The Best Songs Released in January 2025

New year, new music! It’s also Grammy Sunday, anyone planning on watching?

Enjoy our first round-up post of 2025 – and be sure to follow our Spotify playlist that’s updated weekly HERE.

Noteworthy album and EP releases:
for your validation, Alessi Rose
Debí Tirar Más Fotos, Bad Bunny
FABLES, Banshee
Cecilia Castleman, Cecilia Castleman
DÍA, Ela Minus
Perverts, Ethel Cain
Cameraman, DWLLRS
Eusexua, FKA Twigs
Burnout Days, flipturn
Big After I Die, Charlie Houston
You Are The Morning, jasmine.4.t
NGL, JoJo
Violet, L.S. Dunes
Balloonerism, Mac Miller
I Can Change Your Mind, Maddie Jay
Bad News, Magana
dyed (2008 – 2023), The Maine
Act 4: Atonement, Mon Rovia
Louder, Please, Rose Gray
Acts of Faith, SAULT
Winner, Scout
I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 2), Teddy Swims
Slowly, It Dawns, Victoria Canal
Humanhood, The Weather Station
Hurry Up Tomorrow, The Weeknd
Spiral Your Way Out, zzzhara

In chronological order:

“DtMF” – Bad Bunny
Release date – January 5

Bad Bunny kicks off 2025 with “DtMF” (Debí Tirar Más Fotos) dominating the charts as the No. 1 song on Spotify both in the U.S. and globally. As the titular track from his latest album, the song encapsulates the project’s overarching theme: a heartfelt reflection on Puerto Rico, his roots, and the fleeting nature of time. Over a hypnotic reggaeton beat, Bad Bunny delivers lyrics drenched in nostalgia, lamenting the moments he wishes he had captured before they slipped away. The song’s melancholic yet infectious energy makes it a standout, striking a chord with fans who find themselves reflecting on their own memories and missed chances.

More than just a hit single, “DtMF” cements Bad Bunny’s evolution as an artist who seamlessly blends personal storytelling with the global appeal of Latin music. His ability to fuse traditional reggaeton with introspective lyricism has set him apart, and this track is no exception. Whether you’re drawn in by its hypnotic production or the wistful sentiment at its core, “DtMF” is a reminder of Bad Bunny’s power to make the personal feel universal. – Jesse

“T&A” – Blondshell
Release date – January 9

Self-described as an “accidental love story” in a press release, Sabrina Teitelbaum, aka Blondshell, has released her newest single “T&A,” a perfect representation of how a messy friendship can quickly shift into something romantic, despite it maybe not being the best idea. The lines blur from innocent friendship to something sexual, when “Having someone to call” turns into “But I started taking my shirt off,” as Blondshell sings in the opening verse of the track.

“I think in music, it’s easy to see things as either more sexualized or more romantic, and I wanted this to be both,” Teitelbaum explains in the same press release. “T&A,” a title taken from a line in a Rolling Stones song, plays on the trope of relationship dynamics that don’t really know what to be or how to act—a universally understood gray area that often manifests in complicated sexual and romantic relationships. – Kristin

“Girl Feels Good” – FKA Twigs
Release date – January 24

Following the release of FKA Twigs’ single, “Eusexua,” this past September, I was super intrigued for what was to come from the experimental artist. Her new album of the same name dropped a couple weeks ago, and it’s safe to say that it’s met expectations, receiving high praise from several music critics, as well as scoring a 9.1 from Pitchfork: a publication notorious for its forthright reviews.

After my first couple listens of the album, it was obvious that the second song, “Girl Feels Good” is the standout of the tracks: it’s sensual, fun, and mysterious: channeling Madonna and even Banks (I literally thought it was a cameo from her at 1:45 – listen and get back to me!) At the end of the day, when girls feel good, everyone feels good! – Kristin

“Fat, Juicy & Wet” – Sexyxy Red ft. Bruno Mars
Release date – January 24

Sexyy Red and Bruno Mars have delivered an early contender for the most unapologetically fun song of 2025 with “Fat Juicy & Wet,” a track as crass as it is undeniably catchy. The unexpected collaboration sees Sexyy Red doubling down on her signature playful, no-filter lyricism while Bruno Mars leans fully into the hedonistic charm that made him a global superstar. The beat is a slick blend of old-school funk and modern club-ready production, giving the song a bounce that makes it impossible to ignore. It’s raunchy, it’s ridiculous, and it’s the kind of track that you can’t help but put on repeat.

