap” – Fred again.. Skepta & PlaqueBoyMax -Goes HARD AS HELL. This beat is EVIL in the catchiest way and Skepta was the perfect person to bring in to put some British rap bars over it. If I needed to get some energy to get off my ass this year I just put this on and cranked the volume and I’d immediately be motivated.
7. “BIRDS” – Turnstile – This was one of my most listened to songs this year by a long shot because it was great to run to and the beat switch is ADDICTING. The real hard core side of Turnstile comes out at the beginning with those hammering drums, screaming lyrics and and underlying distortion…and then it so cleanly brings in just an absolute BANGER of a guitar riff. Similar to No Doubt’s “Hella Good” but with 1000x more juice. And the lyrics finally I can see it, these birds not meant to fly alone are another great contribution to this album that’s full of frustration but ultimately hope. It kills me I couldn’t see this live because I know it would’ve been an out-of-body experience.
6. “Everything is Peaceful Love” – Bon Iver – This song stayed in heavy rotation for me throughout all of 2025. When I first discovered “Skinny Love” in high school I was blown away by Bon Iver’s sound. It was unlike anything I’ve ever heard before and also, DEVASTATING. He’s become one of my favorite artists in the years since, using his unique sound to elicit deep (usually sad) emotions. So hearing him sing a song basically about finding peace in a relationship was a new side of him that still had that deep emotional connection, except this time it was one of joy. With the bubbly percussion, rising chorus, and that country twang ending – just a really great song and great addition to Bon Iver’s discography. Proving he’s still got more in the tank after years of putting out alternative gems.
5. “Close Up” – Olivia Dean – What more can you ask for in a song. Olivia Dean is flexing on every other singer/songwriter in the game with this. So many beautiful, descriptive lyrics that everyone can relate to on some level. Dean’s full album unpacks relationships but this one spoke to a very specific feeling: When you felt a vibe with someone and had an expectation that simply wasn’t met once the moment came to act on it – and the confusion that comes with that. It’s essentially the other person’s perspective to Sam Fender’s “Arm’s Length”, which is about keeping things surface level so you don’t reach those deeper, possibly darker, levels of connection with someone. Great writing, GORGEOUS vocals, and the instrumental is the exact bag that excites me about Olivia Dean as an artist – completely her own version of modern pop-soul.
4. “Nostalgia’s Lie” – Sam Fender – Got chills and teared up the first time I heard this. Only Sam Fender, the king of the modern rock ballad, could pull it off. The song’s premise is exactly what the title would have you believe, the “rosy retrospection” we experience every time we reminisce. But Fender elevates it to another level with the structure of the song. He’s wants to go back in time, then realizes he’s yearning for something that can’t really be (moreso looking for a feeling of safety, joy and connection), and ultimately understands he needs to, and can, move on. The bridge is so impactful so I’m just gonna put the full thing here:
Before I’m pushing up daisies
Give me a long heady summer
With arms open wide
I won’t take this world for granted
I’ll become what I’ve been asking
I’ll accept the path that lays before my eyes
I mean, absolutely beautiful and also SO fun to belt out and sing. Sam Fender is clearly tapped into a lot of the fears and anxieties that I think are plaguing people my age, and offering up a meditation on it in the form of rock songs we need to consider ourselves lucky for hearing in 2025.
3. “Charlie’s Garden” – Djo – This was my 2025 anthem. I just absolutely love this vibe. This is a perfect statement song for why I fell in love with Djo’s music this year. This song takes inspiration from the quirky psychedelic period of the Beatles and mixes it with the almost broadway-like story-telling vocals of Billy Joel. There are so many details put into this song and it makes it an alternative-pop-rock masterpiece. The phone interruptions, the harmonies, the horn section interlude, the stripping back of the instruments while layering in new ones (including an absolutely soaking wet funky bass)…It’s what makes Djo such an exciting artist right now. He knows he’s not the guy to make an extremely emotional serious song, but that doesn’t mean he’s not going to take the craft un-seriously. He clearly put so much thought into the surreal lyrics, funky production and extra flares that make this such an easy song to recommend.
Putting this on in the morning with the windows down in my car during the summer while going to get a coffee…heaven.
