From a song by a certified superstar that came out in the very first week of January to breakthroughs from lesser-known indie acts, here are selections from NPR Music's list of the best songs of 2025.

Hundreds of new Christmas songs are released every year, but each time December rolls around, the same small handful of classics races to the top of the charts. Will anything new ever break through?

Which song lyrics from 2025 most moved our NPR Music critics?

We take a motorcycle road trip to Wisconsin in our annual search for the true spirit of the season. And, of course, we meet some special guests along the way.Thanks for another amazing year, and happy ...

When this song was released in 1961, it was a pivotal time not only for Christmas music, but for America itself—culture was ...

To celebrate the holidays, we’re looking back at four archive Fresh Air interviews discussing popular Christmas songs: First, jazz singer Mel Torme tells Terry Gross about co-writing “The Christmas ...

When temperatures drop, why do many listeners find themselves gravitating toward more introspective, emotionally resonant songs?

NPR listeners share the one song that hit them the hardest this year, and tell us why they laughed, cried, or simply couldn’t ...

What are the most unbearable Christmas songs? We offer a few of the many, many options.

Before the 2025 Academy Award nominations came out Thursday, the Academy revealed that none of the songs up for best original song would be performed during the Oscars ceremony. MARTIN: And several of ...