Summary of Western Music Releases [May 2025]

Sue meAudrey Hobert

Audrey Hobert – Sue me (Official Video)

Audrey Hobart, a New York–born American singer-songwriter, film director, and screenwriter, showcases a wide range of talents.

Her debut on RCA Records is a heartfelt pop song that vividly portrays intertwined desire and regret, sparked by a reunion with an ex.

Set against stylish, indie-sleaze–inspired production, her expressive vocals deliver a powerful impact.

Released in May 2025, the track earned high praise from Cosmopolitan, and she simultaneously dropped a self-directed music video that highlights her eye as a visual artist.

This work is recommended for listeners interested in the subtleties of human relationships and is sure to resonate with fans of Phoebe Bridgers and Lorde.

Young & Dumb (feat. Simple Plan)Avril Lavigne

Avril Lavigne – Young & Dumb (feat. Simple Plan) (Official Video)

Avril Lavigne, the Canadian artist who epitomized the 2000s pop-punk scene, released an ambitious collaboration with fellow Canadians Simple Plan in May 2025.

Created by a powerhouse lineup including Chuck Comeau and John Feldmann, the track fuses the high-energy sound and sweet melodies reminiscent of 2000s pop punk.

It’s brimming with charm, balancing a nostalgic vibe with a fresh edge.

The music video features both acts performing at a vintage motel and includes the session that’s become a highlight of Avril’s Greatest Hits Tour.

It’s a gem not only for those who devoted their youth to 2000s pop punk, but also for music fans just getting into the genre.

NorbitBas, The Hics, Ab-Soul

Bas, The Hics, Ab-Soul – Norbit

A three-way collaboration track by Bas, a Sudanese-American rapper; The Hics, an electronic-soul duo from the UK; and Ab-Soul, hailing from California, was released in May 2025.

Defined by its distorted bassline and tense rhythms, the work unfolds a fresh soundscape that fuses grunge and hip-hop.

Themes of betrayal, defiance, and anger at abandonment are conveyed alongside a noir-style black-and-white music video in this ambitious piece.

Serving as the lead single from the forthcoming album “Melanchronica,” slated for a June 2025 release, the track was created over a decade-long conception period across five cities.

As a message-driven work that evokes deep emotion and empathy, it’s a highly recommended listen for fans of R&B and hip-hop.

BlessingsCalvin Harris, Clementine Douglas

Calvin Harris, Clementine Douglas – Blessings (Official Visualiser)

A powerful collaboration between Calvin Harris, the renowned British DJ/producer, and rising Birmingham-born singer Clementine Douglas.

It’s a one-of-a-kind track where a dancefloor-shaking, powerful piano melody meshes perfectly with Douglas’s expressively soulful vocals—she won “Dance Vocalist of the Year” at the BBC Radio 1 Dance Awards in 2022.

Following Harris’s country-tinged single “Smoke the Pain Away,” released in March 2025, this work marks a return to his dance-music roots, delivering a dazzling sound tailor-made for summer festivals and the club scene.

Highly recommended for listeners seeking a feel-good groove and an uplifting, open atmosphere.

Hotseat (feat. LUCKI)Chuckyy

Chuckyy – Hotseat feat. LUCKI (Official Music Video)

Chuckyy, a leading figure in Chicago’s drill scene, is a rapper from Chicago, Illinois.

He’s a rising artist known for his distinctive beats and eerie sound design.

On this track from his May 2025 new mixtape, “I Live, I Die, I Live Again,” he teams up with LUCKI.

His nasally-tinged vocals and uniquely timed flow mesh perfectly with Michigan-style drums that incorporate dissonance.

The result is a standout cut marked by a haunting, horror-movie soundtrack vibe and the tolling of church bells.

His music, which embodies Chicago’s street culture, is recommended for anyone who wants to dig into the underground hip-hop scene.

Midnight at McGuffy’sDance Gavin Dance

Dance Gavin Dance – Midnight At McGuffy’s (Official Music Video)

Dance Gavin Dance, who continue to push the envelope at the forefront of the post-hardcore scene, have released the first single from their 11th album, “Pantheon,” in May 2025.

The band’s first track featuring new vocalist Andrew Wells strikes a perfect balance as Wells’s soaring clean vocals intertwine with Jon Mess’s powerful screams amid complex guitar riffs and irregular rhythms.

Rooted in their signature blend of post-hardcore and progressive rock, and effectively incorporating elements of funk, the release arrives alongside a dreamlike music video set against a desert landscape.

It’s a track that’s sure to shine on the band’s “Return Of The Robot Tour.”

NICE TRYDev Lemons

DEV LEMONS – NICE TRY (Official Video)

Dev Lemons is a singer-songwriter from Pennsylvania, USA, who rose to prominence as a cutting-edge artist through her music theory explainer series “SongPsych” on TikTok.

Ahead of her album SURFACE TENSION, slated for release in August 2025, this track—released in May—offers a thrilling blend of electropop and indie pop.

Produced by JonDrén Fan and featuring a music video directed by Dev Lemons herself, it’s been generating plenty of buzz.

Showcasing her creative talent and distinctive sense of humor, the song exudes an intimate, late-night bedroom vibe—highly recommended for anyone who resonates with the feeling of digital loneliness.