a selective memory of the year in music

Every year, approximately 10 trillion songs get released into the wild and pop up on streaming platforms. And somehow we're all expected to remember which ones actually slapped and pretend we'll remember any of them in 12 months. This list exists because I did not, in fact, remember most of them. So this is my brave and slightly chaotic attempt to separate the absolute bangerz that actually stuck from the "why the fuck am I listening to this?" moments that lingered for only a brief moment in my sad life. There is zero logic behind this list, just maximum delusion, and the firm belief that if it went platinum in my room, it meant something. No charts were worshipped, no algorithms were consulted, just pure vibes from moments of intense overthinking.

So welcome to the Best Songs of the Year, as decided by one person, my AirPods, and an entirely subjective taste. Your favorites may be missing. That's fine. I've already made peace with that.

Yamaha - Dijon

Absolutely my song of the year, this track feels like if an '80s slow jam and a cool modern art installation had a baby. With sticky-sweet synths, breathy vocals and an emotional core that's bigger than its own production quirks, Dijon turns a simple feeling into an incredible declaration of love. It's smooth, a little weird, and confidently chill, like it knows it's cool but doesn't want to make a big deal about it. Perfect for staring out a car window pretending you're in a movie, even if you're just going to the grocery store. Or when you're just simply in love, in which case, fuck you.

Headphones On - Addison Rae

The insane, but remarkable, but still insane transformation of Miss Addison Rae from TikTok gnat to Main Pop Girl isn't talked about enough. While she could've stopped with Diet Pepsi, she continues to chase pop credibility and has put out another banger. This time, she blends the weight of her personal struggles with determined resilience. Pain? Yeah, it's there, but so is lighting up a cigarette, which brings her joy and she's choosing it, but not without her headphones on. Phenomenal. The song's crisp, light vocals, low-pulse beats and hazy '90s-era Madonna vibe makes it effortlessly cool and sensual without trying too hard. A quintessential peak main character anthem.

La Perla - ROSALÍA & Yahritza Y Su Esencia

This absolute masterpiece is definitive proof that dragging men transcends language, and is ultimately, a universal art form. If my ex drops a song about me calling me a "local fiasco," "national heartbreaker," "national terrorist" and a "world-class fuck up" (in Spanish no less) with a full orchestra turning it into a waltz-like, divine evisceration, breh, I would instantly delete my name, move my bitch ass two continents over and just accept defeat. This is her magnum opus. No notes. 

Also, not for nothing, it's one of the best albums of the year.

Plastic Box - JADE

Oh, this one hit me like a mirror. From the first listen, all those little jealous, overthinking feelings I try to ignore are suddenly front and center and staring me in the face... and I don't even have a boyfriend. It's a true pop anthem, but the shimmering synth layers and tight beats mask a deep sense of insecurity and longing. She makes raw vulnerability sound sonically catchy and almost fun, turning the messy stuff we usually hide into something we could actually nod and dance along to, very much in the spirit of Dancing On My Own by Robyn. Diva.

Manchild / Nobody's Son - Sabrina Carpenter

Ah yes, my MAIN Main Pop Girl, so she gets two features. Cope. Listening to these two tracks back-to-back is basically like scrolling through a dating app full of red flags and realizing the problem isn't you, it's literally all of them. All men. Manchild hands you a mirror reflecting every guy who thinks emotional incompetence is cute. While Nobody's Son is the sad, slow clap for every dude who ever swears he's "different" but somehow manages to be exactly the same. A fated tag team, they scream the same truth: that men suck and it's not your job to fix them. It's a one-two punch of scathing honesty and great pop instincts. 2 for 2!

BIRDS - Turnstile

The first time I heard this song, it felt like god shoved a hurricane into my ass—tiny ass room. It's loud, messy and somehow exhilarating. There's a weird hopecore vibe buried under all the chaos, like the song is yelling at me and giving me a high-five at the same time. Wisdom really does come with age because hardcore is finally hitting for me and I feel oddly proud surviving three minutes of pure punk adrenaline, basically the sonic equivalent of eating spicy wings at midnight feeling like the coolest motherfucker alive. Car rides have never been the same since.

HARD - FKA twigs

I was never really a big FKA twigs enjoyer, but I still find some of her stuff really riveting. Especially this recent release from the Eusexua sequel, which feels like she's trying to reach inside your chest and rearrange your heartbeat. It's seductive on the surface but full of vulnerability underneath. It's sleek, unflinching and tense, the kind of song that makes desire feel electric and a little dangerous, like lust with a side of doubt, all wrapped in hypnotic beats you can't stop moving to and the whole thing lingers long after it's over.

Man I Need by Olivia Dean

I never doubted this song would blow up. And I was honestly ready to take credit for discovering it first... of course, I'm kidding. It's upbeat, soulful, and somehow captures that familiar feeling of wanting someone's attention while pretending you're completely fine, like you're a huge simp stuck in a psychosis, and it manages to do so without falling into cliché. It's effortlessly smooth, fun and charming. And I just know the yearners were foaming at the mouth when they heard this song.

coming around by fliss

It's honestly borderline criminal how slept-on this song is. It's an insatiable earworm. It took one listen and, yeah, I was done for. Armed with a killer hook that blows up in your face like a glitter bomb you didn't see coming, you've got no choice but to bop, tap and surrender without realizing it. I love how it's equal parts sweet surrender and sarcastic self-preservation—emotional whiplash never felt so good. Can't wait for this banger to blow up because this is honestly one of the year's absolute standouts.

Infatuated by Rangga Jones

Now this one hits a little too close to home. It's one of those songs that tells a story you've lived yourself and it really sticks with you. The stripped-back, spare production feels intimate and a little unhinged in the best way, like it knows you're down bad but isn't judging. It's giving "thinking about you at 1am for no reason" energy. Everything is understated but emotionally loud, which makes it sting more. It's dreamy, vulnerable, and honestly feels like being attacked by a crush you can't let go of. So yeah, a little too close to home... anyway.

Hampstead by Ariana Grande

I was going to cap off this list at just ten, but it feels contrived without the song that perfectly sums up how this whole year actually felt for me—quiet, reflective and emotionally careful. It hits that weird in-between space of being somewhere new while still carrying pieces of the past. Healing doesn't feel dramatic here. It's the small, almost invisible kind that happens when you're alone with your own thoughts, letting memories drift by without resisting them. It reminds you of moments when distance didn't instantly fix everything, but it did give clarity. It makes solitude feel meaningful, like the slow, steady kind of growth that happens day by day. Truly, the perfect song to close this list.

For your convenience, the songs that carried: