Best of 2025 | Neuphorians

God rest ye merry Neuphorians!

“Christmas is a season not only of rejoicing, but of reflection.”- Winston Churchill

And if the British Bulldog were alive today, no doubt that he would be a dedicated Neuphorian, reflecting on his favorite music of 2025, ready to give a proclamation on his favorite song of the year!

Accordingly, I’ve compiled a playlist of the top Neuphoria vote-getting songs of 2025 (plus 3 songs on most critics “best of lists” that Neuphoria missed)

There are 3 ways to vote for your favorite songs of 2025 in the comment section at the bottom of that playlist:

By voting on your favorite songs from the Best Songs of 2025 playlist Spotify ; Apple Music or
By posting your Spotify Wrapped or Apple Music Replay top songs by using the “attach image” icon in the comment box
Both 1 and 2 above

I’ve already posted my Apple Music Replay, even though it’s unBeliebably cringey

The Playlist direct links are:

Churchill w headphones and neuphoria.png

If you wish to vote on your favorite songs of 2025, please submit your votes by EOD Tuesday, December 30 PT (December 31, Weds am for the Europeans and Aussies).

Proudly naughty,

Franz Ferdinand, Night or Day (Alternative)- Glasweigan veterans Franz Ferdinand released their 6 th LP on January 10 th , which reached #3 in the UK. I picked “Night and Day” because I couldn’t rid myself of this earworm. Ends up, I wasn’t alone as it was January’s winner!

FKA Twigs, Childlike Things (Alternative/Electronic)- How to explain the eccentric FKA Twigs? She’s from Earth- I think…. I’ve deduced that as she’s dated Robert Pattinson, Shia LaBeouf and Matty Healy of the 1975. However, the rest is less clear. Childlike Things is from FKA’s critically acclaimed LP, “Eusexua” and it finished a very close 2 nd in the January voting.

Bon Iver, Everything is Peaceful Love (Alternative/Folk)- In February’s Neuphoria winner, Bon Iver take an unexpected veer toward old R&B and yacht rock, employing a drum machine and falsetto in “Everything is Peaceful Love”. This is a charming surprise given that Bon Iver recently burnished their Indie Folk cred being featured on Tay-Tay’s “Folklore”.

BRONCHO, Funny (Alternative)- So much great new music was released in March that there were two Neuphoria March playlists- and Funny by Broncho was March’s top vote getter. Oklahoma hipsters (is that an oxymoron?) Broncho’s “Funny” is so dreamy that its lyrics are virtually undecipherable. It sure sounds pleasant though.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Relentless Love (Dance/Pop)- Sophie’s career has gone through a revival after making it through the business end of raising her 5 kids- and after “Murder on the Dancefloor” was featured at the end of Saltburn. However, us Neuphorians never left her- leading to Relentless Love being April’s winner!

Benson Boone, Magical Mystical (Pop)- the 22-year-old crooner made a big splash at 2025 Coachella, with a skintight baby blue sequined jumpsuit, backing guitar by Sir Brian May, a rendition of “Bohemian Rhapsody”- and a backflip off a stage platform. Summoning Harry Styles, ELO and Physical by Olivia Newton John in equal measure, the saccharine “Mystical Magical” was May’s winner!

Wet Leg, CPR (Rock)- In Neuphoria’s June winner, the Wet Leggirls feel disoriented; an emergency calling for nothing short of “CPR”! Charismatic singer Rhian Teasdale shows her irreverent reverence for obscure rock vocal devices, variously mimicking a 911 call, channeling Dale Bozzio’s (Missing Persons) “squeaky doll” and resurrecting Lux Interior’s (The Cramps) horror rockabilly. Dangerously charming…

Water From Your Eyes, Playing Classics (Alternative)- Neuphorians showed good instincts in voting the relatively obscure “Playing Classics” as July’s winner- as 5 months later, Pitchfork, Paste and New Music Express (NME) all ranked it as one of 2025’s best songs. Bushwick hipsters, Water From Your Eyes are hard to

categorize- evidenced by “Playing Classics” featuring monotone vocals, a toy piano (?), drum machines and a guttural synth riff- however the band refers to it as a “disco song”.

