Songs of 2025
Following the same format as last years post (and somewhat more timely!)…
2025 top tracks
My top 5 listened to tracks in 2025 according to last.fm:
(unashamed cringe pop enjoyer 😂)
…tbh I think this sums up the year well enough.
Best Song 2025
Not in my top 5 most played (my 35th apparently), but I think song of the year really has to go to:
I mean it was everywhere, and pretty catchy. I also wanted to dislike KPop Demon Hunters, but after actually watching it… honestly surprisingly enjoyable.
No honorable mentions this year since they’re all in their own categories below.
JPop 2025
Absolutely no question on this, it has to be HANA – ROSE. Massive debut year for them, glad Momoka from PD101JP got her debut in a group that suits her style (and is already doing better than the actual group from the show… not to mention healthier management company by all accounts). A well deserved best new artist award too for them at the end of the year. They could easily have had 2 or even 3 songs at the top of this list in 2025 (Blue Jeans being the close 2nd of their songs).
pinponpanpon
My personal favourite song of the year I’ve got to go with pinponpanpon – SO COOL.❄️ Like a lot of their songs lean heavily into the “bad/cringe but funny” category, but I think SO COOL transcends that into a legitimately decent track that can be enjoyed in total isolation (same with Midnight Ravers on last years list). I’m also thoroughly enjoying their youtube antics.
They even completed a European tour in 2025, including London. Not going to post a whole report on that or anything, the venue was awful, 4am is too late for me these days, but fantastic to see them and their energy in person. Obligatory cheki (as far as cheki locations go, this is pretty awesome tbh!)…
Honorable mentions
Too many others to choose from, could have gone on, but let’s go with these:
- cosmosy – Lucky=One (their subsequent songs have been kinda disappointing, inconsistent sound)
- ATARASHII GAKKO! – Sailor Sail On (if this came out earlier in the year it might made my top played)
- ME:I – Million Stars
- FRUITS ZIPPER – Pipopapo
- FRUITS ZIPPER – Kagami
- Juice=Juice – More! Mi-Amore (2025 and H!P still refuse to properly put their stuff on streaming platforms! 😂)
- Phantom Siita – Bot Bakka
- M!LK – Sukisugite Metsu! (see I don’t only listen to girl groups 😂)
KPop 2025
I don’t think I actually listened to much other than ILLIT or KPop Demon Hunters. So I’ll go with the only one I listened to on repeat for a while:
Best Album
Two clear contenders, and both very different!
.BPM – The .BPM Wonder This entire album is like a greatest hits, all their best songs, plus some new songs. It really is a masterpiece from start to finish. Based on what their producer has been saying online, it really seems like it’s been a labour of love to produce the whole thing over the years (and impressive from a single producer!). I can’t praise it enough. I hope they get the recognition they deserve. Definitely want to see them live some day! 🙏
Ava Max – Don’t Click Play Pure pop. The amount of mess that preceded this album, cancelled how many times, quitting management agency, cancelling an entire world tour, omg, felt like it was never going to happen. Clearly not as iconic as previous Ava Max albums, but this really has some good fun songs, and her lyrical writing is as poetic pop as ever. Was looking forward to the tour before it got cancelled, hopefully it gets re-announced for sometime this year. ❤️
Other Stuff
I think the main other interesting thing that happened last year was seeing the Japanese cast for the SIX musical performing in London (including Suzuki Airi!). I’m not really a musical person, but this felt more like a concert (plot thin at best, lol), super awesome to see Airi still performing on stage and enjoying herself. Far too many people at the stage exit to get any decent photos though, though she took photos of everyone else…
Finally… 😭😭
Can’t end the post without mentioning Perfume going into cryosleep. Still producing amazing albums until the end. Seems like there will be a documentary movie released sometime next summer, then who knows when we’ll hear from them again, though they’re not ending, just sleeping! From my last post in 2023 😭😭😭😭…
“I couldn’t help but wonder, would this be the last time I see Perfume live?”
Music is everything
遥かなユニバース
It truly is.
#music #jpop #concerts #perfume