2025 in Music: Jillian's Favorite Releases
- Jillian Cote
- Oct 8, 2025
- 21 min read
Updated: Dec 3, 2025
I LOVE music. Its ability to decorate space and invite movement so organically can only be described as a form of real magic.
I owe much of my music adoration to my parents, who would always have a radio turned up or CD on deck. I grew up in a family that celebrated The Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, Stone Temple Pilots, Madonna, Talking Heads, Duran Duran, Chaka Khan, Foo Fighters, Michael Jackson… the list goes on. Music has always been an ancestral pass-down, a ritual not limited to my own family but embedded in humanity's culture.
My preferences in music haven’t necessarily changed as I’ve grown older, but rather expanded. I’ve found joy in diving deeper, casting my net further, and finding old legends and new voices alike.
As 2025 reaches an end, I’ve taken a moment to reflect on my favorite releases of the year and share some of my top moments with the internet.
Digital Girl Living in a Digital World: Internet Echo Chambers
There’s no way around it — the way we shape culture, conversations, and even societal norms has become a product of the digital spaces we inhabit. Netizens now catch breaking news on their social feeds long before it hits a newspaper, and lose hours scrolling through 20-second, portrait-mode videos that blur the line between entertainment and identity.
Now, firmly rooted in a digital age that’s only expanded since the early-2000s internet boom, it’s natural that the art we create and consume mirrors this evolution — music included. Within my own online echo chambers there are a few artists in particular that lean into this motif at full force.
Brother-sister duo BETWEEN FRIENDS have always had a sense of the internet’s musical leanings, going all in with a genre they’ve labeled “laptop-dream pop” since their 2017 debut.
The band earned their first global hit with “affection” in 2018, a track that has now become a modern classic for the late 2010s bedroom indie pop revival. Seven years later, the duo continues to create with a digital indie sound, describing their newest project as a “mid-twenties existential crisis while having the time of our lives.”
WOW! is backed by an impressive team of producers including legend Max Martin. Thematically, this project encapsulates chaos, simplicity, and finding bliss in moments others may find mundane (see: “Parking lot”).
“American Bitch” led the singles rollout for this project, a relatively “stripped down” instrumental in comparison to the maximalist production of WOW!’s other tracks. The song’s lyrics read as a caricature of sorts for the all-American teen: cups of gin and sprite, ripped jeans, guns, and a “1999” necklace. Second to be released was “DJ”, an upbeat, synthesized going out anthem that any girl who’s used Snapchat to write out their song requests for the DJ can identify with.
Overall, WOW! is a cohesive front-to-back listen — a 35-minute immersion in sound that flows seamlessly from track to track. Its consistent tone and texture create a world of their own, echoing the internet’s messy, glittery indie sleaze era. It’s the kind of project that subconsciously earns a full listen, capturing the chaos and charm of an age defined by both irony and emotion.
Did I see this artist live this year? Yes! Took myself on a solo date in October to the Paradise Rock Club.
Since 2012, Singaporean artist Nat Ćmiel has created ambient and Asian post-pop works under the name yeule. Their sound is a melange of shoegaze, glitchcore, and 90s alternative, with heavily experimental works under their belt.
Within the world of the internet, yeule found smashing success in 2024 for their cover of Broken Social Scene’s 2003 song “Anthems For A Seventeen Year-Old Girl”. The cover was done for the film I Saw The TV Glow, a psychological horror drama that’s cited as an allegory for the transgender experience with the beginnings of a cult classic following.
Flash forward to 2025, and Evangelic Girl is a Gun is released, a 10-track album running just over 30 minutes. “Tequila Coma”, the intro track, is sultry and brooding with hazy vocals to set the foundation for the sonic approach of the album.
The titular track “Evangelic Girl is a Gun” mixes metallic sounds with muffled vocals and a deep bass line to seemingly convey feelings about being in the music industry with lyrics like “Legendary, oh, so sexy / Billboard up in London, honey / Pixel baby, ritually / Sacrificial blood industry”.
