Time flies when you're blasting good tunes, and 2025 came loaded with exceptional albums, breakthrough hits, and riveting new scenes that captured hearts and dance floors around the world. It was the year that mainstream superstars looked inward at the traditions of their homelands, using their global platforms to uplift, preserve, and share idiosyncratic cultures and cherished musical canons. The club realm experienced multiple thrilling evolutions: from the emergence of doble paso in Mexico, to the irreverent new frontiers of Latincore in Colombia, and Argentina's new school of techno divas. Rock got a jolt of fuzzed out adrenaline from screamers in Chile and CDMX, and Brazil took the world by storm with a tidal wave of boundary pushing pop acts that can no longer be contained by genre, language, or land borders. Of course, that is just the tip of the iceberg. Over the past few years, we at Remezcla have broken down our end-of-year coverage into genre-specific listicles in hopes of lending artists and scenes the specificity their work deserves. Now, we're taking a different approach, tapping our pool of editors and contributors to submit some of their favorite tracks of 2025, which we've arduously ranked, listed, and reviewed. Our hope is that casting a wider net will produce a more diverse—and ultimately more accurate—survey of what Latine and Ibero-American music sounded like this year. Art is subjective, and there is no definitive say on whose work is better, but our rubrics encompassed musical innovation, cultural impact, lyrical maturity (and in some cases quite the opposite), as well as the tried and true metric of how obsessed we were with the artist or project. We're dropping our 50 Best Songs of 2025 in increments of 10 throughout the week, and if we missed your fave, make sure to let us know in the comments. Happy listening!
1 - 10
11 -20
21 - 30
31 - 40
41 - 50
Tap the buttons to explore each top.
Who could've predicted that the man who was once one of Latine trap's most important artists and forebears would, less than a decade later, have one of the biggest hits of his career with a salsa song? Nobody, except perhaps Bad Bunny himself. DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS is a global sensation, and the rousing sound of "BAILE INoLVIDABLE" is one of the main reasons why. In an album whose identity hinged on exalting music from Benito's native Puerto Rico—with the hope of introducing its sounds to the rest of the world—"BAILE INoLVIDABLE" managed not only to entertain listeners but also revive an entire not-yet-dead but commercially dormant music genre. Rightfully nominated for Record and Song of the Year at this year's Latin Grammys, "BAILE INoLVIDABLE" is a song that's broken through to different generations of fans, new and old alike, and cemented itself as a perennial repeat listen for years to come. From how even its ad-libs have entered the lexicon ("¡Ahí, ahí, ahí, vamo' allá!") to how it spurred Benito to conceive the entire third act of his residency around it, it's the strongest and most obvious choice for No. 1 song of the year in a long time. -- Juan J. Arroyo
1. Bad Bunny - “BAILE INoLVIDABLE”
“Life asks for a lot and I’m just a street sweeper who wants you to listen to his music,” read the caption of the TikTok video Macario Martínez posted on his account back in January, not knowing his life was about to change. The video was soundtracked by “sueña lindo, corazón,” one of two songs he shared on Jan. 10 as he showed images of himself doing his rounds as a Mexico City sanitation worker. The video reached millions of people who resonated with the raw honesty of his music and his authenticity, launching his career at a whiplash-inducing speed. “sueña lindo, corazón” is a bare folk song with little ornamentation reminiscent of early Gepe that highlights Martínez’s emotionally charged voice, his heartfelt lyrics, and his acoustic guitar playing. Together, these elements conjure a nostalgia-filled atmosphere that can melt the coldest of hearts. Even though the uncertainty in a relationship is hurting him, his first instinct is to try to heal his loved one’s wounds, evoking a kind of tenderness that’s increasingly hard to run into nowadays. Martínez’s overnight rise to notoriety has already brought him international tour dates, festival slots, an NPR Tiny Desk performance, a publishing deal with Sony Music, and the release of a stunning debut studio album, Si Mañana Ya No Estoy. Because his talent ultimately outshines his virality, it’s clear this only represents the first chapter in a fruitful career. We’re all rooting for him. – Cheky
2. Macario Martínez - "sueña lindo, corazón"
Bellakath and Yeri Mua walked so Sayuri & Sopholov could run. The flirty, risqué Mexican duo created their breakout track “Secunena” this year, capturing reggaeton mexa’s current sexy state of being unapologetically playful and uncensored. With lyrics like, “En la secundaria me doblaba la faldita / Soy una coqueta desde que era chamaquita,” the bestie duo from Iztapalapa and Cuautitlán Izcalli, Estado de Mexico, went viral with a new girly, sex-positive anthem to perrear to earlier this year, making it one of our favorite tracks to hit replay on. Produced by Fuentes Prod, the track’s catchy Y2K reggaeton flair mixed with chaotic synths and sprinkled with cumbiatón transports you to a sweaty and foggy club in Estado de Mexico. What's more is that Yeri Mua caught wind of the besties and invited them to open for her huge Pepsi Center show in Mexico City in May, christening the duo as part of the leaders of reggaeton mexa’s next wave. Fast forward to now, Sayuri & Sopholov are continuing their hype, recently wrapping up a major performance at Mexico’s Coca-Cola Flow Fest, the country’s premier reggaeton festival. We can’t wait to circle back in 2026 to see them in bigger stages and international festivals. It’s what these secunenas deserve. – Jeanette Hernandez
3. Sayuri & Sopholov - "Secunena"
Six Sex sells. Latin America’s mainstream is bursting with house, hyperpop, and experimental electronic gems thanks to hitmakers like the enthralling Argentinean vixen Six Sex. 2025 was her biggest year yet, with songs from her X-sex EP like the standout collaboration “Tócame” with fellow compatriot Dillom. And it was evident, especially when other artists like Yeri Mua, Bellakath, Emilia, and even global artists like German singer horsegiirL and Måneskin’s Victoria, all jumped on the Six Sex bandwagon, snagging their own sexy feature. But let's talk about “Tócame.” This earworm encapsulates what Six Sex is all about: a booty-bouncing beat, pouty verses, and sensual, daring lyrics where the rightfully so-vain entertainer asks for exactly what her body craves. The cherry on top? Her demands are all equally responded to by Dillom’s coquettish verses that match her raunchy aura. Produced by DBBD and dj g2g, perhaps one of the most enticing and attention-grabbing sonic elements is the high-pitched synths that echo a slasher movie and add a thrilling layer as Dillom proposes his sexual fantasy, leading to the duo’s moans about getting “bien hondo” in each other. Now that’s (sonic) cinema! — Jeanette Hernandez
4. Six Sex, Dillom “Tócame”
Rosalía named a song after Berlin’s most infamous techno club and delivered zero beats. Instead, “Berghain” is a three-minute baroque lament in D minor, sung in English, German, and Spanish, backed by the London Symphony Orchestra. Featuring Björk and Yves Tumor, it’s opera meeting heartbreak, spirituality colliding with eroticism, all shot in a hypnotic music video directed by Nicolás Méndez in Warsaw.The Catalonian artist described her latest album LUX as “different, with orchestral sounds and spiritual themes,” and “Berghain” delivers exactly that. The track opens the album’s second act, exploring what Rosalía calls “the duality between desire and redemption.” She even shared the sheet music on Substack, inviting amateur musicians to decode it. The music video plays like visual poetry: Rosalía clutches a gold heart pierced with thorns (echoing the Sacred Heart of Jesus), washes white sheets in penance, pawns her rejected heart at a gold shop, and transforms into a black-and-white dove—a nod to the Holy Spirit. Like Madonna’s “Like a Prayer,” Rosalía fuses carnal desire with mystical religiosity, turning pain into transcendence. It’s not just a breakup song, it’s an exorcism. - Paola Churchill
5. Rosalía – "Berghain"
2025 has undoubtedly been the year of CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso. The daring Argentine duo have been on an upward trajectory after going viral last year with their jazzy NPR Tiny Desk performance. Since then, CA7RIEL and Paco have performed at every major music festival around the world and even opened for the Latin American leg of Kendrick Lamar's “Grand National Tour.” The longtime best friends and collaborators creatively captured their conflicting feelings on breaking out in the Papota EP standout "#TETAS." The tongue-in-cheek track opens with the voice of an industry executive offering CA7RIEL and Paco advice on keeping the momentum going. They lean into the cheesy suggestions by morphing into a 2000s boyband with Max Martin-influenced pop and Britney Spears-like adlibs. Amidst dabbing, CA7RIEL and Paco further play into the irony of being a pop star by singing in Spanish: "If you want to be someone, you can't be yourself / You have to be someone who isn't you." As one of this year's most exciting Latine acts, they channel their identity crisis dealing with mainstream fame into the perky and irreverent "#TETAS." – Lucas Villa
6. CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso - "#Tetas"
In just a few years, Argentine phenom Milo J has embodied a rare story of virality gone right. Barely 19, he’s already one of Latin America’s most defining young voices, reshaping the contours of contemporary rap through lyrical introspection and cultural identity. “Bajo de la Piel,” the lead single from La Vida Era Más Corta, captures his vision crystallized through a sonic and spiritual reawakening that finds itself rooted in ancestral folklore and self-awareness. The track blends hip-hop cadences with chants from Indigenous communities, creating a sound that feels both modern and ancestral. The track’s beat hits with the clarity of someone who knows exactly where they come from; its street poetic flow, with the poise of someone discovering who they’re becoming. Filmed in Santiago del Estero, one of Argentina’s oldest provinces and home to Milo’s family ties, the video reimagines legacy through community. Surrounded by locals and framed against sacred land, he performs not as a star returning home, but as a conduit that sets out to bridge memory and future. “Bajo de la Piel” stands as one of 2025’s most profound statements in Latine music: a reclamation of roots as creative renewal. His rise isn’t just proof of talent, but evidence that the next generation’s power lies in knowing that innovation and history can and often share the same skin. — Jeanette Diaz
7. Milo J - “Bajo de la Piel”
The Bronx is perhaps the most quintessential NYC borough because it encompasses everything that makes the city one of the most fascinating places in the whole world. It reflects how New York is a unique location where whole communities of different backgrounds can coexist and call it their home, a place of loving community where you also wouldn’t want to mess around with anyone. That’s why Planta Industrial couldn’t have come from anywhere else on Earth—their sound is energizing, dark, lively, upfront, and full of joy, capturing each of these contradictions in music that fires listeners up. And no song captured this feeling like “Teteo In The Bronx,” harnessing power in simple terms, celebrating their neighborhood with all the good and the bad that it has to offer, and displaying their pride with all their might. Saso and AKA The Dark made their mark in 2025 like few new artists did, crashing the party with their charisma, dark energy, and punk attitude that enchanted anyone who came across their sounds. Sure, rap-rock is nothing new; Planta isn’t here to reinvent the wheel, nor were they riding the nu metal nostalgia wave that swept both millennials who were around for Woodstock 99 and Gen Zs who have played the clips on YouTube. Planta’s fusion of thundering basslines and rapid-fire rhymes was entirely its own, bringing as much post-punk gothiness as they brought crunk effervescence into the mix, which made a song like “Teteo In The Bronx” something no other outfit could have come up with this or any other year. Like the Bronx, “Teteo” is a tough yet lively piece of art, a multicultural project that invited people to join in and seize the moment with energy. — Marcos Hassan
8. Planta Industrial - “Teteo In The Bronx”
When Urias released CARRANCA in October 2025, she wasn’t just dropping an album, she was performing a ritual. The 14-track project takes its name from the carved wooden figureheads that protect boats on the São Francisco River, symbols tied to Exu, the Afro-Brazilian orixá who bridges the material and spiritual worlds. “Águas de um mar azul” sits at the album’s emotional center, a track that flows like liquid light between ancestral memory and present-day freedom. With soft guitar, oceanic percussion, and vocals that carry both weight and weightlessness, the song feels like a whispered prayer. Urias has always represented possibility for trans and Black Brazilians, but on CARRANCA, featuring collaborations with Criolo, Don L, and Major RD, she transforms that responsibility into pure art. The album explores resistance, decolonization, and what she calls “the power of Black Brazilianness,” all narrated through interludes by Marcinha do Corintho. “Águas de um mar azul” doesn’t demand or preach; it simply embraces. In MPB, where trans voices have historically been excluded, Urias doesn’t just open doors—she floods the room. – Paola Churchill
9. Urias – "Águas de um mar azul"
Death is a shadow that walks beside us since birth, and Javiera Electra's debut album Helíade arrived, not only as an astonishing exhale of grief, but as a study in resilience, forgiveness, and acceptance that our time on Earth is irrevocably finite. The Chilean singer-songwriter harnessed the Greek myth of the Heliades—the daughters of the sun god Helios who mourn the murder of their brother Phaëton—as a metaphor for her own tales of trans vulnerability and familial mourning, set to the tune of cueca, post-rock, and theatrical art-pop. Helíade is dedicated to the memory of the singer Roma Gallegos, one of Electra's earliest champions and musical companions, and on the soaring “Lágrima del Sol,” the avant bard meditates on joining her friend in oblivion over a gradually crescendoing Andean cumbia. “Y si yo decido estar contigo / y si somos siempre más que amigos,” she wonders, tempted by death but ultimately succumbing to her own fear of the unknowable, “lástima que yo soy tan cobarde / por favor, no te apagues.” Back on Mount Olympus, the tears of the Heliades were crystallized into flaming shards of amber—a substance also known as electrum—preserving their pain and loss for eternity. “Lágrima del Sol” shines just as brightly, alchemizing a flurry of horns, galloping percussion, and operatic cries of “no te apagues” into a staggering tribute the world won’t soon forget. – Richard Villegas
10. Javiera Electra - “Lágrima del Sol”
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Can we say 2025 was the year of the chacarera pride in Argentina? The traditional, passionate genre born in the Northern rural side of the country shone in ambitious albums released by young stars like Milo J (La Vida Era Más Corta) and Cazzu (Latinaje). Interestingly enough, both artists came from the world of trap music, with Cazzu, in particular, being crowned “the queen of Argentine trap.” Her pretty and precise tone has always been audible beneath the auto-tuned swagger of her earlier work. And yet, it’s still impressive to hear her dive into an album where voice takes precedence over flow, and ancestral rhythms replace hi-hats. Cazzu’s vocals in “Me Tocó Perder” fit perfectly along with chacarera’s dramatic flair, syncopated foot-stamping beats, and crying-style melodies. The embracing of Latin America’s least explored folklore profundo sounds marks a career highlight for her, and a year highlight for us. – Ana Clara Ribeiro
20. Cazzu - "Me Tocó Perder"
Mabe Fratti has been at the forefront of the Latine avant-garde scene for a few years now—you could even call her the MVP of her league. Armed with a cello, wild melodicism, and electronic processes at her fingertips, Fratti has traversed many different musical landscapes. Yet, her secret weapon has remained her ability to find collaborators and blend her talents with theirs, resulting in music that transcends conventions as well as experimental languages. This is why her most compelling music released this year was made as half of the duo Titanic, a band led by Hector Tosta aka I. La Católica, which takes a more harmonically rich musical direction than most of her other endeavors. And no song captured their combined powers better than “La Dueña,” a track that sounded dead serious on the surface but encompassed many different worlds within it. Even its arrangements exposed a layered narrative that added to the dramatic effect of a song that, for all we know, was their tribute to telenovelas. Cello bowed heavy chords that mimicked stoner metal guitars, harboring doom as they crashed around the listener. Fratti’s soprano hovered over the music while screeching notes added to the discordant effect before luminous keyboards broke out to reveal a deeper emotion beyond the shadows. While Tosta’s jazz background informed most of their latest album, HAGEN, it was their combined efforts that made “La Dueña” a standout, a song full of drama that dealt with subtleties and virtuosic musical restraint. — Marcos Hassan
19. Titanic - “La Dueña”