2. “Taxes” – Geese – When this was dropped as the first single off of Getting Killed I knew we were in for an all-time album. Max, the drummer from Geese, proves why he deserves to mentioned with the best percussionists playing today and producer Kenny Beats can take a bow for giving it that extra oomph on the mix. Cameron Winter literally gives this song every breath he has when he sings you’re gonna have to nail me dowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwnnnnnnnnnnnnn into that floor-shaking beat switch with a shimmery alt-rock finale featuring one of my favorite lines of the year DOCTOR, DOCTOR HEAL YOURSELF. Everyone asks why Geese blew up so much this year and songs like this are a perfect answer. On surface level the song is about a dude wanting to avoid taxes in a pretty funny way, but the more you listen to it you start to unpack the implications – why do my taxes contribute to harming others rather than healing myself? It’s a very Gen Z question posed in a completely unique and interesting way that demonstrates why Geese is being poised to become the next great American rock band.
1. “Rein Me In” – Sam Fender (feat. Olivia Dean) – The first time I heard the original version of this song I (once again) got chills and (this time) FULLY cried. The guitars in this song evoke emotion almost immediately and then Sam comes in with lyrics that would make Bruce Springsteen proud, like all the bars ’round here serve my ghosts, and carcasses. The entire album People Watching speaks to so many of existential thoughts people have and how they manifest, but this one hits really hard because it tells the story of someone who has succumbed to that existentialism and has decided they’re too far gone – doing everything they can to numb the pain of living. Sam’s voice is heartbreaking especially as it gets to the fully unhinged bridge where he just repeats how he’s telling everyone how much I f*cked it up. Then he brought in Olivia Dean, one of my other newer favorite artists, to share a woman, but also simply a friend’s, perspective. It elevates this already great song to something otherworldly. Where the song could have originally been a devastating ballad about trying to feel nothing, it now also shows that in those moments there are usually people who do understand how you’re feeling and want you to open up to them and let them support you in a genuinely healthy way – whether or not you hear them. I think my favorite sung line in a song this year is Olivia’s delivery of don’t run away from my tenderness. All of this subject matter is sung beautifully by this duo, and the instruments are legitimately perfect. The jangly piano, the bass that walks you through the song, the haunting saxophone solo…This song is of-the-times, it’s emotional, it’s catchy and features two of the most exciting artists working today. The definitive song of 2025 for me.
Top Albums of 2025
Although singles and pop culture hits may have been weak this year, we got some truly incredible albums. I won’t even do honorable mentions because this top 10 is clear-cut and strong. Here we go.
10. 12 – Westside Gunn – I love Westside Gunn. His unique voice, hilariously swagged out lyrics, and impeccable beat selection/soul-sampling makes him one of the easiest artists to toss the full discography on shuffle and just vibe out. This album is just another example why, with songs like “055”, “GUMBO YAYA” and “DUMP WORLD” (featuring the Griselda secret sauce, Stove God Cooks) makes you feel like an absolute baller.
9. Moisturizer – Wet Leg – This sophomore album of Wet Leg’s maintains the energy that made me love their debut project – memorable guitar riffs, snarky vocal deliveries, catchy-as-hell hooks, and tongue-in-cheek punky lyrics. Listen to “catch these fists” and tell me I’m wrong! This is a thrill to listen to from front to back, the first song “CPR” sets the tone in the best way, “mangetout” is one of my favorite songs of the year with an incredible chorus you will get stuck in your head, and songs like “pokemon” and “u and me at home” show off their infectious energy that forces you to listen and appreciate it. Anyone who thinks rock is dead needs to listen to this (and several of the other albums coming up on this list) and they’ll change their mind pretty quickly.
8. Don’t Tap the Glass – Tyler, the Creator – A super fun club record from Tyler that doesn’t sacrifice any of his signature sound? Sick. Even though this was made on his tour bus while playing the Chromakopia shows, he did not phone it in one bit. The production on songs like “Sugar on My Tongue” and “Ring Ring Ring” prove that. He can’t help himself but toss in a couple braggadocios bangers though, with songs like “Sucka Free” with the unbelievably catchy I’M THAT GUY hook and some talk box, and “Stop Playing With Me” where he compares himself to the GOATs of several disciplines. I think what really excited me about this album is how much Tyler continued to push the boundaries. The sound he found on “Don’t You Worry Baby” was basically putting his own spin on a Ghost Town DJs song, and the effin with no hoes, ain’t never been no lame on “I’ll Take Care of You” has him playing with Project Pat’s style…so cool. Every song has something to like and it is definitely better to listen to loudly with room to move.