The rough, layered instrumentals paired with yeule’s dreamy soft vocals found in Evangelic Girl is a Gun made this album an exciting discovery for me in 2025.
Personal favorites from this album include “The Girl Who Sold Her Face”, “1967”, and “Eko”.
Did I see this artist live this year? No… I found out they were in town the same day as the concert! Next time.
You cannot talk about the current internet girl culture without talking about PinkPantheress. Since 2021, she has been curating the soundtrack for tuned-in gen-z bedroom hyperpop fans — if you somehow think you haven’t heard her music yet, scroll on your phone for a few more moments and you’ll find her.
PinkPantheress’s newest project, Fancy That, continues her viral legacy. If you’ve been online within the past few months, chances are you’ve seen videos of friends, strangers, celebrities, and the like all shaking hands to “Illegal”, one of the album’s leading singles that samples Underworld’s 1994 song "Dark & Long (Dark Train)". On TikTok alone, the song has been featured on over 1.3 million videos.
What makes PinkPantheress — and her music — so intriguing is her knowledge of culture and music at a fan level. With witty samples referencing y2k music moments on Fancy That as well as her general identification with fan pages, concert goers, and internet obsession, PinkPantheress’s music has worked so well so far because she is part of her own target audience.
As a fan of UK garage, early 2000s nostalgia, and girls simply having fun, Fancy That checks every box for me. PinkPantheress is able to fill the soundscape beautifully with instrumentals that are both fun and complex, creating an extremely danceable 20 minute experience.
Personal favorites from this album include “Girl Like Me”, “Stateside”, and “Tonight”.
Did I see this artist live this year? No… she needs to visit Boston (or I need to visit New York).
Additional Notable Releases in This Category
FKA Twigs — Eusexua (personal favorite: “Girl Feels Good”)
Addison Rae — Addison (personal favorite: “Fame is a Gun”)
Wisp — If Not Winter (personal favorite: “Sword”)
The Beaches — No Hard Feelings (personal favorite: “Dirty Laundry”)
A Decade Later: 2015 in 2025
As a dedicated tumblr blogger, YouTube watcher, and overall internet culture enjoyer throughout my middle school years (and beyond), the music scene of 2015 broke boundaries and introduced new worlds to me.
Think Twenty One Pilots’ Blurryface, the first album in the digital era to receive an RIAA Platinum certification for every one of its 14 songs, or Halsey’s Badlands, a debut studio album that defined gritty teenagehood from the inside. Projects like these brought the hidden parts of life to the forefront of pop culture conversations — mental health, insecurity, and how to stay authentic in a world where your future feels uncertain.
A decade later, certain corners of the internet have awakened to a collective nostalgia for what seems like a 2015 renaissance. Those who used to mourn the break up of My Chemical Romance are now witnessing a revival of the Black Parade through international tours. In the place of undefined hiatuses are weekly Dan and Phil videos. A broken up Panic! At the Disco promises to reunite at the When We Were Young festival. And the music releases of 2025 seem to follow suit.
If one artist’s sound could encapsulate the pure, awkward, self-defining moments of my middle school years, it would be Twenty One Pilots. Though time has inevitably moved forward, their music has remained a constant, ebbing and flowing with life changes, yet never truly leaving.
2024’s Clancy brought me back to the band in a full-circle manner — with the album’s release coinciding with my college graduation, it felt like a personal invitation for reflection on my road to where I am today. A little over a year later with their 2025 release Breach, it feels as if a chapter has finally been closed.
Breach opens with “City Walls”, a 5-minute track that ends a decade’s worth of storytelling lore, complete with a $1 million budget music video that screens like a sci-fi finale. Sonically starting out with a Red Hot Chili Peppers-esque baseline and echoey “oh-woah”s, much of “City Walls” is an ode to the band’s trajectory since 2009 if you know where to look.
Most clearly, the interpolation of their 2013 song “Holding Onto You” with the lyrics “entertain my faith” at the 4:08 mark taps into the recurring theme of cycles in mental health and beyond – nothing is ever over, the best we can do is try again.