Xavi and Grupo Frontera are not playing around. Two of the biggest Mexican-American acts joined forces for the playful cumbia norteña banger "No Capea." Following his past fiery hits like "La Diabla" and "La Víctima," Xavi continues to breathe new life into the música mexicana scene with his corridos swagger. His soaring voice that is beyond his years meets its match with the powerhouse vocals of Grupo Frontera's frontman Adelaido "Payo" Solís III. The two singers beautifully harmonize about doing the most to win over the hearts of the women they're interested in. However, the ladies are playing hard to get with them. In Spanish, Xavi and Payo belt out together, "I want to fulfill all your desires / Here, you’d be feeling just right / But in the end, it’s always the same, she doesn't play along." This Xavi and Grupo Frontera collaboration is fun, refreshing, and proudly Mexican. Both acts stepped into each other's worlds and came through with their most exciting song released this year. "No Capea" is worthy of entering the carne asada canon. – Lucas Villa
18. Xavi, Grupo Frontera – “No Capea”
Title tracks can often be novelty songs; merely a kitschy entry in an LP's tracklist. But on other occasions, they underline the thesis of an album. DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS revolves around many ideas, but a strong one Benito keeps coming back to is the ephemerality of the present. "I Should Have Taken More Photos" is what the title translates to, and it's hardly subtle about its message: cherish the now, capture it any way you can, because if you don't, that regret can color your future. In "DtMF," Bad Bunny leans into that meaning, with one of the most earnest songs of his career. Aside from being a plena—one of Puerto Rico's most storied folk genres—he also doesn't shy from garnishing it with specific personal touches, namedropping real friends and family members in the lyrics, and referencing actual milestones from their lives. The message was so potent, it even resonated with non-Puerto Ricans, reaching as far as Palestinians in Gaza (a fact Benito acknowledged in a subsequent interview). -- Juan J. Arroyo
17. Bad Bunny - “DtMF”
Yeri Mua continued to push Mexican reggaeton to the forefront this past year while making more space for women in the scene. After generating buzz with previous hits like "Traka" and "Linea Del Perreo," the rising star released her debut album De Chava this year. The resulting LP lived up to its name, with Yeri being unafraid to bring a femme and fierce perspective to the male-dominated scene. A standout on the album is the freaky "Ya Cogí Con Otro" featuring Argentine singer Six Sex, making for a true sucia banger. The Latina provocateurs seamlessly blended Yeri's world of perreo with Six Sex's hyperpop sound. Instead of being damsels in distress following a breakup, Yeri and Six Sex sing together about forgetting their exes by getting with other men. They also reclaim slurs against women like "puta" and turn them into words of empowerment. In Spanish, they both sing, "Another man in my room and he's calling me / I'm a puta but that doesn't scare him." They prove to be a dream team with this daring and defiant anthem. – Lucas Villa
16. Yeri Mua, Six Sex - “Ya Cogi Con Otro”
“GASOLINA” erupts straight from Brazil’s underground queer scene: a collision of baile funk, raw sensuality, and zero apologies. MIA BADGYAL teams up with Irmãs de Pau and DJ RaMeMes to turn the dance floor into a space of radical freedom, proving that the best party anthems are always political. Built on percussive funk beats and distorted bass that hits hard, “GASOLINA” celebrates queer bodies and community power without filtering anything. The vocals shift between flirtation and defiance, the production stays deliberately rough around the edges, and the whole thing feels like it could only come from artists who’ve had to fight for every bit of visibility they’ve earned. It’s the kind of track that reminds you why underground scenes matter: fearless, independent, and powerful enough to make you move before you’ve even decided to. -- Paola Churchill
15. MIA BADGYAL - “GASOLINA (feat. Irmãs de Pau, Dj RaMeMes)”
Though reggaeton mexa emerged as a powerhouse post-pandemic movement, the culture is already at a crossroads. Over the past year, leading stars like Bellakath and Yeri Mua swerved wildly into dembow and hyperpop, while a flood of corridos crooners gentrified the perreo landscape in an ill-conceived industry cash grab. But if the scene is facing an identity crisis perhaps the answer is specificity. Enter: Mexico City's Charly Gynn, the queen of chanteo premium, whose racy single “Lo Rocé” perfectly balanced the soundbite-driven irreverence of reggaeton mexa with clever bars and ear-catching interpolations. Gynn has clearly studied the ancient texts, stirring buzz early in her career with michelada-fueled cumbiatón, and here, the producer Tzunami channels the spirit of Don Chezina's “Tra, Tra” into carnivalesque synths while a hypnotic hook of “Dale con ganas” echoes Don Omar's “Dale Don.” Her nimble bars about sticky infidelities shine brightest when juiced with an exaggerated ñero vocal affect that becomes immensely mimicable while also lovingly tributing her Chilanga pride. Coupled with a music video shot at a neighborhood corner store, complete with pinball machines and a throwback iPod sighting, “Lo Rocé” is sexy, cheeky, and, perhaps most importantly, memorable. — Richard Villegas
14. Charly Gynn, Tzunami - "Lo Rocé"
The slang “orixá vivo” (living orisha), which took over Brazilian social media in 2025, may be a fit way to describe the aura Marina Sena channels in “Lua Cheia.” This is a sensual track where small-town folklore meets forró dance floor heat. If Sena has always seemed like a perfect archetype of what a genuine Brazilian pop star can be, then “Lua Cheia” features everything you need to explain why. It’s a pop song produced as distinctively made-in-Brazil music genres (forró/piseiro), with melodies that alternate between the sassiness of these genres, and melodies and lyrics that recall the feminine mystique of MPB divas like Marisa Monte and Gal Costa. For a song named “Full Moon,” the chorus (“I surrender, I’ll give in to the moment”) marks the peak of the ritual, like a werewolf transformation, followed by synths that echo like a lunar howl. With “Lua Cheia,” Sena has never felt more in her element. – Ana Clara Ribeiro
13. Marina Sena - "Lua Cheia"
Few artists embody avant-electronic music’s future quite like Ela Minus. The Colombian producer has spent the past few years turning modular synths into instruments of emotion, translating the beats of club culture into something deeply human. On “QQQQ,” she strips dance music to its circuitry and heart, crafting a track that merges precision with vulnerability, fragmented glimmers of self-reflection under strobe lights. Once a punk drummer, Ela carries that same restless energy into her electronic production. But this time, the rebellion feels inward. “QQQQ” isn’t just built for the drop, but for what lingers after when the lights dim and the rhythm keeps echoing inside you. Through minimalist beats and layered arpeggios, she gives voice to an inner monologue that feels at once personal and universal, a quiet surrender to a world that feels like it’s ending, together. “Si va a ser así, que se acabe el mundo,” is chanted not in despair, but a strange solidarity and recognition that collective collapse can also hold beauty when shared. In a year when global electronic music chased spectacle, Ela transformed modular machinery into something almost purely intimate. Even at the end of the world, the human pulse rendered in voltage keeps finding new ways to dance. — Jeanette Diaz
12. Ela Minus - “QQQQ”
2025 saw Cardi B’s long-awaited sophomore album finally come to life, seven tumultuous years after taking the world by storm with her Grammy-winning debut Invasion of Privacy and earning two number one spots with blockbuster singles “WAP” and “Up.” With a whopping 23 songs (reaching 30 on the Bardi Gang edition) and featuring guest spots from heavy-hitters such as Selena Gomez, Tyla, Kehlani, Summer Walker, and more, AM I THE DRAMA? shows Cardi’s growth and range, as she balances between taking down opps and reflecting on topics from her personal life, and she does so while experimenting away from hip-hop’s current trends. Sitting sixth on the tracklist and rising suddenly like a cyclone comes “BODEGA BADDIE,” which in under two minutes turns us upside down with a high-octane merengue spiked with Jersey club and a whole lot of attitude. Produced by Ponzoo and Fourtee Crawford, and fueled by a sample of El Prodigio’s “Ta’ Buena,” the song is Cardi’s Bronx in a nutshell, and it’s, of course, insanely Dominican. It’s an instant party with tamboras powered by 808s where she wreaks havoc all around town, leaving a trail of pop culture references behind her, from Sammy Sosa to Selena Quintanilla to Daddy Yankee. The song naturally became a TikTok hit, and AM I THE DRAMA? debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 chart, aided by Cardi’s genius marketing campaign, which included, apart from brand partnerships, references to her recent court appearances, and a stint as a street and subway vendor, a “BODEGA BADDIE” pop-up event at an actual bodega in Washington Heights. – Cheky
11. Cardi B - "BODEGA BADDIE"
Go Go Go Up!
