From a song by a certified superstar that came out in the very first week of January to breakthroughs from lesser-known indie acts, here are selections from NPR Music's list of the best songs of 2025.

2025 was a great year for music. So many songs filled us with joy, love, reflection. With the year coming to a close, we wanted to look back with NPR's resident music critic, Ann Powers. Hey, Ann. ANN ...