This album isn’t for everyone — and that’s why it was so successful, landing the band their second #1 on the charts (with the first being Blurryface a decade ago, in true cyclical fashion).
While we watch the music industry become increasingly commercialized and populace pandering, Twenty One Pilots has remained in their niche since the start: odd, introspective, and endearingly cringe at times, with a fanbase that continued to identify with their fight.
Maintaining this deep relationship with their “clique” for over a decade has created loyalty and adoration on both ends — the band was able to create a lore-ending album that reads like a love letter to their fans, and the fans responded with overwhelming streams, sales, and support that brought the pilots back on top against all odds.
Personal favorites from this album include “One Way”, “Cottonwood”, and “Center Mass”.
Did I see this artist live this year? Yes! My 4th time seeing them, and it never gets old.
While not necessarily a completely “new” release, Halsey’s 10th anniversary edition release of Badlands intensified the eerily 2015-esque theme of 2025’s music releases for me.
Complete with the original tracklist, orchestral versions, demos, rarities, and remixes, Badlands (Decade Edition Anthology) brings old fans back to basement shows, internet blogs, and messy high school youth.
Badlands is the embodiment of being misunderstood at first but celebrated with time. While originally critically panned (see: a 4.9 from Pitchfork), the album has since evolved into the defining soundtrack for an entire generation and accompanying era. Its gritty instrumentals, atmospheric world building, and unfiltered lyrics — all crafted by a 20-year-old making her debut — show how music can both capture a moment in culture and remain timeless a decade later.
Personal favorites from this album include “Gasoline”, “Roman Holiday”, and “Young God”. The orchestral versions add a cinematic element to the songs that make them even more worthy of a film.
Did I see this artist live this year? Yes! Proud attendee of Back to the Badlands tour.
While Lorde’s 2013 debut puts her a bit before this theme, her impact on 2015 tumblr subculture, as well as her 2025 release, place her firmly within the requirements for this category.
2013’s Pure Heroine was a monumental breakthrough for any artist, let alone a 16-year-old from New Zealand. Her first album catapulted her into the limelight, becoming the anthem for the misunderstood teenage angst found online and beyond.
Now, over a decade later, Lorde continues to prove her inimitable impact on the music industry with her fourth studio album, Virgin. Instrumentally, this album returns to a synth-led sound, veering away from Solar Power’s organic psychedelic feel — but that’s not to say that Virgin doesn’t have a trippy flair of its own.
The true power of Virgin comes in its incredibly introspective lyrics. The storytelling is open, raw, and to the point with nothing to hide — lines like “Some days, I'm a woman, some days, I'm a man” from the opening track “Hammer” illustrate this well.
Conversations on gender expression, relationship with self, and understanding the past are all present throughout Virgin’s tracklist, leaving everything on the table.
Personal favorites from this album include “Favorite Daughter”, “David”, and “Broken Glass”.
Did I see this artist live this year? No… I lost the Ticketmaster war badly.
Additional Notable Releases in This Category
Hayley Williams — Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party (personal favorite: “Parachute”)
Sports — “If You Want Me” (single)
The Technicolors — Heavy Pulp (personal favorite: “I Miss My Friends”)
Balu Brigada — Portals (personal favorite: “Backseat”)
안녕하세요, K-Pop: Crossing Over to the International Stage
While one corner of the internet brought me the emo quartet, American Apparel, and The xx as a preteen, another corner introduced me to Jimin, Jackson Wang parties, and BIGBANG. Admittedly, I fell into the former corner more passionately, but I kept tabs on all internet culture pulses, K-pop included.
Now, in 2025, K-pop appears to be moving full throttle toward full Western integration. What once felt niche or difficult to digest has evolved into a global phenomenon driven by the international success of third-generation icons like BTS and BLACKPINK, as well as newer pop culture moments such as Netflix’s hit animation K-Pop Demon Hunters. The recent completion of BTS’s military service certainly helps as well.
