From Rebecca Black to 2hollis to Rose Gray, these artists served up pop tracks too good to overlook.

12/18/2025

Rebecca Black

Rebecca Black

Ella Margolin

2025 was a thrilling, wide-ranging year for pop music, from the big-budget triumphs of superstars like Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift to the mainstream arrivals of artists like Addison Rae and Olivia Dean (both Best New Artist nominees at the upcoming Grammys) to all things KPop Demon Hunters.

And as year-end list season comes to a close, a bunch of those great pop songs, albums and artists from 2025 have been recognized by critics and listeners alike — including “Golden,” which topped the Billboard staff’s list of the best songs of the year. In addition to the chart-topping hits receiving a tip of the cap, artists like PinkPantheress, Dijon, KATSEYE and JADE have received ample shine over the past few weeks, and expanded their reach headed into 2026.

Yet before we close the books on the year, these dozen pop songs are just as worthy of being added to your 2025 playlists. Although some of these tracks did not make any year-end lists, and others did not crack the charts in a meaningful way, they all communicated the interesting ideas and bold visions of their creators — some of whom, from 2hollis to Maude Latour, could be making a lot of noise next year. Others, from Rebecca Black to Ryn Weaver, continued one-of-a-kind journeys, returning to the pop landscape with experience and understanding. And then there’s the downright fun of INJI and Rose Gray — once you hear what they’re presenting, they became impossible to resist.

Here are 12 great pop songs from 2025 that you might have missed, and a playlist of all of the tracks.

2hollis, “Flash”

2hollis, "flash"
Image Credit: Courtesy

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2hollis continued to gather momentum in 2025, playing to his biggest crowds to date — he spent this past week opening for Lorde’s arena shows in Brooklyn — and dropping his most self-assured project yet with Star, which was highlighted by the hammering, gleefully cacophonous, turn-this-thing-up single “Flash.”

Dexter in the Newsagent, “Special”

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“You’re mine in the morning, I need you like coffee / You’re mine in the evening, I need you like sleeping,” Dexter in the Newsagent sings on “Special,” a couplet that nods to the South London singer-songwriter’s understanding of tiny comforts; “Special” represents a thoughtful riff on modern rhythmic pop from a bright new talent, but also, it just sounds like a warm blanket on a cloudy day.

Chloe Qisha, “So Sad So Hot”

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With October single “So Sad So Hot,” UK pop singer Chloe Qisha gathers more momentum following her Modern Romance EP earlier this year, considering the disco-lite pace, impressive vocals and clever lyrical concept (“I guess the tears are bringing out the color in my eyes,” she shrugs while feeling bummed, but garnering attention, at a party). 

Jasmine.4.t, “Guy Fawkes Tesco Dissociation”

jasmine.4.t
Image Credit: Matt Grubb

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You Are the Morning, Jasmine.4.t’s debut album on Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Factory label, was produced by all three members of Boygenius — a factoid that states itself plainly on standout track “Guy Fawkes Tesco Dissociation,” which mashes up Jasmine Cruickshank’s bold viewpoint with Bridgers’ songwriting panache.

Rose Gray, “Party People”

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A whole bunch of songs from Rose Gray’s excellent Louder, Please album and its recent deluxe edition could be represented here, but “Party People” — the sweaty, thumping ode to the hypnotic nature of the dance floor — best encapsulates why the British pop star created so much excitement with her debut full-length. 

Biig Piig, “One Way Ticket”

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While Biig Piig has long been adept at delivering shimmering fare for dance-pop hipsters, “One Way Ticket,” from the Irish musician’s proper debut 11:11, makes for a startling change-up, as a nearly whispered meditation on grief and a full-bodied farewell to a person who helped her at a formative point in her life.

Rebecca Black, “Salvation”

Rebecca Black - Salvation
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Once a teenage punchline, Rebecca Black has slowly but surely remolded herself into an unflinching, downright great dance-pop siren, and “Salvation” showcases her full modern appeal: voice drenched in synthesizer and keeping up with a throbbing tempo, Black declares, “I don’t need you to save me / I already saved myself.”

Maude Latour, “XOXO”

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A breakthrough moment seems inevitable for Maude Latour, who keeps lobbing out sturdy alt-pop singles and steadily gathering listeners; “XOXO,” from the deluxe edition of her Sugar Water album, is her most self-assured moment yet, with the type of whooshing synth-pop euphoria that successfully captures the feeling of a haphazard hookup.

INJI, “Teen Angst”

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If there was an award for Beat Drop of the Year — and, really, why isn’t there? — INJI would have a strong case with “Teen Angst,” the wonderfully sneering head-knocker that slams on the gas when the percussion kicks in a little before the one-minute mark; INJI recently teamed up with Marshmello on “Kissin My Friends,” but this solo track will make you hit the dance floor with a middle finger hoisted in the air.

Ryn Weaver, “Odin St.”

Ryn Weaver
Image Credit: Josefine Cardoni

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A decade after her still-great debut album, Weaver returned with a layered, lyrically sumptuous new single that doubled as a showcase for her singular tone; the “Octahate” singer remains an artistic force that we’ll hopefully be hearing more from soon.

SPELLLING, “Portait of My Heart”

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On the hunt for a modern-day song that contains Kate Bush’s ‘80s pop grandeur? SPELLLING’s “Portrait of My Heart” scratches that itch nicely: the title track from the indie-pop artist Chrystia Cabral’s latest album sweeps and shudders, dialing up the electric guitar, drums and “whoa-OA’s!” during one of the most cathartic choruses of the year.

Sigrid, “Fort Knox”

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From the days of breakout hit “Don’t Kill My Vibe,” Sigrid has paired her sleek pop hooks with simmering defiance — and with “Fort Knox,” the jewel of her third album There’s Always More That I Could Say, the Norwegian star lets her rage boil over, spitting out accusations and affirmations above glorious strings and a unyielding beat.

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