Feature

The Top 50 Pop Songs of 2025 (10-1)

Posted on by 15 Comments

I know that most people come to this blog looking for K-pop, but I’ve made it my mission to also spotlight global pop music each month. Those “global pop round-ups” culminate today with my top 50 tracks of the year. It’s been a very good year for pop music, making this list hard to cobble together (and resulting in a very long “honorable mentions” list). Part of this is by design. Unlike my K-pop and J-pop lists, any song released or promoted in 2025 is eligible here. A song doesn’t have to be a single or have a music video to show up on this list, but I do limit myself to a maximum of three songs from each artist because otherwise we run the risk of someone totally dominating with a bunch of great album tracks.

Enjoy, and I hope you discover something new that appeals to you! Warning: my taste heavily favors pop music with a capital “P”!

SONGS 50-31
SONGS 30-11
SONGS 10-1

2025 YEAR-END MASTERPOST

10. Mika – Modern Times


A stunning return for Mika. This channels everything he does best: big pop melodies, sweeping production and a sense of pathos that gives the song extra heft.

9. Madison Rose – Daydreaming


You had to know we weren’t getting through one of these countdowns without a bit of Madison Rose, right? With Daydreaming, she delivers another high-energy anthem with a glistening, singalong chorus.

8. Punchbag – Fuck It


This is the perfect anthem for our chaotic times. Fuck It channels so much of what I loved about 00s indie music and gives it a big pop makeover. It’s combative and rousing.

7. TPCX – Sin.


I want to champion this band until I’m out of breath. Sin is a steamroller of a song, delivering some of the biggest, boldest energy of the year. You owe it to yourself to put this on replay.

6. Lady Gaga – Vanish Into You

Vanish Into You punches you in the gut from its very first note before melding Bowie-esque melodies and anthemic, Queen-like fervor into a gorgeous, affecting brew.

5. Nelli Matula – Hitaammin hautaan


This is just impossibly beautiful. The way Matula’s crystalline vocal glides over the lush, strings-assisted production sweeps you off your feet. Finnish pop at its peak.

4. Neea River – Nightmares


Nightmares is the platonic ideal of a specific type of pop/EDM song. It makes every move you’d hope and then some. Adhering to formula can become transcendent in its own way.

3. Lady Gaga – Shadow Of A Man

Gaga doing a Michael Jackson pastiche is the kind of magical catnip I could have never dreamed of, yet here we are and it’s every bit as spectacular as I could’ve hoped for.

2. Erika Vikman – Ich Komme


We may not have gotten another album in 2025, but Erika released her best song yet so it’s hard to complain too much. This is confrontational, balls-to-the-wall pop at its pinnacle and one of the most fascinating things released all year. I was obsessed with it on first listen and I’m even more obsessed today.

1. Lady Gaga – Abracadabra


It’s so rare to hear a song for the first time and think “that’s an instant classic.” In fact, this happens so infrequently that Abracadabra left me on a high for days after my first listen. This is Gaga fully-formed, doing what only she can do. The song grew more legendary with each performance and proves there’s still plenty to be mined from this type of high concept, ambitious, theatrical pop. She did something really special with this one.

And as a bonus, my top three pop albums of the year!

3. Madison Rose – Monochrome: The White Album

2. Lady Gaga – Mayhem

1. Comanavago – Club Morpheus

(yes, this technically came out in late-2024, but I didn’t discover it until this year and the album is too amazing not to include on one of my countdowns)

15 thoughts on “The Top 50 Pop Songs of 2025 (10-1)”

  2. Terrific year for pop at large! A lot of smaller artists and one-offs I found through this blog in 2025, as has been the case since you started your global pop round-ups. Compared to K-pop this past year, I’ve got a pretty solid list of my Top 10 pop songs for the year:

    1. The Knocks & Dragonette – Revelation

    2. Snow Wife – Sweat

    3. Charlotte Sands – Hush

    4. TPCX – ask me out

    5. TPCX – sin.

    6. Maria Jane Smith – I Hate San Francisco

    7. Carly Rae Jepsen – More

    8. Chrissy Chlapecka – Passionfruit

    9. Zara Larsson – Midnight Sun

    10. Lady Gaga – Abracadabra

    I do think I enjoyed more full albums/EPs from K-pop this year, but there were still a few pop albums that really stuck with me:

    1. The Knocks & Dragonette – Revelation

    2. ROSALÍA – LUX

    3. Lady Gaga – MAYHEM

    In any case, thanks for all your hard work on the blog this year, and for all your year-end lists and round-ups! I tend to wait on listening through until December is over so that any gems I missed throughout the last year can be the foundation for the coming year’s playlist. I’ve been aching for new music to add to my rotations, so excited to finally dig in!

    Like

    Reply

  5. Great #1, I was addicted the moment it released! My top two pop albums this year were definitely Mayhem and Midnight Sun. What can I say, I love dance pop 🤭

    Like

    Reply

  6. I’ve heard that 2025 was a pretty bad year for music. I would say they’re partially right, because 2025 has was a year hits from 2024 and, well… with Alex, Warren, and Morgan Wallen. Then, just the average songs from KPop Demon Hunters and Taylor Swfit’s dissapointing album.