As the genre seems to cement itself in the global mainstream, new releases and rising artists are showing just how expansive K-pop’s sound and storytelling can be.
2025 has been a monumental year for BLACKPINK. All four members have released solo projects, LISA landed a role on HBO’s The White Lotus, Rosé shattered records with Bruno Mars on their single “APT.”, and the group reunited for their new single “JUMP”, accompanied by a global stadium tour.
(For those wondering, my personal favorite from each solo project in no particular order: AMORTAGE — “Your Love”, Alter Ego — “Rockstar”, rosie — “3am”)
Within all of these moments, one release particularly stood out to me: JENNIE’s Ruby. While each member’s individual releases brought something different to the scene, Ruby brings cohesive movement, fun features (hello, Dua Lipa, Doechii, and Kali Uchis), and stunning instrumentals that make this album a front-to-back repeat for me (with the slight exception of “twin” — not quite my speed in comparison to the rest).
After “Intro : JANE”, a dreamy instrumental track featuring French multi-instrumentalist FKJ, we’re introduced to “Like JENNIE”, a bold, metallic instrumental with punchy lyrics that solidify her impact in the K-pop world and beyond, because truly: “Who else got 'em obsessed like JENNIE?”.
“With the IE (way up)” continues the tough girl persona developed in “Like JENNIE”, this time with a clever sample from Jennifer Lopez’s “Jenny from the Block”. Backed by this hip-hop interpolation, the lyrics express resilience in the face of scrutiny and continued success. Later on the tracklist, Ruby reaches a sonic magnum opus with “ZEN”, an expansive track with an imperial drum beat, atmospheric synths, and an electric breakdown.
Personal favorites from this album include “Seoul City”, “ZEN”, and “start a war”. South Korean DJ Peggy Gou’s remix of “Like JENNIE” is also a great listen.
Did I see this artist live this year? No… but I considered going to the Deadline tour.
Ha Soo-young, known as Yves, rose to prominence as a member of K-pop girl group LOONA, later debuting as a solo artist in 2024 following group contract complications with Blockberry Creative. Now under Paix Per Mil, Yves has released multiple EPs that have solidified her as one of K-pop’s most intriguing solo artists.
Soft Error is a six-song EP that proves quality is greater than quantity. Each track places her deeper into the world of computer electronic-pop, pulling from hyperpop references and building her own sound.
“Soap (feat. PinkPantheress)” stands out as a defining track on the album, weaving together the viral allure of PinkPantheress with a timely sample of Rebecca Black’s “Sugar Water Cyanide”. In doing so, it bridges eras of internet-born pop, amplifying the EP’s “glitchy internet girl” creative concept.
The first three tracks of the EP are upbeat and infectious, with fried guitar lines and computer beeps. Moving into the second half of the EP, there’s a clear energy change — “Do you feel it like i touch” performs this switch off perfectly. The track starts out simple and soft, gradually progressing into what sounds like a song caving into itself with a deep bass stutter and repeating vocals.
Personal favorites from this EP include “White Cat”, “Aibo (feat. Bratty)”, and “Do you feel it like i touch”.
Did I see this artist live this year? No… K-pop artists never come to Boston I fear (except TWICE).
In 2025, Big Hit Music, a subsidiary of HYBE Corporation, announced their newest boy group: CORTIS, a group of five set to follow in the footsteps of label mates TOMORROW X TOGETHER and BTS. While the latter of the three found themselves fighting tooth and nail in 2013 for recognition as they eventually rose to the top, CORTIS has something they didn’t — the ever-so-easily swayed world of social media.
Even prior to its release, a clip of “GO!” became an instant hit on platforms like TikTok with its infectious repetition and Cochise-inspired instrumentals (something you can dive deeper into with CORTIS’s documentary).
The second track, “What You Want”, pulls from an early 2000s garage rock sound, further painting the band as one defined by rambunctious teen boyhood. The song is paired with a Teezo Touchdown feature as a bonus on this EP, an impressive guest pull for a debuting group’s first release.