Time flies when you're blasting good tunes, and 2025 came loaded with exceptional albums breakthrough hits , and riveting new scenes that captured hearts and dance floors around the world. It was the year that mainstream superstars looked inward at the traditions of their homelands, using their global platforms to uplift, preserve, and share idiosyncratic cultures and cherished musical canon. The club realm experienced multiple thrilling evolutions: from the emergence of doble paso in Mexico, to the irreverent new frontiers of Latincore in Colombia, and Argentina's new school of techno diva .Rock got a jolt of fuzzed out adrenaline from screamers in Chile and CDMX, and Brazil took the world by storm with a tidal wave of boundary pushing pop acts that can no longer be contained by genre, language ,or land borders. Of course, that is just the tip of the iceberg. Over the past few years, we at Remezcla have broken down our end-of-year coverage into genre-specific listicles in hopes of lending artists and scenes the specificity their work deserves. Now, we're taking a different approach, tapping our pool of editors and contributors to submit some of their favorite tracks of 2025, which we've arduously ranked, listed, and reviewed. Our hope is that casting a wider net will produce a more diverse—and ultimately more accurate—survey of what Latine and Ibero-American music sounded like this year. Art is subjective, and there is no definitive say on whose work is better, but our rubrics encompassed musical innovation, cultural impact, lyrical maturity (and in some cases quite the opposite), as well as the tried and true metric of how obsessed we were with the artist or project. We're dropping our 50 Best Songs of 2025 in increments of 10 throughout the week, and if we missed your fave, make sure to let us know in the comments. Happy listening!
15. MIA BADGYAL - “GASOLINA” (feat. Irmãs de Pau, Dj RaMeMes)
16. Yeri Mua, Six Sex “Ya Cogí Con Otro”
There are many artists doing dembow, but none match Arlene MC’s sharp, freaky, and humorous flow. “Recoqueo” is a raw, siren-like invitation to get down in the sheets. Produced by Babilom Produce, the Dominican-American artist delivers a nasty, tongue-in-cheek banger that demands an all-night perreo session, making listeners' jaws drop as the song progresses to describe her sex-driven fantasies. With her hypnotic and descriptive call-to-actions, Arlene MC is part of this generation’s unapologetic dembow baddies who DGAF about what her peers have to say, and instead says it to the microphone for everyone to hear. And it’s a long time coming, too. After starting her music career in 2017, Arlene MC has had a huge year in 2025. Her viral hits go beyond “RECOQUEO,” with other consistently hyped tracks such as “MamaZota” and “Este Coco” with El Alfa. These songs are all part of her growing platform, which is continuously reaching new audiences thanks to her borderline-unhinged, feminist, and risqué lyrics that leave nothing to the imagination. So what’s next? Now that she knows she has a knack for curating viral songs, we hope she successfully translates that to tours and continues to push her unmatched dembow to the next level. – Jeanette Hernandez
30. ARLENE MC - “RECOQUEO”
“Foguinho” features layers of critique packed into one, yet it’s also a party track like no other. In the lyrics, tecnobrega visionary Gaby Amarantos roasts men who flirt with nothing but fire emojis on social media but aren’t brave enough to ask her out. And, in the process of doing so, she reclaims a global hit that once sampled Brazilian music without credit: “Foguinho” interpolates the melody of Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know,” the 2011 global hit produced over an (initially unauthorized) sample of Brazilian icon Luiz Bonfá’s “Seville.” But what “Foguinho” does best is distill all the debauchery and creative rearrangements that define Brazilian modern pop, while cementing the growing power of tecnobrega and the electronic sounds born in the peripheries of Brazil’s Amazon region. – Ana Clara Ribeiro
29. Gaby Amarantos - "Foguinho"
After three decades as one of the sonic architects behind Café Tacvba, Meme del Real’s La Montaña Encendida arrived as something deeper than a comeback, but a quieter homecoming. The record reintroduced one of Mexican alternative’s most enduring figures, no longer hiding within a collective identity but standing alone in his own stillness. “Incomprensible,” one of its luminous centerpieces, distills that evolution into one of the year’s most intimate love songs. Written and recorded in near solitude outside Mexico City, the ballad trades grandeur for intimacy, tracing the small gestures of a love that grounds and sustains rather than consumingly overwhelms. Its video—a tender portrait of domesticity seen through a partner’s lens and gaze—feels like a diary entry turned cinematic. Mirroring the lyrical devotion, it follows a partner moving through the quiet rhythm of home, unaware she’s being watched with wordless adoration. Del Real sings with the fragile calm of someone who’s learned that love doesn’t need to be perfect to feel complete or infinite, and that even when life remains uncertain, connection can make even the most unintelligible things make sense. Musically, the song folds bolero tenderness into ambient textures and orchestral flourishes, a softened bridging of nostalgia with his signature experimentation. In this new era, Meme del Real showed us that innovation can also sound like coming home. “Incomprensible” stands as a master class in creative reinvention, proof that even after decades of defining a genre, the heart still has new languages to learn. — Jeanette Diaz
28. Meme del Real - "Incomprensible"
Sofia Insua (aka aLex vs. aLex) and Camilo Medina (aka S.3.R) created something that can very well illustrate what “alt-reggaeton” sounds like—or, actually, illustrate the common ground between both artists. They met in New York, each carrying a diasporic Latin American background that has stretched across continents. Insua, born and raised in Guatemala, is now based between the U.S. and Germany, while Bogotá-born Medina comes from Colombian-American rock’n’roll (he is the lead singer of the band Divino Niño). In “centro ALt,” the duo twist reggaeton’s sensual pulse into something raw, pixelated, yet still unmistakably and proudly Latin American—the cumbia accordions shine in between the industrial-pop production. This track is danceable, for sure, but it’s not exactly built for the clubs. It’s more for the perreo afterparty, one that is able to captivate both reggaeton fans and skeptics. – Ana Clara Ribeiro
27. aLex vs aLex, S.3.R - "centro aLt"
With her debut album Cumbiamante, San Antonio’s Vanita Leo is helping transform tradition into pop evolution. The Mexican-American artist grew up surrounded by Tejano musicians, and that lineage heavily echoes through the tracklist. “Primer Lugar,” the album’s sensual standout first single, unveiled the vibrant blueprint of her sound where her proud heritage meets modern pop desire. Produced by hitmaker Alan Vega, the track sways with a breezy tambora percussion and nostalgic synths that nod to both música grupera roots and a bedroom-pop sparkle. Vanita’s voice moves between earnest yearning and quiet confidence, carrying the sweetness of a first crush and the assurance of someone carving her own lane. It’s cumbia through a generational playlist lens, one where romantic, bouncy, and deeply regional sounds intersect without ever slipping into retro pastiche. In an arena where música mexicana remains largely male-fronted, Vanita’s sound stands out for its intimacy and composure. Her music embodies the bilingual rhythm of growing up on both TikTok and tradition, balancing glossy modern infatuation with the timeless heartbeat of cumbia. “Primer Lugar” feels like a love letter to cumbia itself, a genre whose pulse seems to be only growing stronger with each new voice that claims it.— Jeanette Diaz
26. Vanita Leo - “Primer Lugar”
At a time where his home city is flooded with masked storm troopers and corrupt politicians, Juan Wauter's eccentric personality finds joy and silliness through it all, with his latest album being a direct escape from one concrete island to another. When it comes to contemporary songwriting, Wauters' approach to eclectic folk is refreshing as it is dynamic. With seven studio albums under his belt, he hasn’t strayed from experimentation and tinkering with the formula for how he writes his music. It’s been consistently ambitious and eager to explore new ideas, such as his first attempt at hip-hop with 2021’s “Unity.” But something here is different. Despite calling Queens home for the last two decades, Wauters fully recorded his recent album in Montevideo, Uruguay, where he was born. While the eclectic sounds of hectic subways and iron towers have shaped Wauters’ music with a myriad of influences, “If It’s Not Love” is a direct call to this birthplace, channeling a very unfamiliar sound, yet still carrying that nostalgic comfort. From the grandiose saxophones to the playful bongos, to the DNA of the song’s structure, Montevideo breathes life into every element and every moment speaks to Wauters’ having an incredible time. “If It’s Not Love” opens an album born from a return to form for the singer; a return to a place he’s never fully lived, but has always felt a deep connection to. It captures the sense of wonder in reconnecting. – Alan Baez