7. Let God Sort ‘Em Out – Clipse, Pusha T & Malice. In the aftermath of the Drake and Kendrick beef, it seemed like Rap was in a standstill. Luckily, this power vacuum opened up a window for Pusha T and Malice to come back as Clipse with the first rap album to really excite me in a long time. From the emotional opening track “The Birds Don’t Sing” with some extremely personal lines from the brothers, you’re intrigued. Follow that up with “Chains & Whips” that has them flowing over a beat with the same god-like energy of “No Church in the Wild”, not to mention a Kendrick feature. And after THAT we get “P.O.V.” that has a wildly catchy rapping hook and a feature from Tyler, the Creator…that’s a very solid opening 3 song run. And what follows that? “So Be It” and “Ace Trumpets”, two songs that made their way into the hip-hop zeitgeist this year with their memorable beats and lyrics, of course including YELLOW DIAMONDS LOOK LIKE PEEPEE. I think the beats here are exactly the kind that made me really get into rap during Kanye and Jay-Z’s late 2000s era, and Pusha and Malice bring thoughtful lyrics and don’t rely on features or singers to make this a commercially and critically successful rap album – they just showed they are masters of the craft and still have more talent than most of the new faces of the genre.
6. Sable, Fable – Bon Iver – This is a beautiful album, just as you’d expect from Justin Vernon’s Bon Iver after all this time. The 4 song introduction to the album is introspective and devastating in the way you come to expect from him, but it turns this corner in a surprisingly smooth way with “Short Story” and the seamless transition into “Everything Is Peaceful Love”. I think you really have to listen to this front to back in order to feel the realize the full potential of each track, because once you get to “Walk Home” and “Day One” you realize you’re taking an emotional journey – all backtracked by layered vocals, clean piano playing, and these sloppy almost hip-hop inspired drums that only Bon Iver could pull off. I listened to this while on an hour and a half long bus ride at sunset and let me tell you – looking out a window as the sun comes down listening to this project is the way God intended it to be listened to. Cinematic, original, and inspired. Very cool that Bon Iver is still putting out this good quality of projects and trying new things after doing so consistently well for over a decade.
Top 5 Albums of 2025
Alright, usually it’s the top 2 or 3 that are 9/10s fighting but I think the top 5 albums of 2025 are the strongest ones we’ve had maybe since I started doing these lists every year. Each of these 5 albums I have a real special connection to, they’re super cohesive, and really enjoyable listens front to back. So if you think some of these should be higher or lower, trust me, at some point I did too. With that being said, here’s the top 5.
5. NEVER ENOUGH – Turnstile – I feel like this was a frustrating year for everyone given, you know, everything. Just “2025” in general. BUT I also had a lot of things I was frustrated with personally, and this album was the perfect one toss on and have a carthartic release of all of that negative frustration. It’s perfect because it has the hard core elements Turnstile is known for, but also incorporates hopeful synths, vulnerable lyricism, and experimental drum patterns. The finished product is an album dissecting all the things that frustrate us, from inadequacy to loneliness, while presenting a hopeful outlook in the end. It’s similar in sentiment to Joy As an Act of Resistance by Idles, another hard core album that broke through to my taste and emotions. The title track “NEVER ENOUGH” is a perfect introduction and statement song for the project, and if you haven’t seen the videos of crowds singing this in unison at their live shows you should look it up immediately, it’s a beautiful example of the connection in catharsis this album emulates. Songs like “BIRDS” go incredibly hard, but ultimately emphasizes the innate need to feel like part of a flock. “I CARE” is another one that sounds like something The Cure would’ve put out in their heyday, again having these post-punk elements while informing someone of how far they would go to support a friend. “Look Out for Me” is another song showing how they can perfectly mix genres, and has easily my favorite beat transition of the year. That buildup into the full-hearted singing of And while I’m swinging from your arm, mistaken for your shadown, we’re standing in a line to disappear, it’s unfair, it’s unfair. It’s one of the most impactful moments of a song this year, and ends with a really experimental breakdown. On the flip side you get songs that lean heavier into the “screaming” side of things like “DULL”, “SOLE” and “SLOWDIVE” all of which you will be bought into if you like the other tracks. And peppered throughout are these really thought-provoking slices like “LIGHT DESIGN”, “CEILING” and ending with the incredible closing track “MAGIC MAN”. It’s a wholly original album front to back that is so easy to throw on and I think really met me where I was emotionally in 2025. It kills me not have this higher, but like I said it’s a competitive year!
