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December 13, 2025

	By Caryn Ganz

This time last Saturday, I was remarking on the surprising common ground between Jon Caramanica and Lindsay Zoladz’s best albums lists, but their songs lists are even more different (just two overlaps across 50 total picks). This week also brought our annual roundup of standout boxed sets and reissues (which do make nice gifts) and Lindsay’s look back at the year in film scores (a great reason to revisit her conversation with Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross).

After a few weeks of headlines about artificial intelligence and the music industry, David Peisner spoke with Timbaland about his latest project: a pop singer called TaTa Taktumi that’s a hybrid creation, with both humans and A.I. contributing to the songs and visuals. Melena Ryzik chatted with New York City’s Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani (a.k.a. the onetime rapper Mr. Cardamom) about his cultural inspirations. And Taylor Swift delivered the first two episodes of “The End of an Era,” a behind-the-scenes look at her record-demolishing Eras Tour that includes delightful footage of Florence Welch entering a pop stratosphere few will ever touch.

The New York Times Best Songs of 2025 Listen to 48 tracks that broke new artists, blew apart genres and revived beloved sounds. By Jon Caramanica and Lindsay Zoladz

THE CRITICS’ DEBATE

The Best Albums of 2025 Every year, Jon Caramanica and Lindsay Zoladz, music critics for The New York Times, pick their favorite albums. The two of them discuss some of their choices, and they don’t always agree. By Jon Caramanica, Lindsay Zoladz, Stephanie Swart and Edward Vega

15 Deep-Dive, Goodies-Filled Boxed Sets and Reissues From 2025 Some of the year’s most thrilling music was its oldest: Rock icons dug into their archives, underground ’90s rap and indie figures put out long-awaited vinyl and more. By Jon Caramanica, Jon Pareles, Hank Shteamer, Ben Sisario and Lindsay Zoladz

Sinna Nasseri for The New York Times My 5 Favorite Film Scores of 2025 Nine Inch Nails’ music for “Tron: Ares,” Nala Sinephro’s compositions for “The Smashing Machine” and more. By Lindsay Zoladz

Jessica Johnson Timbaland’s Latest Protégée Is an A.I. Pop Singer The producer dreamed up TaTa Taktumi and brought her to life with help from the software Suno. She’s arriving at a fraught moment for artificial intelligence in music. By David Peisner

my Ten Slick Rick Likes His Tea ‘Strong and British’ “It’s the English side of me that never dies,” said the pioneering wordsmith who is celebrating 40 years of hip-hop classics like “La-Di-Da-Di.” By Jonathan Abrams

Cassidy Araiza for The New York Times Taylor Swift’s ‘The End of an Era’: 5 Takeaways The six-part Disney+ series goes behind the scenes of the pop star’s record-breaking Eras Tour, revealing some of her creative processes and struggles. By Esther Zuckerman

NEWS

For the Last Sundance in Utah, Expect Debuts, Reunions and 3 Charli XCX Titles Olivia Wilde will also appear in two films, including one she directed, and the cast of “Little Miss Sunshine” will return for its 20th anniversary. By Nicole Sperling

Trump Takes a Starring Role at the Kennedy Center Honors Past presidents have attended the marquee event, but on Sunday Mr. Trump was the first to host it, putting his cultural takeover of Washington in sharp relief. By Julia Jacobs

OBITUARIES

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Joseph Byrd, Who Shook Up Psychedelic Rock, Dies at 87 A veteran of the Fluxus art movement, he brought an anarchic spirit to the California acid-rock scene with his band, the United States of America. By Alex Williams

Frans Schellekens/Redferns via Getty Images Phil Upchurch, Jazz Guitarist and Sideman to Stars, Dies at 84 A self-taught session man extraordinaire, he played with a constellation of stars, including Michael Jackson, Curtis Mayfield, Chaka Khan and Dizzy Gillespie. By Alex Williams

Rich Fury/Getty Images for Stagecoach Raul Malo, Frontman of Latin-Tinged Country Band Mavericks, Dies at 60 As the group’s singer and principal songwriter, he brought a new sound that broadened the boundaries of country music in the 1990s. By Bill Friskics-Warren

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