From well-known indie bands to lesser-known artists on the verge of mass discovery, a lot of really good new music was released in May of 2025. And of course, Grimy Goods was there to capture these tracks for all to hear and discover their next favorite music artists. To name a few artists featured in May: Nilüfer Yanya, Xiuhtezcatl with Nathan Willett, Josef Scott, Cruel Billie, Mei Semones, TwoLips, Royel Otis, Raue, Galdive, Anna Justen, Provoker, Irene Diaz, Alice Phoebe Lou, Patriarchy, Mareux, Boys Holding Hands, Buscabulla, spill tab, Jehnny Beth, Los Aptos, Hunx and His Punx, The Sophs, Jools, Arca, Time Thieves, Night Talks, Vinyl Williams, Holy Wars, Junaco, Natalie Bergman, and more.
Most of these tracks were selected from our submission playlist, and many received full-page editorials. Check them out below and press play.
STREAM THE PLAYLIST TO HEAR ALL THE SONGS
Best New Songs Released in May 2025
Balu Brigada “Backseat”
Contrary to the previously released Portal songs, “Backseat” is an uncompromising mini-odyssey where the track announces itself with a hypnotic rhythm reminiscent of EDM. However, uniquely, it’s used as a foundation for the two to build up a disco-inspired dance all about the desperate need for company by any means necessary. Read More
Punk Crush “Trust Fund Baby”
With a name like Punk Crush, it’s only right that the LA-based pop-punk band brings in the heat on their song, “Trust Fund Baby.” Coming off of their recently released debut album, FERAL, “Trust Fund Baby” is a boomstick of a track that begins with a slight flicker in the form of gentle guitar strumming. However, the band takes its time to build up to that eventual release of chaos in the second half, preceded by hushed vocals serving as a misdirect.. Read More
Little Simz “Young”
“Young” is the latest in that trend, with Simz’s vocals coming off like a hybrid between a ’70s punk frontman and Amy Winehouse, the latter of whom gets a shout-out in the first verse. “I was able to tap into a character,” said Simz about the song. “That was fun for me. It’s just a moment of light-heartedness.” Read More
ARTISTS YOU SHOULD KNOW
BEST NEW MUSIC
Sextile “Women Respond to Bass”
In keeping with the same energy heard on their 2023 album, Push, Brady Keehn and Melissa Scaduto take on techno and industrial with playful yet promiscuous one-liners you could only get from the modern day. The track goes off at rapidfire speeds through its croaking synths and thumping bass at the core of the instrumental, with the latter’s pulsating rhythm more than proving the title’s declaration. Read More
Julie Hill “Be Well”
At first, the single flutters with jittery glitches reminiscent of an old Windows XP booting up, before it finds its footing and allows Hill to come into the fray, serving as a guiding light through the evolving electronic production. But what’s most impressive about “Be Well” is how the instrumental complements the songwriting throughout the runtime. Read More
Nation of Language “Inept Apollo”
Their latest track is unsurprisingly home to synths galore as singer Ian Richard Devaney’s vocals echo throughout. The revolving, almost labyrinthian use of electronic instruments is reminiscent of Kraftwerk’sComputer World era, albeit with a touch of modernity and sentimentality, thanks to the lyrics detailing the struggles of work life. Read More
Kneecap “The Recap” featuring Mozey
With all that in mind, it’s no surprise that “The Recap” is a biting response to the terror offense, coming in roaring with thundering drums and a beat drop as in-your-face as the group’s shouts. While the track is similar to their past work, the electronic production and onslaught of verses in the Irish language hits harder given the context of their response. Read More
