Singles Eligibility: I deemed eligible any single (be it radio, streaming, or video singles) released during the calendar year, or those released during 2024 that reached either their chart peak or greatest obvious visibility in 2025. Additionally, for the sake of variety, the number of singles entries is limited to one proper single per artist. However, an artist can appear multiple times if they were on a feature or collaboration with a different lead artist.
50) Morgan Wallen- “Just In Case” (Big Loud)
One of the rewarding gems worth digging through I’m the Problem’s oversized track-list for, “Just In Case” is the kind of tender performance that Morgan Wallen doesn’t get nearly enough attention and credit for. The break-up tune’s biting and perfectly balanced hook tremendously underscores the narrator’s posing party-boy bravado with a wistful tinge of heartache and likely deluded hope for reconciliation: “Every now and then I go get a taste/But I never fall in love baby, just in case.” A classic Outlaw country dichotomy for the 2020s.
49) Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande- “For Good” (Republic)
Wicked’s gorgeously bittersweet finale was already rightfully considered a classic song of friendship and life-changes thanks to the 2003 Broadway rendering by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth. And just as they did previously with “Defying Gravity” and the two films’ overall soundtracks, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande use their magical chemistry and imposing pop-culture powers to both do the original justice, and ascend the track to new heights of timeless popularity. And after two back-to-back years of entrancing box office allure, it’s difficult as a listener not to feel the song’s sentiment for these characters and the films themselves.
48) Kesha- “Freedom” (Kesha)
As the opening salvo to Kesha’s long-awaited independent debut album, “Freedom” is precisely the dramatic, emotionally cascading, and sonically bewildering anthem that it needed to be, perfectly capturing the catharsis experienced by escaping the shackles of the singer’s past demons and captors. The way the beautifully cinematic swelling of the first few minutes suddenly explodes into the bawdy rowdiness of her breakthrough era is one of pop music’s most delicious moments of stylistic whiplash, and so prophetically full-circle in tracing itself back to those early hits.
47) Miranda Lambert- “Run” (Big Loud)
An understated gem presumably about her 2015 divorce from fellow superstar, Blake Shelton, “Run” is one of those tender, traditionally-tinged numbers that can sometimes be far too easy to take for granted within the context of Miranda Lambert’s impressive catalog. It’s pure beauty lies within its undeniable simplicity, and Lambert sings it now with the kind of clear-eyed and resolute perspective that can only come from an extended amount of time removed from the deepest moments of loss. It ultimately fits better within her Postcards From Texas phase, rather than in the depths of the “Vice”-era. That notwithstanding, there’s still a inextinguishable sting in lyrical moments like “And you took too long to see I was unhappy/And I took too long to tell you that I was” and “I owe you a lifetime of apologies”.
46) Maggie Rose and Vince Gill- “I Can’t Make You Love Me” (Big Loud)
Bonnie Raitt’s seminal 1991 classic long ago reached the hallowed territory of modern standards and acclaim as one of the greatest love songs of all time, and deservedly so. It’s one of those special songs that carries an immense amount of pressure in terms of doing it the proper reverence, and great artists like George Michael, Boyz II Men, Carrie Underwood, and Adele have each passed that bar through the years, putting their own special stamp on the ballad. There was hardly a doubt as to whether Maggie Rose or Vince Gill had the special touch to do the same, but their choice to master it together is what truly sends this new version into the heavens. Rose continues to solidify herself as one of her era’s very best powerhouses, and Gill continues to prove that his inimitably soulful vocals remain as mystifying as ever. Timeless stuff right here.
45) Mumford & Sons- “Rushmere” (Island)
A joyously celebratory, full-circle return from the architects of the 2010’s stomping, signature brand of modern folk-rock. The band’s exploratory expansion into a wider rock sound over the past decade has rendered far more rewards that they’re given credit for, but there was something undeniably refreshing in hearing Marcus Mumford’s ever-sturdy gravel and the band’s lyrical gravitas once again wrapped in that warm banjo backdrop.
44) Kelsea Ballerini- “I Sit In Parks” (Black River)
Perhaps the most moving moment yet from a thoughtful singer-songwriter who has been a true joy to watch mature and blossom over the course of the past decade. Intimate moments like “We look about the same age, but we don’t have same Saturdays” and “I wonder if she wants my freedom like I wanna be a mother” cut deep, and paint a vital, every-woman picture of the contemplative stakes one wrestles with as their thirties unfold. It’s a damned shame that Nashville seems to have passed her over just as her songwriting and artistic POV became fully-formed, but she’ll be the one better off for it.
