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:
Canadian artist Devours is a master at blending fresh, intricate, sometimes startling sound design with deeply introspective storytelling. On “Loudmouth,” from his Sports Car Era album, he unpacks the passion and trauma of a toxic relationship while quietly navigating questions of identity and self-esteem. But let’s be crass for a moment. My absolute favorite part arrives in the dewey-eyed chorus when he sings, “I wanna get FUCKED in a treehouse.”
German duo 12 Illusions deliver a lovely slice of modern synthpop. “The Libertine” is built from tappety-tap synths, swirly pads, steady piano, and warm, graceful vocals. Beneath its dense, shuffling sound is a quiet declaration of freedom—the lyrics trace someone shedding false convictions and the weight of other people’s expectations. It’s soft, propulsive, and quietly self-liberating.
Canadian producer Réal Cardinal—aka Comaduster—specializes in conceptual, mood-driven soundscapes with widescreen atmosphere. “Way With Me,” from Memory Echoes, is one of his cinematic slow burners. Elegant synths swell and hazy vocals unfold with a sci-fi sense of grandeur, building toward a stuttering, emotionally charged bridge that lands with the line: “This is my time to breathe.”
Belgian heroes Implant conclude their Chaos Machines trilogy with Judging Sinners, which takes aim at those responsible for the world’s woes. “Vampire State” is a furious takedown of greedy politicians and fat-cat power brokers: “Vampire state, you’re sucking me dry.” Thrilling EBM hi-hats, swirling electro-industrial layers, and a hard-charging beat turn that anger into momentum, the kind of song that lands a little harder in a year like this one.
French foursome White Ritual channel a neon-soaked dreamscape that resembles the sound of iconic label Italians Do It Better, the home of Chromatics and Causeway. Yet they sit firmly in the darkTunes universe. “Crosses,” inspired by the retro-horror fantasia of Stranger Things, pairs bubbling, reverb-heavy synths with gritty guitar textures, while soft, cooing vocals give the track a dark, dramatic allure.
Florida’s Caelum Wraith wields a dusky low register that feels more hypnotic than harrowing, giving “The Coil” a strange, comforting pull. A lilting synth motif lifts the chorus—“How long can we keep the coil?”—while shuffling electronics and the amplified line “We all fall down” add shadowy intrigue. It’s the kind of track that makes me feel like a happy little grumpkin flitting through the dark wood, content in my gloom.
Swedish/Norwegian trio Xenturion Prime lean into an expansive, myth-meets-sci-fi aesthetic on “Leviathan Alpha,” a track that feels both ancient and futuristic. The synths and vocals of this song are drenched in echoey reverb, giving it an otherworldly glow. It’s a lush, atmospheric piece of synthpop that plays like a cosmic summons, especially when they drop the line: “Release the leviathan / A voice that echoes in space and time.”
“Fall Apart,” from enigmatic artist Hermidgets, is shadowy, romantic intrigue that unfolds in slow motion. Reverb-soaked keys set the mood, a gentle beat slips in, echoey vocals drift at the edges, and then a hook emerges from the fog: “What are we doing here / What are we doing here.” It’s hazy and melancholic, an intimate little spell of a song.
Italian project Stars Crusaders, with a production assist from German producer Krischan Wesenberg (of Rotersand and Future Lied to Us), make a fiery, unforgettable declaration: “It’s hard to be a god.” The music rises to meet that intensity. A furnace blast of thumping beats and high-pitched synths drives the track forward, while subtle vocal shifts keep its momentum sharp.
The long-running German project T.O.Y. takes another massive evolution on latest album, The Prophet. The sounds are breezier, more easygoing than ever, a far cry from Volker Lutz’s darker days in Evils Toy. “To the Stars With Me,” one of the album’s pre-release singles, captures that tonal shift with bubbly synth patter, lightly strummed guitar, and Lutz’s warm, romantic vocals soaring above the mix.
I’ve cooled a bit on New York–based trio Nation of Language as their music has gotten quieter and more minimal. Fourth album A Dance Called Memory might have passed me by had I not seen them in concert. Live, these songs are far more dynamic than the flat album mix would have you believe. (Guys, I’m begging you, get a more expansive mix for album five.) “In Your Head” is the album’s best track, thanks to the rippling synth arrangement that arrives near the two-minute mark. It’s bonkers live.
Chicago crooner Panic Priest blends chugging guitars and plinky synths in classic darkwave fashion. “To Live Another Day,” the standout track from his Once Wild album, showcases that sound at its most polished. Booming, singalong vocals and rich melodies drive the track, while a sparkling synth line arrives during the chorus. The sleek and shadowy song gives me strong Duran Duran vibes in a way the feels unabashedly ’80s New Wave and modern in equal measure.