25. Juan Wauters - “If It’s Not Love”
Part of what made the arrival of “Acelero” so satisfying was that a crossover between the Dominican merengue-tronic trio Mula and Chilean synthpop queen Javiera Mena was fated over a decade of friendship. The kaleidoscopic thumper is a highlight from Mula's exceptional fourth LP, ETERNA, their first in five years, which came loaded with an all-star diva guest list including Letón Pé, Jessy Bulbo, Lao Ra, Lucia Tacchetti, and Niña Dioz. But “Acelero” stands out for its unabashed lesbian messaging and rich in clammy-handed longing. It’s also coupled with a music video spliced together with clips of feminine embraces and suggestive natural shapes. Much of ETERNA harnesses darkwave bass lines conceived by producer Rachel Rojas, and on “Acelero,” moody beat switch ups volley between merengue and bachata, washing Mena's cool South American vocals in Caribbean effervescence. “Cuando menos me lo espero / quitas freno, acelero,” harmonize the Acevedo sisters, capturing the moment when a great romance ignites and confirming the incoming emotional tidal wave with, “Ya no hay duda y me entero / Tus pupilas gritan 'yo quiero'.” The song is a paean of unspoken desire, guided by physical instincts and the magical creative symbiosis of the Avengers of sapphic indie. —Richard Villegas
24. Mula, Javiera Mena - “Acelero”
With their album Amor De Encava, the Venezuelan collective known as weed420 placed itself at the forefront of a new sound that has taken over avant-garde Latine music, sounding unlike anything else in any other discipline. Along with kindred spirits like Debit and Los Thunthanaka, weed420 took familiar sounds of Latin American popular music and twisted them into something unique, placing them in a context that could also dictate the future while appealing to nostalgia at the same time. With their music, these producers managed to reflect an emotion for Latines who grew up listening to popular music in the ‘80s, ‘90s, and/or ‘00s, a yearning for the past as well as a way to revalue art that at various points may have been thought of as kitschy instead of what it was: an identity that we carry throughout the years. Perhaps this was best demonstrated by “MALUCA,” a track that didn’t groove as much as it mutated, bending in time to reveal a sound that was ahead of its time, campy, nostalgic, and simply amazing. Layered with noise and electronics that gave it a patina of otherworldliness, the song started with a salsa before mutating and revealing a mangled sample of “Llamado De Emergencia” by Daddy Yankee. It recalled an abstract past that felt like a dream removed from this world, thanks to samples and electronics that fractured the sound further yet gave it momentum, like a sonidero or a DJ set beamed from another dimension. As far as post-internet genres go, this take on hauntology injected rhythm and emotion into a sound where listeners could project their own memories into it, becoming an amazing evocative piece of art. — Marcos Hassan
23. weed420 - "Maluca"
In “BBYROMEO,” love is a glitch. It exists in an alternate timeline (“Tan bonito lo que nunca fuimos,” the lyrics say); it flicks asymmetrically through 808s in a widescreen production typical of late-2000s pop and R&B. Guitars and piano add an organic touch to it, but the atmosphere remains hauntingly cold. The chorus is sung in a pitch so high that it borders on digital distortion. It’s as if the song were the soundtrack to a romantic horror film where the never-fulfilled love lies around like a ghost. Frequent collaborators rusowsky and Ralphie Choo created something that is both cute and melancholic, far from the upfront romanticism of other Spanish ballads that took over the charts recently, such as Íñigo Quintero’s “Si no estás.” “BBYROMEO” isn’t a love song in capital letters; it’s a lowercase situationship ballad for those who scroll instead of putting up a fight for love. – Ana Clara Ribeiro
22. rusowsky, Ralphie Choo - “BBYROMEO”
Karol G announced her 2025 comeback on Instagram with a color shift: out with the pink that defined the Mañana Será Bonito era and in with orange, announcing a new chapter. “Latina Foreva,” the first single off Tropicoqueta, samples Don Omar and N.O.R.E.‘s “Dile” and interpolates “Oye Mi Canto,” reviving early 2000s reggaeton nostalgia with a distinctly pro-woman spin. It’s both a love letter to Latina identity and a provocation, with Karol owning curves, confidence, and the kind of joy that refuses to apologize. The pre-chorus, “tits and ass,” sparked immediate debate. Critics questioned whether the track empowered or objectified, but Karol stood firm. In an interview with Rolling Stone, she described the song as celebrating “all the aspects of being Latina—the curves, the energy, how Latinas are the life of the party.” She initially considered naming the entire album “Latina Foreva,” but ultimately felt the title couldn’t capture the full emotional range of “a project full of love, heartbreak, partying, and dancing.” By the time the song dropped, Karol wasn’t just a reggaeton star—she was a cultural institution. Fresh off Grammy wins, launching her own label Bichota Records, and becoming the first Spanish-language artist to cover Billboard Brasil, she had nothing left to prove. Except, perhaps, that pride and pleasure can exist in the same breath and that Latina energy really is forever. – Paola Churchill
21. Karol G - “Latina Forever”
25. Juan Wauters - “If It’s Not Luv”
In a corridos censorship era that ironically directly followed música mexicana’s “Ella Baila Sola” boom, it’s interesting to see where corrido tumbado stars fall into nowadays. In Junior H’s track “Culpable,” we hear a curious approach to keep the post-música mexicana embers burning. While many of his frequent collaborators and peers are hijacking the now-even-more saturated reggaeton route, the Guanajuato native has swerved into a more nostalgic ballad pop lane. Performed by Fame’s Orchestra and arranged by Gustavo Farias, Junior H’s new offering presents sensual, jazzy pop tinges with a classy Luis Miguel touch that has listeners wanting more. Yes, Junior H has gone Luis Miguel, and that’s why it’s one of our favorite tracks this year. It’s an ambitious performance, taking a more orchestral approach in the age of AI, in which some mainstream musicians are, regrettably, losing their creativity. By giving “Culpable” a chance, Junior H’s soft croons over enticing string instruments, leading to a climaxing saxophone solo, are lighting his new path to appeal to new audiences—a goal he mentioned to Remezcla earlier this year before playing Coachella’s main stage. Whatever he chooses to do next, one fact remains the same: he dared to step out of his comfort zone and offer us something new, something many TikTok one-hit-wonders are scared to do right now. – Jeanette Hernandez
40. Junior H - "Culpable"
Chilean singer-songwriter and rapper Akriila and Mexican trio Latin Mafia teamed up with a sensitive electronic collaboration called “mal comunicada.” Though Latin Mafia is booked and busy— almost saturated—with collabs, “mal comunicada” sticks to their authentic and beloved indie pop sound with the elevation Akriila’s experimental drum & bass and alternative pop hues that she’s known for, making it one of this year’s best tracks. Beyond their sonic alliance, they are also respectively known for their emotional lyrics, which make this specific collaboration one worth listening to. Lyrically, the two acts banter with heartfelt verses such as: “(¿Qué vas a hacer, querida?) / Te llamaré por la mañana (No tengo fe de nada) / Solo te quiero escuchar (No sé si es verdad) / ¿Qué hiciste el fin de semana? (Nada) ¿Cuándo te puedo besar?,” reeling back into a bumpy relationship with bad communication, such as the song title suggests. Looking forward to 2026, we envision Akriila further leveling up her position in the U.S. Latine market, and we hope that she continues to flaunt her eccentric essence that undoubtedly makes her one of the most exciting emerging artists from Chile. – Jeanette Hernandez
39. Akriila, LATIN MAFIA - "mal comunicada"
One of the most tragic música mexicana stories last year was the murder of Chuy Montana. The late Mexican singer was one of the most promising artists signed to Street Mob Records, the label run by Fuerza Regida's Jesús Ortiz Paz (aka JOP). Montana's life was tragically cut short while trying to escape his assailants in Tijuana, Baja California. Over a year after his death, his story and voice persisted via his posthumous album, No Fue Suerte. With his family’s blessing, Street Mob packaged Montana's final recordings together for the project. A standout track on the album is "De Tijuana A Paris," featuring Mexican up-and-coming artist Armenta, who is the writer behind hits like Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera's "Bebe Dame" and other hits for Peso Pluma and Tito Double P. Armenta also brings an alternative edge to the corridos that Montana was known for in this captivating collaboration. In Spanish, Montana's voice can be heard singing in Spanish: "And today I had more than that, and I confess, I'm coming on really strong / You know I'm the good guy and you don't want to understand it." This final romantic trip with Montana and Armenta is breathtaking. – Lucas Villa
