If you’re reading this, it’s likely already June 2025, which means we’re quickly approaching the midway point of the year. I don’t know about you, but it feels like I blinked and it went from January to June, which is a sentiment I mention quite often in this points, but it feels even more intense as we approach the official second half of 2025, which means our “Best Of The Year—So Far” post is coming soon…
Noteworthy album & EP releases:
Natural Causes, Adult Mom
21st Century Fiction, The Amazons
he’s just not that into you!, Amelia Moore
13 Months Of Sunshine, Aminé
Pink Elephant, Arcade Fire
let go letters, Avery Anna
If You Asked For A Picture, Blondshell
JIMMY, Briston Maroney
The Scholars, Car Seat Headrest
The Hours: Morning, Cautious Clay
caroline 2, caroline
Alē, Chezile
don’t hold me accountable, Cil
Happy To Be Here, Dexter and The Moonrocks
the devil on my bra strap, EMELINE
Lifetime, Erika de Casier
Aperture, The Head and The Heart
Nickel on the Fountain Floor, illuminati hotties
JVC, Jack Van Cleaf
Music For People Who Believe In Love, Joe Jonas
Second Self, Julia Michaels
Pressure, Julia Wolf
Sincerely, Kali Uchis
Cruel Joke, Ken Pomeroy
I’M A HURRICANE I’M A WOMAN IN LOVE, Låpsley
A6, Lights
Lucius, Lucius
D R E A M S I C L E, Maren Morris
Hers, Matt Maltese
Animaru, Mei Semones
Equus Caballus, Men I Trust
Something Beautiful, Miley Cyrus
Get Sunk, Matt Berninger
Plæygirl, MØ
Hope We Have Fun, Mt. Joy
A Minute, A Moment, Myles Smith
The Only Love We Know, Naomi Sharon
Magpie (Expansion Pack), Peach Pit
LETHAL, Rico Nasty
Boys These Days, Sports Team
I Got Too Sad For My Friends, Shura
If That Makes Sense, Spacey Jane
Devotion, Sunday (1994)
Evangelic Girl is a Gun, yeule
Inertia, Toledo
Better Dreaming, Tune-yards
In chronological order:
“Woman Like That” – Låpsley
Release date – May 2
I first discovered English musican Låpsley back in 2016 with her debut album Long Way Home, a pop album with electronic infusion that reminded me of artists like James Blake, MUNA, and The Japanese House. Låpsley, who later toured in the US and debuted at Lollapalooza Chicago, stalled a bit in her career: not releasing another project until 2020, which unfortunately came out right when the world was shutting down.
I’ve managed to follow her career ever since, really falling back into her music with the 2023 release Cautionary Tales of Youth, which deserved more flowers. I’m hoping to see some hype around her newest project, I’M A HURRICANE I’M A WOMAN IN LOVE, which features “Woman Like That,” a song that instantly stood out to me as soon as I heard it. It’s unabashedly feminine, powerful, and unapologetic: themes that I find ti summarize the album as a whole. And that’s not surprising to me, considering that Låpsley has been dropped by not one, but two labels throughout the course of her career, ultimately leading her to release this album independently through Her Own Recordings. If that’s not something to root for, I don’t know what is. – Kristin
“cry in the car” – Maren Morris
Release date – May 8
I haven’t really dived into Maren Morris’ discography outside of knowing the big songs, i.e. “The Middle” and “The Bones,” but decided to give her newest album, D R E A M S I C L E a try after seeing her land on this year’s Austin City Limits Lineup (which I’m hoping to attend) and was thinking she’d be someone fun and different to see live.
I’m still not entirely convinced to move from casual listener to fan after hearing the project just yet, but I know one thing is for sure: the song “cry in the car” is an absolute banger. After feeling somewhat indifferent from the first tracks off the album (“cry in the car” is track three), I knew after the first minute that this was a standout off the album. So as I do, I checked out the credits of the song and was happy to see that it was co-written by Josette Maskin and Naomi McPherson, two of the three members of Staged Haze faves, MUNA—also produced by McPherson, with additional lyrics from Morris and Tobias Jesso Jr. (who has a lengthy list of songwriting credits with artists like Harry Styles, HAIM, and Adele—to name just a few).
Coincidentally, I recently saw that Morris was a subject on Billboard’s ‘Greatest Pop Stars Podcast’ and the title posed the question “Is Maren Morris a Pop Star?” Well, if she keeps working with these collaborators, I think the answer will be a resounding “yes” in no time. – Kristin
“Sue Me” – Audrey Hobert
Release date – May 9
Audrey Hobert first caught people’s attention as Gracie Abrams’ best friend and frequent co-writer, having worked on much of Abrams’ latest album The Secret of Us. She has even joined Gracie on stage to perform “That’s So True,” a track that immediately felt like it belonged to the two of them—not just musically, but emotionally. Their friendship, often shared on Gracie’s socials, made the song feel like a heartfelt snapshot of their bond. And yes, Audrey happens to be the sister of recent breakout Malcolm Todd, but that’s beside the point. What matters now is that Audrey has officially stepped into the spotlight with her debut solo single— and people are obsessed.