43) Keith Urban- “Chuck Taylors” (Capitol)
An irresistible throwback to the Australian superstar’s heyday run of riff-laden country-pop hits. Nearly three decades into his box-office career and Urban still plays with more gusto and sings with more youthful and charismatic energy than most artists half his age. His more recent music has been less consistent, but his skills as an entertainer have never wavered, and this is an insatiable return-to-form.
42) Ed Sheeran- “Azizam” (Atlantic)
With a dazzling sprinkling of the Persian influences signaled by the song’s title, Ed Sheeran delivered what is arguably the most fetching pop bop of his formidable resume. It can be an imposing task for pop stars to find ways to successfully freshen up their hit-making formula when you’ve been on the airwaves as long as Sheeran has now, but he does so here with seemingly effortless and utterly contagious aplomb.
41) Mary Chapin Carpenter- “Bitter Ender” (Thirty Tigers)
Like all singer-songwriters of her legendary ilk, Mary Chapin Carpenter’s lyrics have always felt like both a glimpse into our souls, and an emotional compass for it in navigating what lies ahead. That level of wisdom and inspiration remains uniquely woven into her prose as she closes in on her fifth decade as a recording artist, with this eloquent balancing act of pride and stubbornness ranking among her most potent in many moons. Those rousing harmonica fills add both an extra bite and much appreciated sonic warmth to the proceedings.
40) Carter Faith- “Grudge” (MCA)
Hot damn, what an enticing, new talent do we have to watch in Carter Faith. “Grudge” packs a mighty blistering wallop, chock full of wit and spite, charm and sass, and humor and rage. And it’s all wrapped warmly within Faith’s rootsy sonic trappings, and her subversively fierce vocal twang. punctuating hilariously piercing quips like “Bless your heart, your tiny brain can’t shut your big mouth” and “If I were a good Christian like you, I’d probably forgive/But I’m pretty sure that even Jesus thinks you’re a bitch.” Welcome to Cherry Valley, my friends!
39) Molly Tuttle- “That’s Gonna Leave A Mark” (Nonesuch)
A sparkling sonic distillation that gorgeously proves that roots music gravitas and pop music polish can not only blend successfully, but positively flourish together. Tuttle’s exquisite musicianship remains a core focus in the grand tradition of her preceding records, while showcasing new heights of her pop instincts and economies as both a performer and composer. This track, and its splendid source album, glowingly usher in a bright new path into the back-half of the 2020s, for both Tuttle’s own career and Americana and bluegrass as a whole. It most definitely leaves a mark.
38) Zach Top- “I Never Lie” (Leo33)
A neo-trad honky-tonk smash that emphatically proved that the viral power of 90s flavored country music was most certainly not reserved for legacy material. Top’s lonesome twang turns in a fiery performance here, completely ripe with a fresh blend of denial and devastation, sarcasm and spite. It’s a fresh take on country’s longstanding tradition of lovelorn wordplay, while further establishing Top with a musical identity that goes beyond the obvious Jackson/Chesnutt/Lawrence reverence.
37) Doechii- “Anxiety” (Capitol)
In an era ever-reliable on sampling records of the past, “Anxiety” proves to be one of the most fetching and durable of its kind. Yes, it’s Gotye who truthfully deserves the initial credit for hooking a hit for Doechii here. But once the listener is locked in, the rapper more than makes up for her share of the workload, delivering an impressively rapid-fire showcase of both singing and rapping, all the while striking a chord by tapping into an important and all-too-common mental and emotional struggle plaguing much of modern culture.
36) Zach Bryan and Kings of Leon- “Bowery” (Warner)
Zach Bryan’s rock chops have never been in doubt, but had also arguably not been displayed as thoroughly as on this electrifying collaboration with one of modern rock’s perennial stalwarts. Both the vocals and the sonic stylings of each act merge seamlessly here to create a rollicking, red-hot atmosphere that perfectly encapsulates the complicated heat and ultimately doomed attraction between the song’s two central characters.
35) Kip Moore- “Solitary Tracks” (Virgin)
A beautifully raw and haunted performance that in many ways felt like the premier moment that all of the smoldering intensity and intrigue of Kip Moore’s entire catalog had been building up to. All of the sizzling, seductive qualities of Moore’s Heartland country-rock sound are in all of their simple yet primal glory on “Solitary Tracks”, both the single and the album as a whole.
