The year that killed music (best and worst of 2025)

Switched on Pop

Vox Media Podcast Network

Music Interviews, Music History, Music, Music Commentary

4.6 • 2.7K Ratings

🗓️ 16 December 2025

⏱️ 49 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

From big-ticket albums by Taylor and Gaga, to a revival of the stomp-clap revival – 2025 had it all, for better and for worse. Now that the year has come to a close, it's time to take a look back at the past twelve months: what happened in the zeitgeist, what we loved listening to, and what we missed here on the show. Reanna, Charlie, and Nate talk about it all, including a look back at our predictions from January to check off boxes for Switched On Pop bingo. Songs discussed: Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia Alex Warren – Ordinary HUNTR/X – Golden Morgan Wallen – I'm The Problem Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga – Die With A Smile Bruno Mars – 24K Magic ROSÉ, Bruno Mars – APT. Olivia Dean – Man I Need Ravyn Lenae – Love Me Not Justin Bieber, Dijon – DEVOTION Bon Iver, Dijon, Flock of Dimes – Day One Dijon – Baby! Dijon – Yamaha CA7RIEL – SHIPEA2 Paco Amoroso – Viuda Negra CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso – EL ÚNICO - Live at NPR MUSIC's Tiny Desk CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso – EL DÍA DEL AMIGO CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso – #TETAS Breaking Rust – Walk My Walk Jack Black – Steve's Lava Chicken Saja Boys – Soda Pop Snocaps – Coast Miley Cyrus – Something Beautiful Bad Bunny – DtMF MOLIY, Shenseea, Silent Addy, Skillibeng – Shake It To The Max (FLY) - Remix Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Support for Switched on Pop comes from Sonos.
0:02.8	Nothing quite makes a holiday gathering like turning on the music, and if you're looking to set the mood, you should check out Sonos.
0:09.0	With Sonos, movie nights feel bigger and more cinematic.
0:12.0	While holiday parties come alive with music that flows from room to room, it's the kind of sound that makes a house feel warm and connected during the season.
0:20.0	Want studio quality sound at home.
0:22.8	Explore Sonos speakers, soundbars, and more at Sonos.com.
0:26.5	And discover how easy it is to build your own whole room audio system.
0:30.4	Discover how easy it is to bring every room to life with incredible sound.
0:34.6	Explore Sonos speakers, soundbars, and more at Sonos.com.
0:45.8	Welcome the Switched-on Pop.
0:48.7	I am producer Rihanna Cruz.
0:50.3	I'm songwriter Charlie Harding.
0:51.6	And I'm musicologist Nate Sloan.
0:53.4	All right, Charlie, Nate, we've made it to the end of 2025. Woo! It's been a year. It's been one of the worst, straight up. Well, it depends what categories we're talking about. All of them. People have said, no, no, no. There has been good music. Okay, okay, yes.
1:11.7	Music-wise, there's some good things.
1:13.7	And I hope we can talk about them because, man, I need something to sort of cleanse my palate for this year.
1:20.4	Yeah, I think we got to stick musically here.
1:23.6	In 2025, we had new albums from Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift.
1:45.0	Crazy that they used that for the clue. me out of my grave and save my heart from the feta. Oh, Phileo.
1:49.5	Crazy that they use that for the closing credits of Hamnet.
1:51.4	Yeah.
1:53.5	Weird, weird choice, but, you know, okay.
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 22 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Previous episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Vox Media Podcast Network, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Vox Media Podcast Network and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.