By “people,” I mostly mean TikTok—but for good reason: the song is so good. Produced by Ricky Gourmet (best known for his work with Finneas), it hits every mark of what makes a great pop song. The hook—“Sue me, I wanna be wanted”
—is already an iconic lyric, but nearly every line in the song is just as sharp. The one currently dancing around in my head? “And I’m sorry that your dog died, sorry that I’m like your dream bride.” The music video is just as captivating, featuring Ricky himself alongside a classroom clown, with Audrey dancing through school hallways, her bedroom, and a surreal classroom scene. You can’t really keep your eyes off her—she’s magnetic. She’s said this is just the beginning, and I can’t wait to see what’s next. – Jesse
“Pie In The Sky” – Post Animal
Release date – May 15th
If Djo’s The Crux is my album of the year, I guess it makes sense that Post Animal’s upcoming project Iron is also creeping its way up to the top with each single released. “Pie In The Sky” in particular seems closest to my favorite songs from Joe Keery’s newest album, with its vintage-y guitars and melody that make you want to go on an everlasting road trip. The lyrics are simple and cute, but the instrumental bridge is what I think makes the difference; each member of the band gets to shine and show the magical composition they are able to build off of each other.
Preparing for their North American tour later this year, I can already see where the Chicago band might be taking the audience each night, eliciting a maybe harsh but exhilarating atmosphere with more upbeat songs like this one, and a more Beatles-esque and heartfelt energy in others, fully showcasing both their range and the journey they’ve been through while figuring out their sound. I’m so excited to see all the different directions this new album takes us when it drops on July 25th 🙂 – Javi
“One Thing” – Lola Young
Release date – May 16
Before I started seeing all of the online discourse that “One Thing” by Lola Young sounds a lot like Remi Wolf, I was enthralled with it. Now, this doesn’t mean that I no longer love the song, but I find it a little annoying that this is the chatter on the internet instead of everyone just, like, enjoying it. Surely we’ve heard similarities in both artists’ music before?
However, it is of note that “One Thing” is co-written by Jared Solomon and produced by him as well (his producer name is Solomonophonic), who is also a well-known collaborator of Wolf’s (but he also worked on “Messy). I digress!
Regardless, I am loving that Young, who, has a lot of music about the anxieties and insecurities about body image, toxic relationships, and drug use, released a totally feel-good, sexually empowered song with “One Thing,” that one thing being…well…some sexy time from her current love interest. It’s certainly not the same subject matter as that super popular One Direction song of the same name (R.I.P. Liam), but dare I say it’s as catchy? – Kristin
“Drown” – Windser
Release date – May 16
I debated on which song from Windser’s self-titled debut album to include here, because the effort and love he put into this project really shines through each song, but “Drown” became an immediate highlight for me. The production instantly reminded me of some of my favorite The Smiths songs, while the melody in the chorus gave it a more recent and familiar sound, a combination that I believe shows the scope of Jordan Topf’s inspirations and his ability to grasp what worked then and pair it with what works now.
And although I feel like this song focuses more on the overall sound instead of its lyrics, I also appreciate the bluntness and honesty in admitting that, even though sometimes it feels impossible to move on, we will try our best to pretend the feelings and hurt are not actually there. I don’t know about you guys, but I have never moved on from anything in my entire life. I simply do not know what letting go feels like. But I have also become an expert at drowning the thoughts down one way or another 🙂 And I’m thankful that this song understands and acknowledges this maybe unhealthy coping mechanism. – Javi
“Bloom Baby Bloom” – Wolf Alice
Release date – May 16
After three years of radio silence following their critically acclaimed 2021 album Blue Weekend, British alt-rock band Wolf Alice returns with “Bloom Baby Bloom,” the first single from their upcoming album, The Clearing, out August 29. It’s the kind of comeback that feels both triumphant and self-assured — a reminder of why they’ve always stood out in the indie landscape. While much of the past few years has been spent out of the spotlight, front woman Ellie Rowsell emerges sounding sharper than ever. Her voice—commanding, elastic, and emotionally loaded—anchors the track, shifting effortlessly between soft reflection and pure rage.
“Bloom Baby Bloom” is brimming with catharsis. Rowsell toggles between fury and resilience, delivering standout lines like “Do I have to make you sit on your hands? / Fucking baby, baby man” and the instantly iconic hook: “Yes, I’m blue, baby, blue / Every flower needs to neighbor with the dirt.” To me, it carries shades of early St. Vincent—theatrical and defiant, but grounded in raw emotion. Beneath the attitude is a weariness with performance (“I’m so sick and tired of trying to play it hard”) that ultimately gives way to rebirth. It’s not just a return — it’s a reminder that Wolf Alice doesn’t miss. – Jesse
“Leave Me Alone” – Reneé Rapp
Release date – May 21
Renée Rapp is one of those artists who commands attention even when she’s not actively promoting new music. Whether she’s out at events, showing up in unexpected places, or just having a good time, she stays visible — and her fans stay watching. So when she announced a new single, the internet immediately went into overdrive. The track lives up to the hype: it’s bold, brutally honest, and dripping with rock-chick energy. Amy Poehler, who recently had Renée on her podcast, compared it to The Runaways—and she’s not wrong. The vibe is unapologetic and in-your-face, with lines like “Even lined my lips just to match my nipples” that are both provocative and instantly iconic.
But the lyric that’s really caught people’s attention is “I took my sex life with me, now the show ain’t fucking.” It’s widely read as a pointed reference to her departure from The Sex Lives of College Girl —and its recent cancellation. The music video only adds to the chaotic, confident energy: Renée appears in minimal makeup, rocking shorts and a sweatshirt, having a pillow fight that escalates into something violent and symbolic. The song was almost titled “Cannonball,” which feels fitting for how it lands — explosive, direct, and impossible to ignore. Renée has always been known for her unfiltered personality — some say she needs media training, but that rawness is exactly what makes her magnetic. She’s not trying to please everyone, and that’s what makes her such a captivating pop star. – Jesse
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