A 2025 mixtape

Keeping the tradition alive, I put together a list of my favorite songs of the year. The subtitle is a track from Ye’s DONDA 2 album. The list is ordered so the songs flow well. Enjoy!

The songs

Never No More by Charley Crockett — Lonesome Drifter. 
The song depicts Crockett’s early career struggles, opening with “Feels like Commerce Street / Playing for nickels and dimes, easy money,” a reference to his time busking in Deep Ellum.

The track is full of swagger, mixing in bluesy harmonica and guitar licks. Lonesome Drifter is his major label debut, co-produced with Shooter Jennings.

The album closes with Crockett’s cover of Amarillo By Morning, originally written by Terry Stafford and Paul Fraser in 1973 and made famous by George Strait in 1982.

DIE TRYING by PARTYNEXTDOOR, Drake & Yebba — $ome $exy $ongs 4 U.
In this collab, Drake explores emotional purgatory, torn between yearning for commitment and the instinct to escape. Produced by Jordan Ullman of Majid Jordan, the track features a guitar instrumental. PARTYNEXTDOOR adds a melodic element in the post-chorus, while Yebba delivers the song’s emotional gut punch in the outro.

The track was released on Valentine’s Day ♥ as part of PARTYNEXTDOOR and Drake’s collaborative album.

Azizam by Ed Sheeran — Play. 
The lead single from Ed Sheeran’s eighth studio album showcases a vibrant dance beat infused with Persian influences. Produced alongside Swedish-Iranian producer Ilya Salmanzadeh, the track features Iranian and Indian artists playing traditional instruments including ghatam, daf, santoor, hammered dulcimer, and lute.

The title “azizam” translates to “my dear” in Persian. Sheeran describes how working with Salmanzadeh opened a door to a completely new world, finding surprising similarities between Persian music and the Irish traditional music he grew up with. The song debuted at number three on the UK Singles Chart and topped charts in Belgium and the Netherlands.

The music video, directed by Iranian-American filmmaker Saman Kesh and featuring cameos from Iranian pop legends Googoosh and Andy and comedian Omid Djalili, is a loving celebration of Persian culture.

The track is a nod to Asal by Iranian artist Davood Behboodi (1986).

See 4:08.

And 1:26.

Bang Bien by Nightmares On Wax feat. Yasiin Bey — Echo45 Sound System.
George Evelyn, an English DJ and producer known as Nightmares On Wax, teams up with Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def) for this hypnotic track from the album Echo45 Sound System. The album title pays homage to an old speaker box named “Echo45” that Evelyn bought for five pounds from his mum, which ultimately changed the course of his life.

The title comes from the Vietnamese phrase “bằng biển,” which means “as vast as the sea” or “equal to the sea”.

The song is a journey that merges soul, roots, hip-hop, dub, and electronic textures. The track features many loops that get caught in your head, characteristic of the Leeds sound system culture that shaped Evelyn’s musical foundation.

TRUE LOVE by Ye feat. XXXTentacion — DONDA 2. 
TRUE LOVE opens the album as a slow track featuring synths, where Ye discusses his estrangement from his children following his divorce. XXXTentacion appears posthumously on the hook, with the late rapper’s emotional vocals matching Ye’s rapping.

Produced by Ye alongside Ojivolta, Mike Dean, and John Cunningham, the track samples at 0:22 The Basement by Pete Rock & CL Smooth (featuring Heavy D, Deda, Grap Luva and Rob-O) from the 1992 album Mecca and the Soul Brother. This is the same drum break Ye used on his 2010 Runaway.

Check out Runaway at 0:38. Thank you, WhoSampled.

Big Daddy by Tems — Love Is A Kingdom. 
Nigerian singer and songwriter Tems continues to showcase her distinctive sound on this track from her album Love Is A Kingdom. Tems has become one of Africa’s most prominent musical exports, building on the success of her previous work, including collaborations with major artists and her critically acclaimed releases.

High (Acoustic) by Jorja Smith — Single. 
British singer-songwriter Jorja Smith returns with this stripped-down acoustic version of her house-infused single High. The original was released in July 2024.

Smith explains the song is about finding a friend within herself, noting “even through the lows, you have to find the highs.” The acoustic rendering showcases Smith’s versatile vocals.

Gotta Do It by Big K.R.I.T. — Dedicated to Cadalee Biarritz. 
Mississippi rapper Big K.R.I.T. delivers this track about taking risks, grinding through the ugly parts, and making tough decisions needed to succeed. Produced by Joey Bates and Laco Xxx, the song is fun and upbeat, maintaining the project’s playful, car-themed aesthetic with its repetitive, infectious chorus.

Gotta Do It appears on Dedicated to Cadalee Biarritz Vol. 1, released December 5, marking K.R.I.T.’s creative resurgence. The track details perseverance and pays homage to Southern rap pioneers like UGK, MJG, and 8Ball, who paved the way.

California Sober by PremRock — Did You Enjoy Your Time Here…?
Produced by legendary Blockhead (Aesop Rock collaborator), using the iconic Shigeo Sekito sample The Word II — the same 1970s Japanese electone piece famously sampled by Mac DeMarco on Chamber of Reflection and Travis Scott on How U Feel. The electone is a Japanese electronic organ that gained worldwide recognition through hip-hop, Balearic, and dream pop sampling.

The song reckons with a situation that provides no closure — jumping around in time, making references to A Streetcar Named Desire, exploring the feelings from a lack of finality.

Arrive five years older, three years late 
Salt and pepper smolder, California sober.

PremRock is half of ShrapKnel (with Curly Castro) and one of rap’s premier lyricists, known for his tactical, precise flow and sharp, evocative writing. This is a classic Blockhead production meeting underground NY rap excellence.