Chappel Roan, The Subway (Pop)- “The Subway” was not only Neuphoria’s August winner, but a Grammy nominee for 2025 Record of the Year and recognized as one of 2025’s best songs by Pitchfork, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, BBC, LA Times, NME and Consequence of Sound (wow!) And if that isn’t enough, Neuphorian Paddybear will be performing “The Subway” at an upcoming SF Holiday party!!

Based on her real life “near breakdown” from spotting an ex on a NY train, “The Subway” crescendos with a sweeping mega-hook with Ms. Roan’s voice in peak form.

Olivia Dean, Man I Need (R&B/Pop)- “Man I Need” is a darling of both the UK and Neuphoria, reaching #1 in the UK and winning September’s voting. The song is also a critics’ favorite ranked as one of 2025 top songs by The Guardian, Rolling Stone, LA Times, NME, Consequence of Sound and the BBC. “Man I Need” gracefully mixes tinges of R&B, yacht rock and gospel- effortlessly catchy.

RAYE, WHERE IS MY HUSBAND! (R&B)- Reaching #2 in the UK singles charts and in September Neuphoria voting, RAYE is hoping that “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” will give her a 2nd straight BRIT Award for Song and Artist of the Year. The song has already been named as one of the top songs of 2025 by the BBC, NPR, Rolling Stone and many other publications.

In “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!’s” cheeky courtship commentary, RAYE wonders “What is taking him so long to find me?” against blasting horns and an Aughts beat reminiscent of Beyonce’s debut “Dangerously in Love” LP.

Olivia Dean, So Easy (To Fall In Love) (R&B/Pop)- Neuphorian “It Girl” Olivia Dean won for the second straight month with “So Easy….” being October’s top vote-getter, when she released full LP, “The Art of Loving”. While “So Easy” conjures up a mix of Burt Bacharach-like production and 70’s R&B/jazz (Roberta Flack?), Dean’s sound remains fresh.

ROSALÍA, Reliquia (Latin/Classical)- Given that LUX is a symphony, with 4 movements, listening to a single cut from the LP misses LUX’s true power and ambition. However, Reliquia reached #10 globally and #1 on Reddit’s major r/popheads group- and features Rosie’s virtuosa vocals singing metaphorically of being shaped by and “losing” parts of herself on her global music odyssey, such that she has become a “Reliquia” (relic).

Abracadabra, Lady Gaga (Pop)- While Abracadabra was missed by Neuphoria’s February playlist, it clearly deserves recognition as one of the best songs of 2025. The big, catchy, nostalgic “Abracadabra” reached #5 globally, is a Grammy nominee for Best Record and Best Song of 2025 and was rated as the #1, #2 and #4 best song of the year by Rolling Stone, Billboard and the Guardian.

Abracadabra Trivia- Siouxsie and the Banshees members received songwriting credits on Abracadabra as the song borrows liberally from the 1981 classic “Spellbound” by Siouxsie Sioux and gang.

Townies, Wednesday (Alternative/Folk)- Like “Abracadabra”, September’s “Townies” was missed by Neuphoria, but also deserves recognition as one of the best songs of 2025. Asheville NC-based Wednesday’s LP “Bleeds” is one of critics top rated albums of 2025- and “Townies” which takes a nostalgic look at small-town teenage gossip was on the majority of critics’ best song of 2025 lists.

Illegal, Pink Pantheress (Pop/Electronic)- “Illegal” was also missed by Neuphoria in May 2025, but by being named as the #1, #2, #5 and #9 best song of 2025 by NME, The Guardian, Pitchfork and the BBC and starting a viral TikTok handshake trend it should clearly be a contender for song of 2025. The Pantheress’ trademark floating vocals combined with a bedroom pop mega-hook and drum & bass beats make this song feel “ooh illegal”

Neuphoria trivia- Of the top 15 consensus best songs of 2025, only 5 were excluded from Neuphoria 2025 playlists. Besides “Abracadabra”, “Townies” and “Illegal”, only “Taxes” by Geese and “Yamaha” by Dijon (both much lower rated than Abra, Townies and Illegal), were not on Neuphoria 2025 playlists.