After my year-end reviews for 2025 started with My Year in Travel, it is time to focus on music for the next two days. As in previous years, 29th December is my date to share my favorite songs of the year with you. There are twelve songs each in two categories, country music and other genres. Hope you enjoy my list – and maybe also love to discuss with me about that.
My Favorite Non-Country Songs in 2025
Here are my twelve favorite non-country songs of the year 2025.
12. Dubai by Ramazuri
Naturally, many songs in this category have been featured in my Songs of the Week already. As you will see, the 27th June 2025 edition was absolutely special. My first song pick, Dubai by the ska-punk Ramazuri, has been featured in this post (as well). The Austrian band criticizes social media influencers and current travel culture. A song which simply made me smile.
11. The Hope by Amy MacDonald
However, some tracks in here are also based on album reviews. Amy Macdonald released her album Is This What You’ve Been Waiting For? in July 2025. Picking the favorite songs from it is absolutely difficult – the album is simply amazing and received a 4.8 rating in my review. The Hope is the track which stayed in my mind the most.
10. Papa by Florian Künstler
Du bist nicht allein (“You are not alone”) is the title of the March 2025 album by Florian Künstler. The German artist again and again fascinates me with great tracks and releases. Papa is the eleventh song of the record, praising the love of his foster father. Such a great, personal writer – I love it!
9. Wir Waren Jung by Santiano
It is hard to put the music by Santiano into a definite genre. They do German music, somewhere between folk, pop, rock and schlager. Their shows are typically sold out in the German speaking countries. With Da braut sich was zusammen, they released an excellent album in late October 2025. I love the single release Ekke Nekkepenn, but felt this sog being even better. They remind of being young and free in their earlier days.
8. Furious by Marti Fischer ft. Benvinls
This German-Russian collaboration lead my Songs of the Week as of 27th June 2025. German producer Marti Fischer is the driver behind this track, which is aiming to replicate the sound of Modern Talking. Marti does that in a perfect manner – this synth-pop track still definitely makes me smile.
7. Sober Now by Chelsea Berman
Finally covering Chelsea Berman live on stage during her Rock Meets Country show in Switzerland was one of my highlights of the year 2025. I have been in contact with the Australian artist since many years. She successfully managed her transition from country to pop music. Sober Now is a keytrack of her 2025 EP Like Me Better.
6. Wait For Me In Line by Stella Maria
Stella Maria passes Marti Fischer in this post somehow. Her song Wait For Me In Line as well as Marti Fischer & Benvinls’ Furious were released the same week. Furious was the leading song as of 27th June 2025. In my end of the year post, I ranked the young Austrian pop artist two spots better. Two catching songs, which stayed in my mind.
5. Easy To Love by Jenn Bostic
The first time I ran into Easy To Love by Jenn Bostic was during her concert in London in February 2025. On 22nd August 2025, she released that song about the love to her son as a single. Of course, the song lead the corresponding Songs of the Week. It still feels magical to me. Jenn is one of the best artists in putting emotions and feelings into music to me. So straight, so good, I love it.
4. Mein Löwe by Unheilig
The German dark pop-rock band Unheilig from Aachen with their charismatic singer Der Graf was huge in Germany before they went on a hiatus. Now, they are back, are touring and announced another tour and an album for 2026. Mein Löwe is a great reflection about childhood memories. I love it.
3. Losing Sight by Marleen Lohse
Three songs leading to the amazing debut album by Marleen Lohse, Wide Awake, have been featured in my Songs of the Week. The German artist, who started to become well-known in my home country as a actress in a children TV series, underlined her absolute musical talent. The first single release, Losing Sight, even lead the 7th March 2025 edition of my release radar. She will be on tour in January 2026 (see my Tour Date Overview). Unfortunately, I so far struggle with the photo pass for her Cologne show. I would that much love to share this concert with you early next year.
2. The Thing I Love by MAX ft. Andy Grammar
This track lead my Songs of the Week as at 14th November 2025. MAX, a New York City native, collaborated with another US-American artist, Andy Grammer. Together, they released this catching pop track with fine singer-songwriter vibes.
