Bayleigh Mathews ‘26, Social Media Manager
2025 has been a year that has felt loud, colorful, and emotional. It is one of those years where music does not just play in the background, but it lives in the middle of everything. The songs shaping this year are doing more than simply getting stuck in people’s heads, they are changing moods and trends.
One of the biggest hits that shows up all over music apps and radio stations is “party 4 u” by Charlotte Aitchison, also known as Charli XCX. The song reached the Billboard charts in May, peaking at 55. The song encaptures being wild, confident, and messy in the best way possible. Aitchison represents what pop music sounds like in 2025. The production is full of sharp beats and heavy synths that keeps the song alive. The song blew up on the social media platforms, TikTok and Instagram, and it has over 241,000 posts under the sound.
“back to friends” by Shane Boose, stage name Sombr, has taken the charts by storm. He made his 100 debut on April 12th. The song has this nostalgic feeling, like when something ends but you do not want to admit it is over. The lyrics hit listeners hard because they are simple but real. It is the kind of song that makes you stare out a car window and pretend you are in a movie, which is exactly why people are obsessed with it. In a time when so many songs are about showing off or being perfect, this one says, “Yeah, things fall apart sometimes,” and that’s okay. Boose’s ability to normalize imperfections is exactly why fans are all over his music this year.
Another song that has completely taken over this year is “What I Want” by Morgan Wallen and Tate McRae. Senior Alexa Ford said, “It is nice seeing artists from other genres coming together, especially since I listen to the both of them on the daily.” Nobody really expected those two to make a song together as Wallen typically sings country and McRae sings pop, but this song has had listeners pleasantly entertained through the entire three minutes and five seconds. Wallen brings the country edge and McRae brings the pop emotion, and together it sounds like something totally new. The song talks about being caught between who you are and what people expect from you, which feels like everyone right now with the normalized, judgemental world we live in. It’s that mix of independence and confusion that hits differently.
Another track that’s been shaping 2025 is “Revolving Door” by McRae. It dropped earlier in the year and instantly started spreading like wildfire, especially since McRae went on her stadium tour. Junior Gracie Demeter who attended her tour in August stated that, “Revolving door is a really solid track, it was even better to hear live.” The song is about being stuck in a cycle with someone; you can not quite let them go when you know you should. The melody spins around itself just like the lyrics describe, giving it this hypnotic feel.
These songs all share a way of turning raw feeling into something stylish and compelling. For a while everything was about trends and algorithms, but these tracks remind people that feelings sell better than formulas. They are all honest in their own way. “party 4 u” feels free and wild; “back to friends” feels sad but beautiful; “What I Want” feels like longing and truth; and “Revolving Door” feels like a heartbreak that you have already lived through a few times. Together they create the sound of 2025, a mix of chaos, comfort, and confidence.
The songs that have shaped this year so far are more than hits, they are proof that music is still the one thing that keeps people connected even when the world feels weird. 2025 sounds honest, unpredictable and a little bit emotional. But maybe, that’s exactly what we needed right now.
Lyon Life 