Songs Of The Year 2025

40. LAST DANCE (AT THE LANDLORD’S BALL) BY BARRY HYDE

Swept along by the jaunty piano, soothing cello, and sauntering double bass you might be, but there’s something sinister afoot. The Futureheads’ singer has always been a master of weaving story through song, here the immoral intentions of a landlord are brought to life in surprisingly upbeat fashion.

SONGWRITER: BARRY HYDE

39. QUIET IN THIS HOUSE BY GARETH

It’s been a big year for the Northern Ireland country star as he continues to take Nashville by storm – and this heartfelt ballad shows exactly why that is. The songs takes the shape of a poignant phone call between mother and son where the price of leaving home to chase your dreams is laid bare.

SONGWRITERS: TOFER BROWN, GARETH HAMILTON, SHAY MOONEY

38. I Wouldn’t Like You
By Tim Minchin

Hinging on the two meanings of the word “like” in the line, “I wouldn’t like you if you weren’t like you,” Minchin pieces together shrewd observations and examples of that central thesis. A quietly tender piano ballad that highlights his lyrical acumen and compositional strengths, it’s one of many highlights from this year’s Time Machine album.

SONGWRITER: TIM MINCHIN

37. David and Jayne By Studio Electrophonique

Allowed to listen in to a conversation by David and Jayne, it’s clear that all isn’t well. James Leesley’s lyrics paint a portrait of a couple on the edge. Like the best kitchen sink dramas, lines like, “She could throw herself into the sea, or just leave while he’s cleaning his teeth,” pull you in and leave you desperate to know more.

SONGWRITER: JAMES LEESLEY

36. I Forgot By Good Health Good Wealth

Like AM-era Arctic Monkeys filtered through early Streets, I Forgot finds the London duo in reflective mood. Brimming with the recriminations of the morning after, flashes of the night before flicker, leading Bruce Breakey to conclude, “I don’t wanna party no more, I wanna to stay home.” But as we all know, when the fug dissipates, we might just go again.

SONGWRITERS: BRUCE BREAKEY, SIMONAS KUZMICKAS

35. A Stone Only Rolls Downhill By OK Go

Balancing the anxiety inducing madness of the modern world with the hope that’s necessary to make it through the day, OK Go try to make sense of things. Awash with a dreamlike melody and atmospheric harmonies, they deliver the news that things might not turn out alright with spoonfuls of sumptuous sonic sugar.

SONGWRITER: DAMIAN KULASH, JR.

34. Mountain Of A Memory
By Hazlett

The remnants of a lost relationship cling to the Australian singer-songwriter like a dark cloak before being thrown to the wind in a moment of lucidity. With an emotional anchor underpinning the strummed acoustic structure and subtly lush production elevating every sentiment, Mountain Of A Memory is everything that cinematic folk should be.

SONGWRITERS: FREDRICK HÄGGSTAM, MITCHELL HAZLETT LEWIS

33. Curious Mixtures
By Hannah Rose Platt

A woman searches through the forest for the natural remedies she knows can heal and sooth all while understanding others would see her burn or hang. When ignorance is weaponised the innocent often pay the ultimate price. It’s a sadly prescient message for the modern age that’s draped with a mystical folky sheen.

SONGWRITER: HANNAH ROSE PLATT

32. Goodbye To Summer By Kathryn Williams

As swifts and swallows perform their acrobatic dance, open tunings (courtesy of co-writer Polly Paulusma) varnish the season with a welcome wash of primary colours. With the celebrated singer-songwriter ruminating on how many summers she might have left, what at first glance appears to be purely gleeful hides something more melancholic.

SONGWRITERS: KATHRYN WILLIAMS, POLLY PAULUSMA

31. Lemonade By Nadia Kadek

Bounding alt-pop with an indie heart, Lemonade bubbles in all the right places. Kadek kicks things off with just voice and guitar before being joined by a steady beat and rippling synth. A celebration of longing and uncertainty, it’s also packed with road-trip ready melodies and a roof down chorus.

SONGWRITERS: BENJAMIN FRANCIS LEFTWICH, MATT INGRAM, NADIA KADEK

30. Dogs and Horses By The Mallett Brothers Band

The lure of both hitting the road and staying back home on the farm provides the emotional dilemma. Neither life is for the slow-moving or work-shy, but Luke Mallett and his band attack this rootsy country rocker with a willingness and attitude that suggests the sacrifices might be worth it after all.

SONGWRITER: LUKE JAY MALLETT

29. Scoop By Madeline Kenney

The combination of the funky breakbeat, looping guitars, and twinkling synths provide the enticing waters through which Kenney swims through. There’s more than a hint of Kate Bush in the vocal delivery as she sings, “I grew up wild, foolish, fallin,” grieving for the innocence of youth when emotions didn’t have to be hidden in the women’s bathroom.