My Favorite Non-Country Song 2025:
Like A Violin by Pauline Moser
I guess this one is not on the top of too many lists. But I simply loved the song by the Hamburg singer, songwriter, and violinist Pauline Moser. I still absolutely enjoy listening to her song, which lead my Songs of the Week as of 25th July 2025. Thanks a lot for this one!
My Favorite Song during 2025, which has been recorded in previous years
Coming Come – Jeanny, Part 2 by Falco
Falco was one of the key artists of my year 2025. I loved the performances of the Rock Me Amadeus musical I saw in Vienna. The posthumous Falco show in Dusseldorf was definitely a memorable part of my concert coverage this year. In January 2025, I added Coming Home (Jeanny Part 2) to my Songs of my Life. I love this song – and just felt it should receive this special nomination for 2025.
Songs Of My Life: Falco – Coming Home (Jeanny Part 2)
My Favorite Country Songs in 2025
Country music is still the key genre of my music coverage. Here are the twelve songs I especially loved during 2025.
12. Broken Branches by Dierks Bentley ft. John Anderson & Riley Green
With Broken Branches, Dierks Bentley released one of the most interesting country albums of the year 2025. Especially the traditional style title song of the June 2025 release is a lovely listen. With John Anderson and Riley Green, Bentley also relies on a very interesting group of guest musicians in here.
11. Not What I Do by Laura Sawosko
Laury Sawsko became rather present in my work during 2025. One of the key reasons for that is Not What I Do, her April 2025 solo album. This track comes is so straight and personal, it caches you in a great manner, just as the entire album. And with music is who I am, not what I do, it also comes with one of the most beautiful, even though simple, lyrics snippets of the year to me.
10. Kissing Cowboys by Maddie & Tae
After collaboration for fifteen years, Maddie Marlow Font and Tae Dye Kerr, aka Maddie & Tae, announced that they will split recently. What a shame, they did so many great songs, like Kissing Cowboys. The song was one of my favorites of their Love & Light album released in May.
9. Monster by Cody Jinks
Cody Jinks is one of these excellent Texas country and country rock artists. His July 2025 album In My Blood received a 4.9 rating in my review. My favorite Monster, though, is a rather calm track. Still, an absolutely catching one.
8. Not At This Party by Dasha
Dasha somehow became my “photographic love” in country music, especially in country pop. She is so professional and talented in her presence on stage, it is absolute fun to be in the pit and take pictures of her shows. In 2025, I was gifted to have that kind of delight twice. In February, she played at the Saturday evening main state at the C2C Berlin, in August, she had an open air at my home town Cologne. Dasha released a couple of really nice songs this year. However, the key song of her October 2025 EP Anna is simply this one. A typical Dasha party track.
7. Bottle Rockets by Scotty McCreery feat. Hootie & The Blowfish
Scooter & Friends is a really cool EP release by Scotty McCreery. He shared these five collaborations with other artists in July 2025. The opening track is this song recorded with Darius Rucker and his Hootie & The Blowfish. The blending of their sound with Scotty McCreery is simply fascinating. I love it!
6. Quit Being Country by Tyler Farr
It would be an absolute shame if Tyler Farr would really think about Quit Being Country. The Missouri-origin artist frequently makes it into my playlists. In August 2025, he released this absolute masterpiece – and finishes on the sixth spot of my year-end ranking.
5. Bluebird by Gareth
Gareth has been one of the most present artists on Flyctory.com this year. I featured shows by the the Northern Irish artist at the C2C in Berlin and at the Sound of Nashville Open Air. In Berlin, I also had the chance having a Spotlight interview with him. Bluebird is the title track of his October 2025 EP release. Another great song by him.
4. Home Is A Song by Mary Chapin Carpenter ft. Anais Mitchell
I don’t tell you a real surprise that Personal History by Mary Chapin Carpenter does have quite some potential being part of my Favorite Albums 2025 post released after this one. The record is one of the few ones which received the full 5.0 rating this year. One of the two songs released beforehand already is Home Is A Song. A great, personal – and very touching – listen
3. Ended In A Song by Vic Allen
The English country singer-songwriter Vic Allen has been one of the first artists I closely worked with. She appeared in an August 2018 Country Music Picks post already. In 2019, I featured a London show of her, and later reviewed her EP Enough (2019) and album Some Place I’d Rather Be (2023). This year, she released Ended In A Song. The track is an absolute beauty to me. Give Vic a try!