38. Chuy Montana, Armenta - "De Tijuana A Paris"
In late 2022, the Argentine singer and producer roro began posting cryptic, decadent fashion stills to his Instagram page, eventually debuting with the twinkling hyperpop of “French Girl,” a jolt of catwalk catnip for bedroom supermodels. As his fashion label obsessions grew on songs like “Furcoat” and “Dolce&,” so did the breadth of his beats, dragging reggaeton and ballroom into a whirlpool of internet music that caught the eye of Buenos Aires slut-pop diva Fiah and former BROCKHAMPTON frontman Kevin Abstract. But the true marriage of his à la mode eye and formidable studio skills came to light this June with "Gvasalia," a direct shout-out to the pop-culture maestro Demna Gvasalia, creative director of fashion houses like Balenciaga and Gucci. Co-produced with TEYKO, the track goes for full-throttle Brat hedonism, bouncing through a flurry of techno and baile funk kicks, while a hypnotic ballroom chant of “Kitty cat cunt” is enough to earn roro his 10s. His slurred vocal delivery is also fascinating, unconcerned with traditional rhyming metrics—never swerving off the beat—making for a drunken listening effect not unlike the trailblazing style of J Dilla. As if his references weren't already striking, the cinematic music video for "Gvasalia" is simultaneously ultra-chic and shoestring in cost, with roro cavorting in a field of broken speakers while styled in bargain bin sweatpants and textured motorcycle gear. Ironically, roro is living proof that you don't need high-fashion labels or bloated budgets to look or sound like a million bucks. The hunger of a teenager with a dream will always be enough. — Richard Villegas
37. roro - "Gvasalia"
Despite her razor-sharp wit, skillful banger-craft, and extensive media visibility, Spain's Samantha Hudson is too often relegated to the queer pop margins. Busting out a decade ago with the uproarious sacrilege of “Soy Maricón”—her high school thesis project—and treading fearlessly political territory alongside Papa Topo on “Por España,” Hudson's trans wiles have come to epitomize the far-right's growing list of fears and hates. In the Spring, she released her third LP, Música Para Muñecas, taking up arms for her sisters with a club record that unfolds more like an existential hangover, tapping similarly embattled peers like Zahara and La Zowi to unpack heaps of misogynist bullshit. Nowhere are Hudson's fangs sharper than on “Full Lace y el Tuck,” an adrenaline-pumping crossover with Puerto Rican firecracker Villano Antillano, where the pair disassemble the horny chasers that are simultaneously the biggest perpetrators of violence against trans women. “Tu tienes dos piernas, ella tiene tres / vino a devorar y no dejó ni el carnet,” she sings on the pummeling techno chorus, deliberately casting TS baddies as man-eaters rather than vulnerable pray for lusty trade. In the music video, Hudson and la Villana take the metaphor one step further when they're revealed as vampires in full Buffy series makeup, sucking the life from a pack of hunky suitors and exacting their gory revenge. The result is a monstrous, hilarious power reversal that dreams of a reality where trans people live mightily rather than constantly terrorized by society, boosted with a thumping beat to make sure the message sticks. --- Richard Villegas
36. Samantha Hudson, Villano Antillano - “Full Lace y el Tuck”
As the resurgence of early contemporary soul continues to make its rounds in popular music, The Altons separate themselves with golden soul in its brightest form. Southern California is home to a myriad of niche musical movements from the active ska community thriving in Orange County (surprising, isn't it?) to the vibrant EDM hub of San Bernardino. It’s also home to some of the most prolific artists keeping soul music thriving. This is primarily due to the efficiency of Daptone Records and, most notably, their client The Altons, who recently released an incredible sophomore album. Heartache in Room 14 is the latest project from the Southeast Los Angeles fit and their follow-up to their debut album from 2019. And in that over six-year hiatus, The Altons have mastered a sound drenched in nostalgia while avoiding a staleness in lyricism. “Your Light” stands out amongst a catalog of refreshing sounds through the embodiment of retro soul influences, while honing in on the romantic elements that make the genre so charming to its fanbase. “Your Light” pauses time and creates momentum simultaneously. It’s a song so thoughtfully put together, producing a sound just as gentle as the hands that crafted it. The Altons’ music goes deeper than sound. Beyond the retrofitted horns and Suavecito slicked style it exudes, the group’s role under Daptone represents a niche yet present group in Southern California. One made from the foundations of early Chicano culture that still flies its colors through clown makeup, low riders, and pressed trousers. A culture that originated in different regions of Los Angeles but finds a lot of its home in the Inland Empire. – Alan Baez
35. The Altons - "Your Light"
At this point in history, Peru’s place in music is firmly secured, yet it felt great when we got to hear what can happen when different generations from different genres come together to make music that is 100 percent Peruvian and as forward-thinking as it has ever been. This was the case with this slam dunk, where producer Kayfex conjured electronic magic to set the stage for the cumbia amazonica pioneers Los Mirlos to co-headline with current Latine R&B stalwart A.CHAL. The result was not only something that made complete sense but also pointed to a future where many different styles can become a new genre down the line. “CHUCO” defied any expectations, making it an essential track of the year. The heavy chicha rhythms and psychedelic guitars from Los Mirlos marked the intro to the song, establishing the mood and groove that followed. However, that’s not all there was, and by the time A.CHAL showed up to soulfully sing about his swag, you could hear a dembow discreetly placed on top of the clave rhythm as the vocals talked about seduction, and ad-libs invited listeners to get uninhibited on the dance floor. The song oozed with flavor, from the exquisitely vintage sounds to the subwoofer-rattling kick drums to the slightly autotuned vocals; it all found common ground in “CHUCO,” demonstrating that although the elements might have changed, the idea of lively yet avant-garde Peruvian music remained vital in 2025. — Marcos Hassan
34. A.CHAL - "CHUCO (feat. Los Mirlos, Kayfex)"
Over the last few years, there seems to have been a boom of house music appreciation in popular culture, with 2025 especially hosting artists from separate genres throwing themselves into the ring with lifeless, uninspired house projects. But what outsiders miss about what makes the genre so comforting to its listeners is the sense of interconnectivity through the passive, calm nature of the music. Through the mesh of dull albums, Sofia Kourtesis’ short but sweet EP Volver got lost in the mix, but actively captures the collective nature of what makes house music unique. And its opener “Corazón,” fully embodies this sentiment. “Corazón” speaks to the love that house music carries with it. It’s an energy that speaks to the natural bewilderment of electronic music. It’s a guided meditation, without being overwhelming. It’s confident in its presentation without being abrasive. It’s an intimate experience crafted with so much care, with such minimal design. As an activist or person with people-centered politics, Kourtesis chose to release this short but potent project at a pivotal moment in time. At this moment, Black, brown, trans, and queer folks are consistently facing marginalization by strict, state-operated violence, with identity being the focus of direct, physical discrimination. But Kourtesis finds catharsis in the bravery of the oppressed, with this EP paying homage to the communities that manage to display strength in the face of senseless opposition. “Corazón” speaks to the importance of interconnectivity through sound, establishing a sense of community through the power of well-programmed synths. – Alan Baez
33. Sofia Kourtesis - "Corazón"
