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2025 was a big year for music with new albums from Lorde, Lady Gaga and Tate McRae to name a few.

But still, pop aficionados remember 2024 as a monster of a year for music, with groundbreaking releases like Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things,” Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather” and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso,” some of which are still topping 2025’s charts. If you’re a fan of pop music, hearing the word “2024” likely conjures up a wistful smile.

But hopefully 2025 brings up a similar joy. While 2025 had less excitement for the world of pop music than 2024, it’s clear that there was no shortage of quality tracks in 2025’s catalogue. Here are the best pop songs to add to your 2025 year-end playlist.

1. “What Was That” by Lorde
Marking a comeback for the New Zealand native after 2021’s “Solar Power” underperformed both commercially and critically, Lorde returned to her roots with the lead single from “Virgin”. Compared to her earlier work, the song’s production feels gritty and raw. Combined with blunt lyrics like “I didn’t know then, that you’ll never be enough,” Lorde evolves from her early sound as she expertly explores nostalgic heartbreak in a way that feels familiar yet novel.

2. “12 to 12” by Sombr
The fourth single from the 20-year-old’s debut album “I Barely Know Her”, “12 to 12” juxtaposes depressing lyrics with uptempo new-wave inspired synth production. Though not a lyrical masterpiece, the powerful production elevates what otherwise could have been a forgettable, downtrodden track. The track stands out in the young artist’s discography; Sombr would be wise to keep exploring this sound in the future.

3. “Thirst Trap” by Audrey Hobert
Hobert made her artist debut this year with her album “Who’s The Clown?,” changing her image from Gracie Abrams songwriting collaborator to emerging pop artist. Though the album’s other singles are popular for a reason, her best song is lesser known. “Thirst Trap” combines the best of Hobert’s storytelling and musical abilities. The song’s relatable, humorous lyrics accompanied by an unexpected saxophone outro, convey Hobert’s shining personality in a delightfully wacky way.

4. “Headphones On” by Addison Rae
Though she began her career as a TikTok star, Rae solidified herself as a bona fide pop artist this year, as evidenced by a Best New Artist Grammy nomination. Rae released her best song to date in April with “Headphones On,” an introspective song about needing to “accept the pain” and coping through music. The song uses dynamic production and gut-wrenching harmonies to showcase Rae’s true potential as an artist.

5. “The Subway” by Chappell Roan
Following her breakout moment in 2024, the “Midwest Princess” enjoyed a quiet year, only releasing two singles. But quality proved more important than quantity for Roan. “The Subway” became an instant classic in Roan’s small-but-mighty discography. The song has longing lyrics, classic production and standout vocals — true pop ballad perfection.

6. “Busy Woman” by Sabrina Carpenter
Unlike Roan, Carpenter had a busy year, releasing her seventh album, “Man’s Best Friend,” in August. Despite these 12 new tracks, “Busy Woman,” released in February as a bonus track from “Short n’ Sweet”, reigned supreme as Carpenter’s superior 2025 song. With Jack Antonoff’s 70s-inspired disco production and Carpenter’s famous witty double-entendres, the track showcases Carpenter’s best qualities: fun, flirtatious and always catchy.

7. “Vodka Cranberry” by Conan Gray
His 2025 album, “Wishbone,” sees Gray find his footing again as a true singer-songwriter — and no song better displays that than “Vodka Cranberry.” As he pines about a drunken summer heartbreak, Gray’s soaring vocals and thoughtful lyrics solidify his place on this list.

8. “Midnight Sun” by Zara Larsson
It would be disrespectful to say that Larsson experienced anything short of a renaissance in 2025. Larsson, who had hits including “Lush Life” earlier in the decade, may have been fading into late 2010s obscurity had it not been for some well-timed social media virality and a stint opening on tour for Tate McRae. “Midnight Sun,” the title track of her new album, refers to the late-setting sun in the Swedish singer’s homeland. The song’s fun nature and danceable beat make it the perfect slice of summer wherever you are, even in the dead of a cold Syracuse winter.

9. “Garden of Eden” by Lady Gaga
Gaga, a pop veteran, continued her dominant career with 2025’s release of “MAYHEM,” which was an extremely solid record and a frontrunner for “Album of the Year” at the upcoming Grammy Awards. The album’s strongest track, “Garden of Eden,” is representative of the album, complete with a strong beat and clever Biblical metaphors that secure Gaga’s longevity in the industry.

10. “Sports car” by Tate McRae
As the third single in McRae’s third studio album “So Close To What,” this song went largely unnoticed on the charts, only peaking at 16 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It deserved better, though; the song is McRae’s best to date. With a punchy beat and sultry, whispery vocals, the song embodies McRae’s essence without trying too hard. While many artists would be hesitant to experiment with whispered vocals, McRae executes it perfectly, in a way that feels mature and sensual.

After two incredibly strong years for pop, it may be hard to believe that 2026 is going to live up to the success of latter years.

Though it’s been a quiet start to the year, there are plenty of upcoming releases for pop fans to be on the lookout for. Madison Beer’s “Locket,” Bruno Mars’ “The Romantic” and Charli XCX’s original soundtrack for the new “Wuthering Heights” movie adaptation are the most notable to be aware of — but surely there will be plenty more on the way.

Published on January 12, 2026 at 10:13 pm