Perhaps the most outstanding part about this new release is the musical resumes of each member despite their young age. Martin Edwards, CORTIS’s leader, was born in 2008 — prior to his group debut, he has been credited with producing efforts for groups including ILLIT, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, ENHYPEN, and LE SSERAFIM.
All five members are well versed in production and songwriting, proving for an incredibly talented young group with much promise on the horizon.
Personal favorites from this EP include “GO!”, “What You Want”, and “JoyRide”.
Did I see this artist live this year? No… they JUST debuted.
Additional Notable Releases in This Category
Balming Tiger — “Wash Away” (single)
TWICE — THIS IS FOR (personal favorite: THIS IS FOR)
LE SSERAFIM — HOT (personal favorite: “Come Over” )
Under 500k: The Next Indie Hits
As much as I love pop music and the spectacle of stadium stars, discovering emerging artists with distinct sounds has become something of a personal sport. Whether through opening acts, Spotify’s Discover Weekly, or the playlist songs that surface once my picks fade out, there’s always something — or someone — new to uncover.
In an era where a single viral moment can propel an artist to instant recognition, there’s never been a more discoverable time for those who know how to play their cards right.
One listen to “Cross The Street” and you would think Junior Varsity is an established indie pop band with a few film soundtrack features under their belt. However, this trio bubbles just under 500k monthly listeners (but is rising day by day — from the moment I wrote this to now, it went up 60k). If I were to bet, I’d say their most recent EP could raise that number by a few 0s.
My Star is the final installment of a three-piece EP trilogy before the band embarks on the journey of creating their first full album. Originally a duo, Greg Varteresian and Zach Michel added Brooke Danaher to the team in 2024. Her vocals blend magically with Varteresian’s, acting as the missing piece for this third installment.
While much of this album has an upbeat indie-pop feel, “My Star” slows the pace down for a moment, allowing Danaher to show off breathy, soft vocals. Lyrics that waver in between singing and conversation play atop a minimalist instrumental led by a simple drumbeat and xylophone melody.
This past September, I had the opportunity to experience My Star in person at Junior Varsity’s show, held at The Rockwell in Somerville, Massachusetts. While the songs had already gone gold in my apartment, the band’s live performance brought them to platinum level — their energy, crowd interaction, and live sound genuinely made it one of my favorite live music experiences to date.
Personal favorites from this EP include “New York”, “Give My Heart”, and “I’m Not Crazy”.
Did I see this artist live this year? Yes! And they made me a lifelong fan.
Similarly to my experience with Junior Varsity, my first listen of “Truth Before Dare” had me thinking that Deep Thrills was a cutting edge producer-musician who already had a new wave following — that is, until I commented on his TikTok, he responded to me, and I saw that he had 4,503 followers.
This isn’t Matan KG’s first project — he’s released indie pop under the name Paper Idol since 2018. Deep Thrills presents a more unhinged side to his musical leanings with an electroclash focus in his sound.
Deep Thrills’ energy comes from a sense of purpose: in his own words, “music tamed out in the mid-2010s, then covid shut everything down, and now everyone wants to feel something again”. All five tracks on How Deep Is Your Thrill? invite listeners to dance, be it in an underground club setting or alone in your apartment.
Midway through the album we’re met with “Climax”, a track that almost wouldn’t sound out of place on Daft Punk’s Tron: Legacy soundtrack. Experience-wise, the song is exactly as its title suggests — a continuous buildup with layered sounds and hypnotic repeating vocals.
A few internet haters might hit Deep Thrills with “ The Dare wannabe”, or “LCD copy” — and to that, I say, who cares? Indie sleaze, hyperpop, and experimental house are finally experiencing a resurrection to a certain degree, and artists like Deep Thrills are partly responsible. When did we start policing genres and stop dancing to a fun beat?
Personal favorites from this EP include “She’s ON!”, “Sofa”, and “Truth Before Dare”.
Did I see this artist live this year? No… but I nearly considered traveling to New York for him.