French-Czech duo Years of Denial unleash a techno-flourished dancefloor throbber with “We Are the Party.” An exhilarating rave-up celebrating excess and hedonism, it’s built on intense rhythms, EBM thwacks, and dark, shrouded vocals. “We Are the Party” comes from their Love Cuts EP, a bridge between 2023’s Suicide Disco 2 and the forthcoming third installment.
I love the club classic “Destroy Everything You Touch,” but I’m honestly not the biggest Ladytron fan because their songs often sound compressed and muted. Their 2025 single “I Believe in You” grabbed my attention for its dynamic synth arrangements, especially that xylophone-esque refrain. Helen Marnie’s hypnotic vocals glide through the mix, but the real highlight is those cosmic “whaaa-aaah-aaah” flourishes that sound ripped outta the Flash Gordon soundtrack.
Italian electro-wave band Talk to Her returned from a five-year silence with “PLD,” the dark, pulsing lead single from their new album Pleasure Loss Desire. Thick, pummeling synths and escalating percussion drive the track, gathering force as it leans into the tension between control and surrender. Andrea Visaggio’s echo-soaked vocals—still reminiscent of Editors’ Tom Smith—spiral through lyrics that hint at pleasure, restraint, and letting go.
German duo White Noise TV return with “Transistor,” a sleek, modern futurepop track that favors cool atmospherics over the genre’s typical trance arpeggios. An almost ambient beat and shifting synth textures keep the song in constant motion—fitting for a track about change. Oliver Staats anchors it all with warm, low-register vocals that give the production a soothing, human center.
Death Valley Fight Club, a new German project that launched last year, delivers a soaring feel-good anthem about living in the moment. “This Feeling” is built on an edgy beat that gives the track a distinct edge from similar futurepop anthems, while bright synth touches and understated vocals create a big-room lift perfect for your local goth club.
Keep an eye on this one. Emerging Swedish synthpop act CRED recently signed with Scandinavian tastemakers Town and Tower Records, the home of Cold Connection and Supercraft. They just released their debut album. “Chasing,” one of the pre-release singles, channels the breezy charm of classic New Wave pioneers like OMD and Simple Minds, with softly crooned vocals that give the track a warm, cinematic glow.
I live for that progressive house beat that makes you feel like you’re slinking up behind somebody on the dancefloor. On “Communicate,” Spanish project Dunkelwald channel the spirit of New York City club legends like Peter Rauhofer and Victor Calderone with a thumping four-four, but then smash it into darkwave territory with body-shaking tension and nasally, mysterious lyrics about ignition and communication.
Mexican futurepop act Ego Bliss joined the influential scene label Infacted Recordings and released “Ascend,” an energetic burst of trancey synthpop. Swirling electronics—some with a subtle Middle Eastern edge—wrap around pulsating beats and gleaming vocal effects that push the track into full dancefloor mode. Its most powerful moment is a defiant melodic hook: “We will never be afraid.”
“I Won’t Conform,” from Swedish newcomers On Moral Ends, is a tender-but-defiant track that feels like equal parts protest and permission to be true to yourself. The slow buzz of synths and the stop-start kickdrum leave plenty of space for the message to land, especially its simple, powerful refrain: “I won’t conform / No, it’s not my norm / I won’t behave / ’cuz I am free.” It’s a quiet, steady, unshakeable mantra for our modern era.
The AI revolution is underway whether we like it or not. German trio Beyond Border tackle the issue head-on with “Machines (Hello Goodbye),” the first glimpse of their upcoming album that concludes the Welcome to the Future trilogy they started in 2020. Vangelis-like atmospherics open the track before it bursts with thick, pummeling beats, catchy melodies, and electrified vocals. It’s a catchy blast of futurepop that alternately embraces and laments our new AI overlords.
Chicago trio Pixel Grip are probably best known for filthy dancefloor bangers like “Alphapussy” and this year’s “Stamina” (“Daddy, come over, fuck me over and over.” Oh my). I tend to prefer them in slinkier, introspective mode. “Reason to Stay” finds Rita Lukea confronting a traumatic relationship with her now trademark brand of intense, lacerating vocals, while the music growls beneath her with thumping beats, cracking whips, and industrial strength menace.
I’m just so happy to hear any activity from the dormant De/Vision camp that I’m willing to overlook the fact that this song is nearly a decade old. “Synchronize,” which originally appeared on De/Vision’s 13 album, gets a fresh coat of paint from the hardest-working man in synthpop, Daniel Myer of Haujobb, Covenant, DSTR, Architect, and now the newly christened touring act De/Vision Redux. Myer amps up the doom and adds a nice shuffling touch, but mostly stays out of the way so we can once again enjoy the lovely, intoxicating voice of Steffen Keth.