Colombia-born, Miami-based electronic music artist Nick León dropped his debut album A Tropical Entropy last June on TraTraTrax, and it’s a breathtaking materialization of everything we were promised on his previous musical output: a compendium of iridescent landscapes built from synthetic sounds with the power to take us from our reality. Many of the album tracks feature guest spots from the likes of Ela Minus, Erika de Casier, and Casey MQ, just to name a few, but it’s León’s collaboration with the Dominican Republic’s Mediopicky and Esty where he can showcase his darker, more fiery sound. “Millenium Freak” is a vertiginous 140 BPMs techno-leaning club track with dembow influences that feels like going full-speed down a beach-side highway at four in the morning in 3025, as exhilarating and scary as it sounds. Every hit on the beat is carefully placed and every choice in sound design and dynamic adds to create the right tension to keep us glued to the speakers. Both Esty and Mediopicky are in charge of adding sensuality to the thunderous track right until its blissful collapse. Nick León’s path to club music’s spotlight has been a thrill to witness, and A Tropical Entropy evidences a point of view that can only open doors for him from here on out. – Cheky
32. Nick León - "Millennium Freak (feat. Esty & mediopicky)"
D.F., or Distrito Federal, was the name Mexico City had before turning from the capital entity of the country into another state on the map. It gave citizens little more than the power to vote for their local governor, but psychologically speaking, it became a much bigger deal. For millennials and older Gen Xers, D.F. represented a fantasy of an unruly place where anything could happen, where you could play in the streets without the danger of gang violence or hard drugs entering the picture, and where parties could be hosted for days on end without cops showing up to break them up. In their mind, CDMX equaled gentrification, real estate corporations jacking up the prices of living spaces, and people from the Global North displacing families who have been living there for generations. It is rapidly becoming a place where only the rich can live, and where many others will probably have to say goodbye. This was the emotional crux of “Todavía DF.” Using the same chord progression as perennial hits like “La Bamba” and “Twist and Shout,” Israel Ramírez, aka Belafonte, unspooled many non-sequiturs that made up the story of a place that’s about to disappear. Inspired by a play of the same name, the song captured the sentiment of feeling like an orphan of a huge city, the frustration of failing to destroy whatever future others wanted to impose upon us, and the mass of assholes that were plotting against us. Yet, it promised us a hopeful ending by reassuring us that hanging out and laughing in the face of the oppressor could count as a form of resistance, seizing life when we have the chance, and by the means we have. Likewise, by the end of the track, the gentle guitar strums and melodic basslines became entangled in electronics before everything glitched out, ending in ambiguity. With “Todavía DF,” Belafonte Sensacional proved that they remain vital storytellers of their time and place. — Marcos Hassan
31. Belafonte Sensacional - "Todavía DF"
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36. Samantha Hudson, Villano Antillano - “Full Lace y el Tuck
If you’ve been keeping up with The Two Lips and their rise within the pop culture zeitgeist, you’d understand that their established popularity didn’t emerge overnight. Despite their working relationship starting in 2022, both had significant trouble breaking into the music scene years prior through their own lanes, with Jewels studying music production at university and Andrea practicing music on the side while working full-time as a teacher. Yet, through persistence and an ease in understanding each other's energy and working process, the two have found a rhythm that perfectly captures the playfulness of their combined personalities. With their first album here and already making a splash in bedroom pop circles, one song manages to capture the sheer Y2K inspiration and chic style all on its own, “clue.” This track is not their breakout hit of the year, nor is it even featured on the duo’s debut (hell, it isn’t the one that sparked a TikTok dance), but it’s still a foundational piece within their flourishing discography. Built on warm guitar tones and a shared mic that gives equal space for their chemistry to ooze, “clue” is a bedroom pop mainstay in the two’s music as it cements the individual's attention to detail and love for the craft. Amongst colleagues who have also championed breakout hits through digital spaces such as Malcom Todd & 54 Ultra, The Two Lips are crafting a lane for themselves that’s built on the magic of organic chemistry and patience. – Alan Baez
49. The Two Lips - "Clue"
Cuba is a country rich in different musical genres, with a history of innovating new rhythms that take from all corners of its historic sonic tapestry. This year, reparto is the new, hot sound from the island of Cruz and Portuondo, and Wampi is one of its most popular faces. The young singer has seen his name grow over the past few months, and songs like "Rica y To'" are the reason why. Marrying timba with reggaeton, reparto bops like this one have become earworms, taking over hot spots from La Havana to Miami and beyond. While a small part of the song's success came from fans enticed by the possibility of behind-the-scenes drama between Wampi and fellow reparto singer L Kimii, a track doesn't achieve millions of streams off gossip alone. Its catchy beat, along with feisty lyrics that have Wampi self-aggrandizing himself in a way that manages to not come across as toxic, is perfect for enticing newcomers on the lookout for fresh listens and a taste of what music is going to be the next breakout sound. -- Juan J. Arroyo
50. Wampi - “Rica y To’”
Three years after making a stylistic jump with her celebrated 2023 bolero-inspired album ¡Ay!, noted Colombian artist Lucrecia Dalt returned with the 13-track full-length A Danger to Ourselves, which represents another step forward in her ever-daring discography. Bringing in experimental music legend David Sylvian as a co-producer and musician, Dalt ditches for the first time her usual MO of using literature and film as a vehicle for her lyrical narrative and turns the spotlight inward, recurring to love as a running thread throughout the album. “divina” conveys this the best with its romance-scented take on doo-wop. However, Dalt’s exploration of love is marred here by references to death, fire, and shattered mirrors. With a soulful bass line and a minimalistic beat serving as anchors in a sea of unpredictable sounds from different sources, from distorted percussion to bouncing guitar strings, the song has Dalt rising and singing in our ear, creating an intimate setting where she can sink into the poetry of love as a reflection of the self. The result is cinematic and seductive, even haunting, as spectral vocal harmonies swirl around us, and it’s further evidence of Lucrecia Dalt’s restless quest to be fearless with every new piece of music she creates. – Cheky
48. Lucrecia Dalt - "divina"
“TÚ ET MOI” feels like stumbling into the future of pop by accident. Spanish-Venezuelan singer Judeline and Vietnamese-Spanish rapper MC Morena built something that glides between languages—French, Spanish, and English—without ever feeling like it’s trying too hard. The production glows with subtle percussion and vapor-trail synths, creating that after-hours club feeling where everything sounds better because you’re tired enough to stop overthinking it. What makes the track work is how organic it feels. There’s flamenco DNA in the melodies, alt-R&B in the flow, electronic pop holding it all together, but nothing announces itself loudly. It’s sleek without being cold, emotional without getting heavy. Judeline and MC Morena aren’t chasing trends or manufacturing viral moments; they’re just building their own language, one that happens to sound like what Gen Z pop could be if it stopped worrying so much about being everything to everyone. Sometimes the best songs are the ones that just know exactly what they are. – Paola Churchill
47. Judeline, MC Morena - “TÚ ET MOI”
DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS and Benito's subsequent residency created a wave of opportunities for Puerto Rican indie artists to shine in front of a bigger audience, as all eyes turned to the music coming from the archipelago. Enter Matt Louis and his unabashed pro-Afro Latine and pro-queer R&B, which didn't lack in exemplary catchy vibes. "ABA," which features DtMF collaborator RaiNao, is one of the best examples of what makes Matt such an electric artist: fusing the sensuality of alternative R&B with kaleidoscopic dance beats and wielding a voice that can coast over the two with ease. He's had an outstanding year, releasing a debut EP in GAMMA, being invited to perform at Rauw Alejandro's Capítulo 0 release concert, and being featured on Billboard Latin's "On the Radar." As he continues to impress, "ABA" will stand out as a hit that introduced many to one of Puerto Rico's most exciting new prospects. -- Juan J. Arroyo
46. Matt Louis, RaiNao - "ABA"
