Monday, December 8, 2025

[Playlist] My Apple Music Replay & Spotify Wrapped for 2025

A "Gritty" Soundtrack, after the break!


"The Listened List" (Part 1)

My Apple Music Replay & Spotify Wrapped for 2025


Greetings! It's my favorite time of the year. All our quiet hard work gets collected and showcased to paint a forever soundtrack for 2025. I can always return back to this list (and these series) for fond musical memories, which ultimately helps this aging curator. Who knows what might've been erased as time continues to lock doors in dusty cranium chambers? Happy the music can always transport us back.

Overall, I'm a tad disappointed in my listening habits throughout 2025. Will explain everything fully below alongside my feelings towards both major streaming services recently. Just proves I'm quite the complex, causal, soul.

Enjoy!

Apple Music Replay '25

(Apple Music / Spotify)


We rode into 2025 behind the wheel of a 'GNX' (with Anita Baker in the tape deck). My Favorite Album of 2024 really hit the highway and set the tone for the next 12 months. There was no way any other project could catch it especially when I found myself turning over the ignition anytime my tank was empty. 'GNX' would put me back on the road. That's why Kendrick Lamar dominates the playlist below once more.

The Weeknd finally crash that vehicle by the end of January. Sending this listener to "Back to LA" for awhile. Allowed us to finally start exploring the fresh and buzzworthy tunes for the upcoming age, which usually happens after the Holiday season. The "Machine" kicks back to life. Creating new soundtracks for the days ahead from the old and the new.

Sadly, I couldn't keep my hand off the time machine. This year I had unlimited data for the first time in my life. So any song could be played at any moment. Didn't have to limit myself. Well... as long as I had internet connection. Felt so damn powerful! Those random addictions could be appeased whenever the urge hit. Playing RADWIMPS' 'Weathering With You' soundtrack on-repeat during our SoCal May & November showers happened on a whim before Work. Random mood music choices like that became a trend this listener couldn't stop.

(The reason why "Soda Pop" made the playlist is because of a special event at the Day Job. More on that later!)

Maybe it was the familiar uncertain days, iconic 2015 anniversaries, or the fact Apple Music provided my All Time Songs Playlist in the Summer... but albums I loved over the years made a huge comeback and I couldn't pass them by. Like, for example, our Hawaii Fall Break was soundtracked by CHVRCHES' 'Screen Violence'. The same record I fell in love with last time I visited Hawaii in 2022. Surely I was trying to recapture that healing feeling, right? This listener will favor comfort over complicated... especially on the road. Needed the nostalgia on scary "Federal Shutdown" airplane rides across the Pacific. 

Save me 'Stick Season (Forever)'!

Really loved how my Replay '25 turned out. Apple Music really didn't leave any secrets with their system this year. This curator was monitoring his listening patterns since June. The in-depth data aspect, compared to colorful Spotify, appeals more to me. The monthly breakdowns are special. You can see all the artists, albums, and playlists that got love over some mysterious combination. Left no surprises. Isn't that great?

Only thing I really wish happened was that the various achievements/badges got more fanfare. Listening to over 1000 artists for 10,000+ minutes should've been celebrated on the home page whenever those moments happened. A big pop-up notification once you load the app. This former PSN Trophy Hunter is a big sucker for those accolades.

As you might expect, a lot of the artists on this playlist will be included on our Favorite Albums list. Some will probably show up in our Favorite Albums of the 2020s in 2029. That's closer than we think. Another decade almost gone. Yikes! 

Below this playlist we'll talk about my flawed Spotify Wrapped. See you down there!

