Song of the Month:

The title of song of the month for January goes to “Die With A Smile” by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. The Music ‘24 Song of the Year award winner and worldwide hit collaboration reached the No.1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 to round out the month of January. It became the sixth No.1 single for Gaga and the ninth for Mars. The song is also nominated for two Grammy awards for Song of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

Album of the Month:

The title of album of the month for January goes to Debi Tirar Mas Fotos by Bad Bunny. The album was released on January 5th and reached No.1 on the Billboard 200 to round out the month of January. The album also has three of its songs, “DTMF,” “Baile Inolvidable,” and “Nuevayol” in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album stands out among Bad Bunny’s discography, combining pop and classical Puerto Rican folk sounds. 

Artist of the Month:

The title of artist of the month for January goes to Bad Bunny. Bad Bunny’s latest album, Debi Tirar Mas Fotos, mixes sounds from his home country of Puerto Rico with modern pop sounds. His songs “DTMF,” “Baile Inolvidable,” and “Nuevayol” rounded out the month of January at No.2, No.3, and No.8 respectively.

Here is a list of the top 10 songs and albums on the Billboard Hot 100, Billboard 200, and Billboard Global 200 rounding out the month of January. You can see a full list of all songs on the charts here.

Billboard Hot 100:

1. Die With A Smile by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars.
2. DTMF by Bad Bunny.
3. Baile Inolvidable by Bad Bunny.
4. A Bar Song (Tipsy) by Shaboozey.
5. APT. by ROSÉ and Bruno Mars.
6. Luther by Kendrick Lamar and SZA.
7. Birds Of A Feather by Billie Eilish.
8. Nuevayol by Bad Bunny.
9. Lose Control by Teddy Swims.
10. That’s So True by Gracie Abrams.

Billboard 200:

1. Debi Tirar Mas Fotos by Bad Bunny.
2. Lover: Live From Paris by Taylor Swift.
3. SOS by SZA.
4. GNX by Kendrick Lamar.
5. WHAM by Lil Baby.
6. Short n’ Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter.
7. Hit Me Hard And Soft by Billie Eilish.
8. Wicked: The Soundtrack by Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, and Various Artists.
9. One Thing At A Time by Morgan Wallen.
10. The Secret Of Us by Gracie Abrams.

Billboard Global 200:

1. DTMF by Bad Bunny.
2. APT. by ROSÉ and Bruno Mars.
3. Die With A Smile by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars.
4. Baile Inolvidable by Bad Bunny.
5. Nuevayol by Bad Bunny.
6. That’s So True by Gracie Abrams.
7. Birds Of A Feather by Billie Eilish.
8. Voy A Llevarte Pa PR by Bad Bunny.
9. Velda by Bad Bunny, Omar Courtz, and Dei V.
10. Messy by Lola Young.

Rising Stars:

There are three artists everyone should be watching going into 2025.

Lola Young is an English singer-songwriter who has garnered popularity online for her song “Messy,” which peaked at No.24 and currently sits at No.29 on the Billboard Hot 100. She also performed the song recently on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon.

Doechii is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter who has gained fame throughout the past few years with songs like “What It Is” and  “Alter Ego.” In August 2024, she released her album Alligator Bites Never Heal, which featured her song “Denial Is A River.” The song became a hit, currently at the No.65 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, and on January 2nd, 2025, she released its highly anticipated music video. Doechii is also nominated for three Grammy awards for Best New Artist, Best Rap Album, and Best Rap Performance.

Alex Warren is an American singer-songwriter and YouTuber. On September 27th, 2024, he released his album You’ll Be Alright Kid (Chapter 1), which featured hit songs like “Burning Down”, which peaked at No.69 and currently sits at No.90 on the Billboard Hot 100, and “Carry You Home,” which peaked at No.4 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Chart. 

New Year, New Name, New Location:

Music ‘24 is now Music ‘25. Music ‘25 will continue with monthly editions and other articles throughout the remainder of the school year, however, after the school year concludes, Music ‘25 will move to a publication independent of the West Press that, at the time of this article’s release, has yet to be determined. More information is coming soon!

Are there any more topics you would like me to cover in future monthly editions of Music ‘25? Let me know in the comments below, and check out @noahgrayson_official on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube for videos covering monthly articles and more.