SONGWRITERS: BEN SLOAN, MADELINE KENNEY, STEPHEN PATOTA

28. Give Your Love By Tom Basden, Carey Mulligan

Much of the charm of the movie The Ballad Of Wallis Island comes from the believability of fictional folk duo McGwyer Mortimer (Tom Basden and Carey Mulligan), which itself is only possible due to the strength of the musical material. Our pick of the bunch is this ballad spun from glistening fibres of gold.

SONGWRITER: TOM BASDEN

27. I Feel Bad For You, Dave By Dodie

A bossa nova groove sets the insouciant mood over which Dodie eviscerates the character of a title character who not only tells you that he can do a push-up but then actually rolls up his sleeves and shows you. It’s these subtle observations that stop you from feeling bad for Dave, the bad-tempered loser of boardgames.

SONGWRITER: DODIE

26. Blue Moon By Dean Johnson

A taste of the sumptuous songwriting that was to follow on second album, I Hope We Can Still Be Friends, this study of the girl who knows the effect she has on the eyes that follow her every move is delivered by an exquisite croon. It’s as if Roy Orbison has been sweetened in a barrel of the finest maple syrup.

SONGWRITER: DEAN JOHNSON

https://www.songwritingmagazine.co.uk/songwriters/dean-johnson

25. Figure It Out By MOIO

Whether it’s the smooth and soulful vocal, the lyrical flow lifted from R&B, or the delicate burst of folky acoustic guitars, under the watch of the Irish singer/songwriter/producer genres melt into oblivion. What remains is a song that finds strength in vulnerability and draws power from knowing that everything will be alright.

SONGWRITERS: TWO INCH PUNCH, MOIO

24. 2 Good By Brandon

Though the Californian songwriter might be singing lines like, “I guess I’m crazy, for thinking we could be something,” the bright off-beat guitars and hopeful drums suggest that he’s not quite ready to give in to negativity. Delivered with his trademark velvet voice, we’re also not betting against him just yet.

SONGWRITER: BRANDON KEITH JOSEPH

23. Sunshine Girl By Date of Birth

An orchestral and psychedelic production provides the multi-coloured clouds that carry away the most soothing of melodies. If you think that sounds like we’re laying it on a bit thick, you’re wrong, we’re not laying it on thick enough – Birgitta Alida Hole and Pablo Tellez have come up with a dream-pop masterpiece.

SONGWRITERS: BIRGITTA ALIDA HOLE, PABLO TELLEZ

22. Lover By Odhran Murphy

The latest example of songs waiting for the right time to find their moment, Lover was originally written over five years ago. Reclaimed by the County Armagh troubadour Murphy for his Stuck In The Middle EP, this sweeping folk-tinged ballad reveals a voice suited to both soaring choruses and moments of delicate introspection.

SONGWRITERS: DAVID BARRON, JEFF HILL, LEE FALCO, ODHRAN MURPHY

21. Fragile
By Rayvon Owen

Over a softly persuasive groove, the former American Idol finalist provides a gentle nudge in the direction of giving love another shot. Finding the sweet spot where modern pop and classic R&B can vibe in harmony, a pulsing rhythm and synth flourishes add to the suspicion that it’s okay to put yourself out there once again.

SONGWRITERS: RAYVON OWEN, RUSS MACKLIN

20. The Feeling Never Went Away By Sam Ryder

Listening to the neo-soul glow of The Feeling Never Went Away is to discover Sam Ryder at his most confident and comfortable. His manuka-sweet voice delivers one of the year’s catchiest earworms, one that glides its way into your subconscious on a bed of delicious bass, shuffling drums, and finger clicks.

SONGWRITERS: JON GREEN, MIKKY EKKO, SAM RYDER

19. Higher & Higher By Terra Lightfoot

A joyful coalescence of guitars, keys, and drums, it’s no surprise to learn that Higher & Higher was written by Lightfoot and Tyler Chester on a sunny LA day. It’s not all summer vibes, despite kitchen kisses and hallway hijinks, this is the story of a relationship doomed to failure – forgive us for enjoying the spectacle as it unravels.

SONGWRITERS: TERRA LIGHTFOOT, TYLER CHESTER

18. Fool By J.T. Loux

Dynamic shifts and nose-tickling distortion blast Fool out of its Heart-Shaped Box. Just as Cobain’s grunge masterpiece committed his tumultuous relationship to tape, the Nashville-based Loux dives into similar themes. The result is a sinful marriage of guitars and angst that you will not be able to step away from.