4. The Art of Loving – Olivia Dean – There’s a lot of artists who have had quick rises to stardom recently and it makes people wonder how did this happen? I’ve had that kind of conversation about people like Tate McRae, Gracie Abrams, Benson Boone, Sombr, etc. But I love that Olivia Dean’s rise was maybe even harder and faster than any of those people and yet no one is asking questions because if you hear her music you know the answer, she is just unbelievably good. She has found a soulful pop sound that is completely original, she has found a way to write mature songs about love in a way that is relatable and unique, and that voice…I think the best we’ve heard from an artist getting radio play since Adele. When you toss this on, you’re in love before you even hit the halfway point. “Nice to Each Other” is fun and flirty, “Lady Lady” has a dream-like quality in it’s lyrics and instruments, “Close Up” hits every note you’d want in modern soul song and then “So Easy (To Fall in Love)” seals the deal with it’s genius lyrics and catchiness. I’m the perfect mix of saturday night and the rest of your life is a BAR and there’s no need to hide if you’re into me, ’cause I’m into you quite intimately is SO satisfying to sing along. Every other pop star needs to take notes here because this song is a very fun radio hit, but ALSO clearly super thoughtful. Of course Olivia knows when to slow it down though, with songs like “Let Alone the One You Love” and “A Couple Minutes” letting her flex those angelic pipes.
And guess what? We haven’t even gotten to the mega smash-hit “Man I Need” yet! The should-have-been song of the summer that I wasn’t even mad released in late August because of how good it is. It’s everything you want in a mainstream pop song and it doesn’t sound like anyone else on the charts. I love how focused this album is. Just 12 songs (with 2 that I would almost consider an intro and outro more than anything), all about love (hence the album title) complete with bangers, ballads, and everything in between. I mean I haven’t even talked about “Baby Steps” yet, which can’t be put into a box but it is effortlessly good and unique and has been in heavy rotation since the day it dropped. This is going to go down as a timeless album that launched the career of a superstar.
3. People Watching – Sam Fender – I can’t stress enough how good these top 5 albums are, because this album made me cry multiple times and it’s only number 3. It’s killing me but also makes me happy we got so much great music this year.
Sam Fender got on my radar a few years ago with his song “Seventeen Going Under” which is now certified one of my favorite songs of all time, and hearing it performed live this year by Sam is going to be a core memory of mine for years to come. He is clearly taking inspiration from Bruce Springsteen with his style of singing, guitar and saxophone marriage, and the lyrical content around the disenfranchised average person – but all of this is updated for 2025 in such a way it doesn’t feel retroactive or derivative – it feels necessary. The title track “People Watching” speaks to the feeling of loneliness despite being around so many people, but also the beauty of knowing these disconnected strangers have full lives and are experiencing humanity in the same deep way you might be. “Nostalgia’s Lie” captures the feeling of wanting to go back in time, while knowing moving on is the healthier choice – something totally heightened in the age of social media. “Arm’s Length” and “Rein Me In” (2 of my favorite songs of the year) talk about the self-isolation that occurs when we’re afraid of what would transpire after opening up about our pain. In the same way I think The 1975 is so tapped in to the struggles of modernity, but tackles it in a more satirical ironic lens, Sam Fender writes about the subject matter head-on with sincerity and vulnerability. Some people might not think that’s “nuanced” enough, but in the world he builds we don’t have time for nuance. It makes it pack a much harder punch hearing exactly what you need to. What Fender is a master at is writing these songs with classic-sounding instrumentals and deeply relatable lyrics, while also making them extremely enjoyable to listen to. “Chin Up”, “Little Bit Closer” and “Something Heavy” on this albums are great examples of that talent. On top of all this he isn’t afraid to go deeper into a B-side ballad, shown by the heart-wrenching “Remember My Name” which show that he truly is operating at another level. The instrumental sounds like the score of a 70s familial drama, stripped down to let his tear-inducing singing about his grandparents’ legacy shine. I’ve said this a few times in this blog but this album is truly timeless. I think fans of soulful rock music from ages 14 to 84 would be able to find a track that connects to them on this, and it shows why Sam Fender is one of the most important musicians working today.