2. The Barn by Colby Lee Swift
A calm, rather traditional song by the Texas artist Colby Lee Swift is second placed in my ranking. The heartbeat of a farm – the barn – yeah, this track does have some typical country music stereotypes. However, Colby just does this one too well.
My Favorite Country Song 2025:
I’ll Be Back by The BossHoss feat. Arnold Schwarzenegger
Funnily, I’ll Be Back has been released in the same week as Vic Allen’s Ended In A Song. The German country-style rock band The BossHoss did an amazing and catching collaboration with the Austrian superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger. I featured the band’s 2025 album Back To The Boots as well as their October 2025 show in Cologne. If you want to learn more about them, have a read into my interview with Sascha Hoss Power Vollmer – and have a listen to this amazing country-rock track.
Title picture: The BossHoss ft. Arnold Schwarzenegger – I’ll be Back (single cover)
Songs Of My Life
Here are the postings of the personal Songs Of My Life category:
The Faroe Islands are definitely a special place to me. More and more, I also get into Faroese music. Most ...
During a recent visit to Vienna in Austria, I recognized again, how much a certain song is touching me and ...
In my Songs of my Life postings, I love to share songs with you, which you might not have in ...
With my post about Don't stop believin', I already introduced you to a song which is linked to the musical ...
Jenn Bostic's show in London in February 2024 was an outstanding experience for me. During the show, I decided that ...
Very often, a song I feature as a Song Of My Life is also a track which made me listen ...
There are these days in life which you remember. The days you exactly remember what you did on that day ...
In one of my latest Songs Of My Life editions, I introduced you to Amish Paradise by Weird Al Yankovic. Just ...
I really feel sorry that I don't make it more regularly to release a new Songs of my Life posting ...
Last week, have been traveling through Florida. Four cities, five concerts, one artist: Weird Al Yankovic. The US-American comedy musician ...
The Russian offensive war in the Ukraine hit me mentally very strongly. I have some lovely people and contacts over ...
There are just a very few artist, whom I actively visited after their death at their grave. You come across ...
When I looked into the Songs Of My Life postings so far, there are just very few rather recent songs covered ...
8th July 1990, Olympic Stadium in Rome. German Andreas Brehme took the deciding penalty shot in the 85th minute and ...
It is quite surprising that one of the biggest musical fandom of my life has not yet made it to ...
It took me one week later than usual to give you a new edition of the Songs Of My Life. This ...
Undoubtedly, Indian sports and especially Indian tennis is maybe the biggest (sports?) love of my life. This even beats my ...
Though a lot of Song which shaped me have been recorded in the 1980's and 1990's, I want to move ...
Music was very important to me. I feel that the postings in the Songs Of My Life category so far really ...
When I introduced the Songs Of My Life category, I did not want to keep a certain order. The more, I ...
This edition of the Songs Of My Life is a bit of special. Typically, I try to share my personal connection ...
In my Songs Of My Life section, I try to introduce you with very different songs, which influenced me during my ...
While I guess that you knew a lot of the songs I presented you so far as a Song of My ...
After I interrupted my "regular" series of Songs of My Life for the Christmas edition with Tiny Tim, the first posting ...
After having released four editions of the Songs Of My Life already, I felt like having a special one just a ...
In my first episode of the Songs of My Life, I talked about Hymn by Ultravox, which became a Song of My ...
The third edition of my Songs Of My Life is finally about the music genre which is - by far - ...
After the first episode of my new category Songs of My Life was about Ultravox, 1980's pop and a story around ...
Give us this day all that you showed me // The power and the glory // 'Til my kingdom comes ...
Media Reviews – 2025 Top Pick!s
Here are all 2025-published Media Reviews, which lead to a Top Pick! rating:
There were not too many album on 19th December 2025. Thus, having some blues with the Eddie Kold Band was ...
The album Alaska is already the third one I feature from German artist Jack McBannon. In 2021, I reviewed his True Stories and ...
