To round out my mid-year countdowns, I’ve got a spotlight on some of my favorite songs from music markets that aren’t Korea or Japan. To simplify things, I just call this category “pop.” It’s been a very strong year for pop music so far, though you might not know it if you’re only looking at the charts. We’re currently seeing a revolution of indie pop artists, offering a little something for everyone.
What were your favorite singles and albums during the first half of 2025?
Barbara Bobak – Stan Na Dan
This is so new that I haven’t even had a chance to feature it in a global round-up yet, but Stan Na Dan does everything I love about Serbian dance-pop. The bombast of its chorus actually reminds me of Infinite’s The Chaser!
Comanavago – Say Less
There are at least four or five songs I prefer on their latest album, but this is the one that was promoted in 2025 so it makes my list because I just love their work so much. It’s a fantastic early-2010’s club track.
Erika Vikman – Ich Komme
It’s been gratifying to see Queen Erika Vikman break through outside of Finland this year with what might just be her best song. Ich Komme is wild and weird and fueled by pure, unadulterated star power.
Lady Gaga – Abracadabra / Shadow Of A Man / Vanish Into You
Obviously Abracadabra is one of the best songs of the year, but I’m also posting my two other favorite tracks from her great comeback album because in a perfect world there’d be like eight singles from this campaign.
Madison Rose – Daydreaming
She’s experimented a bit this year, but no sound fits Madison Rose better than this immense EDM pop. She knows how to write total anthems and this is another mega-hit.
Maria Jane Smith – I Hate San Francisco
Country music is in the middle of a huge resurgence. It’s not my favorite genre, but this Swedish take on the sound works wonders, buoyed by an explosive, emotional chorus.
Metteson – Hunger
Choral vocals collide with icy electronics for a dense, incredibly unique dance sound. There’s a sense of scope driving this track we don’t hear often in today’s pop climate.
Neea River – Nightmares
She’s been honing her skills for years and it all led up to this perfect, glistening Eurovision dance banger. The song is almost a case study of this particular style.
Nelli Matula – Hitaammin hautaan
Finland’s UMK competition absolutely killed it this year and this evocative, layered dance track was a major part of that. It’s simply gorgeous and builds toward a whopper of a climax.
Punchbag – Fuck It
A rambunctious burst of energy melding anthemic electro with clobbering punk energy, all tied to a sentiment most of us can probably get behind!
Rebecca Black – Twist The Knife
Rebecca Black of “Friday” fame on my mid-year list? I wouldn’t have believed it either, but her new EP is too good not to qualify. Twist The Knife does Gaga-esque pop just as well as the originator herself.
Sleigh Bells – This Summer
A quirky blend of electronic and rock, at times pensive but mostly in-your-face aggressive. Its melodies are so strong and fit the chant-along energy perfectly.
Tom Aspaul – That Girl
With so many artists continuing to mine the 80’s for inspiration, Tom Aspaul captures a specific soft-rock/dance sound rarely heard these days to forge a track with unique perspective.
TPCX – Sin.
The Parity Complex rebranded to TPCX and delivered one of their most intense songs yet. Sin simply explodes, offering pummeling catharsis in the best way possible.