2. Getting Killed – Geese – The band is BACK with an absolutely ripping follow-up to the album that made me fall in love with their sound (and maybe my favorite album of the 2020s so far) 3D Country. First of all, this album title rules. Saying “Getting Killed by Geese is one of my favorite albums of the year” is hilarious – and probably something you’ve seen people saying online often the past few weeks! I’m sort of shocked this album is the one that brought the group into the mainstream because it’s much less accessible than almost anything on 3D Country: there’s rarely a traditional song structure, the lyrics are even more surreal and repetitive, the sounds are all over the place…but it totally and completely works and I’m glad more and more people are catching on to the magic of Geese. The opening track “Trinidad” is an abrasive song repeating THERE’S A BOMB IN MY CAR over and over again, one that goes absolutely feral at a live show, and is followed by the radio-friendly hazy head-bobbing “Cobra”. It really shows their versatility to tackle different genres effectively because of their unique lyrics and expert instrument-playing. “Husbands” and “Islands of Men” are guaranteed to make you do a stank-face and bob your head while belting out the odd choruses Cameron Winter chose. “100 Horses” and “Bow Down” feature instantly iconic guitar riffs you’d expect to hear from someone like The Red Hot Chili Peppers, and songs like “Au Pays du Cocaine” and “Taxes” are undeniably pretty songs with lyrics that will seep deeper into your brain with each listen. Why did this band seem to skyrocket into stardom this year? Because they have a sound you can’t pin down, with non-sensical lyrics that you somehow understand, all sung by the endearingly strained weirdness of frontman Cameron Winter. They took a big swing with this album going even stranger than their previous works, and it completely paid off into the most exciting rock record to take the scene by storm in several years.
1. The Crux – Djo – If you told me at the beginning of this year Tyler, The Creator, Geese, and Sam Fender all dropped new albums and none of them would be my favorite…I’d be shocked. And then if you told me my favorite would be made by Steve from Stranger Things, I’d probably start laughing. But here we are!
When I was trying to rank the albums this one kept bubbling up to the top, mainly because of it’s almost divine connection to where I currently am in life. This whole album is about being at a crossroads, if you couldn’t tell from the title. As a man approaching 30, reflecting on my 20’s, and thinking about what I want the next chapter of my life to look like, this album gave me so much to think about but in the form of addictingly fun alt-pop songs. The first song “Lonesome is a State of Mind” even has the line twenty-nine and misaligned and if that’s not a cosmic connection I don’t know what is.
While I love all the albums on this list, I think this is the only one that truly has zero skips. So many times this summer I would just press play on this and listen from start to finish, finding something to love with every song. “Basic Being Basic” is a refreshing commentary on the current state of the world that doesn’t take itself too seriously. “Potion” has some of the best guitar work I’ve heard in any song recently, a weird but wonderful tone-of-voice from Djo, and some lyrics that will hit you in the heart. I specifically love I’ll try, all of my life, just to find, someone who leaves on the light for me, it’s such a clever way of talking about wanting to find a relationship with a friend or partner who does those little things that show they love you. The voice Djo has found on this album I think is so perfect for his persona. He’s not trying to solve the world’s problems, he knows he’s not the guy to do that, and he’s having fun but NOT to the detriment of the music. He is “the guy from Stranger Things” that probably could phone in a alt-pop record that does pretty well, but instead you can tell he meticulously thought about each moment of every song. It’s why songs like “Egg”, “Fly” and “Charlie’s Garden” have these truly incredible bridges that give you goosebumps, it’s why songs like “Delete Ya” and “Gap Tooth Smile” get stuck in your head and have you thinking about past-loves, and why songs like “Link” and “Back on You” are better than most of the songs to come out this year while not even being the standout tracks of the album.
There’s not a single track in this package of music that falls flat, and it all culminates in the brilliant closer “The Crux” that takes all of the emotions that have been building up over this musical journey and gobsmacks you with the profound line (that I am literally tearing-up to while listening and writing this right now) Get back to your heart. This repeating feels like Djo’s last ditch effort to get through to the listener who is at this aforementioned crossroads, someone who’s lost their way. Let you’re heart be what guides you at this pivotal moment. This album has a cohesive message, it’s got fun, sad, silly, timely songs, and it’s all performed by someone who has found a completely unique sound and style, but what makes this the best album of the year is that feeling of a piece of art finding you at the exact right time in your life…a feeling so special it goes beyond the system of rankings and into a space of it’s own in the story of your life. I know years and years from now this will be the album that defined the end of my 20’s, and hopefully mark the start of a new chapter led by love.
