The Slate Music Club returns, in this special year-end edition of Hit Parade’s The Bridge! Host Chris Molanphy joins New York Times pop music critic <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/newsletters/signup/AMP">Lindsay Zoladz</a>, and <a href="https://www.hearingthings.co/author/julianne-escobedo-shepherd/">Julianne Escobedo Shepherd</a> of <a href="https://www.hearingthings.co/juliannes-favorite-music-of-2025/">Hearing Things</a> in a critics’ roundtable led by Slate’s own <a href="https://slate.com/culture/2025/12/best-music-2025-songs-albums-protest-music-top.html">Carl Wilson.</a> They discuss their favorite albums and singles, as well as the trends that shaped music in 2025.
Among this year’s big musical questions: Have we reached peak Bad Bunny yet? Did those animated Demon Hunters reinvent K-pop? Are Geese the saviors of rock, or just muppets with guitars? Is hip-hop ready to move on from Kendrick and Drake? Plus: Rosalia, Water for Your Eyes, Gaga, Wednesday—and of course, Taylor Swift.
Note: Slate Plus members can hear this special episode in full. Ad-supported listeners will hear the first half. Want to hear the whole discussion?<a href="http://slate.com/hitparadeplus"> Sign up for Slate Plus!</a> Unlock monthly early-access episodes, bonus episodes of “The Bridge,” and ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Visit <a href="https://slate.com/podcast-plus?utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plus_pod&utm_content=Hit_Parade&utm_source=episode_page">slate.com/hitparadeplus</a> to get access wherever you listen.
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Don’t miss the rest of this year’s Slate Music Club episode! Become a Slate Plus member! Join for monthly early-access episodes, bonus episodes of "The Bridge," and ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Hit Parade show page on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hit-parade-music-history-and-music-trivia/id1291058235">Apple Podcasts</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4GqbdfOT9Je4nEp5BqnGit">Spotify</a>. Or, visit <a href="https://slate.com/podcast-plus?utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plus_pod&utm_content=Hit_Parade&utm_source=episode_summary">slate.com/hitparadeplus</a> to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Podurama

Home

Trending

Personal

Your Podcasts

New Episodes

My Files

Favourite Episodes

Tags (Folders)

Recently Played

Bookmarks

Followed Playlists

The Bridge: Slate’s Music Club 2025

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia

AI Chapters

AI Insights

Reviews