    I think the strongest releases were (mostly) carried by lesser known artists or maybe very famous names who didn’t crack the top 10 in the United States with multiple singles but had a very explosive and popular year around the world (Gaga and Bad Bunny). Regardless of what I just said, I think every year can be musically incredible if you explore and are ready to find music that allings with your taste!

    Here are my honorable mentions:

    Doja Cat – Jealous Type.

    Clipse, John Lenged – Birds Don’t Sing.

    Keshi – Wantchu.

    Kali Uchis – Sunshine & Rain.

    Leon Thomas – Catch a Stray.

    Sabrina Carpenter – House Tour.

    f5ve – I Choose You.

    The top 10:

    1. The Weeknd – Open Hearts: This song might come from the weakest album in his trilogy, but it’s a banger. Greatly produced by Max Martin with awesome synthwork.
    2. Bad Bunny – DTMF: This might not fall strictly under pop music but it’s just so good. I was never a Bad Bunny enjoyer, but his album (and this song) turned me into a fan. I especially love how beatiful the lyrics in this song are.
    3. Dijon – Yamaha: This guy definitely falls into the “your artist’s favorite artist.” From writing and producing to Justin Bieber and Bon Iver, to making is own excellent album. He’s great at using samples creatively and creating big and strong melodies.
    4. XG – Gala: Not sure where XG would fit in the categories of a ranking? Since they’re marketed as a global group, I’ll have them here. Gala is just a massive song, probably their best so far. Excellent vocal performances, rap verses and a massive production.
    5. Justin Bieber – Daisies: as a long-time fan, I’m glad to see Justin doing the R&B-pop/alternative R&B sound he was always destined to make. This song in particular just feels so tastefully done, charming and flirty.
    6. Rosalía – Reliquia: I think Rosalía’s album is one of the few projects in the mainstream that requieres a full listen, from top to bottom. However, Reliquia is the one song that can perfectly stand on its own thanks to its amazing synthwork and anthemic feel.
    7. Danny Brown, Underscores – Copycats: This has been a pretty interesting year for rappers taking on dance-pop albums. While this track is mostly carried by Underscores, Danny sounds great and it’s just so catchy and fun to listen to.
    8. Tyler, the Creator – Sugar on My Tongue: His album is just a lot of fun dance-pop and rap tracks. I think pop listeners can also enjoy it, and maybe that was the case, because this is one of the few songs in his catalog making it to pop radio.
    9. Pink Pantheress – Stars: I found a new love for Pink Pantheress this year. Her music is so upbeat, fun and groovy. My only complain is that her material is way too short. I’m not saying she needs 5-minute songs, but maybe add a couple extra seconds? Anyway, I love how creative and “experimental” she is with samples. I see an A-list pop star/producer in the years to come!
    10. Kehlani – Folded: My “classic” R&B pick had to come with none other than Kehlani. I love the fact that she’s listening to what R&B fans want and is able to give us a throwback song but with her own Kehlani style. Can’t wait for her album this year.

    Like

    Reply

  9. Speaking of pop, my friend and I are aspiring producers and we just released a pop song that we cowrote and produced! We’re highly inspired by kpop so I thought some of y’all might want to give it a listen 🙏 it’s my first officially released song so I’m excited to share it everywhere heheh

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  10. This is very interesting. I must admit that Gaga left me cold this year, I think I’m immune to that fusion dance rock pop she created. But what a joy to see Rebecca Black on this list, I love that album and in my dreams  I could imagine a Kep1er collab!

    I’m curious, Nick, have you ever considered to do a post about Kpop songs you had a complete change of heart? Disliked then love (I felt that big shift with Cortis / Fashion, ADP / One More Time and ILLIT / Not Cute Anymore). I find it interesting that it happened a few times to me this year!

    Like

    Reply

  11. great number 1!!!

    anyways, I find it funny how for pop songs you seem to prefer female artists, while it’s the opposite for kpop lol

    Like

    Reply

  12. My favorite song and album this year all came from Miley Cyrus. Like not in my 2025 bingo card that she is topping my year-end list, especially how safe and generic her last record was, but here we are 😆

    I think it’s a pretty underrated record, and I hope she continue this route because I haven’t really clicked with her music until now (except for some tracks in her Midnight Sky album).

    Anyways, here are some other non-kpop/jpop songs I enjoyed this year:

    Sudan Archives – My Type

    Magdalena Bay – Second Sleep

    Mon Laferte – Otra Noche de Llorar

    ROSALÍA – BERGHAIN

    JT – Girls Gone Wild

    Doja Cat – AAAHH MEN!!!

    Underscores – Music

    Ninajiraichi – F*ck My Computer

    Joey Valence & Brae – See U Dance (ft. Rebecca Black)

    Bad Bunny – NUEVAYoL

    Like

    Reply

  13. A criteria I often use to judge whether it’s been a good year for music or not is: “I ask myself: Are these the best songs ever released by the artists at the top of my favorites-of-the-year list?” So, while songs by Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, PinkPantheress, Robyn, Doja Cat and Kali Uchis are at the top of my favorites of 2025, none of them released what I consider to be their best song ever; with many (Doja Cat, Kali), not even close. And the rest released songs that *remind me* of their golden era. (And don’t even get me started with K-pop! lol)

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.