In its 3rd October 2025 edition, the metal project Gunz lead my Songs of the Week. Three weeks later, the ...
I featured the German artist Nina Caroline just once so far. In my 10th January 2025 Songs of the Week, I ...
The German band Flying Circus is celebrating their 35th band anniversary. Ain't that a good reason to releasing some new ...
He's an artist molded by red dirt, grunge, nostalgia, melody, and the raw spirit of vintage rock, his own website states ...
Way before the release date of 31st October 2025, I received a promo of the debut album by Victoria Akua ...
As Friday, 31st October 2025, is a holiday in some parts of Germany, there are quite a few releases the ...
In March 2000, the band Raemonn released their single Supergirl. Especially in German speaking countries, this lead to five successful albums, ...
Santiano is a huge player in the German music scene. They typically sell out most of their tours. After I ...
I love Marleen Lohse as an actress and follow her since her early entertainment years. The more I was really ...
According to the duo's Bandcamp site, their music is coming straight from their HQ - a cozy kitchen in Berlin-Kreuzberg. With Ready ...
The metal trio Wings of Steel releases their sophomore album on 17th October 2025. The US-American band shares Winds of Time on ...
Stefanie Heinzmann won the German, Austrian and Swiss hearts in 2008. Since then, she has a remarkable career with successful ...
The two Dasha shows I featured this year have been one of the highlights of my photography year 2025. On ...
In 1988 Tanita Tikaram stormed into the world of music with Good Tradition and Twist in My Sobriety, she had two songs, which ...
Waylon Jennings died already 23 years ago. However, in 2024, his son Shooter Jennings started to scan old high quality ...
On his Facebook page, the Danish artist He Is Tall. states I make indie song in my bedroom. The title ...
Cory Marks continues his small album series. After releasing the album Sorry for Nothing on 6th December 2024, the sequel of ...
With her 2024 debut EP, Clover County already drew some attention. On 26th September 2025, the US-American artist is going ...
Nine solo albums, six albums as part of Jason Isbell's band The 400 Unit, part of The Highwaywomen and Grammy ...
Welcome back (somehow), Bones Owens. My review of his 2025 album Best Western is already the third time I am having ...
Sarah McLachlan took a nine year break from releasing new studio albums. The more, there is a focus on her ...
I already chatted with Sascha Hoss Power Vollmer about Back To The Boots in my recent Spotlight interview. Now, it is time to share ...
On 12th September 2025, Josh Ritter already released his thirteenth album. I had the opportunity to prepare my review of I ...
I love to present you upcoming artists and those, which I haven't covered yet. Roddy McKinnon is one of them ...
Sometimes, I almost feel guilty when an artist makes his debut appearance on Flyctory.com. That was also my mood when ...
The one artist is a first round NFL draft pick, who has won a Grammy Award for the Best Country Song ...
After I featured the German band Wucan in 2022, I am back with a review on 29th August 2025. At ...
I ran into Before The Hour's Up on a music promotion platform. In parallel, I also received the folk-pop album directly through ...
In January 2023, I reviewed Margo Price's album Strays. In my 29th August 2025 reviews, I come back to the 2018 ...
Five years after their last record, the Canadian band TOPS are back with a new album. They released Bury The ...
As I am connected to German promotion platforms, I typically get quite a lot of new schlager releases. I filter ...
Bret McKenzie is an Oscar-winning musician as well as an actor. On 15th August 2025, he is released his third ...
In February 2022, I featured Marissa Nadler's EP The Wrath Of The Clouds. Over three years later, she is back on ...
The German dark rockers Mono Inc. feel being "residents" of Flyctory.com already. Not only that I reviewed their album Ravenblack in ...
Stephen Jay is back. After I reviewed his solo albums Understatement (2023) and Vita Beata (2022) already, the bassist and multi-instrumentalist released a new ...
Ashley Monroe is known as a solo artist as well as part of the Pistol Annies. In April 2021, I ...
The German alternative rock band Mess Machine is at the very first steps of their career. So far, they have ...
In August 2024, I featured Meg Pfeiffer's album Perspective. Almost a year later, she is back with a new record. Here ...