Playlist




Track List:

  1. Aimer - Brave Shine
  2. Yuuri - カーテンコール
  3. Kendrick Lamar - tv off (feat. lefty gunplay)
  4. Kendrick Lamar - squabble up
  5. Kendrick Lamar - luther (with sza)
  6. Kendrick Lamar - man at the garden
  7. Kendrick Lamar - hey now (feat. dody6)
  8. The Weeknd - Baptized In Fear
  9. Kendrick Lamar - dodger blue (feat. wallie the sensei, siete7x, roddy ricch)
  10. Bon Iver - There's A Rhythmn
  11. Kendrick Lamar - peekaboo (feat. azchike)
  12. The Weeknd - Wake Me Up (feat. Justice)
  13. Saja Boys - Soda Pop
  14. Kendrick Lamar - reincarnated
  15. The Weeknd - Open Hearts
  16. The Weeknd - Cry For Me
  17. CHVRCHES - Screaming
  18. The Weeknd - Timeless (feat Playboi Carti)
  19. The Weeknd - Niagara Falls
  20. Bon Iver - Walk Home
  21. Dom Dolla - No Room For A Saint (feat. Nathan Nicholson)
  22. Bon Iver - Everything Is Peaceful Love
  23. Clipse - Chains & Whips
  24. Bon Iver - If Only I Could Wait
  25. Bon Iver - Day One
  26. Shinedown - Three Six Five
  27. Bon Iver - From
  28. Bon Iver - I'll Be There
  29. The Weeknd - Give Me Mercy
  30. Kings Elliot - Starcrossed
  31. The Weeknd - Take Me Back To LA
  32. Fall Out Boy - The Last Of The Real Ones
  33. Fall Out Boy - Love From The Other Side
  34. Kings Elliot - I’m Getting Tired of Me
  35. CHVRCHES - California
  36. Kings Elliot - The Promise
  37. Bon Iver - Short Story
  38. The Weeknd - Faith
  39. Clipse - The Birds Don't Sing
  40. Lorien Testard - Lumière
  41. CHVRCHES - Lullabies
  42. Noah Kahan - Animal
  43. Kendrick Lamar - heart pt. 6
  44. Rudimental - Back To Me (with Jess Glynne)
  45. Clipse - P.O.V.
  46. CHVRCHES - How Not To Drown
  47. The Weeknd - São Paulo (feat. Anitta)
  48. Doechii - Anxiety
  49. Lady Gaga - Abracadabra
  50. Ed Sheeran - Old Phone
  51. Kings Elliot - Sweet Nothing
  52. Noah Kahan - Homesick (with Sam Fender)
  53. The Weeknd - Drive
  54. The Weeknd - Red Terror
  55. The Weeknd - Dancing In The Flames - Acoustic
  56. Ed Sheeran - Sapphire
  57. Clipse - Ace Trumpets
  58. Noah Kahan - Growing Sideways
  59. Gorgon City - Run It Back (feat. Caroline Byrne)
  60. The Weeknd - Given Up On Me
  61. Kendrick Lamar - wacced out murals
  62. CHVRCHES - Final Girl
  63. The Japanese House - Sad to Breathe
  64. Clipse - So Be It
  65. CHVRCHES - Killer
  66. ILLENIUM - With Your Love
  67. The Japanese House - Sunshine Baby
  68. Florence + The Machine - Buckle
  69. Ed Sheeran - Azizam
  70. RADWIMPS - We'll Be Alright
  71. RADWIMPS - Celebration (feat. Toko Miura)
  72. The Weeknd - Hurry Up Tomorrow
  73. Lady Gaga - How Bad Do U Want Me
  74. Ace Hood - Hustle Hard Remix
  75. RADWIMPS - Voice of Wind
  76. The 1975 - Love It If We Made It
  77. Noah Kahan - Paul Revere (with Gregory Alan Isakov)
  78. P!nk - All I Know So Far
  79. CHVRCHES - Better If You Don't
  80. Noah Kahan - Part of Me
  81. Kendrick Lamar - Rich Spirit
  82. The Weeknd - Dancing In The Flames
  83. Clipse - All Things Considered
  84. Saja Boys - Your Idol
  85. Kings Elliot - Dancing Alone
  86. The 1975 - I'm In Love With You
  87. CHVRCHES - Asking For A Friend
  88. Sonny Fodera - Tell Me
  89. Kings Elliot - Love And Landslides
  90. sakanaction - Kaiju
  91. ILLENIUM - In My Arms
  92. Ed Sheeran - A Little More
  93. Florence + The Machine - One of the Greats
  94. Eminem - Venom - Music From The Motion Picture
  95. The 1975 - About You
  96. Lady Gaga - Disease
  97. BUMP OF CHICKEN - I
  98. Fall Out Boy - I Don't Care
  99. Fall Out Boy - Alone Together
  100. Fall Out Boy - Thnks fr th Mmrs


