NFL
By: Joe Cardoso
As the year 2025 comes to an end, we have ALL been through a LOT. From a world in chaos, losing legends in music, film, and more, along with a planet that is changing rapidly. One thing that has not changed is how a great song can make it all better for a little while. A catchy beat, infectious baseline, and hook are always timeless. This year, we saw some new artists step into the light, but a ton of older acts showed they have timeless talent. Shoutout to Nas and Mass Appeal for bringing that old school 90’s boom bap BACK to our ears, the Clipse dusted off their mics and have been on a hell of a run. But it was not just hip-hop that rules our phones and Bluetooth speakers; EDM, pop, and Latin tunes all had a powerful voice. As a guy who listens to it all, here are 15 songs in NO order that made my year a little bit less heavy, and hopefully they helped you as well.
15. Oskar med k – Make Me Feel
14. Cloonee, Young M.A – Stephanie (HNTR Remix)
13. Deftones-Infinite Source
12. Bad Bunny-DtMF
11. Kehlani- Folded
10. Karol G and Feid-Verano Rosa
9. The Weeknd- Cry for Me
8. Clipse- So Be It
7. Mobb Deep, Nas- Pour The Henny
6. J.I.D. Featuring Jessie Reyez- No Boo
5. The colab of Freddie Gibbs and the Alchemist is a hip-hop lover’s DREAM; the two just make great music together.
4. Linkin Park- Up From the Bottom This comeback album from the group was fantastic, get over the fact Emily is NOT Chester, she has her own sound, and I LOVE it. This song was a good display of not only her range but its classic LP sound. Don’t make me grab an XXL Echo hoodie and a fitted hat with baggy jeans. If you didn’t give the entire album a chance, do it! Worth the time.
3. Nas & DJ Premier- It’s Time. This was the PERFECT end-of-the-year album with two of the greatest coming together for the love of the culture. So many good tracks, but this one had me off the jump.
2. Lady Gaga – Abracadabra No one says pop music like Gaga. If you EVER set foot on a dance floor or held a dance party in your kitchen, this track had you stretching and seeing what you had left in the tank.
1. Humankind- Run it Up This song is HEAT, and the video matches. I can’t be the only one who went down the rabbit hole of learning about the different fighting styles shown in the video. Humankind’s energy and flow is one of a kind. Need more from him in 2026, the song’s message is right on time.
The year in music was cool in the way that all across genres, you heard great music; no one sound held the crown, and it brought new fans to the table. I am excited to see more colabs between artists and across genres because most of the time they turn out pretty damn awesome. What does your 2025 music playlist look like? Drop it in the comments, and maybe show me a track or 4 I may have missed. Until then, happy New Year, and keep the volume LOUD.
