As 2025 comes to an end, list week returns! A time where publications get together to flex how good their music tastes are, and make amends to glaring omissions that might’ve haunted them over the last twelve months. As a music blog obsessed with oranges, we’ve missed out on covering a lot of 2025’s most significant releases, so are grateful to have the opportunity to rectify that.
We’ve already revealed our Favourite Albums & EPs, and today we’re finishing off with our Favourite Singles Of 2025. There’ve been a load of singles released this year, and here are 20 that truly made us feel something. Alive, able to continue working out or simply crushed our spirits – it’s all there.
Below is our list in alphabetical order, with links to full reviews of certain singles. We hope you enjoy, and feel inspired to check out some of the records named. It’s been a great year for music (as always), and we’re so pleased to cap off List Week with a modest roundup of some of our favourites from it.
DEAD GOOD MUSIC // FAVOURITE SINGLES OF 2025
BLUSHER – “WHATEVERWHATEVER”
Blusher are one of those artists who can guarantee you a good time. Their newest EP, RACER, is proof of that. It’s a blast of a listen, and is capped off by the excellent “WHATEVERWHATEVER” – a song that revels in how little it cares, and invites you to do so too.
CHEST. – “BLOOD ON YOUR DOORSTEP”
On the opposite end of the Blusher scale comes chest. The French band pummelled our minds with the excellent All Good Things End EP earlier this year, and it was this single that did most of the work. Crushing and violent in many ways, the fact we keep returning to it is a testament to how good it is.
Check out our Peeled Back with chest.
GETDOWN SERVICES – “EAT QUICHE, SLEEP, REPEAT”
Getdown Services really provided the masses with an outlet to just have fun. Somewhere to go when you simply want to switch off for a while. In amongst their many releases this year is something for the Quiche lovers. While the idea of a Quiche is one that makes me gag – I can’t ignore how great it is to live by these simple steps. It’s as silly as it is catchy, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
HAYLEY WILLIAMS – “PARACHUTE”
Good lord Hayley Williams, who gave you the right to rip our hearts out? So much of Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party could’ve appeared on this list, but “Parachute” really brought the anguish to the party. Detailing pictures of future children and an effective chorus of still wanting to be caught by somebody who has let you go – this song has every right to tear us apart.
HIGHDRIVE – “CHERRY”
How bold of us to stick a debut single on this list, but it deserves it. HIGHDRIVE’s introduction is one that channels anger and pushes against apathy. Creating a sound that’s entrenched in tension, but has the lofty ambition to extend out into the skies. It’s superb, and hopefully we’ll hear more from them in 2026.
HOME COUNTIES – “MEET ME IN THE FLAT ROOF”
Where Exactly As It Seems had “Wild Guess”, Humdrum‘s highlight comes in the form of this. “Meet Me In The Flat Roof” brings all of the wonk of the Home Counties sound, but pairs it with a real sense of nostalgia. A performance that reminisces the good ol’ days, where pubs were pubs and maybe we were better versions of ourselves.
Check out our Interview with Home Counties.
HOT WIFE – “QUEEN”
Hot Wife really brought the goods with “Queen”. Written as a huge middle finger to a certain individual, the song remains one of the most defiant of the year. Its riffage is top notch and honestly, it makes you feel like a real badass. Here’s hoping we hear more from them next year.
Check out the full review of “Queen”.
THE LAST DINNER PARTY – “THIS IS THE KILLER SPEAKING”
Gooooooood morning, good lookin’! The Last Dinner Party surprised us all when they dropped new album From The Pyre in October, and it’s a solid follow-up to their hugely successful debut album. The jewel in its multi-faceted queen has to be its lead single though.
Check out the full review of “This Is The Killer Speaking”.
LIME GARDEN – “MAYBE NOT TONIGHT”
Lime Garden really left it late to announce their return, but “Maybe Not Tonight” more than makes up for it. There’s a real Metronomy vibe to it, but the band crank up the quirks just a little more to allow the grooves and urgency to sink into your head. It’s so good, and we can’t wait to see if this means a new album arrives next year.
LOADED HONEY – “DON’T SPEAK”
J Lloyd and Lydia Kitto really took their Jungle tools to deliver something insanely groovy in Loaded Honey. The highlight of Love Made Trees comes in the form of “Don’t Speak” – a tune that immediately digs at the hips and has them swinging by the end.
LOW GIRL – “OVERGROWN”
Low Girl’s “Overgrown” really nailed the balance of being proud of growing, but nervous about growing too much. Silky guitars lay down oodles of noodles, that worm their way into the ears against a drum beat that snaps. Leaning into a brazen side that’s self-assured and ready to take on the world, there’s a boldness to it that invites you to join in.
Check out the full review of Is It Too Late To Freak Out?