Top 10 Books I Read in 2025
I’m gonna do quick reasons as to why these books made the list here, but follow me on GoodReads if you want the full reviews of any of these.
10. Deep Cuts – Holly Brickley – A book about a music-blogger filled with philosophical analyses of pretty average unassuming music…RIGHT up my alley.
9. The Only One Left – Riley Singer – This was such a fun mystery thriller novel that will have you staying up way past your normal bedtime just to figure out what happens next. The amount of twists and turns is almost too much, but keeps it just enough in check that it’ll have you constantly running theories in your head until you read the final page.
8. Cat’s Cradle – Kurt Vonnegut – You gotta love Vonnegut’s timeless writing and this story has his classic absurdity, humor, and thoughtful reflection. Super weird and quirky. but in the best way, his creativity and imagination is unmatched.
7. My Friends – Frederik Backman – This book makes this list for all the reasons I love Backman’s novels. They’re heartfelt, empathetic, funny and character-driven. Cool use of non-linear story-telling and once the pieces start to fit together it’s a really sweet story about found family and embracing your true self.
6. Atmosphere – Taylor Jenkins Reid – T.J.R. is my guilty pleasure author and once again she delivers a enthralling historical fiction book with relationships you fall in love with. She proves that she is the most effective author working today when it comes to making the reader feel strongly about every plot point that gets thrown at you. Whether it’s feeling hatred towards the antagonist, love towards the romantic interest, heartbreak for the people who are hurt in this story…it all works so well and the setting of the space program in the 80s makes it all the more fun to read.
5. All the Pretty Horses – Cormac McCarthy – Cormac McCarthy is a mad genius (see The Road and Blood Meridian for further proof) but this novel shows his softer side. A masterfully written romantic western that still has his signature dialogue and brutal setting of lawless regions of Mexico and turn of the 20th century America.
4. Bewilderment – Richard Powers – I love a “sci-fi lite” book, one that has technology just out of our reach but is set in an otherwise totally familiar grounded world and this book’s sci-fi element is a perfect device to talk about the existentialism of living in the 21st century. A deeply emotional father and son story that pulls at the heart strings and feels extremely modern. This was the first book I read in 2025 and I haven’t stopped thinking about it all year.
3. Morning Star – Pierce Brown – I read the first Red Rising book early in 2025 and had a lot of fun reading it, but wasn’t totally bought in to the universe. The 2nd book, Golden Son, really took me to that next level of fandom, and then this 3rd book took all the pieces that were set up in the previous 2 novels and delivered an emotionally action-packed sci-fi banger for the ages. Some of the best payoff for character archs I’ve seen in any franchise, surprising twists, and fist-pumping moments. Believe the hype about this series, I can not wait to read the next 3.
2. All the Colors of the Dark – Chris Whitaker – This is the ideal novel. It’s a thriller, mystery, romance, drama, and everything in between that takes us on an epic journey over the course of decades. Sure it gets a bit “corny” and “soap opera-y” at times, but you’re so bought in to the characters and their emotional archs and each one raises the level of entertainment so much, you don’t really care. I could not put this one down because of how much I loved the characters and how fleshed out and attached you grew to them. This felt like watching an Emmy-award-winning HBO limited series, and if that doesn’t make you wanna pick up this book I don’t what will.
1. Intermezzo – Sally Rooney – I know this is the number 1 “performative male” read of the year, but in the most honest, least performative way, this book moved me more than any other in 2025. Sally Rooney’s stream-of-conscious style of writing might not work for everyone but it mirrored inner monologues I’ve had so closely it was kind of eerie. I don’t think anyone writes about anxiety and depression as earnestly and accurately as Rooney in an almost shockingly vulnerable way, which is refreshing to see when many books use “mental illness” as a cheat code for character development without it feeling real. Above all else, the reason this was my favorite of the year is because it genuinely changed my perspective on something. As a single almost-thirty-year-old man who’s attended a bunch of close friends’ weddings over the past few years, I think about relationships and the type of person I want to “settle down with” pretty often… while also tending to judge couples that don’t fit into the standard relationship mold. This story built so much empathy for its characters that when they entered non-traditional relationships I would’ve judged immediately in real life – I was happy for them. It’s a book about how finding true love is so rare that it should take all precedence over judgment and societal norms. An extremely tender and relatable yet out-of-the-box relationship novel.
