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. 

Top 10 Songs of 2020

 The Top 10 songs of 2020!!

2020 has been a great year for fun pop songs getting into the upper portion of the Billboard HOT 100 Singles chart. Here's my Top 10 favorite songs of the year:

Watermelon Sugar - Harry Styles

There was only one direction this song was going in the first time I heard it. Such a sweet and delicious pop confection destined to be my number one favorite song of the year.      

Don't Start Now - Dua Lipa

She followed up winning the Grammy for Best New Artist with a sophomore album full of the best dance beats, catchy hooks and amazing vocals of the year.  

Rain On Me - Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga 

Ariana Grande has been an unstopable force in pop music and in 2020 she was bigger than ever. She teamed up with Lady Gaga for this high energy dance jam that was another debut at #1 on the Billboard HOT 100.       

Blinding Lights - The Weeknd

He took a riff that sounds like it's right out of the 80's smash hit Take On Me by A-Ha and made it into the most inescapable song on the airwaves. It's so good you never get sick of it.         

I Hope - Gabby Barrett

American Idol is still finding the hit makers after all these years. Gabby was the 2nd runner up a couple of years ago and here she his having the biggest song of the year on Country Music radio and crossing over on to the pop charts.        

Say So - Doja Cat

I am still learning who this girl is, where she came from and what her name means. But what I do know for sure is that her song is pure pop music toe tapping pleasure.         

Stuck With You - Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber

When the stay at home orders went from lasting weeks to months Ariana Grande teamed up with Justin Bieber with this catchy ballad making the best of the situation and celebrating how nice it can be to be stuck with the one we love. And it was another #1 debut for the pop princess with the golden touch.       

Adore You - Harry Styles

It was wonderful to see Harry come into his own this year delivering great music and embracing his beautiful gender fluid identity. Adorable all around.   

Dynamite - BTS 

This K-Pop super group has been around for a few years now, but they finally offered the most perfect dance pop hit that is boy band magic taking a page right out of the Michael Jackson playbook.       

Positions - Ariana Grande

Whatever she touched this year was going to debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. She knows her way around a catchy hook and she pairs it with the best visuals. This one allowed us to envision a future Presidential Administration that ir young, diverse and has a great sense of style!!! 

2017 Year End Charts

The #1 album on the Billboard charts for all of 2017 is DAMN by Kendrick Lamar.

It was a slow year on all of the charts for the American Idol finalists in 2017. There isn't a single one of them who had an album rank in the Top 200 Albums for the year.

Over on the Top Country Albums chart for 2017 at least the Supreme Miss American Idol, Season Four Winner Carrie Underwood had her Storyteller land at #40 for the year while Greatest Hits: Decade #1 is at #35.  

The Top 5 singles for 2017 on the Billboard HOT 100 are: #1 Shape of You by Ed Sheeran, #2 Despacito by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber, #3 That's What I Like by Bruno Mars, #4 Humble by Kendrick Lamar and at #5 Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay.

There was only one Miss American Idol finalist who managed to squeeze her way on to the 2017 Top Billboard HOT 100 hits of the year. Coming in at #100 is The Fighter by Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood.

Over on the Billboard 2016 Top Country Artists of the Year chart the Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood, can be found at #23.

2016 Year End Charts

The #1 album on the Billboard charts for all of 2016 is 25 by Adele.

There was only one Miss American Idol finalist who made an impact on the 2016 year end charts. It's no surprise at it is The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood.  The latest release from Carrie Underwood, Storyteller, finishes out the year at #36. She also comes in strong ranking at #98 with her Greatest Hits: Decade #1.

Over on the Top Country Albums chart for 2016 Storyteller lands at #4 for the year while Greatest Hits: Decade #1 is at #25.  

The Top 5 singles for 2016 on the Billboard HOT 100 are: #1 Love Yourself by Justin Bieber, #2 Sorry by Justin Bieber, #3 One Dance by Drake, WizKid and Kyla, #4 Work by Rihanna and Drake and at #5 Stressed Out by 21 Pilots.

There weren't any Miss American Idol finalists who were able to make a showing on the 2016 Top Billboard HOT 100 hits of the year.

Over on the Billboard 2016 Top Artists of the Year chart the Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood, can be found at #29. If you only look at the Top Female Artists of 2016 she ends up at #9. And if we look at the Top Country Artists of 2016 Carrie Underwood comes in at #5.

The Top 10 Songs of 2015

The Top 10 songs of 2015!!
2015 has been a great year for fun pop songs getting into the upper portion of the Billboard HOT 100 Singles chart. Here's my Top 10 favorite songs of the year:

Shut Up And Dance - WALK THE MOON

When you are teaching people to dance there's a saying that goes, "less talking, more dancing". Why just stand around listening when you can take what you have learned and put it into action! This song brings that saying to life in the most wonderful way! Perfect for dancing a hustle.     

Focus - Ariana Grande

This first single from her third album is continuing her streak of delivering catchy hooks, great beats and powerhouse vocals. Ariana sure looks great doing it as well. Perfect for dancing a samba. 

Ex's and Oh's - Elle King

This song has a great beat, fun and sexy lyrics and who would have thought it would come from Rob Schneider's daughter??!!! Perfect for dancing an east coast swing.   

Can't Feel My Face - The Weeknd

This song sounds like it could be from a 1978 Steve Miller Band album, and that's a very good thing! Too bad the rest the "music" from The Weeknd is so unbearably awful. And things were looking so promising on his collaboration with Ariana Grande, Love Me Harder. He should have quit while he was ahead.   

Drag Me Down - One Direction

I don't care if the group has broken up or is taking a break. I am just happy to have all of the great pop songs they have given us!    

Cheerleader - OMI

The summer was filled with the tropical sounds of trumpets playing over a conga beat thanks to this refreshing song. And as a former cheerleader there is no way I could resist it!   

Lay Me Down - Sam Smith and John Legend

Of course something very good was going to result from John Legend, the Grammy winner for Best New Artist in 2005 teaming up with Sam Smith who won the Grammy for Best New Artist in 2014. This ballad is heartfelt and captivating and their voices sound amazing and pure.   

Hello - Adele

Q: Why did Adele cross the road? A: To say Hello from the other side!!!! And she came back to say it after being away for a few years with this outstanding song.   

Uptown Funk - Bruno Mars

Quite simply everything all in one place to satisfy the masses. Perfect for dancing a cha cha.  

What Do You Mean - Justin Bieber

Just forget how much you can't stand Justin Bieber and enjoy a very good pop song. Perfect for dancing a cha cha.

Artists of the Year - Usher

Usher:

Some would say that Usher peaked in 2004-2005. Back then he had a multi-platinum album with a string of huge #1 hits on the Billboard HOT 100, but I never really liked any of those songs all that much.

He started out 2010 releasing a couple of singles from his upcoming new CD Raymond Vs. Raymond, and once again they weren't really impressing me. But then, he appeared on American Idol to mentor the Season 9 finalists and he performed his single, OMG. Now he finally had my attention. This song had a great beat and energy like he has never shown before. OMG skyrocketed to #1 after this appearance and he released an equally high quality next single in DJ Got Us Falling In Love.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RnPB76mjxI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-dvTjK_07c

But it wasn't just his own career that he kicked into high gear in 2010. Usher is also the mastermind behind the success of teen idol, Justin Bieber! He literally ushered his young discovery and himself to huge success in 2010 and it was all pretty great.

Artists of the Year - Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber:

Yes, that's right. I am living in the real world and I see no point in denying that 2010 was the year of the Bieber Fever epidemic. Just stating the facts here - his two albums: My World and My World 2.0 were huge sellers - he swept the American Music Awards which are voted on by the fans taking 4 awards including Favorite Artist of the Year and he even got two Grammy nominations which are voted on by an Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences big wigs. He is up for the Grammy for Best New Artist.

The music snobs can't stand him, but the fans can't get enough of him. In my expert musical opinion, I think the songs are fun and catchy so I have nothing to complain about. That being said, I can also acknowledge that his success is due in large part to contributions from many talented musical collaborators. He hasn't actually had a big solo hit. He also has not had a song that reached the #1 position on the Billboard HOT 100. His biggest hit, Baby, managed to get into the top 10 and it featured a guest rap with Ludacris. Other hits that failed to make the top 10 are Eenie Meenie which is a duet with Sean Kingston (who had one of my favorite hits of 2009 in Fire Burnin) and Somebody To Love which didn't become a hit until a remix was released as a duet with Usher.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kffacxfA7G4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prmmCg5bKxA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOI4OF7iIr4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkyhvCdJ_vM

So Justin may have gotten a lot of help in 2010, but the songs were good and he deserves some recognition as one of the Artists of the Year.

The Top 10 songs of 2010!

