Top 50 of 2025: #25-21: A Bunny, A Little Monster and a Dove

This is the last entry before the top 20…it’s getting real. There are some top 50 vets, some new oldies and a song that I can’t get out of my head. This is also the most eclectic block in the top 50 thus far. So, let’s get into it.

25. Lady Gaga: Abracadabra

This might be the first time Gaga has had a studio track on the top 50. After a few records in the wilderness, Gaga is back with her theatrical dance club greatness. I can’t tell you what the song is about, but the hook is out of this world. She even fits “Gaga” in the hook, which I appreciate. This gives me Madonna Hung Up comeback vibes, which I hope it is for Gaga. This may not be on the same tier as her early work, but it shows that Gaga still has it.

24. Jpegmafia: Jordan Rules

For lovers of Death Grips, this will scratch an itch for you. Death Grips was always hit or miss for me, but man when it hit…it really hit. Jpegmafia has some of the sharpest incongruent punk electro beats out there. At times you wonder if he mistakenly recorded bars over a totally different song, which is the key to the song. The energy is electric as the backing beats and guitar are all over the place and Jpeg’s bars are spit with such fury that the entire track devolves into absolute chaos. This is punk hip hop…and sometimes a song that’s all about rage is what you need.

23. Bad Bunny: Nueva Yol

Bad Bunny has been on the top 50 before, but usually for some club mixes drowned in neon, sweat and sex. He has come back with a new project that sees him fusing that modern dance/pop/hip hop style with traditional salsa. On the surface this might seem like an odd pairing, but it is a melding of the old and new, while also showcasing Bad Bunny’s pride in Puerto Rico. He is not beyond tradition, but celebrating it on a track that will have you running for the dance floor.

22. Doves: Renegade

The Doves have been around for over 20 years and this track seems like a culmination of their career. There is this trippy existential and lush synth behind some straightforward rock and roll. There is a slight Radiohead vibe as the band moves in and out of an electro fuelled Neverland; however, they never go completely down the rabbit hole. This is an emotionally charged and earnest song about regret, leaving someone you love and bigger questions about life. Jimi Goodwin’s vocal shows that he has seen some shit and has lived to tell about it. The emotion you get in this track is unlike most indie rock and it’s spellbinding.

21. Nine Inch Nails: As Alive as you Need me to Be

In the only redeeming aspect of the cinema dumpster fire which was Tron Ares, was a new Nine Inch Nails track, This brought me back to the days of Pretty Hate Machine. Two words that immediately come to mind with this track are oppressive and caustic…which is great. Nine Inch Nails has always been there to upset the status quo and have us question what makes music connect with people. Their pioneering of industrial punk/electro alt music created deep emotional connections with arrangements that were designed to alienate us. This track’s weighty syth backing combined with Trent’s rage filled vocal is both alien and very human. I love a good NIN track.

No pithy fun puns here…it’s top 20 time. No possible spoilers. What will it be??? You’ll have to come back to find out.