Reagan’s Recs: My Favorite Music Released in 2025 So Far

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Bowling Green chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

At the end of 2024, I lamented that since so much music had been released that year, surely 2025 would be a musical drought. However, I am grateful to be wrong; this year, so many artists have released music. And our ears have been blessed with some absolutely gold tracks! Here are my favorite albums or songs that came out so far this year, in no particular order.

Albums

Bloodless by Samia

This whole album is amazing. Although it was released at the end of April, I actually did not listen to the full album until June, after which it became my summer soundtrack. I am fairly certain that Samia will be in my top 5 artists on Spotify Wrapped this year. Samia has a beautiful voice, and her songs sound like poems set to music. I highly recommend this album, as well as her previous works.

Favorite Songs: “Carousel,” “Lizard,” and “Spine Oil”

Notable Lyrics: “I wanna hitch my fire to your candle” (“Carousel”), “To find each other like north poles of magnets / When you see yourself in someone, how can you look at them?” (“North Poles”), “Rice wine, lime-flavored Lays / Passing Go to sit in driveways” (“Bovine Excision”)

Wishbone by Conan Gray

Another album where the whole thing is fantastic. Some of the songs are sad ballads, others are anthems you can bop to. I love the emotion that comes through in Conan’s voice, whether it is heartbreak, sass, or somewhere in between. He is also a master of lyricism. I feel like this new album is more Superache-esque than Found Heaven-esque, and I am here for it.

Favorite Songs: “Vodka Cranberry,” “Sunset Tower,” and “Actor”

Notable Lyrics: “You remind me of how good it feels to hurt / You remind me of how little I deserve” (“Connell”), “But the church bells won’t stop ringing / For an undead wedding day” (“Actor”), “Called you up in the middle of the night, wailing like an imbecile / If you won’t end things, then I will” (“Vodka Cranberry”)

A Matter of Time by Laufey

Laufey is one of those artists with a style all her own. Her music is reminiscent of jazz mixed with Disney vibes, and her voice is absolutely magnificent. She also plays the cello, which makes her even cooler in my book along with Wednesday Addams (can you tell I also play the cello?). A Matter of Time is bursting with gorgeous lyrics and ethereal orchestral music. I would definitely recommend this album, along with Laufey’s other works.

Favorite Songs: “Silver Lining,” “A Cautionary Tale,” and “Too Little, Too Late”

Notable Lyrics: “Can’t help but notice all of the ways / In which I failed myself, I failed the world all the same” (“Snow White”), “My heart to you handed, you took it for granted / And made me the villain all alone” (“A Cautionary Tale”)

I Barely Know Her by sombr

sombr has risen in popularity a lot this year. He is another artist whose style is very him. He is quite talented at writing absolute bangers with heartwrenching lyrics. You can cry to his music or dance to his music or cry while dancing to his music. The options are endless, really.

Favorite Songs: “i wish i knew how to quit you,” “canal street,” and “we never dated”

Notable Lyrics: “Do you hear me crying out for you on the radio? / I’ve got everything I thought I’d need now / But I’m still smoking cigarettes on my couch” (“canal street”), “You’re in my DNA, so much exchanged / At least I know when you’re away there’ll always be a part of you that stays” (“i wish i knew how to quit you”)

At The Beach, In Every Life by Gigi Perez

Gigi Perez has a distinctly recognizable voice and music style. Her songs are so filled with raw emotion and powerful lyrics. This summer, I had the experience of getting to see her play live as an opener for Hozier, and it was fantastic. Her music also sounds very much like poetry in song form.

Favorite Songs: “At The Beach, In Every Life,” “Normalcy,” and “Sleeping”

Notable Lyrics: “If my dreams come up empty and I wash up on the shore / You would find me at the beach in every life, through every door” (“At The Beach, In Every Life”), “Would you ever go back / To my place in Boston? / Suspending of time, after all / I was everything you wanted” (“Normalcy”), “Nothing, absolutely / Nothing had my heart / But you brought back my spark” (“Nothing, Absolutely”).

Other Stuff

Shelly 2 by Shelly

If you listen to Clairo and are feeling withdrawals from her release of Charm last year, fear not; Clairo is part of a band called Shelly, and they released two songs called “Cross Your Mind” and “Hartwell.” They are both fun songs to jam to, and they both have prominent themes of nostalgia and regret. Clairo is the vocalist for both of these songs, and she has a very unique and beautiful voice.

Notable Lyrics: “Hard to recreate / The way I felt when I was seventeen / I’ll keep trying if it kills me, baby” (“Cross Your Mind”), “Wanna do all the things I said I’d do when I got to college” (“Hartwell”)

“Pool (Stripped)” by Samia

Another reason why I am confident Samia will be in my top 5 Spotify Wrapped artists is from her song “Pool.” I am sad to admit that I only discovered it after she released the stripped version this year, but after that, both versions became my obsession. This song is so ethereal and beautiful, and the lyrics are so poetic. In the stripped version, the raw emotion in Samia’s voice comes through even clearer.

Notable Lyrics: “How much longer till I’m taller? / How much longer till it’s midnight? / How much longer till the morning? / Are my legs gonna last? / Is it too much to ask?”

Ben Folds Live with The National Symphony Orchestra by Ben Folds and The National Symphony Orchestra

I put this under “Other Stuff” because none of the songs played in this album are newly written; they are just different versions of some of Ben Folds’ songs because he joined forces with America’s national symphony orchestra for a concert. This release is amazing. Ben Folds is one of my favorite artists ever (I share a birthday with him, not to brag), and I am a huge fan of orchestral music (re: I play the cello), so hearing the beautiful renditions of songs I already love was fantastic.

Favorite Songs: “Cologne – Live,” “The Luckiest – Live,” and “Landed – Live”

Notable Lyrics: “I love you more than I have ever found a way to say to you” (“The Luckiest – Live”), “Such a painful trip / To find out this is it / And as I go to sleep, you’ll be waking up” (“Cologne – Live”), “But watch even the stars above / Things that seem still are still changing” (“Still (from Over The Hedge) – Live”)

Conclusion

I have really enjoyed a lot of the new music that has come out this year, as well as trying out different artists or styles of music I haven’t really listened to before! One of my goals for 2025 was to broaden my music taste, and I certainly accomplished that this year. I can’t wait to see what 2026 brings!