2010 has been a great year for fun pop songs and here's the Top 10 of the year:

Teenage Dream - Katy Perry: No other song this year embodied the vibrant thrill of being young and in love than the title track from Katy's latest album. Not only that, but it reached the broader audience of older listeners making them feel young again. Then, this amazing song was used in an episode of Glee and it was elevated to an even higher place of significance in all of our hearts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98WtmW-lfeE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E46BhMIRujI

Whataya Want From Me - Adam Lambert: The Season 8 Miss American Idol 1st Runner Up released a fantastic collection of songs on his debut release For Your Entertainment and was asked to be a mentor to the Season 9 finalists. They were a very dreary group, but even Adam's dynamic range and performance style couldn't get them out of their doldrums. When he performed this second single from his album on the show it leaped into the Billboard HOT 100 Top 10 singles chart. This song is the perfect response to how the media loves to scrutinize his free spirited personality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1Fqn9du7xo

Break Your Heart - Taio Cruz: 2010 was getting off to a very boring start in the first three months of the year and that all changed when Taio Cruz released his debut single. This song can take credit for the sudden turn around making the radio fun to listen to again. It lead the charge of the club friendly dance beats that came to dominate the rest of the year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_SI2EDM6Lo

Only Girl In The World - Rihanna: Her dismal release Rated R is responsible in large part to what was making radio so boring in the first part of the year. Rihanna clearly wanted everyone to be in just as bad a mood as she was, but thankfully the first single from the album Loud turned all of that around. This song is a joyous anthem that demands your attention and you feel fantastic with no regrets afterward.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa14VNsdSYM

OMG - Usher: As one of the biggest artists of the decade, Usher was never one to be a follower, but this year he could have been accused of jumping on the club dance beat bandwagon. The fact is that while this song is very danceable, it is nothing like the generic throb found in other songs. He is continuing to be an innovator releasing the most entertaining and enjoyable single of his career. Usher was also a mentor on American Idol this season and his appearance helped catapult this song to the #1 position on the Billboard HOT 100.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RnPB76mjxI

Nothin' On You - B.o.B. / Bruno Mars: When you pair two completely new artists together the odds of having a hit are slim to none, but when the song is this catchy it becomes impossible to ignore.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PTDv_szmL0

I Like It - Enrique Iglesias: Everything about this song from it's strange Lionel Richie tribute to the fact that it's by Enrique Iglesias, who has never put out anything all that great, made me think this was just a throwaway track. Even the inclusion of the horrible Jersey Shore cast in the video couldn't stop me from admitting that yes, Baby - I LIKE IT! It's a completely feel good and fun jam every time you hear it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X0QzUdjhIg

Cooler Than Me - Mike Posner: Here's another unknown artist who managed to find the perfect song to introduce him to the public. It's completely infectious and who can't relate to the lyrics?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqWq_48LxWQ

Just The Way You Are - Bruno Mars: After the success of his smooth vocals on Nothin On You, Bruno was primed and ready to have a huge solo hit and it came in the form of this toe tapper. Once again, just like with Teenage Dream, while it was still at the top of the charts, the cast of Glee injected some more life into an already amazing smash.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjhCEhWiKXk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttwW7y1x1rk

Baby - Justin Bieber: Every generation needs to have their teen idols and in 2010 they were all catching Bieber Fever. This was his biggest hit and it is well crafted to have all the ingredients of young love and innocence to appeal to exactly who it's supposed to, teenage girls and me. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kffacxfA7G4

The Results - Judges Choice

Perez Hilton found a video of Travis Garland online one day and now here he is performing on the American Idol stage in front of millions of people. Perez says Travis is better than Justin Timberlake, but with only his new single Believe to judge by, he's just OK. This song may grow on us over time, but it didn't make an immediate WOW impact. This really is the true test of the American Idol bump. The world will be watching the sales and airplay charts closely...

The top three finalists all get the chance of a lifetime to go back to their hometown and get treated like a rock star. They have the police stop traffic for them, stadiums filled for them and they get to perform for thousands of fans screaming for them. It's an emotional ride that will be coming to an end for one of them tonight...

Justin Bieber is a baby-faced Canadian teen idol and at just 16 years old he has scored a nomination for a 2010 Black Entertainment Television award. He's up for Best New Artist and tonight he took the American Idol stage to show off his R&B musical style. His songs are very fun and catchy and he's sure to be riding high at the top of the charts for a long time to come.

Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox will be competing next week in the finals leaving Casey James to finally be sent home for good.