More Favorite Songs of 2025

  I recently listed my Top 10 Favorite Songs of 2025. Just for clarification let me explain that those songs all had to meet the eligibility for that list by reaching the Top 10 on the Billboard HOT 100 during 2025. I happen to be one of those people that believes that "It's not a hit until it's a hit on Billboard". Just in case you don't know, in order to reach the top of the Billboard HOT 100, a song must get the most sales, streams and radio airplay for any given week.

There were lots of other songs that I loved in 2025 that failed to make the top 10 on the Billboard HOT 100 singles chart. Here's a list of some of my other favorites in 2025. One thing that I can say about all of these songs is that it's a shame it didn't get more streams, sales and airplay to do better on the Billboard HOT 100 singles chart.

In the ideal world, great songs from Country, Pop, Dance and R and B would all find their way to the upper positions of the Billboard HOT 100.

Bad Dreams - Teddy Swims: With Lose Control refusing to leave the charts who would even know that Teddy Swims has LOTS of other great songs that are even better. Bad Dreams is just one example of the entertaining and diverse offerings waiting for fans on his albums.           

Up and Down - Chris Housman: Country music is best when it's telling real life stories that listeners can relate to. It doesn't get more real and more relatable than this completely accurate portrait of the world we are currently living in.           

Play This Song - Mariah Carey: She's got more weeks at #1 on the Billboard HOT 100 than any other artist and she's still serving the best there is. This duet with Anderson Paak is smooth R&B ear candy for enjoying on repeat.        

Warning Label - The Kentucky Gentlemen: These brothers have an amazing album that is ushering in the Rhinestone Revolution! Out and proud and offering music for dancing, crying and everything in between.          

Creme Brulee - David Archuleta: This American Idol 1st runner up is a whole new man now that he has come out as his true self. His music is showing the free spirit waving with pride. The video for this song is especially spectacular with its dance choreography that we all wish we had come up with.        

Hoedown - Ink: She's written songs for Beyonce on Cowboy Carter, but she saved this party anthem for herself. If this doesn't make you want to get up and join the line dancing fun then nothing will. 

Love In Real Life - Lizzo: Lizzo is such an amazing talent giving us this uplifting chorus that honors and respects the legends who paved the way and are no longer with us. The guitar riffs are reminiscent of Prince while the video pays tribute to Michael Jackson's Thriller.        

Giddy Up - Brooke Eden: The line dance just adds to the fun of listening to this great song. What an honor and a pleasure it was to be the "opening act" for Brooke at Market Days this year. She's an inspirational artist and genuinely kind person.         

Mystical Magical - Benson Boone: He can get physical, mystical magical physical and flip in his sequined jump suit all day every day performing this song. The fans will be there.         

Southern Spectacle - Adam Mac: This song is a celebration of queer country love and acceptance set to a catchy dance beat. It's nice to have it making our lives better and the world a better place.      

Top 10 Songs of 2025

 The Top 10 songs of 2025!!

2025 has been a great year for fun pop songs getting into the upper portion of the Billboard HOT 100 Singles chart but the biggest hits of 2024 stuck around for so long it made it hard for the new songs to break through. That being said, Here's my Top 10 favorite songs of the year:

Manchild - Sabrina Carpenter

Sabrina is the top spokesmodel for making pop music FUN again. Everything about this song is pure entertainment. The dance pop arrangement is a throwback to the carefree joy of the 1970's. The lyrics are hilarious and witty while all of it is sing-a-long catchy and joyful.         

APT.  - Bruno Mars and Rose

The title stands for "apartment" which also references a popular Korean drinking game adding a cultural context to the song, but all that really matters is that it was the best song for creating fun dancing videos on social media all year. Bruno Mars continues to prove himself as an unstoppable hit making machine and KPop is going to just keep getting bigger. 

Golden - HUNTR/X 

KPop Demon Hunters premiered on Netflix and exploded into a music/movie cultural phenomena unlike anything we've seen since Grease and Saturday Night Fever. Fans weren't just watching the movie over and over again, they were taking every song on the soundtrack up to the top of the charts. This is just the best of the best on this stellar musical movie experience.           

Love Me Not - Ravyn Lenae

It's so great to hear a catchy and soulful R&B song getting crossover mainstream acceptance. Just like all the biggest hits these days it grew from social media trends to heavy rotation on the radio.              

The Giver - Chappell Roan

She started the year winning the Grammy for Best New Artist and followed it up with this evidence that she is a truly authentic artist who will not be confined by boundaries. Her take on country music is refreshing, true to the genre while also being completely original.          

Anxiety - Doechii

Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye is a prominent sample in this song making it instantly familiar, but it's elevated into an all-new pop masterpiece with her skills, talent and captivating personality.           

Luther - Kendrick Lamar and SZA

The moment the song begins with the velvety vocals of Luther Vandross you know you're going to want to hear more. Kendrick and SZA add just enough of the present day to make relevant while we all know that the classic sample is the only reason we like it.       

Soda Pop - Saja Boys

These cute boy band singers and dancers have exactly what it takes to lure us in. It's so good we don't even want the KPop Demon Hunters to rescue us from their evil intentions.       

Daisies - Justin Bieber

This former teen star is already 31 and still able to deliver a catchy pop smash hit. He's a little more elusive as he gets older shying away from the spotlight, but the music is better anyway when you don't care anything about their personal life.      

Ordinary - Alex Warren 

This song just showed up on the charts out of nowhere and it's showing no signs of going away. Who knows, it may follow the long-charting trend of the 2024 songs and be one of the biggest songs of 2026.