Wolf Alice “Bloom Baby Bloom”
Although the band is in top form, taking their perfected indie rock sound to anthemic highs with a healthy dose of the ‘80s and modern day, it’s Rowsell who gets to show her vocal range. She begins in a familiar register before screaming while the piano and synths flutter against each other; a brief shock from an electric guitar also comes as a welcome surprise. In the latter half, she howls as though she were releasing years’ worth of pent-up emotions before ending “Bloom Baby Bloom” with a serenade. Read More
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Anna Justen “shadow”
From the beginning, the wind chime quality of the instruments, as Justen’s hushed voice comes into play, helps convey a sense of calm reminiscent of singer-songwriters like Daniel Johnston. But when the drums come rolling in, “shadow” gradually expands from a foundation that had already separated Justen from other artists within the indie-folk and pop sphere. By the track’s last minute, the combination of French lyrics and near-anthemic sound finds “shadow” transformed into an entirely different song than it began. Read More
Cerrone & Christine and the Queens “Catching feelings”
What followed was a 4-track EP, with “Catching feelings” setting the bar high for the rest of the EP thanks to slick disco production and a chorus bound to get stuck in your head. Rahim Redcar, the primary artist behind Christine and the Queens, unsurprisingly brings rockstar confidence in the way he sings to an unnamed partner, promising he’ll be the man to swoop them off their feet. Read More
Lew Apollo “No Room In Hell”
That sudden rush of excitement on Apollo’s part is evident through the fact that the track wastes no time in getting started, effortlessly finding its footing thanks to a shimmering guitar and velveteen vocals. Like the source of its creation, “No Room In Hell” takes some cues from Jungle’s brand of revived 70s soul, albeit with a laidback attitude that Apollo brings to the same. Read More
And A lot More
| Track Name | Artist Name(s) |
| Cold Heart | Nilüfer Yanya |
| The Catastrophe (Good Luck With That, Man) | Car Seat Headrest |
| Women Respond to Bass | Sextile |
| Jeju Organic Green Tea | Munan |
| All that ! | Lauren Juzang |
| HOME | Xiuhtezcatl, Nathan Willett |
| Blood & Potions | Nymphlord |
| Not The Same | Josef Scott |
| Napoleon James Marlon | Cruel Billie |
| Animaru | Mei Semones |
| BIRDS | Turnstile |
| All I Wanna Do Is Party | DEBBY FRIDAY |
| Bad Brain | Samara Cyn |
| heartbreaker | mokina |
| Trust Fund Baby | PUNK CRUSH |
| The Farm | Trevor Sensor |
| Taste and Tame | Scott Goldbaum |
| WHO, ME?! | TwoLips |
| Python | Movie Club |
| Barleycorn | Hudson Powder Company |
| Angel | Ambar Lucid |
| Cannibals | Rey Pila |
| I Can’t Escape Myself | The Dare |
| Push Ups | Sextile, Jehnny Beth |
| DEBATE (feat. Peaches) | Boyfriend, Peaches |
| Lauryn Hill | Bryce Vine, Flyana Boss |
| moody | Royel Otis |
| Crave | Raue |
| Nothing! (I wanna do) | Pacing |
| More Light (feat. Princess Nokia) | Divine Earth, Princess Nokia |
| Imaginary Friend | Sophia Kennedy |
| Good Guys | SOAPBOX |
| Stop, Drop, Roll | Tummyache |
| Enlighten Me | King Kaye |
| Lucy | Mt. Joy |
| Red Eyes Black Dragon | .Xom |
| Young | Little Simz |
| Bendito | Sorry My Love, KHEA, Leebrian, Dillon Francis, iann dior, Albert Hype |
| Heartbreak | Tune-Yards |
| Blue | Galdive |
| Illegal | PinkPantheress |
