To spherical out my mid-year countdowns, I’ve bought a highlight on a few of my favourite songs from music markets that aren’t Korea or Japan. To simplify issues, I simply name this class “pop.” It’s been a really robust yr for pop music up to now, although you may not realize it in the event you’re solely wanting on the charts. We’re presently seeing a revolution of indie pop artists, providing slightly one thing for everybody.
What had been your favourite singles and albums in the course of the first half of 2025?
Barbara Bobak – Stan Na Dan
That is so new that I haven’t even had an opportunity to characteristic it in a world round-up but, however Stan Na Dan does every thing I like about Serbian dance-pop. The bombast of its refrain truly jogs my memory of Infinite’s The Chaser!
Comanavago – Say Much less
There are at the least 4 or 5 songs I desire on their newest album, however that is the one which was promoted in 2025 so it makes my record as a result of I simply love their work a lot. It’s a incredible early-2010’s membership monitor.
Erika Vikman – Ich Komme
It’s been gratifying to see Queen Erika Vikman break by way of exterior of Finland this yr with what would possibly simply be her finest track. Ich Komme is wild and peculiar and fueled by pure, unadulterated star energy.
Girl Gaga – Abracadabra / Shadow Of A Man / Vanish Into You
Clearly Abracadabra is without doubt one of the finest songs of the yr, however I’m additionally posting my two different favourite tracks from her nice comeback album as a result of in an ideal world there’d be like eight singles from this marketing campaign.
Madison Rose – Daydreaming
She’s experimented a bit this yr, however no sound matches Madison Rose higher than this immense EDM pop. She is aware of how you can write whole anthems and that is one other mega-hit.
Maria Jane Smith – I Hate San Francisco
Nation music is in the midst of an enormous resurgence. It’s not my favourite style, however this Swedish tackle the sound works wonders, buoyed by an explosive, emotional refrain.
Metteson – Starvation
Choral vocals collide with icy electronics for a dense, extremely distinctive dance sound. There’s a way of scope driving this monitor we don’t hear typically in immediately’s pop local weather.
Neea River – Nightmares
She’s been honing her abilities for years and all of it led as much as this good, glistening Eurovision dance banger. The track is sort of a case research of this explicit type.
Nelli Matula – Hitaammin hautaan
Finland’s UMK competitors completely killed it this yr and this evocative, layered dance monitor was a serious a part of that. It’s merely attractive and builds towards a whopper of a climax.
Punchbag – Fuck It
A rambunctious burst of vitality melding anthemic electro with clobbering punk vitality, all tied to a sentiment most of us can in all probability get behind!
Rebecca Black – Twist The Knife
Rebecca Black of “Friday” fame on my mid-year record? I wouldn’t have believed it both, however her new EP is just too good to not qualify. Twist The Knife does Gaga-esque pop simply in addition to the originator herself.
Sleigh Bells – This Summer season
A unusual mix of digital and rock, at instances pensive however principally in-your-face aggressive. Its melodies are so robust and match the chant-along vitality completely.
Tom Aspaul – That Lady
With so many artists persevering with to mine the 80’s for inspiration, Tom Aspaul captures a selected soft-rock/dance sound hardly ever heard as of late to forge a monitor with distinctive perspective.
TPCX – Sin.
The Parity Advanced rebranded to TPCX and delivered one in all their most intense songs but. Sin merely explodes, providing pummeling catharsis in one of the best ways attainable.