Spotify Wrapped '25

(link)


On the other side of the coin however... I entered 2025 angry at Spotify. Didn't want to support them after losing my personal account due to unknown h*ckers & how flawed my 2024 wrapped was. So I used YouTube to listen to new singles & albums at home until summertime. Didn't change the fact I needed their easy-to-use service for our many Monday Mixtapes because almost all of our email requests revolve around Spotify. YouTube, Apple, Tidal, and the variety other streaming services aren't as accessible as the mighty giant. YouTube remains the closest but that's another can of worms entirely. 

Free is Free. Allows budget listeners to test drive fresh projects and create new fans for blooming artists. Will be unbreakable until someone else builds upon that model, but it's an Everest because Music Licensing is the worst thing imaginable.

Only reason why I came back to Spotify was because I wanted to play The Clipse's 'Let God Sort Em Out' on-repeat. Took awhile to fully commit, but spent most of October & November using the service to catchup on missed 2025 projects while replaying our Monday Mixtapes. Am I happy about it? Not really. Especially if you read up on their business practices throughout the year. Not just the A I stuff either. 

Luckily, Wrapped 2025 redeemed itself. Really didn't mind it was a mixture of listener data and weird A I generations. The new features like guessing listener's age and corralling us into trendy groups (like Harry Potter Houses) are definitely coolest thing they've done in ages. Do we know there wasn't a human pilot behind the machine? Or did we enter an uncanny valley? All I can do is throw up my hands in frustrated confusion.

(Can drive you mad if you think too deep. So, just take it as it is... for now. Because how do we know Apple Music didn't use A I to build their Replay either?)

I do find it suspicious that Clipse, Pusha T, and Malice were all in my Top 5 artists when major 'LGSEO' collaborators like Pharrell Williams, Kendrick Lamar, Tyler The Creator, Ab-Liva, The-Dream, or NaS didn't make my list. Strange, right? You know what I'm saying. Their video message was cool. Rarely ever get one of those.

Still kinda crazy that even at 6,000+ minutes, my Wrapped was still literally me.

This curator is still trying to devise a plan for 2026. Really loved putting together the Monthly Monday Mixtapes, but maybe it's time to let go of Spotify? 2026 decisions.

"So Be It, So Be It..." 

For now, enjoy this weird Grit Collection featuring a genre buffet! Go check out the screenshots after. Much more music words soon as we begin our Favorite Albums of 2025 blurbs! See you then!

Playlist


Track List:

