As the final hours of 2025 tick down, the quest for the perfect soundtrack to welcome 2026 begins. This year's musical landscape offers a rich tapestry of sounds, from chart-topping international anthems to soul-stirring Bollywood melodies, ensuring your New Year's Eve celebration hits all the right notes. To save you the search, we've compiled the definitive playlists featuring the songs that defined 2025 across streaming platforms and party scenes worldwide.
The Global Soundtrack of 2025
The international music scene this year was powerfully shaped by the continuing dominance of pop, the unstoppable wave of K-pop, vibrant Latin rhythms, and innovative hip-hop. Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars created a monumental hit with their collaboration Die With A Smile, which soared to become Spotify's number one global song of the year. Another major cross-genre success came from ROSÉ and Bruno Mars with APT., a track that claimed the top spot on Apple Music's global charts and secured a high ranking on Spotify.
Billie Eilish followed closely with her enduring single BIRDS OF A FEATHER. The hip-hop world saw Kendrick Lamar and SZA deliver not one, but two massive global hits: luther and luther (30 for 30). Other artists who left a significant mark on the worldwide charts include Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter, Tate McRae, and The Weeknd, each contributing strong, stream-worthy tracks.
Social media trends were heavily influenced by viral sensations like Alex Warren's Ordinary, RAYE's energetic WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!, and Lola Young's Messy. Latin pop maintained its powerful global presence with hits like La Plena, while K-pop's relentless rise was led by the group HUNTR/X and their song Golden.
Global Hits of 2025 Playlist
Here is a curated list of the international songs that should be on your NYE rotation:
- Die With A Smile – Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars
- APT. – ROSÉ & Bruno Mars
- BIRDS OF A FEATHER – Billie Eilish
- luther – Kendrick Lamar & SZA
- Ordinary – Alex Warren
- The Fate of Ophelia – Taylor Swift
- Golden – HUNTR/X
- DtMF – Bad Bunny
- That’s So True – Gracie Abrams
- WHERE IS MY HUSBAND! – RAYE
- Manchild – Sabrina Carpenter
- back to friends – sombr
- Sailor Song – Gigi Perez
- Abracadabra – Lady Gaga
- Sports car – Tate McRae
- La Plena – W Sound, Beéle & Ovy On The Drums
- Timeless – The Weeknd & Playboi Carti
- Messy – Lola Young
- Beautiful Things – Benson Boone
- luther (30 for 30) – Kendrick Lamar & SZA
Bollywood's Dominant Chartbusters in 2025
In India, 2025 was a year of musical diversity, with Bollywood producing a mix of tracks that ruled streaming services, social media trends, and celebratory playlists nationwide. Heartbreak anthems resonated deeply, with songs like Saiyaara and Barbaad becoming major favourites and forging a strong emotional connection with young listeners.
Romantic numbers maintained their timeless appeal. Tracks such as Tu Hai Toh Main Hoon and Jaane Tu remained wedding staples and continued to trend on charts for months. The year also saw an explosion of high-energy tracks perfect for dancing. The Dhurandhar album delivered massive viral hits with its title track and FA9LA, masterfully blending rap with catchy beats. Club scenes and celebrations were electrified by dance numbers like Monica, Laal Pari, and Bijuria.
The maestro AR Rahman continued his legendary run, with songs like Aawaara Angaara and Chikiri Chikiri amassing colossal streaming numbers. Several other tracks achieved viral status due to their unique musical styles and infectious hook steps, including Deewaniyat, Uyi Amma, and Panwadi.
Top Bollywood Songs of 2025 Playlist
Ensure your party has a desi flavour with these essential Bollywood hits from the past year:
- Saiyaara – Faheem Abdullah, Tanishk Bagchi
- Tu Hain Toh Main Hoon – Arijit Singh
- Jaane Tu – A.R. Rahman, Arijit Singh
- Dhurandhar – Title Track – Hanumankind, Jasmine Sandlas
- FA9LA – Flipperachi
- Deewaniyat – Vishal Mishra
- Laal Pari – Yo Yo Honey Singh, Simar Kaur
- Zamaana Lage – Arijit Singh
- Monica – Anirudh Ravichander
- Ishq Jalakar – Karvaan – Shashwat Sachdev
- Ghafoor – Ujwal Gupta, Shashwat Sachdev, Shilpa Rao
- Uyi Amma – Amit Trivedi, Madhubanti Bagchi
- Nasha – Jasmine Sandlas, Sachet Tandon
- Aawaara Angaara – A.R. Rahman
- Chikiri Chikiri – A.R. Rahman
- Sitare Zameen Par – Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy
- Panwadi – Masoom Sharma, Khesarilal Yadav, Pritam Chakraborty, Akasa Singh, Nikhita Gandhi, Dev Negi
- Aavan Jaavan – Arijit Singh
- Barbaad – Jubin Nautiyal
- Bijuria – Sonu Nigam, Ravi Pawar, Asees Kaur, Tanishk Bagchi
Whether your celebration calls for the pulsating beats of global pop or the emotional depth of Bollywood, these playlists capture the essence of 2025's musical journey. As the clock strikes midnight, let these hits provide the perfect backdrop for memories that will last into 2026 and beyond.