Top 10 Movies of 2025
I have (mostly) in-depth reviews of these on Letterboxd so check me out there for long dissections of these and honorable mentions – but here’s quick reasons why these are my favorite movies of the year.
And before you get mad, I haven’t seen: Sentimental Value, Hamnet, It Was Just an Accident, Blue Moon, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Zootopia 2, and Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere. If there’s something outside of those you feel passionate about then you can yell at me. Here goes!
10. Wicked for Good – I was pretty surprised at how much the public seemed disappointed in this when it first came out? Definitely less bangers than the first one but otherwise still a great event movie with unreal performances from Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande who I think embodied these roles that will go down as some of the most iconic of the 2020’s for sure.
9. Superman – I am shocked that there are 2 superhero movies in my top 10 in 2025 when I was probably the least interested I’ve been in them since like 2008 – but superhero-fatigue at the cinema has allowed room for different styles of these movies to emerge! James Gunn’s Superman has all the things you love about his movies: great music, funny moments, and lovable characters – but also feels new for him and this genre from the completely earnest approach (something totally lacking in these movies for a long time) to the titular character who I had never heard of or seen until it was announced he was cast, and he was fantastic! Great flick and one that like a father could see with his son and not have to explain 40 different characters and lingering storylines, which is refreshing.
8. Wake Up Dead Man – I am fully in on the Josh O’Connor train. One of my favorite performances of the year from him, and Josh Brolin (who is having a banger year) played such a great antagonist. Probably the best cinematography of the Knives Out franchise and the most personal? A great reflection on where politics and faith are right now, in a deeply empathetic and interesting way. Father Judd on the phone is one of my favorite movie moments of the year, and shows why Rian Johnson is such a great writer/director.
7. The Long Walk – This was the surprise of the year! It’s a pretty straightforward concept, men compete in a dystopian competition to see who can walk the longest before they collapse, and yet it keeps you totally entertained and more and more invested the whole time. The premise obviously lends itself to emotional deaths, but the brutal way they shot those deaths and the relationships they form throughout the movie make them totally impactful and heartwrenching in a way I was not expecting at all. Shoutout to Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson for their chemistry, clearly going to be the next-up.
6. Bugonia – Yorgos Lanthimos is always going to make a pretty out-there movie that looks beautiful, and this movie is no exception. Emma Stone (obviously) is great but Jesse Plemons, who most people know is a phenomenal actor but maybe not a leading man, just dominates the screen in this – and Aidan Delbis who plays his cousin in the movie is the emotional rock. Great tension, super timely without feeling pretentious or corny, and an ending that adds completely new context to the entire film and a final sequence that haunted me for weeks after I left the theater.
5. Thunderbolts – That’s right, a Marvel movie is in the top 5 and it probably doesn’t feature a single character the general public can name – AND I LIKE THAT. This movie is led by Florence Pugh who plays Black Widow’s sister with the same effort and reverence she would play an Oscar-baity A24 indie film. And her chemistry with the ensemble of David Harbour and Lewis Pullman is so believable and real and honest and fun? This movie is a pretty on-the-nose analogy for dealing with depression and it was so emotionally resonant for me that I did straight up shed a tear in the theater. I think “anxiety” has been portrayed in the mainstream movies for a little while now, but the stigma around depression really has not broken through that mold yet, being saved for personal indie films and “Best Screenplay” nominees you never get around to watching. So to see this very realistic representation of dealing with depression and how alone that can make you feel, within the context of a superhero blockbuster – it really moved me. I think if I saw this movie when I was a teenager trying to cope with mental health struggles without letting anyone see that I was hurting, I would’ve gotten the help I need sooner. So I have to give credit to the director for somehow making a beautiful movie about compassion and vulnerability and not-so-glamorous mental health issues within the most successful film franchise of all time.
4. The Secret Agent – I love movies that have so many little details and open interpretations that you can think about them for weeks afterwards, finding your own meaning in every choice. That is the Secret Agent. It starts out slow, but once it gets going you start realizing those “slow” moments were there for a reason. This is set in 70’s Brazil and the sets, costumes, film, and cinematography all transport to you to that time and place. There’s hilarious moments, scenes of high tension, some of the best dialogue of the year, and so many themes that you can connect to what’s going on today. The ending too was such a risk but one that I really think paid off. After you leave the theater there’s so much left to chew on and dissect and tie together and it really is a blast making up your own interpretations as you peel back the layers. Totally worth reading subtitles for.