SONGWRITER: JEFFREY THOMAS LOUX

17. Don’t Let The Bastards Get You Down By Margo Price

On this rollicking country number co-written with Jeremy Ivey and Rodney Crowell, Price takes the words of solace Kris Kristofferson offered to Sinead O’Connor in 1992 and runs with them. A return to her roots, it finds her summoning all the steel she has to settle a few scores with imposters and critics alike.

SONGWRITERS: JEREMY IVEY, KRIS KRISTOFFERSON, MARGO PRICE, RODNEY CROWELL

16. I Didn’t See It Coming By EEVAH

This epic indie-rock track allowed guitarist Richard McNamara to dip into the sonic world of his other band, Embrace. The outcome is both muscular and ethereal, as if Nicole Hope Smith has picked up the microphone to front Final Straw-era Snow Patrol, capturing the painful, disorienting shock of sudden heartbreak.

SONGWRITERS: NICOLE HOPE SMITH, RICHARD MCNAMARA

15. Sit Back Baby By Néomí

Assertive in its softness, comfortable in the mess of its surrender, Néomí wraps up life’s contradictions in 3:54 of flawless folky alt-pop. The verses lay out specific moments of regret and uncertainty, the repeated title refrain of the chorus provides the clarity of acceptance; taken together it’s the circle of modern life.

SONGWRITERS: JESSE KOCH, NEOMI SPEELMAN

https://www.songwritingmagazine.co.uk/tips/lessons-learned/neomi

14. Little Comet By Blair Jollands

The title track from the London-based/New Zealand-born singer-songwriter’s latest album finds him hitching an intergalactic ride. The muted intro settles you into your seat before things truly blast off on the back of a buoyant piano and topline melody that could be captained by Sir Elton himself. Mission accomplished.

SONGWRITER: BLAIR JOLLANDS

13. Jessie’s Comet By Billianne

Despite being seriously miffed at her sister for moving out of the family home, Billianne is still going to name a comet after her wayward sibling to help with the grieving process. Complete with yearning strings and an anchor-providing drumbeat, a soft alt-folk palette only adds to the heartfelt sentiment.

SONGWRITERS: BILLIANNE LOWRY, DUNCAN HOOD, NICK FERRARO

12. The Greatness By Dylan Cartlidge

An infectious and joyous ode to embracing your own uniqueness, The Greatness brings the swagger of hip hop to a melody that will have you tapping your toes and bouncing in your seat. Combined with keenly observed lyrics that mention video assistant referees and Burger King reflux you have track that wears its wit as proudly as its groove.

SONGWRITERS: EG WHITE, DYLAN CARTLIDGE

11. La Lucha By Josiah Flores

Josiah Flores tackles themes of migrant workers and land ownership on this protest song that even the great Woody Guthrie would be proud of. Stripped back so that his up-close-and-personal vocals sing true, he draws from family history to declare, “We were here before and we’re staying, for good.” Poignant, powerful and prophetic.

SONGWRITER: JOSIAH FLORES

10. While I Have You Here
By Holly Blair

Like the to and fro of a long-distance relationship where cycles of togetherness and estrangement repeat, this modern Americana number sways with recurring motifs of doubt and devotion. Verses feel caught in the haze of cosmic wandering, the pre-chorus brings a rush of words like an at-the-door plea to a leaving lover, before the chorus takes off with the hopeful exuberance of the latest reunion. Fusing as one beautifully structured song, lyrical themes and compositional mood combine in a perfect marriage.

SONGWRITERS: HOLLY BLAIR, MICHAEL COLEMAN

9. Esplanade By Trestles

A beach-rock band from California singing about wanting to be your next mistake of the summer they might be, but don’t fool yourself into thinking this is going to be an early-Beach Boys holiday fling. Instead, over a gliding guitar riff, tethered drums, and punctuating synth, the Santa Cruz gang are dreaming of a deeper kind of escape. By the time it breaks out into an explosion of woozy colour, there’s nothing you’d rather do than take up Hunter Kelly’s demand to, “Take my hand and fucking run.”

SONGWRITERS: HUNTER KELLY, JACKSON JONES, MALENA CLARK, SOPHIA WALL

8. Lake Walk By James Lloyd Smith

A love letter to nature, in particular the walk around the lake at Hever Castle, Lloyd Smith brings the physical setting to life before delving into the internal monologue and healing thoughts that often come from being in the great outdoors. The interplay between his fleet-fingered parlour-guitar playing and twinkling piano only add to the feelings of serenity that the song casts over the listener. If anything, it’s over too quickly, but that’s the great thing about circular walks, the end of one is the beginning of the next.