Adding to the chaos, the duo dropped a wild, star-studded music video co-directed by Bruno Mars himself, featuring surprise cameos from Lady Gaga and BLACKPINK’s Rosé. The visuals are as over-the-top as the song itself, packed with neon-soaked sets, absurd humor, and a wink-and-nod extravagance that only a Bruno Mars-helmed project could pull off. Love it or hate it, “Fat, Juicy & Wet” is a pure, unfiltered pop spectacle—one that’s bound to dominate playlists, memes, and dance floors for months to come. – Jesse

“Sports Car” – Tate McRae
Release date – January 24

As someone who considers themselves a Tate McRae fan from afar—meaning, I will always listen to her new singles but wouldn’t necessarily go see her in concert—I was super excited to hear her newest banger, “Sports Car,” after its major tease on TikTok. Working with major players in the studio like Julia Michaels, Ryan Tedder, and Amy Allen for several of her recent singles, McRae has claimed her well-deserved space in pop music: releasing songs that would be at home in the early aughts: Britney Spears, and Pussycat Dolls, and Nelly Furtado come to mind—and it does help that “Sports Car” definitely sounds like “Buttons,” and maybe even a hit of Ciara’s “Goodies,”—millennials will know).

If “Sports Car” is a testament to what’s to come from McRae’s new album, which drops on February 21, I’ll likely be having it on repeat. – Kristin

“4×4” – Travis Scott
Release date – January 24

Following the massive success of his Circus Maximus Tour—which featured 78 stops worldwide, a registered earthquake in Italy, and a record-breaking status as the highest-grossing solo rap tour in history—many fans speculated that Travis Scott would take time off, retreat to the studio, and re-emerge only when the moment felt right. With Utopia, his fourth studio album, still making waves, he had certainly earned a break.

Travis has long been secretive about his creative process, but he’s known for testing new material in real time. Whether at clubs, private events, or surprise appearances, he plays snippets of songs—not necessarily for feedback, but to gauge momentum. One track, in particular, sent social media off the deep end. Featuring a grand arrangement of horns and wind instruments, it sounded like a championship anthem—something fit for a Super Bowl victory parade. Fans immediately latched onto it, hunting for bootleg versions on YouTube and SoundCloud as Travis performed snippets in select venues.

Despite the growing hype, 4X4 remained unreleased and unfinished throughout 2024. But just as the buzz began to fade, and just when SoundCloud remixes had gotten the band almost right, Travis made an announcement: 4X4 would officially drop on January 24, 2025.

With echoes of “Find some fun” layered in the background and a marching band sample that sends chills down your spine, 4X4 felt like a return to Days Before Rodeo Travis. We all saw the potential in it from the ground up and wanted it to be the diamond that it was supposed to be. Through Scott’s collaborations and cultural influence, he continues to push his otherworldly sound to new heights—all while staying true to his roots. – Anthony   

“I Want You (Fever)” – Momma
Release date – January 29

I’ve randomly kept up with the indie band Momma for a couple years, hearing some of their music every now and then but never fully diving in. However, the release of their new single, “I Want You (Fever),” which comes ahead of their new album, Welcome to My Blue Sky, has absolutely hooked me as an artist to watch. Channeling indie darlings like Soccer Mommy and Slow Pulp, Momma walks the line between glimmery indie pop and alternative rock, reminding me of fictional bands like Josie and the Pussycats and Pink Slip (IYKYK).

“‘I Want You (Fever)’ is a song we wrote about wanting to be with someone who has a girlfriend, or someone who isn’t over their ex. It’s pining after someone, but there’s also some confidence knowing that that person wants to be with you,” the band explains in a press release. – Kristin

“Timeless” – The Weeknd
Release date – January 31

Note: this song was technically released last fall, but is arguably the best song off the new album, so we’re breaking our own rules by including it in this post.

As one of the standout tracks from his newly released album Hurry Up Tomorrow, “Timeless” feels like a culmination of themes he’s explored throughout his career—fame, love, regret, and the fleeting nature of existence. Over a haunting yet lush synth-driven production, Abel’s voice drips with both longing and resignation, making “Timeless” feel like a reflective moment in his ever-expanding narrative. It’s the kind of track that lingers, reinforcing his signature blend of glossy, larger-than-life aesthetics with deeply personal introspection.

What makes “Timeless” so significant is how it bridges past and future within The Weeknd’s evolving mythology. His music has long played with the duality of excess and emptiness, and here, he leans into that paradox more than ever, almost as if he’s reckoning with the weight of his legacy. Hurry Up Tomorrow as a whole feels like a turning point, and “Timeless” is its emotional core—suggesting that no matter how far he’s come, he’s still searching for something beyond the fame, the hedonism, and the neon-soaked fantasy he’s built. – Jesse 

Check out our monthly round-up posts HERE.