I’ve been an avid Spotify user for many years. As someone who listens to music constantly, I always look forward to seeing my Spotify Wrapped get released at the end of every year. I primarily listen to music that was released from the year 2000 and beyond and that span from all different genres. Though not all released in 2025, here are some of my top songs on my 2025 Spotify Wrapped and why I think you should give them a listen.
“Hate that i love you” by rihanna and ne-yo
Rihanna was one of my five top artists this year, even though this song was released in 2007, I listened to it for the first time this year. I was in my friend’s car while she was playing some of Rihanna’s older music when this song came on and it immediately got my attention. R&B is typically the genre I always fall back to when I just want to sing in the car, and I think this song is perfect for anyone wanting to listen to more R&B. I love both Rihanna and Ne-Yo as artists and this is definitely one of my favorite duets.
“something inbetween” by olivia dean
I’ve referenced this song in a previous article I’ve written, and I genuinely think all of Olivia Dean’s songs are perfect. I can’t believe I didn’t discover her music until late this year, because listening to her music feels like a breath of fresh air. This song specifically stuck out to me when I first listened to it because I think the message behind it is really meaningful. The way it talks about personal growth is really poetic and I think that everyone should not only listen to this song, but her entire discography.
“special” by sza
SZA has been one of my top artists for the last three years, and this is by far my favorite song by her. I saw her perform with Kendrick Lamar this past summer, and it was easily one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to. However, I really wish she performed this song because when I first heard it back in 2022, I immediately fell in love with it. Despite this, it wasn’t until a little over a year later when I listened to the song again and started relating to it, and that’s really what has made it my favorite song by SZA. For anyone who’s been hurt from a friendship or relationship, I think this song is a good reminder that you’re not alone.
“you are in love” by taylor swift
Similarly to Olivia Dean’s music, this song feels like a breath of fresh air. If you’re a hopeless romantic like me, this is arguably the perfect song for you. I really like the way Taylor Swift tells stories through her writing and her vocabulary has honest led me to be a smarter consumer rather than just listening to the melody of songs to determine whether or not I like them. I’ve seen on TikTok that people want to use their song when they someday walk down the aisle at their wedding, and I would seriously consider doing that myself. In my opinion, it’s one of, if not Taylor Swift’s best song.
“the one that got away” by katy perry
This is a classic that I rediscovered this summer and it’s by far my favorite Katy Perry song. This song reminds me of childhood and hearing 2010s hits on the radio while in the car with my parents as well as being so intrigued by Katy Perry’s music videos (she was in a league of her own during the 2010s). It has a nostalgic sound to it and puts me in a feel-good mood the second it comes on.
Like a lot of other 20-year-old girls, my music taste is very mainstream, but in my opinion, songs are popular for a reason. As much as I love listening to the same 20 songs all the time, I also love discovering new music because no song is truly the same.