Seventy-five charted on the ranking for the first time last year, including Olivia Dean, KATSEYE, sombr and Leon Thomas.

From a song by a certified superstar that came out in the very first week of January to breakthroughs from lesser-known indie acts, here are selections from NPR Music's list of the best songs of 2025.

The first line of a song has an important job. It is an invitation to the listener. Lyrically, it’s the first taste of what is to come in the next 3 minutes. The listener is faced with the question of ...

Willie Nelson has enjoyed one of the longest and most successful country music careers of all time. And we can’t help but think he deserves it. He’s got over 100 albums under his belt and has been ...

Singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus has been building up to this moment her entire career. With her new album, “Forever Is a Feeling,” she is ready to write about love. Coming off the heels of a Grammy Award ...