  1. Clipse - So Be It
  2. Clipse - P.O.V.
  3. Clipse - Chains & Whips
  4. Clipse - Ace Trumpets
  5. Clipse - The Birds Don't Sing
  6. Clipse - M.T.B.T.T.F.
  7. Clipse - So Far Ahead
  8. Clipse - All Things Considered
  9. Clipse - F.I.C.O.
  10. Clipse - Inglorious Bastards
  11. Clipse - E.B.I.T.D.A.
  12. Clipse - Let God Sort Em Out/Chandeliers
  13. Clipse - By The Grace Of God
  14. Yuuri - カーテンコール
  15. Rita Ora - Your Song
  16. Aimer - Brave Shine
  17. The Weeknd - Open Hearts
  18. Linkin Park - Heavy Is the Crown
  19. UVERworld - ODD FUTURE
  20. The Weeknd - Give Me Mercy
  21. The Weeknd - Baptized In Fear
  22. The Weeknd - Cry For Me
  23. Avery Lynch - Rain
  24. Chance the Rapper - Space & Time
  25. BLUE ENCOUNT - ポラリス
  26. The Weeknd - Wake Me Up (feat. Justice)
  27. The Weeknd - São Paulo (feat. Anitta)
  28. The Weeknd - Without a Warning
  29. The Weeknd - Hurry Up Tomorrow
  30. The Weeknd - Niagara Falls
  31. The Weeknd - Take Me Back To LA
  32. Kenshi Yonezu - ピースサイン - Peace Sign
  33. The Weeknd - Red Terror
  34. The Weeknd - Drive
  35. Linkin Park - The Emptiness Machine
  36. DARCULA - What It Sounds Like (DARCULA Remix)
  37. Linkin Park - Overflow
  38. Linkin Park - Over Each Other
  39. Linkin Park - Casualty
  40. The Weeknd - Given Up On Me
  41. Linked Horizon - Jiyuu no Tsubasa
  42. DISH// - No.1
  43. Kendrick Lamar - tv off (feat. lefty gunplay)
  44. Mrs. GREEN APPLE - インフェルノ
  45. Kendrick Lamar - squabble up
  46. The Weeknd - Opening Night
  47. The Weeknd - Timeless (feat Playboi Carti)
  48. Wednesday - Elderberry Wine
  49. Kendrick Lamar - hey now (feat. dody6)
  50. The Weeknd - I Can't Wait To Get There
  51. Linkin Park - Cut the Bridge
  52. Kendrick Lamar - luther (with sza)
  53. Tyler, The Creator - Don't Tap That Glass / Tweakin'
  54. Tyler, The Creator - Ring Ring Ring
  55. Tyler, The Creator - I'll Take Care of You (feat. Yebba)
  56. Tyler, The Creator - Big Poe (feat. Sk8brd)
  57. Tyler, The Creator - Don't You Worry Baby (feat. Madison McFerrin)
  58. Tyler, The Creator - Sucka Free
  59. Tyler, The Creator - Sugar On My Tongue
  60. Tyler, The Creator - Stop Playing With Me
  61. Tyler, The Creator - Mommanem
  62. Linked Horizon - Guren no Yumiya
  63. The Weeknd - Enjoy The Show (feat. Future)
  64. Kendrick Lamar - heart pt. 6
  65. The Weeknd - Reflections Laughing (feat. Travis Scott, Florence + The Machine)
  66. Kendrick Lamar - reincarnated
  67. Amamiya Sora - Skyreach
  68. BUMP OF CHICKEN - アカシア
  69. BURNOUT SYNDROMES - Good Morning World!
  70. LiSA - crossing field
  71. KANA-BOON - シルエット
  72. LiSA - 紅蓮華
  73. MOB CHOIR - 99
  74. LiSA - ADAMAS
  75. Eve - Kaikai Kitan
  76. ALL OFF - Refrain Boy
  77. MADKID - RISE
  78. MOB CHOIR - 99.9
  79. MADKID - FAITH
  80. Kendrick Lamar - peekaboo (feat. azchike)
  81. Backstreet Boys - Get Another Boyfriend
  82. Kendrick Lamar - dodger blue (feat. wallie the sensei, siete7x, roddy ricch)
  83. Kendrick Lamar - gnx (feat. hitta j3, youngthreat, peysoh)
  84. Eminem - Beautiful
  85. Eminem - Rap God
  86. The Weeknd - The Abyss (feat. Lana Del Rey)
  87. Eminem - Arose
  88. Wednesday - Pick Up That Knife
  89. Eminem - Not Afraid
  90. Kendrick Lamar - man at the garden
  91. The Weeknd - Big Sleep (feat. Giorgio Moroder)
  92. CHVRCHES - Lullabies
  93. amazarashi - 空に歌えば
  94. Wednesday - Wound Up Here (By Holdin On)
  95. Lenny code fiction - Make my story
  96. Wednesday - Townies
  97. Vijunns - Industry - AURAGRAPH Remix
  98. Wednesday - Reality TV Argument Bleeds
  99. Wednesday - Candy Breath
  100. King Princess - Cry Cry Cry


Thanks for listening! The next chapters will drop soon! 


Screenshots

(Credit: Apple Music / Spotify)