Double Standard — Double Standard
I was introduced to Double Standard via the modern niche subculture account @girlscarryingshit, who shared “To Maine” to their Instagram story, the band’s latest single at the time. I was immediately hooked — who says influencers don’t influence anymore?
This 5-piece band refers to themselves as “a couple of young 20-something people on the cusp of not quite adulthood but something quite close”, and their music reflects that beautifully — with a classic indie rock sound, honest lyrics, and a bone to pick with the music industry, Double Standard is FUN.
The band’s first single, “Crush”, pulls from sounds of ’80s romantic comedies and garage shows with strong vocals from lead singer Lydia Eberling. “Bushwick K-hole (Better Than You)” completes their EP with a strong bass line and lyrical humor that only a band of musicians in their 20s could come up with.
With their first EP alone, Double Standard has gained traction, growing from 8k to 45k monthly listeners since I first stumbled upon their music. Looking into the future, the band has multiple opening gigs on the horizon and a great home base in New York City — both great ingredients for continued success.
Personal favorites from this EP include “To Maine”, “Sweat”, and “nvr c u again”.
Did I see this artist live this year? No… but hoping to see them soon.
Additional Notable Releases in This Category
Esme Emerson — Applesauce (personal favorite: “Yard”)
Sunday (1994) — Devotion (personal favorite: “Rain”)
Lucky Dog — “Papertiger” (single)
Bring Back Dancing, Jazz, & Funk: Multifaceted Hip-Hop & Rap
Rap and hip-hop have always been, and continue to be, a breeding ground for creating new sounds and innovating cultural foresight. Now more than ever, it’s important to tap into these boundary-pushing sounds.
This year, we’ve seen a return to roots with a new lens. After years of isolation and introspection, artists are asking us to dance and feel music physically again. They’re reviving the spirit of jazz, reimagining classic instrumentals, and reminding us that progress and tradition don’t compete, they converse.
After dropping DON’T TAP THE GLASS, Tyler, The Creator made his wishes clear: “This album was not made for sitting still. Dancing, driving, running, any type of movement is recommended to maybe understand the spirit of it. Only at full volume.”
This album was created with one purpose — to get the masses dancing again without fear of looking stupid. As someone who lives for dancing alone in my apartment, jumping up and down in concert halls, and turning the car radio up to top volume, it’s a message I can wholeheartedly get behind.
“Big Poe (feat. Sk8brd)” opens with 3 clear rules to triple down on his intentions: “Number one, body movement / No sitting still / Number two, only speak in glory / Leave your baggage at home / Number three, don't tap the glass”. These rules are followed by a 90s-esque hip-hop beat, later amplified by the sample of Busta Rhymes’ song “Pass The Courvoisier Part II” and a Pharrell Williams feature.
The clear gem of this album is “Sugar On My Tongue” with its infectious beat and extremely danceable chorus climax (no pun intended…). The general public clearly agrees, seeing that within the past few weeks it’s become pop radio’s most added song. Tyler wanted to create an album that inspired movement, and if this beat doesn’t have you at least tapping your toes or nodding your head, you may be a lost cause.
Personal favorites from this album include “I’ll Take Care of You (feat. Yebba)”, “Ring Ring Ring”, and “Sugar On My Tongue”.
Did I see this artist live this year? No… and don’t talk to me about the Boston Converse pop-up show fiasco.
I’ll take any chance I can to talk about women in the rap and hip-hop spheres when the opportunity arises (see Megan Thee Stallion in additional notable releases below). In a historically male-dominated genre, the sounds and stories of women in hip-hop are so exciting, especially when it’s as unique as Little Simz.
This album, and particularly the opening track “Thief”, is extremely personal for Little Simz — earlier this year, she sued her former producer and childhood friend for reportedly failing to repay a £1.7 million loan. In the wake of personal and professional ties being severed, Lotus provides a creative outlet for her storytelling.
