Music I Fell In Love With In 2025
I started writing this post last night, not knowing that Spotify would drop all the Wrapped data today. But yesterday, I posted on social media about how I feel disenchanted with Spotify this year, so anytime I’m promoting their platform, it is with some reluctance. Therefore, consider this post as something that is completely separate from the Spotify Wrapped universe. This is just a post telling you about the music I fell in love with in 2025, and I think you should listen to it too!
Artists that stole my heart in 2025
The Maes
The 90s called, and they said they loved hearing all of their best chord progressions in The Maes’ album, Abreast. My introduction to this band came through their song, “Loretta”, which if I’m not mistaken, was the first song they released as a single from this album. I was hooked, and I followed along with each new song they dropped. You can think of this album like it was co-written by Fiona Apple and Ingrid Michaelson after they binge-listened to the Indigo Girls. If you listen to the album and have better artists to plugin to that same formula, I would love to hear what you came up with. Bottom line: I love the harmonies, I love the simple arrangements, but they had me at hello with these chord progressions.
My top picks: “Come Alive”, “Loretta”, “Idling Steady”, “You’re OK”, and “Surface Paint”.
Ken Yates
Ken Yates’ catalogue has a pretty cohesive vibe, and somehow it’s always a solid choice to throw on when you get in the car. Doesn’t matter if it’s a sunny day and all is right with the world, or if it’s a gloomy grey day (like it is as I’m writing this), his music is the perfect fit for all occasions. Ken sits alongside many fellow Canadians in the lineup of artists I love. The first song of Ken’s that came across my Discover Weekly playlist (ugh, Spotify, why are you so good at music discovery) was “When We Came Home”, from his 2020 album, Quiet Talkers. Lucky for me, though, he released an album in 2025, too (Total Cinema). I should mention that if you have small ears with you in the car, and you are trying to shield them from soft cussing (as I still do), you’ll have to be ready to skip a song here and there, ha. Bottom line: the combination of Ken’s go-to drumbeat combined with his beautiful electric guitar tone makes for a solid, lush vibe on each track.
My top picks: “When We Came Home”, “Sidewinder”, “Under the Cover of Light”, and “Surviving is Easy”.
Anderson East
If you have 00’s-Ray-LaMontagne-shaped hole in your heart, let Anderson East fill it. Or maybe you’re a fan of St Paul and the Broken Bones, but your favorite songs are the ones that are a little more chill, and lean more into the vintage soul vibe — if so, Anderson East is your guy. He released an album this year, Worthy; turn it on and listen all the way through. He also has a great back catalog too! Bottom line: I am a sucker for his voice (the rough-around-the-edges timbre, that range!), as well as his singing abilities (these are different things — he sings in such an emotive way with flawless technicality — it’s a skill on top a talent), and he’s hitting the vintage soul aesthetic juuuuust right.
My top picks: “I’d Do Anything”, “Anyway”, “Chasing You”, and “Say I Love You”.
Songs that reached obsession level in 2025
• Stephen Sanchez, “See the Light”
What if a 1950’s crooner stood in on a Mumford & Sons song in the 2020s? “See the Light” answers that question. It must be that the stomp and holler genre was prominent at a particularly formative time in my life because I can’t help but feel magnetically drawn toward it… and Stephen Sanchez’s glorious vocals in that genre made this song like crack cocaine to me this past summer. There’s this moment right before the second chorus that I would rewind and re-listen to over and over again because his voice is soooo freaking gooooood! I’ll be honest, though, I haven’t clicked with any of his other songs — just this one from his 2022 album, Easy on My Eyes.
• Lila Forde, “Home”
I just found this one, like, a week ago (when I was getting bamboozled by AI songs… if this turns out to be AI, I’ll throw my computer in the dumpster, I swear! But she has a real website, so I think we’re safe). This song is pretty simple, but there’s something about the choices she makes in the melody on the chorus, and how she executes those little melismas that just hits for me. The more I listen to the song, the more I catch the sweetness of the lyrics, too.
• The Paper Kites, “Climb All Your Tears”
I’m hesitant to even report on this song, but I am compelled to tell the truth: this one absolutely reached obsession levels for me this year. I always love The Paper Kites, and this song, released in 2021 on their album, Roses, features Aoife O’Donovan, and I am a huge fan of her music. But the lyrics of the chorus don’t make sense to me — if I were the songwriter on this one, I’d workshop those lyrics again before hitting the studio. BUT, I was obsessed with this song, so I guess that didn’t really matter to me! I think this is the story of the right aesthetic hitting at just the right time. It came on some Spotify radio playlist I was listening to as I was driving home from a gig late at night. These verb-y electrics and subdued vocals mixed with seeing the last signs of twilight on the horizon and paying close attention to Google Maps at 10:30pm so you don’t miss the next right turn on a county road in a pocket of the state you’ve never been… it just worked for me.
• Brad Mehldau, “Tomorrow Tomorrow”
This song is on the 2025 Grammy-nominated album, Ride Into the Sun, which reimagines songs written by the late Elliot Smith. My favorite musician of all time is a featured artist on this song (Chris Thile), so it’s no wonder that I like it. But it’s not just that — listen to the moment when the drums come in just after 1:20. Also, the piano solo that starts around 2:15. Brilliant.
• Willem James Cowen, “Anything”
Were you expecting a flute solo in your indie rock song? You’re gonna get one here. Willem is another Canadian from what I can tell, and he’s an artist who is encouraging people to leave Spotify; much respect to him for that. You can still find his music there, but he’d prefer you find him elsewhere, like Bandcamp — and you should do that, because he’s got some really great songs!
• Rachel Rose “Hi-Fidelity”
I don’t know how I found this song, but I am so glad I did. It’s so refreshing to find an artist with less than 1,000 monthly listeners who is making very high quality music. (Proof that the musical quality of an artist is not quantified by streaming numbers!) This song is hard to sing along to, but Rachel Rose makes it sound so effortless! It’s got Meredith-Brooks-meets-Alanis-Morissette-in-the-late-90s vibes.
Albums to listen to all the way through
• Hohnen Ford, Incurable Optimist
This EP is fun and so creative. Really, really great songwriting. My top picks: “Burn My Return Ticket” and “Tomorrow’s Tomorrow”.
• Flyover States, True North
Hey, I know them!… but I haven’t talked to them in years. ;-) Fun fact: I went to high school AND college with the bass player in this band, and I sang with both of these men in Drake Choir. They released this album while we were in Switzerland, and I listened whilst on a train to Interlaken, wishing that I’d had these songwriting ideas myself. They write and arrange like music majors (at least one of them was — they might all have music degrees?). My top picks: “Forgiveness”, “Too Late”, and “Leaving Home”.
• Jade Bird, Who Wants to Talk About Love
This album is a homerun from a top notch artist. Turn it on and don’t worry about needing to skip a song. I love singing along to Jade Bird — she helps me expand my belting range. :-) My top picks: “Dreams” and “Save Your Tears”.
• I’m With Her, Wild and Clear and Blue
I mean, if I’m With Her releases an album, it’s going to be one of my favorites. I simply cannot help myself. My top picks: “Wild and Clear and Blue”, “Standing on a Fault Line”, and “Year after Year.
Listen Now!
I’ve added all the songs mentioned here into one playlist on (ugh, yes) Spotify. Perhaps soon, I will switch to a different streaming platform and make my playlists there. But for now… you can find my “Music I fell in love with in 2025” playlist by clicking the button below:
