The top six streamed songs on Apple Music this year were songs released in 2024. So it wasn’t the year of the ‘explosive’ hits that we tend to see. That doesn’t mean there weren’t great songs. This gave listeners a chance to ignore the numbers and judge the music for the music. Particularly in the case for hip hop, which saw a decline in streaming numbers and Billboard placements. In the search for the next new thing came dozens of UK underground stars, going from underground to mainstream in a matter of months. Plenty artists returned to arguably deliver their best work to date, while a handful of future R&B classics made their mark too.
As usual, our list features majority hip hop placements, while taking the opportunity to spotlight the best songs pop, R&B and the alternative worlds had to offer. Songs released in the last few weeks of December 2024 also qualify for the cut. From 50–1, here are Mic Cheque’s standout songs of 2025.
First, some honourable mentions…
- Blood Orange, “The Field” (ft. Tariq Al-Sabir, Caroline Polachek, Daniel Caesar & The Durutti Column)
- Deftones, “i think about you all the time”
- Elmiene, “Useless (Without You)” (ft. Muni Long)
- Hit-Boy, Spank Nitti James, BabyTron & AZ Chike, “Start Dissin'”
- Kidwild, “Redemption” (ft. Nemzzz)
- Larry June, 2 Chainz & The Alchemist, “Life is Beautiful”
- Ledbyher, “REMEMBER, REMEMBER”
- Leon Thomas, “Just How You Are”
- McKinley Dixon, “Run, Run, Run Pt. II”
- Nemzzz, “CHANT” (ft. Chy Cartier)
- Odeal, “Nights in the Sun” (ft. Wizkid)
- Pooh Shiesty, “FDO”
- Rimzee, “Four Five” (ft. Booter Bee & Kwengface)
- svn4vr, “call ur bredrins cos the rapture might happen tomorrow at 7:30am”
- TR Gobrazy, “I Was Shook”
- YT, “Girls Trip”
- V.I.C, “Wasteman”
50. Dijon, “Yamaha”
Album: Baby
The R&B experimenter returned not just through Justin Bieber collabs but his own sophomore album. “Yamaha” is our choice for it’s standout moment.
49. G Herbo, “Went Legit”
Album: Greatest Rapper Alive + Lil Herb
Nothing, and I mean nothing, can top the best opening line of the year: “Everyday some new shit / Beefin’ with my bitch right now but life still lit”.
48. Gelo, “TWEAKER”
Album: League of My Own
You can’t deny it, LiAngelo’s breakout song is a bop. Who needs a basketball career when you can put out tunes like this? Let’s hope for his sake it’s not a one-hit wonder situation.
47. Ceebo, “jook”
Album: Blair Babies
Out of all the standout tracks on his Blair Babies tape, Ceebo’s “jook” is the one that translates universally. That flow is pristine, the production gives the bars space, and that hook’s one of the best of the year. Make sure you jook right to this one.
46. SINN6R, “Runner”
Album: #FEDERAL
It was a breakout year for SINN6R, and the opening track to his second mixtape set the tone for his audacious bars.
45. Anuv Jain & AP Dhillon, “Afsos”
Album: N/A
The Punjabi duo fuses acoustic guitar, violins and heartfelt lyrics for a powerful ballad.
44. Amaarae & PinkPantheress, “Kiss Me Thru the Phone Pt. 2”
Album: BLACK STAR
Soulja Boy may not even know that this sequel exists. Even if he doesn’t, Amaarae and PinkPantheress are a duo that have to keep collaborating. It’s the battle of the baby pop voices.
43. SPELLLING, “Portrait of My Heart”
Album: Portrait of My Heart
The mystical SPELLLING wows once again with her album’s title track, featuring rich instrumentation and big vocals.
42. Pak-Man, “One of Us”
Album: N/A
It’s a great sight to see rappers decades in the game release late career highlights. South London’s Pak-Man enters flow state on “One of Us”, and quite he had a quiet year it’s easily one of the best songs he’s ever released.
41. Jorja Smith, “The Way I Love You”
Album: N/A
Jorja gets into her bassline bag on “The Way I Love You”, sounding like a classic plucked straight out the 2000s UKG scene.
40. Lancey Foux & BNYX, “Enter the Dragon”
Album: N/A
The long-awaited solo project may not have arrived, but Lancey Foux’s collab with super-producer BNYX kept fans adrift with this whirring banger.
