Warmer weather has me anticipating what music‘s song of the summer will be. Will another rap track take over following “Not Like Us” in summer 2024? The charts so far this year have been dominated by familiar rappers and singers, such as Kendrick Lamar, who recorded a banner year in 2024 after his beef with Canada’s Drake reached a fever pitch. K. Dot could continue his reign into the summer, or another solidified hitmaker could come into the equation.
There is, however, a slate of highly anticipated albums set for release within the next few months. Lorde is returning June 27 with Virgin, while Miley Cyrus is releasing Something Beautiful on May 30. Even TikTok star Addison Rae is releasing her debut, Addison, on June 6. While we wait for the song of the summer to make its ascent to the top of the charts, let’s take a look at the songs that have dominated the Billboard Hot 100 so far in 2025.
5
“All I Want For Christmas Is You” By Mariah Carey
January 4 (1 Week)
In 1994, Mariah Carey graced us with the gift that keeps giving: her debut holiday album, Merry Christmas. The initial release 10-track project was led by the record-breaking single “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” With upbeat jingle bells and falsetto ad-libs, Carey’s song is a modern Christmas staple.
There are plenty of reasons why Carey’s dominance in the pop scene should never be questioned, and this song’s staying power is a prime example. Producing a globally beloved original Christmas carol is no easy feat. The level of success it sees each year during the holiday season, decades after its release, is unprecedented. Not to mention, the song is a mega moneymaker. The Associated Press reported in 2023 that “All I Want For Christmas Is You” will surpass $100 million in earnings.
For me, it doesn’t feel like the holidays without “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and Carey’s other festive tracks in rotation.
I know many people are tired of this song, but for me, it doesn’t feel like the holidays without “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and Carey’s other festive tracks in rotation. She’s the Queen of Christmas, and there’s a reason the song has returned to No. 1 around the holidays for the past seven years.
4
“Die With A Smile” By Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars
January 11 (4 Weeks) & February 15 (1 Week) (5 Weeks Total)
When two powerhouse hitmakers like Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars link up for a love ballad, it’s no surprise when the track goes No. 1 and makes itself comfortable there for a few weeks. The duo’s first collaboration, “Die With A Smile,” dropped in August 2024, but it felt like a long time coming, since the pop stars’ solo music has ruled the charts since the 2000s. The track has become globally beloved, charting in more than a dozen countries and garnering more than a billion streams on Spotify in addition to the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance accolade at the 2025 Grammy Awards.
Set to a guitar-driven soft rock instrumental, “Die With A Smile” expresses a passionate longing to be with a lover.
Set to a guitar-driven soft rock instrumental, “Die With A Smile” expresses a passionate longing to be with a lover. The song has found major success perhaps because, like many great pop collaborations, the hook is a relatable sentiment and two talented vocalists who effortlessly complement each other. It doesn’t hurt that “Die With A Smile” has excellent potential for karaoke night or a wedding playlist.
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Aside from topping the charts, the past few months have been big for Lady Gaga and Mars. Gaga’s sixth solo studio album, Mayhem, arrived March 7, preceded by two hit singles, “Disease” and “Abracadabra.” Mayhem is a favorite among critics and longtime Gaga fans because it’s reminiscent of her earlier work and marks a return to her daring, genre-bending pop roots. Gaga’s eighth concert tour, the Mayhem Ball, will support the album with 57 shows beginning in July.
Mars has generated more buzz with another hit collaboration, “Apt.,” with BLACKPINK star Rosé. The track served as the lead single of her solo debut album and has become a global, viral hit.
3
“4×4” By Travis Scott
February 8 (1 Week)
Houston rapper Travis Scott kicked off 2025 by notching his fifth No. 1 single in the United States. Scott had teased “4×4” for months before its release with a handful of live performances. The trap rage track also serves as the opening theme for Netflix’s WWE Raw program.