3. Marty Supreme – This is one of the first movies of the 2020s that feels like it’s on the level of 80’s Scorcese. A movie with massive scale, led by the charming man-of-the-moment movie star, with iconic moments and cultural relevance. Timothee Chalamet becomes Marty Mauser and his charisma carries the entire story, while Odessa A’zion, Gwyneth Paltrow, Tyler the Creator, and even MR. WONDERFUL act their asses off! Not to mention a mesmerizing score and effective soundtrack (complete with one of the best uses of a needle-drop I’ve seen) to carry you through this high-intensity journey. I think it’s a super complex story tackling themes that can’t be put in a box, but after the credits roll and you can finally relax and think about each scene, line, shot, etc. you start to form your own idea of what Josh Safdie was trying to say about ambition, legacy and truth. Every aspect of this movie is 1000% dialed in and I think it’ll go down as the one that officially entered Timothee Chalamet into the all-timers club.
2. One Battle After Another – Paul Thomas Anderson really showed everyone why he should be in the modern director GOAT conversation with this one. The first act of the movie is thrilling and introduces the tone and world of the movie in an exhilarating way. Then after a time jump we see a burnt-out paranoid Leonardo Dicaprio who proves throughout this movie he can literally play any role better than any other actor in the game. You have sympathy for him, you respect his protectiveness, but he is also absolutely hysterical – and so is this whole movie! You’re dying laughing at one moment and ten seconds later your entire body will be tense with fear. It’s absurd, thrilling, funny, sweet, and speaks to what’s going on in the country right now while also being a completely timeless concept of the repercussions of rebellion, especially on families. Benicio Del Toro has off-the-charts charisma, we watched a star emerge in Chase Infiniti, and Sean Penn’s bizarre turn as Lockjaw has lived rent free in my brain. This movie has something to say, never loses an ounce of gas, and has newcomers and legendary actors alike going hard as hell. This movie has a “Dirty Work” AND “Mo Bamba” needle drop and if that doesn’t show it’s absurd genre-defying genius I don’t know what does.
1. Weapons – The last 5 minutes of this movie is the best movie theater moment I’ve had since Endgame. Completely floored me. I was pumping my fists, dying laughing, and cheering in the moments my jaw wasn’t on the floor. Zach Cregger’s use of character-driven chapters basically gives you multiple short-films, each with something unique to love. From the moment the movie begins with the mystery of seventeen children disappearing from their homes at the same time, you’re completely hooked. And because that’s such a “hook”, you’d sort of expect it to be filled with cheap jump scares and dissarming humor, but Cregger elevates it to another level with this great cast, clever editing, and surreal sequences. There’s a big divide in the horror genre right now. There’s “elevated horror” – movies from people like Ari Aster, Robert Eggers, and Jordan Peele – that are great! But occasionally have a whiff of pretentiousness and almost always have some social commentary. Or the “jump scare horror” movies like Smile, M3GAN, or The Conjuring franchise. These are super fun popcorn movies, but they’re not really saying much other than “BOO!”. Cregger found a way in this movie to have a movie that’s tense, scary, freaky, bloody, but also hilarious and fun and silly – without the slightest hint of pretentiousness. When asked why he had the kids hold out their arms while running away from home he said “I just thought it looked creepy”. When asked why there’s a giant floating assault rifle in a character’s dream he said “I don’t really know, but I knew I wanted to keep it in”. He wrote this in the aftermath of his close friends death and said the movie isn’t about anything specific like trauma, racial inequality, or gun violence and this did not sit well with some people – but under the lens of a transcendental abstract exploration of grief, this movie not making sense makes it make sense. I love horror movies and this to me felt like something we haven’t seen in the genre before with some totally new and iconic lore and characters (shoutout Aunt Gladys). After leaving the theater full of child-like giddyness I was so excited to listen to anything I could about how this movie came together and it isn’t something I’ve felt since Jordan Peele came on the scene – and that excitement and movie-theater magic is so rare that this had to be my #1.
Alright that’s it I spent WAY too much time on this yet again. If you agree or disagree or wanna talk about any of these things hit me up it would be nice to know someone is reading this after spending an embarassingly long time writing down these thoughts and dumb opinions hahaha.
Happy New Year!
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