There’s a great quote in the final season of Stranger Things that I jotted down the moment I heard it: “Music has a way of finding you, even in the darkest of places.” That line captures how powerful music is to me and others who cling to it.
This has been a dark and difficult year. We witnessed an actual genocide take place right before our eyes. We watched the American government’s continuing onslaught against people of color. Those of us in the LGBTQ community felt our hard-won rights—our very existence—threatened. Even our music community hasn’t escaped this. The rapid ascent of certain Facebook groups (I’m not giving them any oxygen here) made me question if the safe spaces we’ve long cherished remain safe after all.
It’s dire. For months, I felt overwhelmed and gutted by it all. But somewhere along the way, something shifted. I rediscovered my hope—not naive optimism, but a genuine belief that progress will return, that life will improve for marginalized people, and that the good folks of our music scene mightily outnumber the ones who never truly understood it.
Music plays a large part in shifting my mood. There’s nothing more potent than a powerful song to validate your feelings, amplify your rage, break your heart wide open, or challenge your very outlook on the world around you. The songs that meant the most to me in 2025 were the ones that captured all those messy feelings I experienced this year. Fear. Anger. Despair. But above all else, hope.
Here we are. For the seventh year running, I present my 100 favorite songs of 2025. As always, each artist appears only once on the list so we can share the love. These were the songs that found me in the darkest of places.
The complete list:
Scottish minimal-synth artist Propter Hoc leans into pure analog bliss on “The Basement,” a straight-forward party track comprised of vintage textures. The thwack-thwack beat, rattling metal, and elastic synth riffs give it scrappy, irresistible charm. It’s not trying to be anything more than a good time, and those retro tones make it easy to get swept up in.
“Let It Roll” is a mid-tempo charmer from Danish/English duo Perpacity. The song glides along gently pulsing synths—minimal, airy chords that reflect the lyric’s easygoing vibe—while feathery vocals inject momentum into its chorus of “Let it roll, let it roll again.” It leaves me imagining myself in a smoky lounge, sinking into the haze of a lonesome synthpop crooner.
“Fading Flame” is a twinkling synthpop number from German act DiarBlack, featuring the warm, velvety vocals of fellow German artist Alex Braun, formerly of Distain!. There’s a softness running through the track that leaves me feeling calm and strangely inspired, yet the sadness of the chorus (“Our love is like a fading flame…”) strikes that sweet spot of melancholy I can never resist.
A thumping four-on-the-floor beat powers “Addicted to You,” a club-ready rush from German project Digital Energy. The track piles on trancey whomps, knob-twisting frequencies, and more dense layers of sound that feel rich and full, while the electrified vocals give it futuristic bite.
Bright, blippy tones race across “Catalyst” from the California-based duo Hallows. The track swaps their usual hazy darkwave for something more effervescent—bubbling synths over a chunky, propulsive beat that leaves me feeling unexpectedly energized, as if the whole song is sparkling from the inside out.
“Divination” hits like a swirling electronic bomb from the cleverly named Italian duo Shad Shadows. It’s all chaotic pads and vocals echoing straight from the void, then the chorus hits with a sudden vocal shift that’s brighter and boppier, a gleaming Goldfrapp-like shimmer cutting through the darkness. That tug-of-war between shadow and shine gives the track its uniquely compelling pull.
A thick fog settles over “Darkness” from Australian darkwave act Buzz Kull. Those vocals sound like they’re rising straight out of hell. Pummeling pads stack and churn in tight layers, creating the same percolating momentum I loved on 2022’s “Dancing With Machines,” only heavier and more menacing.
Echoing reverb and a crisp synth lead give “Far Away” a mysterious pulse, showing the Italian darkwave trio Ash Code in a more synth-forward mode than usual. The track balances haze and momentum—verses that feel cavernous and distant set against a propulsive undercurrent that keeps everything moving forward. It leaves me feeling bouncy but slightly blurred at the edges.
German project Destroy Me Again take an unexpected turn on “The Shards,” bringing in female lead vocals that nudge the track into modern-day X Marks the Pedwalk territory. Pulsating synth bleeps dart across a steady, forward-driving beat, giving the song a gentle lift and a touch of sparkle. It’s a lovely slice of synthpop—light on its feet and glowing with a quiet, optimistic energy.
It’s been about five years since we last heard new music from Greek project Marsheaux, so bandmember Marianthi Melitsi keeps us intrigued with singles released under her solo project, MeLLLo. “Restart” is a light and romantic track with a bouncy, elastic beat matched by playful synth touches and Marianthi’s dark, Goldfrapp-tinged vocals.
“New Way” is electronic chaos from Los Angeles duo Patriarchy—a gleeful collision of plinking keys, squishy synths, clacking hi-hats, and blasts of jagged guitar. Feverish female vocals ride the mix with raw, teasing energy, heavy breaths, and wicked lyrics that make the track dark, filthy fun. At one weird moment, the bridge drops into a lullaby-like cadence before plunging the whole thing back into delirious mayhem.
