As 2025 comes to an end, The Sunday Special is looking back on the year in culture.This week, we’re listening to the songs and albums that defined the year, for better or worse. Gilbert Cruz is joined by Caryn Ganz and Lindsay Zoladz from The Times’s pop music desk to discuss some of the biggest and best releases of 2025.Albums and songs mentioned in this episode:Bad Bunny, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos”Lady Gaga, “Mayhem”Justin Bieber, “Daisies”Chappell Roan, “The Giver” and “The Subway”Sabrina Carpenter, “Manchild”Doechii, “Alligator Bites Never Heal”Taylor Swift, “The Life of a Showgirl”Morgan Wallen, “I’m the Problem”Ghost, “Skeletá”Dijon, “Baby”Geese, “Getting Killed”Water From Your Eyes, “It’s a Beautiful Place”PinkPantheress, “Fancy That”Lily Allen, “Tennis”Ella Langley, “Choosin’ Texas”Sleigh Bells, “Bunky Becky Birthday Boy”Hayley Williams, “Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party”Turnstile, “Never Enough”On Today’s Episode<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/caryn-ganz" target="_blank">Caryn Ganz</a> is the pop music editor at The Times.<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/lindsay-zoladz" target="_blank">Lindsay Zoladz</a> is a pop music critic at The Times and the writer of <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/column/the-amplifier" target="_blank">The Amplifier</a> newsletter.Additional Reading<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/arts/music/best-albums-2025.html" target="_blank">Best Albums of 2025</a><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/07/arts/music/best-songs-2025.html" target="_blank">Best Songs of 2025</a> Photo Illustration by The New York Times; From left, Angela Weiss/AFP — Getty Images (Lady Gaga); OK McCausland for The New York Times (Geese); Erika Santelices/Reuters (Bad Bunny); Helle Arensbak/AFP -- Getty Images, via Ritzau Scanpix (PinkPantheress)
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