In mid-July, I received a promotion e-mail by the German artist Johna artist. About the artist herself, it stated She ...
As part of my 25th July 2025 album reviews, let's do some Avant-garde death metal. The US-American band Azure Emote ...
For his new album Snipe Hunter, Tyler Childers used a very special marketing strategy. He even set up a brand new instagram ...
In My Blood is my first coverage of a Cody Jinks album. So far, I featured the US American artist in ...
Despite Wolfskull is a relatively new band, they have already built up quite some reputation. With Midnite Masters, the band is ...
Scotty McCreery is regarded to be one of the finest artists in country music. After I featured his most recent ...
I think it is the first time since I regularly do album reviews that I couldn't present you an album ...
Amy Macdonald is one of these artists you tend to identify with one song only. However, the British singer-songwriter has ...
Deluxe versions, self-covers and re-releases are typically not a kind of thing you find on Flyctory.com very often. However, I ...
As 4th July typically leads to a rather sparse volume of releases in North America, I am happy to have ...
I really look forward to cover Chelsea Berman at the Rock Meets Country festival in Switzerland in September 2025 (see my summer ...
One of the genres I don't feature too frequently is rap. The German artist Montez grew in that genre and ...
Paul Carrack is regarded to be one of the best voices of the United Kingdom. He has been part of ...
Indie rock by a US-American living in England - that's BC Camplight summed up far too briefly in one sentence ...
I did not know anything about Durry when I featured them in the September 2023 review of their album Legend ...
I just met Jim Kimo West just on last weekend. As the long-time guitarist of Weird Al Yankovic, he is currently ...
Brett Young has been featured quite frequently on Flyctory.com already. However, his last major appearance, my coverage of his November ...
Nad Sylvan is likely most known for being the singer of Steve Hackett's band Genesis Revisited. However, the Swedish artist ...
I have featured major releases by the German blues artist Bad Temper Joe three times already. In my fourth review, ...
Dillon Carmichael made his Grand Ole Opry debut and released his debut album at the age of 24. His career ...
A new one Dierks Bentley: while his tenth studio album Gravel & Gold is some two years old, the country music ...
After Buckcherry made it into my Songs of the Week twice this years, leading in the 21st March and in the ...
Next month, Seiler und Speer are facing one of the highlights of their career. At their only show in Austria ...
I know many visitors who loved seeing Lanie Gardner at the recent 2025 Country To Country in Berlin. With her ...
17 studio albums, five Grammy Awards - Mary Chapin Carpenter is definitely a big name in the country and folk ...
Will Varley already had some quite remarkable highlights of his career. For example he multiple times played at the Glastonbury ...
Rituals is already the eighth album of the US-American duo Watchhouse. You might know them under their former band name, ...
It is hard to define the exact genre covered by Cardinal Black. However, the band has some very prominent members ...
The first albums released with Robert Forster are already dated as of the early 1980's. The artist went solo some ...
Just seven years after the German band has been founded, Kupergold is already releasing their fourth studio album. Fasan Alarm is ...
Two big names of the music join forces for the second time: after Taj Mahal an Keb' Mo' already released ...
Jessica Willis Fisher has a quite interesting, even though also depressing vita. You can even read about a book about ...
This time, my Friday also include an an album, which has in fact already been released. I featured Jetlagged already ...
After I saw Avery Anna at the final day of the Country To Country 2025 in Berlin, she is back ...
A new name from Austria: on 16th May 2025, the band Von Dannen releases their debut album Nie mehr zurück. While ...
Wow, is it really that long ago? When I prepared for the review of Blake Shelton's 2025 album release, I ...
I really love Eggs Benedict. It is one of my favorite posh ways of having breakfast. How could I neglect ...
I don't feature soft rock that often. The band Young Gun Silver Fox is one of the established bands of ...
I have featured major releases by Maddie & Tae twice already. However, the sophomore album The Way It Feels (2020) and ...
I don't only love the Faroe Islands as my favorite place to hang out and relax, I also try to ...
British Sally Potter is majorly known as a movie director and script writer. However, her creativity more and more also ...
While I already had some album reviews completed for the weeks thereafter, Easter weekend 2025 was a bit of thin ...