| Lipstick | Luvcat |
| shadow | Anna Justen |
| Mausoleum | Provoker |
| Anything for You | Irene Diaz |
| Inept Apollo | Nation of Language |
| Primos (with Hermanos Gutiérrez) | Adrian Quesada, Hermanos Gutiérrez |
| One Thing | Lola Young |
| Loud Enough | LP Giobbi, Mascolo |
| Tomás | Girl Ultra, Chromeo, Empress Of |
| The Surface | Alice Phoebe Lou |
| Laugh Now Cry Later | Mareux |
| Boy On A Leash | Patriarchy |
| Malibu | Kristen Castro |
| Love Will Take You Higher | Mike Squires, La Reezy |
| Isso | 1tbsp, MC Pânico |
| Goodbye, Old Friend | Alexandra Savior |
| remind me | boyhood. |
| Lips | Boys Holding Hands |
| blur | brookelen |
| Early Morning Gloom | Brujoy Bruja |
| Quiero Bailar Rocanrol | Emi Pop |
| Knockout | Hannah Duckworth |
| 1 800-Call-Me-Back | Mhaol |
| Te Fuiste | Buscabulla |
| Return of Youth | DIIV |
| All I Can Say | Kali Uchis |
| Athlete | spill tab |
| Broken Rib | Jehnny Beth |
| arena | Beéle, Carla Morrison |
| baby, now i’m numb | Omar, Carpetman, Elijah Blond, Elohim, SEBASTIAN PAUL |
| Control Freak | Coco Jones |
| Guilty | Henry Morris |
| LONGS4U | Deyaz |
| Bloom Baby Bloom | Wolf Alice |
| PERMANENTLY BROKEN | King Isis |
| La Nena | Los Aptos |
| Alone In Hollywood On Acid | Hunx and His Punx |
| The Way I Love You | Jorja Smith |
| Speak to Us (Outro) | Ami Taf Ra |
| Before (Choir Version) | Blonde Redhead, Brooklyn Youth Chorus |
| Always The Horse, Never The Jockey | Cleo Reed, IWEWE |
| Billie Toppy (2025) | Men I Trust |
| SWEAT | The Sophs |
| LOOK OUT FOR ME | Turnstile |
| Mother Monica | Jools |
| It’s Never Easy (Leaving Someone Behind) | néomí |
| Everybody Wants Some Love | Lorraine-Dietrich |
| Cargo de Nuit | SIDE DƟƟR, Calvino |
| Puta | Arca |
| Eden | Vinyl Williams |
| Better as a Concept | Dreams of Venus |
| Last Night On The Mountain | SunYears, Lisa Hannigan, Sam Genders, Peter Morén |
| Got to Have Love | Pulp |
| Come Home | Time Thieves |
| Gasoline | Night Talks |
| 7 Months | Forth Wanderers |
| Never Come Down | Tia Wood |
| Two Thieves | Erika de Casier |
| I Feel Everything | Holy Wars |
| Lo Siento – Lido Pimienta Edit | Reyna Tropical, Lido Pimienta |
| Motorway | Fazerdaze |
| by Design | spill tab |
| spelling bee | Amelia Moore, Teezo Touchdown |
| How Many Days | Billy Lemos, Dua Saleh, MTMBO |
| Feel | Sunnan |
| CPR | Wet Leg |
| Catching feelings | Cerrone, Christine and the Queens |
| Max Potential | Nourished by Time |
| Allbarone | Baxter Dury, JGrrey |
| Because I Like It | Adult DVD |
| White Ninja | Pan Amsterdam, Leron Thomas |
| Flicker | MRCY |
| Find The Melody | Junaco |
| Standing on Air | Safe Mind |
| Tough Luck | Laufey |
| I Saw The Mountains | Noah Cyrus |
| No Room In Hell | Lew Apollo |
| Dance | Natalie Bergman |
| Reloj | JOHN ELLE, Lenny Tavárez, Shadow Blow |
| Try Your Luck | Julia Michaels |
| Worst Trimester | peach|melba |
| Don’t Cry, Put Your Head On My Shoulder | Tom Odell |
| Sinvergüenza | André Miguel & The Moment |
| Be Well | Julie Hill |
| High Beams – Dead End Mix | The Laughing Chimes |
| LATELY | King Isis |
| Baby Robotic | Carrie Matisse |
| Blood On The Streets | Eriika |
| On My Mind | Freeman Leverett |
| Till the End | Munan |
| Love Is a Dying Sun | Possible Oceans |
| talia | mokina |
| Evelyn | Michael McGovern |
| On This Love | Suki Waterhouse |
| body/bones | Lena Fine |
| Adams Family | Los Aptos |
| Backseat | Balu Brigada |
| brand new teeth | Samara Cyn, Smino |
| Crave | Raue |
| Ébène Fumé | Mareux, Riki |
| Dear Maria | Joy Oladokun |
| special | strongboi |
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