GL.25.06: MARIO SANDERS
GL.25.07: Darrin Shillair
GL.25.08: Scott Lawson
GL.25.09: Erik Kristjanson
GL.25.10: Curt Trnka
GL.25.11: Marisa Plaice
GL.25.12: Max Einstein
GL.25.13: Dillon North
***
15 Songs for 2025
(1) “Wound Up Here (By Holdin On)” - Wednesday
This fall I started the fourth year of my PhD program. In general, graduate school is an endeavor easily characterized by perseverance and isolation. In my first year in the program, my dad died. Needless to say, it has made the experience that much more difficult: grief (also easily characterized by perseverance and isolation) has colored it thoroughly. I remember driving home from a coffee shop when listening to Bleeds for the first time. Hearing the line “I wound up here by holdin’ on” for the first time was a punch to the gut in reflecting on my time in this program. On November 2nd, I submitted my preliminary exams to my committee and earlier this month my advisor texted me to tell me that I passed with distinction. “I wound up here by holdin’ on” is really the only explanation I can give. There are many songs that I listened to more in 2025, but I don’t think any hit me quite as hard.
(2) “Bottle Blonde” - Momma
One of those songs that I listened to more of was “Bottle Blonde.” It was my most listened to song of 2025 on Spotify. I was a bit surprised by that but then I remembered that the summer happened and how much it was on repeat.
(3) “Dollar Store” - Ben Kweller (feat. Waxahatchee)
I don’t think I had listened to Ben Kweller in probably fifteen years when “Dollar Store” popped up on Spotify in February. Seeing that it featured Waxahatchee piqued my interest greatly and it did not disappoint.
(4) “Country Girl” - Greet Death
If you would’ve asked me in May what my song of the year would be, I would’ve answered with “Country Girl.” Take this position as evidence of how much the above songs stuck with me over the rest of the year.
(5) “Cry For Me” - The Weeknd
The Weeknd is one of those artists that I like, but rarely take the time to listen to his new stuff when it releases. “Cry For Me” makes me very glad to have taken that time with his new album. The beat change halfway through makes it feel like I’m dungeon crawling through a late 90s JRPG and my brain appreciates it greatly.
(6) “Elderberry Wine” - Wednesday
There are so many good songs on Bleeds. “Elderberry Wine” was the first I heard so it gets this spot over the others.
(7) “Lumière” - Lorien Testard, Alice Duport-Percier
Video games are good. The music in video games is also good.
(8) “Different” - LE SSERAFIM
Apologies to the demon hunters, but this is the K-pop song of the year. Ignore the fact that it’s in Japanese.
(9) “Rodeo” - Momma
While “Bottle Blonde” was my most listened to song of 2025, I’d be willing to bet that Welcome to My Blue Sky was my most listened to album as well. As I say above, the whole album was on repeat over the summer.
(10) “Miss” - Florence Road
Florence Road came out with an EP earlier in the year which had a couple songs I enjoyed, but their two singles that came out later in the year (“Miss” & “Storm Warnings”) have me very excited for what is to come in 2026.
(11) “Lost Again” - Colin Miller
Colin Miller plays in MJ Lenderman’s band and opened for Lenderman when I saw him over the summer. I hadn’t heard anything of his going into the show, but enjoyed his set quite a bit. Since my dad died, songs about grief stick a bit deeper and “Lost Again” is no exception.
(12) “Fading Star” - Phoebe Rings
Phoebe Rings opened for The Beths and, like Miller, I was completely unfamiliar with them going into the concert. I was immediately hooked.
(13) “Til My Hearts Stops” - The Beths
I went to a conference in Denver in late November and the timing was perfect to be able to see The Beths on a whim. I saw them a couple years ago when they opened for Death Cab, so it was a joy to get to see them do a full set. The show as a whole was obviously fantastic. I still prefer their last album to this newest one, but the live performance of “Til My Hearts Stops” was a standout moment.
(14) “Wasteland” - Snocaps
It was inevitable that new music from the Crutchfield sisters would make this list.
(15) “Storm Warnings” - Florence Road
“Storm Warnings” is a classic example of a song that would probably be higher if it came out earlier in the year.
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