When Mexican trio Mengers reached out to producer Hugo Quezada to work with them on their fourth album, they had one clear goal in mind: they wanted to become the noisiest band in Mexico City. By the time they finally dropped Flavio in October, they didn’t only reach new levels of noisiness in their discography, but they also unlocked an electronic and dance inspiration that has taken their sound to uncharted territory. “Z,” the album’s first single, sticks out from the rest with its gnarly bass riffs, jungle break-inspired drums, and buzzsaw-like guitars. And after they threw some synth sequences in the mix, they ended up sounding like a punky krautrock party in the filthiest city street in the best of ways. The lyrics are economical and cut to the chase, painting a full picture with few words that, even if bleak, should be enough for anyone to question society’s inner workings. With “Z” and Flavio as a whole, Mengers backed away from their usual punk and garage influences to prove that their sound is not fixed, but malleable and ever-mutating. They can blow our headphones off and melt our faces with distortion, and we can still dance while they do so. – Cheky
45. Mengers - "Z"
For an artist who once danced on the periphery of Latine pop, Desde el Coma marked a radical rebirth for alternative sensation bruses. The Mexican singer and producer’s latest project emerged from finally processing the aftermath of a near-death car accident that left her in a month-long coma, suspended somewhere between consciousness and oblivion. From that haunting stillness she found a new artistic language, one forged in the blurred space moments where fear of death flipped into acceptance. “ME ESTOY RINDIENDO am0r :(,” the album’s lead single, marked her return as a hypnotic invocation of what it means to survive your own darkness. The song channels the shadowy frequencies of alt-electronic pop through bruses’ unflinching gaze, reading both as confession and confrontation into a reckoning with the monsters we all carry. Instead of romanticizing pain, she reconstructs it, bending horror into cathartic healing. Her vocals feel almost spectral, both present and detached, as if narrating from the threshold between life and death itself. Each progressing melody becomes a heartbeat rediscovered, each lyric a fragment of lucid dreaming. Collectively, the track reframed darkness and trauma into inimitable sonic textures that only a dance with death could conjure. While Latine alternative music embraces experimentation and vulnerability, bruses offered it a personal exorcism this year—proof that resurrection isn’t always radiant, but it’s always real. Her return wasn’t about spectacle, but about survival. And in that survival, she gave the alt kids their anthem. One that stared into the abyss and came back with a sinister kind of serenity. — Jeanette Diaz
44. bruses - “ME ESTOY RINDIENDO am0r :(”
This past year, El Malilla continued on his mission to push Mexican reggaeton into the mainstream. The rising star made history as the first reggaeton mexa artist to perform his own set at Coachella, and then he stepped on many other international stages. He did that, in part, with his 2025 EP Tu Maliante Bebé, where he returned to his raunchy, seductive perreo roots. El Malilla joined forces with producer Enayy to blend reggaeton with elements of the sound of ‘90s hip-hop in the alluring "Gatito." He serenades a girl that has just gone through a breakup by promising to her rebound. El Malilla channels his chacal swagger and charm into an irresistible club banger. In Spanish, he sings, "Stop being shy/She doesn't want love, all she wants is sex/Light up a joint to relieve the stress." El Malilla comes through with a sexy anthem for all the baddies and bandidas that make up his refreshingly inclusive fan base. — Lucas Villa
43. El Malilla, Enayy - “Gatito”
Dominican collective Los Sufridos has been churning out their dynamic brand of bachata since 2023, with their biggest hits coming in the last 12 months. Composed of acclaimed producers and artists Cromo X, T.Y.S, and Mitiko, the trio fuses bachata with trap, champeta, and more for a new take on the genre that's turning heads and catching ears. "Poloché" is one of their strongest recent offerings, and one of their most popular since last year's surprise collab with Bad Gyal, "Duro De Verdad, pt.2." Infused by guest rapper N.I.T.O's provocative storytelling lyrics, the song captures the harsh anxieties and dangers of street life in the country, where trust is a rare commodity. For more than a generation now, bachata has been associated with more lively, rosy, and cheeky themes, but Los Sufridos has ingeniously demonstrated that a sound that transcends its fanbase’s social and economic statuses can and must speak about all their experiences as well. -- Juan J. Arroyo
42. Los Sufridos, N.I.T.O - “Poloché”
Latine artists had a major input in quality electronic music releases this year, shaping the lanes of industrial pop and EDM, but Isabella Lovestory’s sophomore project pushed the boundaries of these genres while crafting her own specific flavor of forward-thinking reggaeton and neo-perreo. When describing herself on an Instagram post on the release day of her anticipated album, Lovestory dubbed herself as “an inevitable princess who’s eaten everything in this world.” Vanity is just that—a reflection of a colorful, confident popstar whose ego is as high as it is fragile. The title track by the same name puts this fragility on full display. It strays from the trademarked perreo-pop on the first half of the album for something more dreamy. “Vanity” departs from the illustrious fantasy that Lovestory imagined around her persona and reveals a far more honest, introspective look at herself. Vanity is the follow-up to the fan favorite Amor Hardcore would need to live up to the same quality control and attention to detail, and sees Lovestory fully embracing the perreo princess she’s come to believe she is. In doing so, she paints her own portrait of the much-needed reggaeton pop icon. It’s glamorous, it’s sexy; it oozes swagger as the colorful idol the music illustrates. But the title track is the only one that strips that layer back, allowing the creator to coexist with the so-called illusion she takes such pride in. – Alan Baez
41. Isabella Lovestory - “Vanity”
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Time flies when you're blasting good tunes, and 2025 came loaded with exceptional albums, breakthrough hits, and riveting new scenes that captured hearts and dance floors around the world. It was the year that mainstream superstars looked inward at the traditions of their homelands, using their global platforms to uplift, preserve, and share idiosyncratic cultures and cherished musical canons. The club realm experienced multiple thrilling evolutions: from the emergence of doble paso in Mexico, or to the irreverent new frontiers of Latincore in Colombia, and Argentina's new school of techno divas. Rock got a jolt of fuzzed out adrenaline from screamers in Chile and CDMX, and Brazil took the world by storm with a tidal wave of boundary pushing pop acts that can no longer be contained by genre, language, or land borders. Of course, that is just the tip of the iceberg. Over the past few years, we at Remezcla have broken down our end-of-year coverage into genre-specific listicles in hopes of lending artists and scenes the specificity their work deserves. Now, we're taking a different approach, tapping our pool of editors and contributors to submit some of their favorite tracks of 2025, which we've arduously ranked, listed, and reviewed. Our hope is that casting a wider net will produce a more diverse—and ultimately more accurate—survey of what Latine and Ibero-American music sounded like this year. Art is subjective, and there is no definitive say on whose work is better, but our rubrics encompassed musical innovation, cultural impact, lyrical maturity (and in some cases quite the opposite), as well as the tried and true metric of how obsessed we were with the artist or project. We're dropping our 50 Best Songs of 2025 in increments of 10 throughout the week, and if we missed your fave, make sure to let us know in the comments. Happy listening!
Cuba is a country rich in different musical genres, with a history of innovating new rhythms that take from all corners of its historic sonic tapestry. This year, reparto is the new, hot sound from the island of Cruz and Portuondo, and Wampi is one of its most popular faces. The young singer has seen his name grow over the past few months, and songs like "Rica y To'" are the reason why. Marrying timba with reggaeton, reparto bops like this one have become earworms, taking over hot spots from La Havana to Miami and beyond. While a small part of the song's success came from fans enticed by the possibility of behind-the-scenes drama between Wampi and fellow reparto singer L Kimii, a track doesn't achieve millions of streams off gossip alone. Its catchy beat, along with feisty lyrics that have Wampi self-aggrandizing himself in a way that manages to not come across as toxic, is perfect for enticing newcomers on the lookout for fresh listens and a taste of what music is going to be the next breakout sound. - Juan J. Arroyo
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