39. Big L & Nas, “u ain’t gotta chance”
Album: Harlem’s Finest: Return of the King
Two iconic New Yorkers finally unite on this fire posthumous cut. Big L’s verse is taken from a 1997 radio freestyle, while Nas drops the best feature from his Legend Has It… appearances.
38. Amber Mark, “Cherry Reds”
Album: Pretty Idea
Many songs from Amber Mark’s sensational Pretty Idea could’ve made the cut. But the tenderness of “Cherry Reds” is hard to omit. The gentle vocals, guitar, and portions of sitar adds the cherry on top to one of the best ballads of the year.
37. JID, “Glory”
Album: God Does Like Ugly
JID’s razor-focused on having his bars cut through on the gospel-influenced “Glory”.
36. Mac Miller, “Funny Papers”
Album: Balloonerism
Recorded in 2014, the tender “Funny Papers” finally received a posthumous release this year. The song finds Mac Miller in storytelling mode about the circle of life. It’s a career highlight for Mac, fully deserving of its official release.
35. Dave, “My 27th Birthday”
Album: The Boy Who Played the Harp
Dave divulges in prime stream of consciousness on the 8-minute “My 27th Birthday”, digging for crumbs of self-analysis in hopes of finding the answers.
34. Oklou & underscores, “harvest sky”
Album: Choke Enough
French singer Oklou urges us to dance on the entrancing “Harvest Sky”
33. Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist, “Ensalada” (ft. Anderson .Paak)
Album: Alfredo 2
It’s customary for Freddie Gibbs and Anderson .Paak to deliver a spotless collab. Their third song together is a smooth, reflective cut, soundtracked by the ever-consistent Alchemist.
32. Jean Dawson, “Rock a Bye Baby”
Album: Rock a Bye Baby, Glimmer of God
Jean Dawson channels the spirit of Prince on “Rock a Bye Baby”, and gets pretty close to replicating it.
31. billy woods, “Waterproof Mascara”
Album: GOLLIWOG
Haunting to the point where it’s barely listenable, “Waterproof Mascara” is a thunderdose of riveting horrorcore. The Preservation-produced beat’s centred around the sample of a weeping woman, as Woods details traumatic bars of domestic abuse through the eyes of a child. It’s disturbingly good, more effective than any horror film that’s’scome out this year.
30. JT, “Girls Gone Wild”
Album: N/A
The City Girls rapper continues to build her solo career outside the duo, and “Girls Gone Wild” is exactly the direction she should be heading in.
29. Men I Trust, “To Ease You”
Album: Equus Caballus
Men I Trust hit you with the warmest embrace you’ll find all year on the opening track to their second album of the calendar year.
28. Ama, “My Girl”
Album: N/A
Previously known as Ama Lou and now simply going as Ama, her first release in two years is deeply reflective, unpacking insecurities that perfectly balance her resilience.
27. PinkPantheress, “Illegal”
Album: Fancy That
The torchbearer of UK nostalgia got her annual viral hit of the year. “Illegal” proves it’s too easy for PinkPantheress to blend the old with the new.
26. EsDeeKid, fakemink & Rico Ace, “LV Sandals”
Album: Rebel
The best UK collab of the year is an easy choice. EsDeeKid, Fakemink and Rico Ace all bring their A-game over sparse Wraith9 production, instantly unlocking their ticket from the UK underground to the global mainstream.
25. Young Eman, “popstar in da bits” (ft. Eline De Sainté Vherodia)
Album: N/A
The list’s buzzer-beater entry, “popstar in da bits” is as if the Kidulthood soundtrack was released in 2025. The 19-year-old draws influence from Dizzee Rascal’s “I Luv U” with the British council estate aesthetic— even if Young Eman doesn’t know it — from the female vocals down to the music video. It’s the cherry on top for how Brits unapologetically ran the rap scene in 2025.
24. AJ Tracey, “Crush” (ft. Jorja Smith)
Album: Don’t Die Before You’re Dead
The king of Rhythm & Grime provided another nostalgic classic with Jorja Smith.
23. Playboi Carti & Travis Scott, “CRUSH”
Album: MUSIC
Two songs named “Crush” back to back? Why not? This time it’s Carti and his choir providing the mantra of the year (“Shawty gon’ let me crush”).
22. The Weeknd, “The Abyss” (ft. Lana Del Rey)
Album: Hurry Up Tomorrow
Originally previewed as “Hold My Heart” during the After Hours era, it transformed into what we now know as “The Abyss”. It’s the Final Countdown moment for The Weeknd, slowly phasing us through the 5-minute song that feels like the pivotal scene to a movie.
