GL.25.13: DILLON NORTH
GL.25.14: Darcey Lachtman
GL.25.15: Caseysimone Ballestas
GL.25.16: Ryan Joyce
GL.25.17: Desa Warner
GL.25.18: Claren Warner
GL.25.19: Vikram Joseph
GL.25.20: Kevin Wyckoff
GL.25.21: Sidney Southerland GL.25.22: Jazzmen Williams GL.25.23: Megan Swidler
***
Dillon Top 2025
I started this year off with a hard reset and did an ayahuasca ceremony, something I’d been waiting to do for 16 years. Looking back on the previous years, I wasn’t in the best place, I had been hurt by a lot of people I trusted deeply and was trying to be a lot of things I just wasn’t. Upon letting a lot of this go (aka vomiting profusely for multiple days) I went about this year feeling more like myself than I have in years.
I spent SO much time in nature, in some of the most amazing landscapes on this planet with some of my oldest and best friends. Patagonia, Brazil, Canary Islands, Georgia, Northern Spain. At least 3 once-in-a-lifetime trips in one year; it's truly one for the books.
Most of these songs relate to those specific moments with my best people this year in those magical places.
After this year, I am 100% sure the best way to spend your time and money is doing epic things in magical places with the people that make your heart sing.
So here’s to all the old and new friends that made the head-banging, roadtrip sing-along memories to these songs this year. Thank you. I appreciate the fuck out of all you.
Here's to many more of these memories next year.
“Eneriga de Gotosa” - Ivete Sangalo
Started the year with two months in South America and ended with two weeks, so I had to start with the carnival anthem from this year. One of my favourite moments of the year was blasting this song while on a 4x4 road in the remote mountains of Georgia (country not the state) laughing my ass off at the randomness of the life I’ve created. Picture of road for reference.
“New Love” - Ziggy Alberts
I think this song summed up my whole year so well. And it was my most listened to. I think I might have been really trying to manifest with this one.
This whole year was about making space for new love and letting go of what wasn’t serving me any longer. The whole message of this song was how I was trying to live my year and I think it turned out quite well.
Got to see him live in Madrid as well which was the most white giris (white non Spaniards) I’ve ever seen in one place in Spain
“What Was That” - Lorde
A great little summer anthem and I can confirm, from personal experience, we should all be doing more MDMA in back gardens.
“Same Old Song” - The Lumineers
Will forever be one of my favourite bands. I feel like I’ve grown up with them a bit as they are from Colorado and I’ve seen them at small venues and now seeing them in Spain this year was a bit of a full circle moment. Their new album wasn’t a WOOOOW but it is still an essential back track to any road trip.
“JUMP” - Blackpink
I’m not normally a k pop girly but fell for this one very hard. It was a constant gym track and just a fantastic pump up song. It's almost impossible to sit still listening to this song.
“Montana” - Chance Peña
“There's something about the mountains that says it's good for your soul.
Home is not a place but where your heart feels the most whole.”
This song instills an odd sense of calm for me. I think the lyrics almost breathe the way I do when I’m alone in the mountains. It captures the way being in the mountains is essentially my therapy. This year I had the pleasure of exploring the mountains of Georgia (the country not the state) with 2 of my best friends, Patagonia and Ordesa (national park in Spain, if you don’t know it look it up) and this will forever be the back track to this year spent in the mountains around the world.
“DtMF” - Bad Bunny
I never thought I would agree with Musk, but this artist’s name is giving a bad name to bunnies everywhere. Another unbelievable tag line from 2025 but as the most streamed artist globally this year definitely earns a spot on this list.
“No Broke Boys” - Disco Lines, Tinashe
“I’m out here single. Tell me what's the deal. And know that I got standards.”
And let me tell you it's fucking exhausting.
This song however is not.
“Hi, Everyone Leave Please” - Fletcher
This was a very firm boundary setting year for me.
This song politely says get the fuck out and leave me the fuck alone.
“Man I Need” - Olivia Dean (Cover: Dallin Dance, Lilly Small)
The original of this song was on my list already but found this cover a month ago and have listened to it every day.
“Reliquia” - Rosalia
What a fucking album. And already have secured tickets to see her next year!
BTW pro tip, if you ever think it’s been a while since you’ve seen the curator of this list just mention live music that he might be remotely interested in that’s in your city and there is a roughly 95% chance he'll be there within 6 months.
“Dopamine” - Robyn
I think this was a great single by Robyn, looking forward to the rest of the album.
And a good reminder, I'm aware that it is just dopamine but I'm gonna keep doing it anyway. I worked on getting those natural dopamine hits this year but those instant dopamine hits are still very tempting.
“BIRDS” - Turnstile
When Aaron and Ilana told me this is who they were most excited to see at Primavera Sound besides Chappell Roan (my queen) I had my reservations.
I can confirm. They were correct. They are always correct.
Below is our new friend Jazz and me demonstrating the only way to listen to this song properly.
“Bluest Flame” - Selena Gomez, Benny Blanco
This was an early addition to my list but I think it holds up.
“Golden” - HUNTR/X - EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami
Song of the year. Fight me, I don’t care, the global sensation of this was truly a spectacle.
“WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” - Raye
I have been asking this exact question for 4 years now!?!
Guess I’ll go back to Brazil and keep looking.
Jokes aside, Raye is a powerhouse and continues to prove it.
“Be Yourself” - Fever/ Sky
This one is a little older than 2025 but had to be included. My lavender wife Mary and I have always communicated through music throughout our whole relationship. I still have burned CDs from 15 years ago from her. Her sister, Rita, who had passed away last year, left this song for her on a playlist. This song became a back track of all our crazy adventures this year and was like we were carrying a little bit of Rita with us. It’s not only a beautiful song but a reminder that you only have today to be yourself so what are you waiting for.
“Collapse” - Chance Peña
Breaking the one per artist rule for this one.
I think we as a society don’t put enough value in friendships. I think it is a special person you choose to grow with over the years, through whatever trauma, bad partners, stupid decisions (often made together), fights, make ups, oceans separating you, those are you really growing with. This year I was fortunate enough to spend a large portion of my year with some of my favorite people doing epic shit around the world in beautiful places and at the end of the day is there anything better than that?
This song to me is about that growth and beautiful sacrifice friendship is.
No comments:
Post a Comment