Over my years on this website I discovered a lot of great artists and developed my taste as it is today, something I will always appreciate. So I thought one last time, I would share my 25 top songs of the year:

1. PinkPantheress – Stateside

2. Addison Rae – Fame Is A Gun

3. Slayyyter – CANNIBALISM!

4. Yndling – Time Time Time (I'm in the Palm of Your Hand)

5. Oklou – thank you for recording

6. Sabrina Carpenter – House Tour

7. Elias Rønnenfelt – Blunt Force Trauma (feat. Erika De Casier)

8. Doja Cat – AAAHH MEN!

9. Purity Ring – many lives

10. Magdalena Bay – This Is The World (I Made It For You)

11. Kinji – romp

12. Taylor Swift – Elizabeth Taylor

13. Fcukers – I Like It Like That

14. Justin Bieber – DAISIES

15. Fizzy Orange – Smoke Only Rises (Not Without Fire)

16. SG Lewis – Transition (feat. RAHH)

17. Rochelle Jordan – The Boy

18. Erika de Casier – You Got It!

19. Alex G – Headlights

20. Lady Gaga – Can't Stop the High

21. Kali Uchis – Muévelo

22. Dijon – Yamaha

23. Donatachi – Angel (feat. Hannah Diamond)

24. El Michels Affair – Anticipate (feat. Clairo)

25. MØ – Lose Yourself (Uffie Remix)

NOTES ON TASTE

I feel like this year my taste really leaned into clubby house with flickers of pop and a sprinkle of indie. I kept finding really outside the box tracks with pop sensibilities on a cool Spotify playlist called "Cph+" which is made up of the sound currently percolating in Copenhagen.

My favorite find of the year was Oklou, last December I saw the Choke Enough album cover on a vinyl shop's "coming soon" and was intrigued by her Y2K futurist art direction, and was pleased that the music matched it perfectly. I instantly loved the album as it captured that hazy soundscape, it reminds me so much of the soundtracks to video games I played as a kid. I'm happily surprised that she's had such a breakthrough in the indie and critics space, at first I kinda thought she would be one of those very under the radar girlies.

Slayyyter's WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA is kinda already the shoe-in for my 2026 AOTY, all three pre release singles are perfect. It already feels like the spiritual sequel to the best album of all time (Treats by Sleigh Bells.) She's TAKING it. I really hope it's her mainstream breakthrough.

I listen to The Dare a lot and he's now my favorite pop producer, Guess feat. Billie was my most played song of the year but under my self-imposed criteria it doesn't count as a 2025 song kii, but a song he produced is my #1 this year. I knew the second I pressed play on Stateside and heard "I'm freezing OUTside" with that synth that we had an all timer on our hands. He just gets it. Desperately need him to produce an entire album for a pop girl, I don't get why it hasn't happened yet tbqh? Dua, Doja, etc all need to work with him. Tonight by PinkPantheress would be in my top 5 too, what an absolute banger.

If you know where to find me, let's stay in touch Otherwise, au revoir gurls, stream Slayyyter

Daisies was one of my fav last year so was wondering if other ATRL members like the song and I think I found like 3 people having the song on their list and you have the song rated in highest position very rare to see that so 👏👏

Also surprised to see bonus Lady Gaga track made it to the cut. Love that song too.

PinkPantheress – Stateside

Addison Rae – Fame Is A Gun

Slayyyter – CANNIBALISM!

Yndling – Time Time Time (I'm in the Palm of Your Hand)

Oklou – thank you for recording

Elias Rønnenfelt – Blunt Force Trauma (feat. Erika De Casier)

Doja Cat – AAAHH MEN!

Magdalena Bay – This Is The World (I Made It For You)

Rochelle Jordan – The Boy

Erika de Casier – You Got It!

Alex G – Headlights

Lady Gaga – Can't Stop the High

Kali Uchis – Muévelo

Dijon – Yamaha

these serves