TopSongs2025

Dec 22 2025

Songs You May Have Missed in 2025

Yes, I listen to a ton of new music. And I talk about it here.

There was the Top 5 Songs post. And Songs 6-13. And Songs 14-20.

Plus there were the Next Big Things that I posited a guess about.

In any event, there’s likely something that I missed. Or a few somethings. Here goes…call this a bonus music post.

Wet Leg, “Catch These Fists”

This song that was number one on Sirius XMU’s year-end list but…

Music is subjective, the band is talented, but this song didn’t jump out to me. It’s solid, Top 40, you’ll probably still be hearing it in a couple years.

Alex G, “Afterlife”

This is simply a fun song. Great voice, great guitar.

Tame Impala, “End of Summer”

Tame Impala — the project of Australian Kevin Parker — has made other appearances on my year-end lists; “It Might Be Time” is one of those pandemic-era songs for me.

This one is quite good, and Tame Impala keeps launching new stuff, so that’s fun. Get yourself on the list for the Tame Impala 25th Anniversary Tour in 2032, as I’m sure they’ll still be at it.

CMAT, “Euro-Country”

I’m a big fan of Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, stage name “CMAT,” as evidenced by her appearance at number 3 on this year’s list with “The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station.”

“Euro-Country” shows her range as a musician. I’m in.

Geese, “Au Pays du Cocaine”

2025’s “It Band.” Whole album, Getting Killed, is excellent. Throw a dart and you find a good song. Here’s “Au Pays du Cocaine.”

Stay tuned, as I’m sure to share more in 2026.

Dec 12 2025

Every Year’s Top Song Since 2020

According to Dave, at least.

I’ve been blogging about all sorts of things for quite some time now, but the annual Top Songs list — which I’ve been doing both here and on Facebook and X — remains a personal favorite.

AND it’s fun to compare my lists to others, especially those who blog about music for a living.

In any event, let’s dive in with the top picks from each of the last six years; I’ll also rate each with “Staying Power” on a scale of 1 to 5; 5 means it still manages to maintain a certain level of coolness to me.

2020: The Districts, “Cheap Regrets”

Okay, I’m starting to think I’m the only one who has heard this song.

Not really, but, maybe the fact that this song’s video has only been viewed 195,000 times is telling me something.

Alas, Staying Power of 3/5. I still love it, and may still love it in a few years. But the rest of you have moved on (or never arrived in the first place).

2021: Glass Animals, “Space Ghost Coast to Coast”

Band: still at it. This song: still slaps. Staying Power: 5/5.

2022: Hemlocke Springs, “Girlfriend”

Turns out this song, which arrived near the end of 2022 and immediately shot up to the top of my list, launched a bit of a star. Staying Power Rating: 4/5.

2023: The Last Dinner Party, “Nothing Matters”

Yeah, considering the fact this band has gone beyond cult following, I’m giving this song a 5/5 for Staying Power.

2024: Mannequin Pussy, “Sometimes”

I listen to this song way too often. The band is cool enough to support Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age on next year’s tour.

Staying Power: 5/5.

2025: Preoccupations, “Ill at Ease”

I’d give this a 6/5 for Staying Power if I could. I can’t give it a rating, though, since it’s from this year.

But if I could will the band to visit Chicago again…

Dec 09 2025

Top Five Songs of 2025

Last week, we started the countdown. You can see Songs 20-14 here.

Then, yesterday, we gave you 13 on down to 6.

Now, it’s time for the Top 5 Songs of 2025. Let’s dive in!

5. Daffo, “Dagger Song”

I first heard this song in August on my way back from dropping a kid off at college. BUT, I had to…I had to search to find it. Like I couldn’t quite catch who the artist was and then had to listen to back episodes of The Download 15 on Sirius XMU.

But, I found it. And it entered heavy rotation for Dave, at least.

Daffo is the stage name for Gabi Gamberg and this song just hit me.