“4×4” puts Scott’s creativity on display, blending familiar trap production with an instrumental by the Tennessee State marching band playing a cover of Migos’ “Say Sum.” “4×4” marks Scott’s first solo project since his fourth studio album, Utopia, dropped in summer 2023. The album was stocked with support from a superstar cast including SZA, Kid Cudi, Bad Bunny, and fellow Houstonian Beyoncé.
Although “4×4” plummeted to No. 57 after a week atop the Billboard Hot 100, the song has accumulated more than 102 million streams, and Scott has used the song’s success to support an important cause. While promoting the song before its release, he restocked his website’s merchandise shop and donated all the proceeds to people affected by the devastating wildfires in California.
In other ventures this year, Scott collaborated alongside indie rock act Florence + The Machine on The Weeknd’s sixth studio album, Hurry Up Tomorrow. The group gets together on track nine, “Reflections Laughing,” a vulnerable, introspective look at life in the spotlight. Scott also became a sponsor for the soccer team FC Barcelona in an effort with Spotify’s artist collaboration project.
2
“Not Like Us” By Kendrick Lamar
February 22 (1 Week)
Kendrick Lamar’s beef with Drake dates back more than a decade, but the feud escalated in 2024 and resulted in “Not Like Us” – one of K. Dot’s most culturally relevant hits to date. The legendary DJ Mustard, who has collaborated with A-listers like Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, and Migos, was the primary producer behind the song’s provocative club beat. Those catchy brass sounds are a sample from a cover of Ray Charles’ “I Believe to My Soul.” Lamar is the sole writer of the scathing lyrics that accuse Drake of sexual misconduct and question Drake’s place in the modern hip-hop zeitgeist.
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I regard “Not Like Us,” the fifth diss track aimed at the Canadian pop star, as Lamar’s claim to victory in the rap battle, because it broke beyond the confines of their feud to become a global phenomenon. It topped the charts in 10 countries and garnered five Grammy Awards, including Record of The Year, Song of The Year, Best Music Video, and Best Rap Song. “Not Like Us” is tied (with The 5th Dimension’s 1967 hit “Up, Up and Away”) as the most awarded song in Grammy’s history.
I regard “Not Like Us,” the fifth diss track aimed at the Canadian pop star, as Lamar’s claim to victory in the rap battle, because it broke beyond the confines of their feud to become a global phenomenon.
Critics and fans alike praised the track, which broke records on Spotify and felt truly inescapable in summer 2024. Lamar is still riding on the success of “Not Like Us.” In April, Kendrick embarked on a co-headlining tour with former labelmate at Top Dawg Entertainment, SZA. The 39-show effort is in support of SZA’s Lana (2024) and Lamar’s GNX, his sixth studio album.
The surprise project dropped in November 2024 and spawned singles “Squabble Up” and “TV Off.” He performed tracks from the album and hits, including “Not Like Us,” at the Super Bowl LIX halftime show, where he was supported by special guests SZA, Samuel L. Jackson, Serena Williams, and DJ Mustard.
1
“Luther” By Kendrick Lamar & SZA
March 1 (13 Weeks)
Lamar and SZA have a long history of collaborations: eight songs date back to 2014’s “Babylon,” which was featured on SZA’s EP Z. Their vocal chemistry is undeniable, as they’ve spawned global hits like “All the Stars” from the Black Panther (2018) soundtrack. “Luther” blends SZA and Lamar’s voices to deliver a sentiment of well-wishes for a special someone. The track is named for R&B icon Luther Vandross and samples his cover of the duet “If This World Were Mine” (1982) with Cheryl Lynn.
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While the duo is embarking on their Grand National Tour, “Luther” is still reigning at the top of the charts (as of May 19). While I wasn’t lucky enough to grab a ticket to the tour’s sold-out Dallas-area stop, my friends who did see the show praised it for its long runtime and setlist. SZA and K. Dot: If you’re reading this – when’s the collaboration album coming?
