Is the new year finally carving out its own flavor? In just the opening two months of the year, some of the industry’s most reliable hitmakers have already made put their stamp on 2025, an undeniable theme when sorting through this week’s Trending Tracks. Let’s get into the most significant takeaways, including echoes of this century’s biggest rap beef and multiple entries for time-tested superstar Bruno Mars.
Kendrick and Drake, pt. 405
Conversation around the “Big 3” is what sparked the beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, but the more time goes on, that number may need to be pared down by one. Be it on the charts, in the legal arena, or inside actual arenas; we seemingly can’t go a few days without hearing from either rapper, which is certainly the case again for this week’s edition. The conversation simply has to begin with Lamar capturing all four top positions, including a reannexation of #1 with his seismic “Not Like Us.” Riding a two-week wave of the Grammy’s into the Super Bowl halftime show will do that for you, dominating the two closest things to monocultural events that we have today.
Even if his opponent gained ground, Drake didn’t go down without a fight, delivering his long-teased collaborative album with fellow Canadian PARTYNEXTDOOR, Some Sexy Songs 4 You, the following Friday. In typical Drizzy fashion, many of the record’s cuts are trending towards “hit” status, with “Gimme A Hug,” “Nokia,” and “Deeper” the highest-ranking. Though it’s a zero-sum result, note that only one of the songs features PND’s talents, a feather in the cap for those still riding with the OVO head after this saga. Additionally, the two Toronto crooners achieved these positions in an incomplete week (Friday release to midweek publishing date.) While the spat denting Drake’s everlasting position at the top is conceivable, we can’t count him out entirely until we see results that tell the whole story.
The Long Tail Of Bruno Mars’ Recent Hits
It’s about time we give flowers to Bruno Mars in this format, a defining artist so far that could’ve easily warranted week-in, week-out inclusion. Throughout 2025, his “Die With A Smile” alongside Lady Gaga has hovered at, or close to, the #1 spot, perhaps unsurprising given the sheer star power it deploys. Yet it’s been a trio of singles that have been making waves. The super smash “APT.” with Rosé that catapulted him back to the industry’s fore in 2024 is lingering around in rotations, this week holding onto a #12 position that marks just the second time since NYE it dipped below #10. Finally, lighting up social media feeds upon release, Mars’ Sexxy Red collaboration “Fat Juicy & Wet” marches on around the #50 mark. All of these conclude that Bruno Mars’ hit-making ability remains ironclad, which shouldn’t be a surprise, but shouldn’t be taken for granted, either.
“Headlock” Brings Imogen Heap A Surprise Hit
In a final piece of unexpected news, art-pop trailblazer and otherwise cult phenom Imogen Heap nabbed a viral moment more than two decades belated. Her “Headlock,” released as a single in the lead-up for her seminal Speak For Yourself, rocketed up to the 40s after sliding in with a #90 ranking the previous week. While still a stellar release all these years later, it climbing onto anything in 2025 is a shock. The gamers are to credit this time around, with the song heavily utilized in social media edits of the retro psychological horror game Mouthwashing, an unpredictable vehicle to deliver the art-pop sensation but a welcome one all the same.
You can catch all of the music featured here included in our weekly Tracks playlist below, or seek them out yourself wherever you stream your music.
