Don’t sound the alarms just yet, but we’re just under two months remaining in 2025. As “Best Of” lists move from the drafts section to something more tangible, we hope we’ve prepped you for some of the tracks and albums you’ll see in those discussions, defining fare that’s been on our rankings throughout the past 12 or so months. For those aiming to crack those breakdowns, there’s still some meat left on the bone; YKNEICE, Raye, and Le Sserafin are making cases this week to do exactly that.
We begin in Atlanta, where things we should best set up with a bit of a rewind. In May, “WHIM WHAMIIE” emerged as a real breakout for two local artists, taken to virality by its infectious energy, short runtime that necessitated repeat visits, and evident clipability, seen in its heavy social media use. YKNIECE, a featured artist on that PLUTO track, spun that success into a spot on Metro Boomin’s A Futuristic Summa, spawning “Take Me Thru Dere” which we’ve noted as a cut with real legs in recent weeks. If three’s the charm, spectators would be wise to start considering the up-and-comer as a genuine force, as her “Friend Do Remix” alongside Belly Gang Kushington has rocketed up social media usage, one we expect to start to show up in traditional rankings as soon as next week.
RAYE and LE SSERAFIN Ride Strong Global Performances
Speaking of, the United Kingdom’s RAYE is someone we’ve been tracking for some time (even outside the context of this column), and another mainstream breakthrough may be in the works. Though her next full-length won’t be out until 2026, the pre-release efforts are fully underway, including a sprawling world tour and a few early teases of what she’ll have in store. As recently as a month ago, “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” lurked under the #100 mark, now completing a slow build this week by cracking our top #50. More interestingly, that placement comes via a proper mixed approach, marking its Billboard Top 100 debut, holding onto sturdy streaming numbers, and tacking on social usage to make for a full-bodied hit.
Finally, given K-pop will go down as arguably the dominant force when we close the book on 2025, we should note an outfit ticking on “below the line.” LE SSERAFIM gets one on the board with “SPAGHETTI,” already a force on the global charts, having spent two consecutive weeks on Billboard’s top 10. Enlisting J-Hope of BTS is a surefire way to add to the latent star power behind the new-ish drop, but they’ve already got a ton on their own merits. Perhaps the more instantly recognizable groups from a US standpoint, in TWICE and BLACKPINK, join the LE SSERAFIM as the only other two to earn two global top tens this year.
As always, catch the music mentioned and featured throughout this piece wherever you stream your music.