Instrumentally, Lotus jumps from sound to sound while still remaining cohesive. There’s notes of jazz, rock, R&B, and even a tiny bit of bluegrass flair in guitar riffs like the ones heard in “Lion”.
Emotion seeps through every aspect of Little Simz’s sonic landscape. In the leading single “Flood”, a deep bass line thrums in tune with rumbling vocals that display anger, calculation, and experience as the lyrics state lessons she’s learned, including “Number one is play your position / Don't trust all the hands that you shake”.
But revenge isn’t the only theme of Lotus — ultimately, the flower itself represents spiritual awakening and resilience, concepts touched upon in tracks like “Peace” with lyrics that share “She thinks about where she begun / And what it takes (I've got to find some peace of mind)”.
Did I see this artist live this year? No… had the Balu Brigada concert the same day!
“Super Bounce” and “MICHUUL.” were two of my top dance tracks in my high school years. So, while I haven’t watched his artist trajectory too closely since then, when I saw a new release from Duckwrth this year, I had to tune in.
Structure-wise, All American F*ckboy is broken up into three “chapters”, with skit tracks featuring LaKeith Stanfield to signify each shift. The chapter method works particularly well here when Duckwrth himself states that “this album is the rawest, most honest reflection of who I was, and who I am… [it] isn’t just music — it’s my story, my therapy, and hopefully a piece of me that connects with you.”
With this in mind, it’s best to listen to All American F*ckboy as an audible diary — mania, ego, love, destruction, and confrontation are all explored within 21 tracks. “Toxic Romantic” is an example of this, with a blown-out bass line that blares while relationship troubles are hashed out and a final verdict states that he very well might be the problem.
The strength of this album is less in the lyricism and more in the production. The beats are by and large fun, the funk influence provides a through line in his sound, and the loud roughness of some standout tracks add to the jagged character portrayal he’s trying to get across.
Personal favorites from this album include “Escapist”, “Had Enough”, and “I’m Really Changing”.
Did I see this artist live this year? No… but he did play Brighton Music Hall in Boston!
Additional Notable Releases in This Category
Clipse — Let God Sort Em Out (personal favorite: “E.B.I.T.A.”)
Playboi Carti — MUSIC (personal favorite: “I SEEEEEE YOU BABY BOI”)
JT — "Girls Gone Wild" (single)
Megan Thee Stallion — “Whenever” (single)
What to Expect in 2026 (Or… What I Want)
In an increasingly commercialized world where capital is (unfortunately) king, I’d love nothing more than for artists to look inward and create music for themselves and for their fans, not for social media bites and digital streams. What music of any genre boils down to is art and expression, and when that’s stripped away by greed… what’s left?
We’ve seen the power behind taking this authentic approach with Twenty One Pilots’ Breach and Tyler, The Creator’s DON’T TAP THE GLASS — clearly, their risk paired with their understanding of their fans made way for high reward.
In the next year, I’m also expecting/hoping to see an increased blur of genre lines. When people experiment and go into new sounds, we’re given new perspectives and exciting new discussions that fuel further creativity. Refer to Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, or even going back as far as Taylor Swift’s 1989.
Beyond crossing genre lines, I think we’ll also see more international collaborations in 2026. The internet has allowed us to create a more homogenous pop culture foundation (for better or worse), meaning that artists from foreign countries can be just as accessible in any other location. We know that K-pop has already started this trend — just look at Jung Kook and Latto’s record breaking single “Seven”.
All in all, the stage is set: Bad Bunny is performing for the NFL Super Bowl halftime show, BTS is teasing a new album, Rosalía is back in the studio, Tyla is still experiencing international recognition for a 2023 hit, EXO is planning a full reunion, and half of Coachella’s lineup is from outside of the U.S.
Overall, I’m not asking or hoping for anything other than authenticity, experimentation, and innovation from music in 2026. I want to hear my current favorite artists explore deeper into the niche they’ve created for themselves (or venture outside of it if they’d like!), and I want to find new artists who push the boundaries of what music can be. Looking forward to what the new year brings!
Comments