The Best Songs of 2025 (So Far)
Briefly

March 2023 heralds a vibrant array of music across various genres, from Bad Bunny to Bon Iver, all revolving around themes of comfort amidst societal anxiety and personal struggles. Highlighted tracks include Hailey Whitters' feisty "Prodigal Daughter" featuring Molly Tuttle, which playfully explores themes of youthful rebellion and homecoming. Yung Lean's "Forever Yung" examines the complexities of relationships, while Rico Nasty pushes genre boundaries with her unique style on "Teethsucker (Yea3x)." This rich offering reflects the eclectic tastes of contemporary music listeners and highlights ongoing cultural narratives.
There's usually a sharp edge hiding somewhere under midwestern charm - even for Iowa-raised Hailey Whitters, who once laughed at the Nashville game on her song "Ten-Year Town." That irreverence comes to the forefront again on "Prodigal Daughter," her riotous, rootsy anthem with bluegrass picker Molly Tuttle. That titular daughter is "saccharine as sugarcane" before she meets a bad boy and leaves her mother "sweatin' bullets," worried for her soul.
I wonder where you're at / I wonder where you go, Yung Lean says in "Forever Yung," flipping between singing and spoken-word delivery. "You're inside that mask of yours / Take it off and let it show."
Rico Nasty is one of the only rappers for whom signing to storied pop-punk label Fueled by Ramen is a totally reasonable decision; her song "Teethsucker (Yea3x)" exemplifies her genre-blending style and boundary-pushing approach.
Read at Vulture
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