21. Jim Legxacy, “i just banged a snus in canada water”
Album: Black British Music
Jim Legxacy’s project had plenty of songs that could’ve made the cut. But the hilariously-titled “i just banged a snus in canada water” showcases his knack for quirky song structure, vocal range, and impressive sampling (none other than Fortnite lobby music).
20. MIKE, “man in the mirror”
Album: Showbiz!
MIKE’s nonchalant flows mesh perfectly on the shimmering highlight from his Showbiz! album.
19. Chance the Rapper, “No More Old Men” (ft. Jamila Woods)
Album: STAR LINE
One of the many potent songs on Chance the Rapper’s successful comeback. Produced by pop and R&B icon Darkchild, “No More Old Men” unpacks the community of Black Chicagoans, painting a vivid picture of unity that they should always maintain, despite the systemic injustice his city faces.
18. Mariah the Scientist, “Sacrifice”
Album: Hearts Sold Separately
“Burning Blue” is an obvious entry for the year Mariah the Scientist’s had, but the opener to her breakthrough album hits the feels more.
17. SZA, “Scorsese Baby Daddy”
Album: LANA (SOS Deluxe)
Released in the final weeks of 2024, “Scorsese Baby Daddy” blends the best bits of SZA’s sultry R&B and her pop proficiency.
16. Rob49, “WTHELLY”
Album: Let Me Fly
The most viral hip hop of the year, pre-EsDeeKid. “WTHELLY” is both a banger and downright hilarious. Rob49 rightly brings comedy back to hip hop, delivering a phrase that’ll live on in chronically online people’s heads forever.
15. Blood Orange, “Mind Loaded” (ft. Caroline Polachek, Lorde & Mustafa)
Album: Essex Honey
Dev Hynes’ return was both incisive and highly collaborative. “Mind Loaded” is the brainchild of his efforts, with contributions from Lorde, Caroline Polachek and Mustafa to make it the most ethereal song of the year.
14. Kehlani, “Folded”
Album: N/A
It was clear as soon as it dropped that “Folded” was going to be an R&B classic. It has all the markings of one. And despite her heavy online support for Palestine, it couldn’t stop her song from naturally taking over the hearts of R&B lovers this year.
13. Olivia Dean, “Man I Need”
Album: The Art of Loving
When an artist deserves a hit, it’s a combination of the artist’s hard work finally paying off and the song being great. In Olivia Dean’s case, she had several that qualified for that exact criteria. “Man I Need” unlocks her pop potential that’s been brewing for the last five years.
12. Clipse, “The Birds Don’t Sing” (ft. John Legend & Voices of Fire)
Album: Let God Sort Em Out
Album openers are meant to be statements. Clipse made sure they read the assignment with “The Birds Don’t Sing”, a moving song about the duo’s late parents. Malice’s final line, “‘I love my two sons’ was the code to your phone” is the final catalyst for the waterworks. It’s a beautiful tribute, and a reminder to cherish your parents while they’re still here.
11. Rosaliá, “Berghain” (ft. Björk & Yves Tumour)
Album: LUX
Rosaliá flexes her classically-trained background on the maximalist “Berghain”. Featuring contributions from the London Orchestra Symphony, Björk and Yves Tumour, the song is a musical odyssey, traversing from German opera to pleas to God to Mike Tyson references. It’s a hell of a song, all unfolding in a standard 3 and a half minute format.
10. Fred again…, Skepta & Plaqueboymax, “Victory Lap”
Album: USB + Skepta .. Fred
It’s now cool for rappers to work with Fred again (sorry, Headie One, you were too early to the party). What do we even call this fusion of club and grime? Crime? Grub? Whatever it is, it’s fire. Built around a busy Doechii vocal sample, “Victory Lap” unlocks another one of Skepta’s various side-quests to deliver the best speaker-splitter of the year.
9. fakemink, “Music and Me”
Album: N/A
Fakemink’s breakthrough year provided 17 streamable singles — a unconventional tactic he relies and thrives on. But “Music and Me” is the one that represents his artistry perfectly. Featuring multi-phased production from Wegonbeok, Fakemink explores his relationship with God and the conflict with making music as a Muslim. The internal struggle of “Deen (Piety)” vs “Dunya (World)” is bravely explored, and is the most candid we’ve ever heard Mink in his short career so far.