Chile’s Vioflesh maintained their aggressive release schedule with numerous releases this year, but “Your Absence” remains my favorite. A darkwave storm constructed one layer at a time, it piles up blasts of electronics, a booming four-on-the-floor beat, clanking hi-hats, icy vocals, and ecstatic laser triggers until the mix becomes a brash, thrilling cacophony made for crowded dancefloors.
New York–based project Lost Signal pushes deeper into IDM territory with “Not the End of Me,” a collage of stuttering electronics, ambient textures, and low-intensity rhythm. What remains of his futurepop origins is the song’s verse-chorus-verse structure and a lovely vocal melody that rises over the chilly soundscape. It’s a track that crept up on me through repeat listens until I couldn’t deny its solemn atmosphere and defiant reminder to keep going in times of despair.
The Anglo-French duo Scenius open “Funny Sky” with an echoing key, then add clickety-clack percussion and gentle synth layers that feel minimalist and uplifting. Fab Nau’s thin, deadpan delivery carries a surprising hint of Lennon as he launches into the vocals: “I’ll make it fine / I’ll make it clear.” It’s a modest slice of vintage-tinted synthpop that gathers quiet urgency as it moves forward.
Belgian duo Ultra Sunn lean into their signature dark-club power on “The Beast in You,” the advance single and title track of their second album. A pulsating beat drives the song forward while eerie synth accents surround Sam Huge’s deep, commanding vocals. The real highlight is the chorus, where he delivers a nice, powerful melody for “Trust your heart until it breaks in two.”
Swedish project Uncreated—led by Vanguard’s Patrik Hansson with vocals from Christoffer Orcander—delivers a burst of futurepop on “Pipedreams,” my favorite of their 2025 releases. A driving beat and propulsive synth riff push the track along, while a bright, lilting melody gives the chorus some oomph: “Polluted illusions / You’re all brainwashed.”
French darkwave project Minuit Machine return with “Party People,” a roiling techno cut built from pulsing electronics and tightly layered rhythms. Amandine Stioui’s vocals ride the beat with a bright, structured intensity, but the lyrics tell a different story—drinking to feel nothing and trying to fit in with the so-called “party people.” That contrast between club-ready energy and self-lacerating narrative gives the track its compelling edge.
Slovenian synthpop favorites Torul dive into dark territory on “Wish Upon a Star,” a mid-tempo bop that opens with laser blasts and unsettling media snippets. The vocals come in tense and echoey yet still beautifully melodic, framing the track with a shadowy glow. The song’s most striking moment is a jagged, high-pitched synth refrain that cuts through the mix with TR/ST-like delivery.
German duo Beyond Obsession follow up last year’s Kings of Ashes album with the sparkly single “Deadline.” The song turns the idea of time slipping away into something urgent, while bright electronic pulses propel the track forward. It has one of those choruses that’s insanely catchy: “Deadline, deadline, deadline ticking in my chest.”
Two incredibly talented yet wildly different artists from darkTunes Music Group, CZARINA and Circuit Preacher, join forces on “Fall Damage,” an unexpected pairing that works beautifully. CZARINA builds a sweeping, orchestral-leaning electro backdrop with pouncing keys and atmospheric chants, while Circuit Preacher delivers a haunting, grounded vocal that adds real heft. The slow pace and grand scale give the track a sense of epic gravitas as if it’s unfolding in a vast, dimly lit chamber.
Emerging Swedish act Electronic Zoo return from a two-year silence with the bold, electronic rush of “Spaceman.” The track starts in a calm drift, then detonates on the chorus with a booming synth clash and the triumphant hook: “I can be a spaceman.” It’s big, bombastic fun—the kind of song that feels made to shake the room.
German duo eXcubitors fire off a fast-paced blast of futurepop on “Fragments of Me,” driven by a low-register vocal and a thumping beat. Sharp hi-hats add dark EBM touches to the mix, while backing vocals and sudden choral flashes give the track dramatic flair. A late spoken-word passage leans a bit theatrical, but it fits the song’s bold, full-throttle energy.
“Faces,” from long-running German project A Spell Inside, already made my list of the best videos of the year for its provocative visuals, but let’s focus on the music here. It’s a bright, blippy burst of synthpop with a thumping beat and intricate programming. The song’s most enticing element is a swirling synth riff that lends it Middle Eastern flair.
German act Future Trail take a soft touch on “Another Town,” a slow, piano-led track from their album Urban Shades. A steady, soothing beat and the faint flutter of rain frame Mel Gúntzelsson’s lovely vocals, while stuttering electronic touches add tension to the mix. It’s a quiet search for lost love, carried by a calm glow that feels fragile yet comforting.
