Apple News Today The best music, movies, and TV of 2025
Dec 20, 2025
Culture critics Sam Sanders and Anne Helen Petersen dissect the artistic highlights of 2025. They explore the impact of nostalgia shaped by algorithms and the concerns of social regression in pop culture. Standout new music picks, including albums by Noah Cyrus and Lizzo, grab their attention, while they debate Taylor Swift’s prolific output. The duo discusses the genre-bending horror-musical 'Sinners' and reflects on the declining interest in mid-tier films. What do they hope to see in 2026? A future filled with risk-taking art and shared cultural experiences!
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Reheated Nostalgia Dominates Culture
- Internet and streaming culture are driving repetitive cycles of nostalgia across pop culture.
- Anne Helen Petersen calls this the year of reheated nachos, where much feels familiar or 'mid'.
Streaming Is Mostly Catalog Music
- About 70% of Spotify streaming is catalog music older than 18 months, showing listeners return to older tracks.
- Sam Sanders points to this as evidence we keep going back to the same musical trough.
Noah Cyrus Album Surprise
- Anne Helen Petersen was surprised and delighted by Noah Cyrus's album I Want My Loved Ones To Go With Me.
- She praises its Nico Case/Gillian Welch-like sound and the Fleet Foxes duet.