8. EsDeeKid, “4 Raws”
Album: Rebel
Out of all his viral hits this year, nothing stands out taller than his album opener. It sets the scene line by line, a perfect introduction to the elusive Scouse rapper known as EsDeeKid. He brings UK jerk to life, powered by a heavy Wraith9 beat and relentless cadence to his flows.
7. Westside Gunn, “MANDELA”
Album: HEELS HAVE EYES 2
Wrestling is a pivotal piece to Westside Gunn’s music. It was the inspiration for three of his four projects this year, titled the Heels Have Eyes series. “MANDELA” is the best song of them all, finding West slide over a perfect Conductor Williams beat.
6. Clipse, “So Be It”
Album: Let God Sort Em Out
When Clipse dropped this YouTube exclusive single, it was clear what timing they were on. The album was about to be sensational, guaranteed. Thoughts from the first second onwards consisted of: That’s Pharrell’s best beat of the last 15 years. Malice killed that three-count flow. Wait, Pusha T dissed Travis Scott?? It all happened on “So Be It”, a menacing hip hop classic fit only for the shadows of the night.
5. Playboi Carti & Future, “TRIM”
Album: MUSIC
While this is Carti’s song, it’s Future who steals the show on “TRIM”, delivering one of his greatest features fifteen years into his career. From line one onwards, Future enters pure flow state, proving his chops as a rapper for any doubters that still remain. Coupled with Carti’s boogeyman vocals and DJ Swamp Izzo’s hyped adlibs, it’s sensory overload — the crucial feeling to “TRIM” and Carti’s MUSIC as a whole.
4. Rosaliá, “Reliquia”
Album: LUX
The remarkable LUX is an international album. With its impressive exploration of 14 languages, how could it not be? It’s why “Reliquia” feels like the centrepiece to the album. Though sung in Rosaliá’s native Spanish, the lyrics describe her scattered sense of self across multiple locations (“I lost my tongue in Paris, my time in LA / My heels in Milan, my smile in the UK”). It’s a beautiful exploration of sacrifice, all circling back to the concept of love in the chorus (“Take a piece of me, keep it for when I’m gone”). Such composition and songwriting is in abundance on LUX, but abbreviated into the tender, profound “Reliquia”.
3. Doja Cat, “Jealous Type”
Album: Vie
Apparently, we were over the 80s throwbacks this year. Though a special exception must be made for Doja Cat, whose lead single “Jealous Type” was comfortably the most infectious pop song of 2025. And with no real conclusion on Song of the Summer, the crown should defacto go to “Jealous Type”. Shimmering synths, sweet sung vocals, and equally impressive rapping all but reaffirm Doja Cat as the most talented American popstar.
2. Jim Legxacy, “father”
Album: Black British Music
The second-best song of 2025 had everything. Over a twinkling beat produced by Legxacy, YT and Baby Cashy, the singer-rapper incorporates the George Franklin sample to match the subject matter. In under two minutes, Jim Legxacy details his life growing up estranged from his dad and as a teenager in South East London. The music video embodies the Y2K aesthetic synonymous with Jim’s brand, which can qualify for MV of the Year in its own right. It’s a microcosm of Jim Legxacy’s music, smiling through the realisations in ways few managed to top this year.
1. CIipse, “Chains & Whips” (ft. Kendrick Lamar)
Album: Let God Sort Em Out
In pure biased fashion, hip hop has the best writing out of any genre. The #1 song of 2025 validates that claim. Clipse showed the world to never waste a single line. Track after track, they achieved. that on their comeback album, Let God Sort Em Out. Throw Kendrick Lamar into the mix and you have a trifecta of elite rappers whom never give a throwaway bar. Backed by a Pharrell beat plucked out the Wild Wild West, “Chains & Whips” is quintessential hip hop, earning its merits verse by verse.
Pusha T starts by addressing his verse to Jim Jones, who questioned Push’s rapping abilities back in 2023. Push responded in flexing fashion by playing this very song on a Louis Vuitton runway. The line “I will close your heaven for the hell of it” is a vicious wake-up call to the Dipset rapper. The fact Push rapped the entire verse without blinking during his Tiny Desk confirms he’s a menace not to be reckoned with. Brother Malice can’t help dropping quotable after quotable, while Kendrick Lamar’s “Gen” scheme confirms his spot as feature of the year. And yes, we believe he was dissing Drake no matter what Pusha says (“All that talent, must be God-sent / I’ll send your ass back to the cosmics?” Come on.)
It’s a masterclass in lyricism, with three gargantuan rap personalities combining for the best rap song of 2025.
Mic Cheque 