MY FIRST TIME – “BODYBAG”
If the devil on your shoulder ever needed a song to get in the mood to cause further chaos, it’d be this one. My First Time have always been ones to watch, but they absolutely blew things apart with “Bodybag”. Its an absolute riot and relishes in its anarchic mood, and is one of the most explosive songs of the year. Even as someone who likes to stay indoors, I would like to experience this live.
Check out the full review of “Bodybag”.
NATURE TV – “ONE STEP FORWARD”
One of the first songs to truly set up camp in our minds. Nature TV really decided to release something that would become an earworm at its own pace. Its easy-going grooves could suit any atmosphere, and the recent embrace of Little Alex Horne only makes it more exciting.
OLIVIA DEAN – “NICE TO EACH OTHER”
Olivia Dean’s rise to the top cannot be understated. She has really come into her own this year, and it’s largely due to this single. The more laid back tune between it and “Man I Need”, but there’s something about how easy it is fall into its groove that we cannot deny.
THE QUEEN’S HEAD – “TODAY”
The catchiest track on what is one of the most brutal listens of the year, The Queen’s Head really created a mindmelt with this one. A song written about the loss of a loved one, yet has a seriously groovy instrumental is a contrast we couldn’t find anywhere else. Captivating in many ways.
Check out our Peeled Back with The Queen’s Head.
SAMIA – “BOVINE EXCISION”
Samia is an artist who deserves way more widespread recognition than she’s currently getting. With 3 albums under her belt, she has consistently shown that she is a gifted songwriter with a truly mesmerising voice. This year, she released her album Bloodless, an indie-folk record that puts her in the same league as the likes of Phoebe Bridgers and Adrianne Lenker.
The lead single, ‘Bovine Excision’, is a track born from Samia’s interest in “the phenomenon of bloodless cattle mutilation as a metaphor for self-extraction”. Starting off acoustic, it slowly builds up instrumentation throughout the track to head toward an indie-rock zone. At the same time, she also builds up her vocals, adding more layers as the song goes on, creating this big, atmospheric moment in its final minute. This song is just one example of her stunning vocals and captivating melodies.
TEST PLAN – “MY TEETH”
test plan have blown our minds this year. Their sound is one that always leaves you on edge, but this quality truly became unhinged on “My Teeth”. Its frantic pace and heavy riffs feel like they’re clawing desperately on the vocals, which sound somehow more chaotic. The entire track feels like a nightmare in the best way possible.
Check out the full review of “My Teeth”.
VIAGRA BOYS – “THE BOG BODY”
Are you really in a great relationship if you don’t have a personal beef with certain bog bodies? Viagra Boys finally give those muddy little fellas the limelight they deserve on this blistering single from the excellent new album viagr aboys.
Sure, it’s easy to get bogs and swamps confused, but these lads are out here educating the masses while also telling a story of jealousy towards a loved one’s obsession with them. That takes guts, that takes composure and honestly, I dig it.
Check out the full review of viagr aboys.
WET LEG – “MANGETOUT”
Nice try, now get out the way! Wet Leg really defied expectations with their new album. moisturizerproved that they’re more than just a couple of joke songs. They’re a band who can take things seriously, and be playful in their execution to show how good they really are. ‘mangetout’ is a standout of the album, and one of the best singles Wet Leg have released yet.
Check out the full review of moisturizer.
WOLF ALICE – “THE SOFA”
Wolf Alice truly came into their own this year with The Clearing. While all the plaudits came for “Bloom Baby Bloom”, the real ones know that the true power lies in “The Sofa”. A gorgeous song that details the want to do nothing. To not worry about being the midst of something deep and meaningful all the time.
Ella Rowsell is rightly hailed as having one of the best voices in music, but “The Sofa” is where it really shines. Musically, its easy-going vibe offers just enough of a backdrop against her storming performance, culminating in a string section that really propelled The Clearing and Wolf Alice into the stars for me.
Check out the full review of The Clearing.
We hope you enjoyed our Favourite Singles Of 2025. Let us know what you thought of the selection via a comment below, or on our Instagram page. If you haven’t already, do be sure to check out our Favourite Albums and EPs of the year too.
Just like that, List Week and 2025 comes to a close. We hope you’ve enjoyed the content from the last twelve months, and that it’s helped you find a new favourite artist or two. The blog reached new heights and milestones that previously would’ve seemed absurd, so thank you to those who’ve helped that become a reality.
Dead Good Music has always been a hobby, and while there’ve been times where it’s felt tough, or the burnout has been real – it’s always been about the music. To everybody who has contributed in some way, through writing reviews or photographing artists – thank you. Your efforts really helped ease the pressure to make sure there was new music featured every week, and that is something I appreciate so very much.
I hope you enjoy the rest of 2025, have a happy holiday and an even happier new year! Until next time.