NME’s 2025 End-of-Year Lists Are Here:The Best in Music, Film, TV and Games
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM; 18 DECEMBER, 2025 — NME (nme.com), the globally recognised music and pop culture brand, has officially released all of its End-of-Year lists for 2025, celebrating the best music, film, TV and games of the past 12 months. This year’s ranked lists span six categories, including Songs of the Year, Albums of the Year and Best K-Pop Songs, and spotlight the artists and creators who defined culture in 2025.
Leading the charge is PinkPantheress, whose hit ‘Illegal’ earns the coveted title of NME’s Song of the Year. The full list of 50 tracks reflects a genre-spanning year of boundary-pushing releases and rising voices. Other category highlights include:
Songs of the Year: PinkPantheress, ‘Illegal’ (Full list here)
Games of the Year: Hollow Knight: Silksong (Full list here)
TV Shows of the Year: Adolescence (Full list here)
Films of the Year: One Battle After Another (Full list here)
Albums of the Year: Geese – ‘Getting Killed’ (Full list here)
K-Pop Songs of the Year: NMIXX – ‘Spinnin’ On It’ (Full list here)
In celebration of earning the top spot, PinkPantheress sat down with NME for an exclusive interview reflecting on the unexpected impact of ‘Illegal’, expanding her artistry beyond music and stepping up into pop stardom. “I never thought I’d ever be put up for a Grammy, so having it for this song means everything,” she told NME’s Gary Ryan.
This year also marks the launch of NME’s new End-of-Year landing page, a permanent hub that brings together EOY lists from the brand’s archive. Readers can explore the best music, TV, film and games of years past, all in one place: https://www.nme.com/lists/end-of-year
Karen Gwee, Managing Editor (Music) at NME Networks, says, “It’s been another incredible year of music and entertainment – and I’m very proud of all the hard work NME’s staff and contributors have put into list season and celebrating the amazing art that we have savoured in 2025.”
NME’s End-of-Year lists have been a defining tradition since the brand’s earliest days, capturing the artists, creators and cultural moments that shape each year. The 2025 edition continues that legacy with a forward-looking view of the creators pushing boundaries and setting the tone for the future.
ABOUT NME
Launched in London, UK, in 1952 as the New Musical Express, NME has grown into a global media powerhouse that creates and curates content, products and experiences essential to fans of music and pop culture today. NME brings together the best writers and photographers to provide a multi-platform editorial offering that is at the bleeding edge of what matters most across the globe — be it music, film, TV or gaming.
ABOUT NME NETWORKS
NME Networks is a global, next-generation media group that views the wider world of pop culture through the lens of music and connects artists and brands to music-obsessed audiences. Our portfolio of popular music-journalism brands, comprising NME, Guitar.com and MusicTech, takes audiences on a lifelong journey through musicianship and fandom. NME Networks is a part of Caldecott Music Group.