"STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: When I listen to a song, I listen for the lyrics. The words put images in my head, if they're good, like a Springsteen line. (Singing) The screen door slams. Mary's dress waves. Or they convey an emotion, AJR describing a guy who's sorry for himself, hearing the world's smallest violin. Song lyrics even influence how I try to write for you, writing for your ear."
"ANAMARIA SAYRE, BYLINE: I'm Anamaria Sayre. I'm the host of NPR Music's Alt.Latino and Tiny Desk Radio show. My selection for the lyric that really hit me this year was pretty surprisingly simple, (speaking Spanish), which means I hope that mine never move. And it was from the song "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos," by Bad Bunny. (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DEBI TIRAR MAS FOTOS") BAD BUNNY: (Singing in Spanish). SAYRE: Bad Bunny is saying he hopes that his people never leave, referring to a lot of the movement out of Puerto Rico, the displacement of people that's come from gentrification."
Listeners highlighted specific 2025 lyrics for their vivid imagery and emotional resonance. One critic recalled how lyrics can paint images, citing a Springsteen line and AJR's rueful image of the world's smallest violin. Bad Bunny's line expressing hope that his people never leave captured themes of migration, gentrification, and displacement in Puerto Rico. Those words connected broadly across Latin America, resonating with experiences in Venezuela and Mexico and creating a pervasive cultural moment. Song lyrics served both as emotional expression and as a force that shaped how people listen, remember, and write for the ear.
Read at www.npr.org
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