34) Lizzo- “Love In Real Life” (Atlantic)
Look, I’m more than happy for all of you OG Lizzo rap fans who had to feel somewhat vindicated when the superstar’s 2025 album release ultimately turned out to be a new mixtape, rather than the planned pop comeback that we had initially been promised. You’ve all earned that full-circle moment. But the shelving of the album that “Love In Real Life” was meant to launch is easily the year’s biggest disappointment for me personally. This fierce pop-rock dynamo confidently and joyously slaps with each successive spin. Hopefully we’ll get to hear more of where that was coming from, sooner than later.
33) Justin Bieber- “Daisies” (Def Jam)
A lo-fi left-swerve that subverts so much of Justin Bieber’s previous artistic identity, and it arrived at seemingly the perfect time to restore his A-list relevance in the modern-day pop sphere. Bieber pivots naturally to both the alt-trappings of it all, as well as the confessional romantic nature of the song’s story. But “Daisies” is also still catchy as hell, and reveals itself to be one of the most engaging bops in a catalog that could already boast its fair share.
32) Stephen Wilson Jr. – “Gary” (Big Loud)
One of 2025’s most surprising and refreshing breakthroughs, Stephen Wilson Jr. represents the kind of music star (be it country, rock, folk or the otherwise) that you didn’t even know existed anymore. This quirky little character sketch feels like the most fully-realized display of what Wilson self-dubs as his “Death Cab for Country” brand, which brings its everyday stories and personalities to life through a gritty combination of humor, poignancy, and gruff intimacy.
31) Eric Church- “Johnny” (EMI)
Church’s reputation as one of his generation’s most rewarding country rock stars has been well-established for a decade now, but he still feels pretty underrated in terms of his ability to serve as a potent musical conscience for today’s troubled social times. Much like previous tracks such as “Kill A Word” and “Monsters”, Church expertly taps into this vein with “Johnny”, which creatively uses the storyline of Charlie Daniels’ classic, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” to emphasize the gravity and fearful implications of these times in which we live.
30) Dua Lipa- “These Walls” (Warner)
Easily the most heart-wrenching moment in her catalog to date, “These Walls” exhibits a nimble and masterful ability on the part of Dua Lipa to still keep us tethered to the disco beats that have been her career calling card, all while ripping our hearts out. This is a mature and clear-eyed examination of a relationship coming to the realization that its shelf-life has expired, and is packed to the gills with all of the complicated emotions you’d expect: fear, delusion, loneliness, and disappointment.
29) Red Clay Strays- “People Hatin'” (RCA)
The booming, commanding, and fiery nature of the Red Clay Strays’ latest single is precisely what makes its call to end the political divide that is killing our society so effective, and also what keeps it from falling into hollow, saccharine territory. Brandon Coleman and company realize the dangerous intensity of the problem, and while they know that the answer remains the same as it’s always been–love and unity–they also recognize that it’s far past the point of polite pussy-footing. The call-to-arms message in 2025 requires an unflinching urgency and a blistering accountability, and that’s exactly what this bastion of rock flames delivers in droves.
28) The Lumineers- “You’re All I Got” (Dualtone)
One of the most beautifully haunted songs in the The Lumineers’ canon, which is obviously no small statement to make at this stage, over a dozen years into their gripping discography. It pushes Wesley Schultz’s dynamically ethereal range to its absolute limits, all the while accompanied by the band’s long-signature cinematic soundscapes. At it’s core, the song is obviously a no-holds-barred excavation of a romantic relationship weathering a severe storm, but it can likewise be universally interpreted to represent a litany of other personal battles one faces through life’s various stages.
27) The Head and the Heart- “Arrow” (Universal)
A radiant return-to-form moment without sacrificing any of the growth and experimentation of their past few projects, the band’s first self-produced single is a jubilant and inspiring jolt of personal rejuvenation; a proclamation of one’s spirit and agency. It restores all of the vocal passion and folksy sonic charms of their “All We Ever Knew”-breakthrough era to the forefront, while still sounding ever-current and forward moving.
26) Olivia Dean- “Man I Need” (Capitol)
Speaking of a jubilant jolt of positive energy, Olivia Dean’s arrival on the precipice of international superstardom is a dazzling joy to listen to, without fail even after dozens of repeat spins. The shining exuberance with which she sings and effortlessly cascades across various genres and eras of pop music, all within the confines of this straight-forward but ever rewarding love song, is mighty-impressive. It spotlights the talent of a vocalist and young artist who has the potential to go a very long way in the today’s pop landscape.
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The 706 