The market for Christian music and Christian country music is absolutely competitive in the United States. Here and there, I ...
In general, I really like instrumental music. Creating atmosphere and telling stories without the use of language can be a ...
Especially on the country music side, I regularly scan a few weeks ahead for new releases. In my preparations for ...
Jon Pardi is taking us to Honkytonk Hollywood - at least regarding the title of his sixth studio album overall. The four ...
Even though the artist Mark Morgan is rather linked to hard rock and metal, his new album Without The Pain has ...
I already reviewed albums with and by Craig Finn twice on Flyctory.com. On 4th April 2025, the US-American musician shares ...
Whenever music is flagged as country music on the promotion platform I majorly use, I of course go for a deeper ...
Over the last years, the Faroe Islands have become a place to relax for me. Furthermore, I more and more ...
Especially in the United Kingdom, The Darkness have a high status in the domestic rock'n'roll scene. Thus, their eighth studio ...
I really like the German band Drei Meter Feldweg. I featured their album Durak in 2022 and also featured them a ...
I have featured Florian Künstler and his songs multiple times in my Songs of the Week. The more, I was really ...
He had three million followers on TikTok (and almost one million on Instagram) before he released his debut EP. Teenage ...
I featured Anna Vaus already in my Country Music Picks and my Country Music Playlists already. The more, I was ...
I have to admit that I was quite in a rush regarding the album reviews as of 21st March 2025 ...
Will Gotthard top the Swiss charts again? Based on an impressing streak by the Swiss hard rockers, this just feels ...
In November 2024, I ran into the EP It's Okay by the Norwegian band Intertwine when I scanned for potential ...
With three albums and two EPs so far, the band Dorothy and their prominent lead singer are looking back to ...
Charley Crockett is not only one of the busiest country music artists, coming with frequent releases. He is also one ...
It is quite a while ago since there have been major releases by Swedish artist Albert af Ekenstam. His last ...
Jason Isbell recently toured Europe with his Intimate Evenings. On 7th March 2025, the US-American singer-songwriter releases a new album. Here ...
Red Sky July are back. Their new album Misty Morning is the first album since about nine years. I had a chance ...
23 tracks - Kip Moore's new album Solitary Tracks is a truly massive listen. Luckily, I had a chance his sixth album, ...
It is 59 years ago since Mitch Ryder released his debut album. The US-American rock and blues rock artist is ...
The album Boy Made Out Of Stars is already the third major release I feature from Milow. After his 2022 album Nice ...
Right before Jenn Bostic is having a couple of shows in the United Kingdom, the US-American singer-songwriter is releasing new ...
Andreas Dorau is back with a new album. On 14th February 2025 (Valentine's Day...), he is releasing his new album Wien ...
Especially their debut EP lead to quite some reputation for the duo The Ocelots. On 7th February 2025, they published ...
In my September 2024 Spotlight interview, I already introduced you to Frances Darling. On 7th February 2025, the German-US-American artist ...
In October 2023, I saw the German artist LOI on her debut headline tour in Cologne. Finally, the pop musician ...
You don't know Gus Englehorn? Maybe you know him as Gus Engle. The US-American musician has been pursuing a professional ...
It's Only A Love Song - that's quite a statement in the title of C Duncan. On 24th January 2025, ...
The Scottish band Mogwai is celebrating their thirtieth band anniversary this year. Thus, you could see their eleventh studio album ...
Michael Moravek already made it into my Songs of the Week thrice. The last time has been as of 10th January 2025 ...
Max McNown had very successful years 2023 and 2024. The title track of his debut EP A Lot More Free has ...
Car lovers might know Trollhättan as the home place of the Saab Car Museum. However, the city some 75km North ...
On their Bandcamp site, CKRAFT are describing themselves as craftsmen of an elaborate and powerful sound. The French band is ...
Jessica Lynn is not only a Featured Artist of Flyctory.com, but generally an artist I learned to admire during the ...
Vilhelm Buchaus just received quite some popularity in Sweden, as he is joining the Melodifestivalen 2025, one of the best-reputed ...
Melissa Naschenweng is an Austrian artist, who is mixing traditional folk, schlager, pop and rock elements in her music. Because ...