(I have found, FWIW, that The Download 15 often delivers songs that disappear from the playlists rather quickly. Not sure why this one didn’t get the staying power.)

4. Wunderhorse, “Rain”

Wunderhorse has been well-documented — not just by me; I did that here on my Substack — and they’re definitely going places. A trip to Lollapalooza underscored there otherworldly status.

Note that I’ll share a couple versions of this song below because they appear to be incredible live.

BUT how bout a bonus track, first? Here’s “The Rope.”

Here’s “Rain,” first live on Jimmy Kimmel.

AND, here’s the band Live at The Dublin Castle; shout out to the audio team, this is impeccable.

And, finally, the official audio from the band.

The song stuck with me all year. If you rank it first, I ain’t arguing with you.

3. CMAT, “The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station”

This one is 100% on Canadian Steve. I can’t thank him enough for it, either.

I talked about CMAT on this page last week and she definitely has that certain something about her.

What’s beautiful about this song is not JUST that it doesn’t make a heck of a lot of sense at first, but that CMAT tells you that it’s not making too much sense.

But it makes total sense: Why do we hate certain people? Why are some things so triggering?

CMAT asks the question. And tries to answer it. Flipping glorious. I dig.

2. Bar Italia, “Rooster”

We thank the YouTube algorithm for this song. You’ll notice the Bar Italia song “Fundraiser” made the Top 20 list (yesterday, ranking 12th). YouTube decided to introduce another Bar Italia song a month ago — YES, THAT RECENTLY — and I absolutely cannot get enough of it.

The video is actually nuts: Get a load of the guitarist deciding to stop pretending he was singing into a live mic. (My buddy Ken said that moment was both “unsettling and very cool.”)

Kicking myself for missing this band when they were nearby. Will make it a point to see them live in 2026, God willing.

It’s the second-best song I heard this year.

1. Preoccupations, “Ill at Ease”

This shall be no surprise to anyone who has followed my work this year.

I telegraphed this decision in July, when I launched The Saturday List; in the very first edition of said list I made a declaration:

I was right. “Rooster,” above, Number 2, came close.

Impeccably crafted song. Lead singer Matt Flegel has a really amazing voice and the lyrics are top notch. For instance:

Let’s carve ourselves a tiny space to live in
And mutually assure our self destruction
Cause all the things I love are things that kill me
And all the things I dread aren’t really there

Funny enough, I heard this song AFTER my post of possible Song of the Decade candidates for the 2020s; It has since moved to the top of my list for the decade. It’s. That. Good.

Behold, Dave’s Song of the Year for 2025: Preoccupations, “Ill at Ease.”

Thanks for reading. Seriously, it means a ton to me.

We’ll have some Honorable Mentions to share later this month. And we’ll return to other programming tomorrow.

Cheers!

Dec 08 2025

Top Songs of 2025, Part Two

We’re back! It’s Part Two, so today’s post goes from 13 down to 6. The Top Five will come tomorrow.

Let’s go!

13. Youth Lagoon, “Speed Freak”

If you’re wondering who or what a Youth Lagoon is (or are), here’s a primer from Wikipedia:

So that’s settled.

In any event, Youth Lagoon brings it with this song, which clocks in at 13.

12. Bar Italia, “Fundraiser

This song served as my introduction to the band Bar Italia.

It won’t be the first time you’ll see them in the countdown, as they are one of two acts with multiple appearances; they’re also one of two bands — see Witch Post, on last week’s first installment of Top Songs — that moves back and forth between male and female voices.

The video makes little sense, but the song is a banger.

11. Geese, “Taxes”

One of 2025’s “It Bands” is Geese. Part of the reason: front man Cameron Winter’s voice is unlike anything I’ve heard in quite some time.

And the lyrics? Way-too-Gen-X to be a band of kids in their 20s; angsty enough to get invited to sit in the driveway with me, pop open a lager, and yell at the kids to “get off my lawn.”

Below, the official video, and the band’s performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.