SONGWRITER: JAMES LLOYD SMITH

James Lloyd Smith deconstructs ‘Lake Walk’

7. Fingers Crossed By Maura Streppa

Drawing from the well of a failed relationship, the water runs with the stain of deception in this plaintive country number. There’s a raw honesty about the way the Nashville-based songwriter drops a cluster of F-bombs in the direction of the partner who said, “I love you,” but didn’t truly mean it. Streppa’s mum might not approve of such an approach, but we’re all for it, and might add a few more of our own. Musically, there’s both a strength and a yearning in the guitar playing of Nathan Keeterle.

SONGWRITERS: MAURA STREPPA, MAX GALL

6. A Leith Ross Song
By Kayla Grace

Life might travel at an unstoppable pace these days, with new trends and discoveries overtaking what felt fresh just yesterday, but nothing can replace the weightless joy of the first stages of a love blossoming. Grace only needs her voice and a guitar to get this message across. There’s much charm to be found in the subtle knee touches and hair pinned back before a leaned-in kiss, but there’s something more – an overwhelming sense of safety defined by consent and true respect. As a story, it’s heart-warming. As a song, it’s magnetic.

SONGWRITERS: KAYLA GRACE, PURA BLISS

5. Faded Polaroids
By Lanie Gardner

Lava lamps, sunburst guitars, old records, and local honey – not the content of our latest car boot sale haul, but the photographed memories that have made Gardner the person she is today. This sprinkling of personal details brings the song to dazzling life; it’s no surprise to learn that Lori McKenna is one of the co-writers on the track. And rather than a maudlin trawl through missed opportunities and the deceptive lure of nostalgia, there’s a spring in Gardner’s vocal delivery that exudes a sense of certainty at knowing where she’s come from.

SONGWRITERS: LORI MCKENNA, BARRY DEAN, LANIE GARDNER, OSCAR CHARLES

4. Highway Robbery By DE’WAYNE

To say that DE’WAYNE brings the soulful swagger of Prince, rebel yell of Billy Idol, bluesy underbelly of The Black Keys, and searing fretwork of Lenny Kravitz to Highway Robbery might be wholly accurate, but it would also be doing the Houston-born/LA-based rock god in the making something of a disservice. Rather than a cut-and-shut of other people’s styles and sounds, what we’re looking at is someone who has soaked up his influences and turned them into his own undeniable sound. One that’s ambitious, playful, and primed to pack out stadiums.

SONGWRITERS: BRANDON COLBEIN, DE’WAYNE JACKSON, DYLAN BAULD

3. Ambivalence By Madi Diaz

Where some songs gain their strength from perpetual motion, Ambivalence pulls its power from stillness. A steadily reassuring guitar and lilting vocal are the only tools with which Diaz has to explore a feeling of nothingness, though an almost imperceptible cracking of her voice suggests that she’s not yet ready to give in to the ennui. This stripped back, with nowhere to hide, she could easily fall flat, but Diaz uses the space she has to pull you in to her world and utterly captivate.

SONGWRITERS: MADI DIAZ, MORGAN NAGLER

2. Every Time The World Ends
By Makena Hartlin

Every Time The World Ends is a truly valiant attempt from the Nashville-based songwriter to retain her SOTY title from 2025. Always a master of melody, meaning, and making sure that music and message work in perfect harmony, there’s true compositional magic in the way this graceful ballad stops when everything comes crashing down, before cantering along when the time comes to pick yourself up and start again (again). Throw in lyrics that feel like an entire movie and a voice whose clarity can stop you mid-step, and you have a song that once again confirms Hartlin as a singular master of her craft.

SONGWRITER: MAKENA HARTLIN

1. Love Will Probably Kill Me Before Cigarettes And Wine By Luke Spiller

A melody that lingers long after the final note. A sentiment you recognise immediately. A title that you read once and it feels both new and like it’s existed since the very first songs were written, one that everything else hangs from like sparkly baubles on a Christmas mobile. A composition that builds and builds, never afraid to get bigger and bring in further elements of orchestration, until, just when you suspect it has reached its peak, it modulates upward and lifts you with it…. If we were to list the ingredients we hope for, this sweeping rock ballad would hit the spot. But what works on paper doesn’t always tickle our sonic tastebuds, so what makes Love Will Probably Kill Me… so special?

For us, the title track from the Struts frontman’s impeccable solo debut is the perfect marriage of songcraft and soul, ambition and execution. Though he took inspiration from European songwriters like Jacques Brel, it’s as if Paul McCartney dropped in for a session with Use Your Illusion-era Guns N’ Roses and convinced them to work on something original rather than cover Live And Let Die. Spiller’s commitment is absolute, exorcising a failed relationship and throwing everything he has into the performance. It’s what a song like this deserves, and one more reason why nothing else has come close this year.

SONGWRITERS: MADISON LOVE, JON LEVINE, LUKE SPILLER