Bonnet Of Pins by Matt Berninger — Get Sunk. 
The National’s frontman Matt Berninger delivers stadium-sized indie rock with driving drums and live-wire guitars, backed by a burst of horns and choral backing vocals. This lead single from his second solo album came after a long period of writer’s block.

The track showcases Berninger’s knack for world-building through tiny details like cigarettes and styrofoam cups. Here’s an example.

I don’t care how many times you almost said you missed me
It’s a cup trick shell game, it’s a puff of smoke
And it gets me every time, it’s a pretty good joke
I know that you miss me, I know that you miss me
This stuff takes a lifetime

Sheltered by The Castellows — Homecoming. 
Georgia sister trio The Castellows deliver this autobiographical tune exploring their unique life experiences being homeschooled and growing up on a farm. The track features a percussive intro and smooth electric guitar riff that gives it a pointed nod to ’70s country-rock.

Circa 1943 by Chase Rice — Eldora.
The track was written in the quiet mountain town of Eldora, Colorado, shortly after Rice performed at Red Rocks. A poignant ballad inspired by his grandparents Harold and Berniece, from Superior, Montana, though the story is fictionalized.

The Longer You Hold On by Colter Wall — Memories and Empties.
Canadian songwriter Colter Wall channels the spirit of Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings on this track about waiting for the other shoe to drop. Wall explains it’s “just the old country theme of nearing the end of a fading love and knowing it.”

The song appears on his fifth studio album, Memories and Empties. Wall’s baritone voice delivers the heartbreak with the line “I can tell you’re just trying to choose your moment / The longer you hold on, the further down I’ll fall.”

The album also includes a cover of Canadian folk legend Ian Tyson’s Summer Wages, originally released on Ian and Sylvia’s 1967 album So Much For Dreaming.

Touch Me Like a Gangster by Jessie Murph — Sex Hysteria. 
The Alabama prodigy delivers a bold, BDSM-themed track with uniquely raspy vocals that lean into the confident and honest songwriting. The song features an instrumental consisting of strings and percussion with backbeats.

Trapezoid by Nicholas Craven & Boldy James — Late to My Own Funeral.
Montreal producer Nicholas Craven and Detroit rapper Boldy James reunite for this chipmunk soul track. The song samples Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams’ Just the Way You Are from their 1978 album.

The album showcases Craven’s talent for selecting samples and expert chopping, creating an ideal backdrop for Boldy to perform at his best.

Documents by Slick Rick feat. Nas — VICTORY. 
Hip-hop legend Slick Rick returns after a 26-year hiatus with his first album, VICTORY, marking his comeback through a deal with Mass Appeal Records, the label founded by Nas. Documents is the tenth track featuring Nas himself, who shares a long history of collaborations with Slick Rick.

The album was mostly recorded in London and produced by Slick Rick alongside Parker Ighile. VICTORY sees the master storyteller bringing his signature narrative rap style. The song’s title and Nas collaboration make it a standout on an album that critics praised as remarkable.

Riders Of The Moon by Arc De Soleil — Lumin Rain. 
Arc De Soleil is one of the many monikers of composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Kadawatha. He was inspired by his father’s love for the Spotnicks (Swedish instrumental rock band from the 60s) and their guitar-driven sound. Creating music for Arc De Soleil was more of a return to something very natural, drawing on the vintage sounds of the Spotnicks and the Shadows (British instrumental rock group from the 60s).

Blood In The Sky by Skegss — Top Heavy. 
Australian surf-rock duo Skegss from Byron Bay deliver a song that intertwines energizing surf-rock with the relaxed, melodic sounds of bossa nova. The track dives into Allah-Las or Rolling Stones territory, fusing Western guitar tones and sultry piano to create a modern elegy.

Sunny Storms by De La Soul — Cabin In The Sky. 
Produced by DJ Premier, Sunny Storms stands out early on De La Soul’s comeback album Cabin In The Sky, released as part of Mass Appeal’s “Legend Has It” series.

Posdnuos (one third of the hip hop trio De La Soul) steps into the role of a veteran emcee who guides listeners without lecturing, with the first verse symbolizing the sun with optimism and encouragement, while the second represents the storm reflecting on aging and shifting priorities.

DJ Premier, one-half of Gang Starr and one of hip-hop’s most respected producers, is known for his pristine sampling techniques. His scratching precision brings classic rap cuts to life. The track samples Jean Carn’s Completeness from her 1982 Motown album, Trust Me. It also contains elements of New Edition’s Can You Stand the Rain and Gang Starr’s Full Clip. See a more complete list of sampled songs here.

Pos raps “as we got older, we talk healthier,” showing how wisdom calms you down. This marks the duo’s first proper album since 2016’s and the Anonymous Nobody, created after the passing of member Trugoy the Dove.

Wish I Didn’t Know Now by Ella Langley—Single (Apple Music Sessions).
The track was originally released on the deluxe edition of Ella Langley’s debut album, still hungover, in November 2024.

Langley released a special Apple Music Sessions version on July 1st as part of a tribute project honoring the late Toby Keith. The song was originally written and recorded by Toby Keith in 1994, peaking at #2 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The title lyric was actually inspired by Bob Seger’s Against the Wind.

[Pre-Chorus]
And I remember what she said to me
How she swore that it never would end
I remember how she held me, oh, so tight
Wish I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then

Her rendition peaked at #14 on both the US and Australian iTunes charts.

Streaming options

The playlist is available on Apple Music, TIDAL, and Spotify.

Thank you for reading and listening. Please get in touch. I’d love to know your favorite songs of the year.

Peace, 
DJ Pardis