25 1 16 IT'S A SIN (BRYCE MILLER MONSTER MIX) - Pet Shop Boys 744900

First number one to fall, and another cheat - it's really 1987, but this completely different orchestral version for a TV series theme isnt at all like the pounding electrobeats of the original. Dramatic and fab in its own right, so listed under 2025 and the second version for PSB to top my chart in.

24 2 21 CONTROL OF ME - Topic x Daecolm 778200

Irresistable Afro-beats on this one, took a while to hook into my brain but it's quite the ear-worm, and Daecolm's vocal is just dreamy. Love it.

23 1 19 THE SUBWAY - Chappell Roan 782450

A one-off single and the last new thing to date she's done, but what a gorgeous melody and heart-breaking lyric. Amazing, Chappell's second of the year, and the Cousin Itt impression in the video is welcome too.

22 2 20 MYSTICAL MAGICAL - Benson Boone 785400

Benson was huge in 2025, but this is the single that broke big for me, great song, and great to see an upbeat pop song can still become a hit, and love the hook in the upper register, no-one else is doing that much these days.

21 1 20 12 TO 12 - sombr 786100

sombr's biggest to date for me, and the track that converted me over, I'd just assumed he was a morose teen-aimed star before this, but this has an insistent rhythm and he's doing something different from the 2 ballads that got him noticed.

20 1 22 HOW BAD DO U WANT ME - Lady Gaga 788950

Gaga's best track in 15 years, bar one, and it's not even a single, tch! Sounds like a Taylor Swift song here and there, and a bit Yazoo Only You.

19 1 27 PEOPLE WATCHING - Sam Fender 793450

Rein Me In not on the list, nor for 2026 probably, but this touching Springsteen-esque song is.

18 1 20 I GUESS U NEVER REALLY CARED ABOUT ME - Artemas 822500

Dark indie-dance that wasn't a hit, annoyingly. One of the follow-ups to a surprise one-off hit that is just as good. Second on the list for Artemas.

17 2 28 END OF THE WORLD - Miley Cyrus 828850

..and suddenly Miley isn't getting big hits, just like that. Fickle pop biz etc. She's as good as ever regardless, and this is a great record. Her second on the list and equals sis Noah in 2026, so far.

16 1 18 APT. - ROSE & Bruno Mars 846900

An old-fashioned chanty pop bop in the tradition of Mickey, Hollaback Girl and others, and will no doubt have driven some people mad, and kids to love it. I was converted while on holiday in Florida and it's a rare moment of global chart upbeat joy and to be cherished! Bruno made the 2024 list with Die With A Smile...

15 1 17 HAMMER TO THE HEART - Teddy Swims 889150

Teddy Swims was huge in 2025, but this track oddly wasn't. How Bizarre!

14 1 19 LIFE IN A NORTHERN TOWN - Justin Hayward & Mike Batt 901800

Mike Batt has just released a Symphony for Ukraine, crowd-funded, and still Wombling free and busy 52 years on and counting, including this lovely nostalgic take on The Dream Academy classic with legendary Moody Blues' Vocalist Justin Hayward on lead. Mike's first credited year-end 100 appearance since 1975 (gulp!) and Justin's since 1978 (barring remixes). The video is some of my childhood, pretty much.

13 1 23 DON'T SPEAK - Loaded Honey 937650

The radio lead single from Loaded Honey's fabulous album, a side-project from two key members of Jungle, and just as wonderful as the best of Jungle, but in a softer, 60's melodic Easy Listening vibe. Unique.

12 2 17 BROKENHEARTED - Gabry Ponte & Train 954650

Gabry Ponte had a go at Eurovision in 2025. This is not that, nor his Eiffel 65 Blue era, but it gives Train yet another Year-End listing 24 years on from the first of many. Dance banger.

11 1 29 DIE WITH A SMILE - Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars 959250

Bruno's second in the top 20, and the one that had a 2024 run that went top 30 in that year's list. Unusually, I got even bigger on it, possibly nostalgia for the Florida holiday - it was THE song of that holiday - but also it's just a brilliant old-fashioned ballad and Gaga's second on the list this year, and quite possibly the best record from both. Combined 2024 and 2025 "sales" comfortably place it top 3 in either year. Gorgeous and emotional, even if Gaga looks like my much-missed grandma with that ciggie in her mouth while doing other stuff. Naughty Gaga!

10 1 20 DIVINE FEELINGS - Vance Joy 970800

Riptide is still huge on streaming. I alone seem to prefer this one over a decade later....fabulous track, not a hit.

9 1 22 RUN WITH U - Mamagama 1076300

Eurovision has been a bit less packed with goodies the last year or two, but this was the best record in the contest. Not claiming best performance, cos it wasn't and it didn't do well, but it's a great track. Azerbaijan invariably bring in quality music writers and producers that often make the UK's look amateurish in comparison. Great little track, lots of bits going on, though some folk not keen on his vocal, I like it.

8 1 24 OVER - Loaded Honey 1180000

Loaded Honey's second track on the list wasn't a single, but it's just gorgeous and moody, almost Gospel in vibes, and the video is moody, inventive and typically more-ish as per Jungle and Loaded Honey's habit of making clever thematically-linked videos for all tracks on the album. And there's nothing going to make more of a habit out of it than a bunch of nuns. Lazy summer vibes, and just lovely.

7 1 27 WALK OF FAME - Miley Cyrus featuring Brittany Howard 1256700

Miley's 3rd on the list with added guest wailing from Brittany Howard in the style of a Bronski Beat 80's synth track, a powerful pumping track and another criminally ignored track from Miley in 2025. This is brilliant, exciting, driving and Brittany (from Alabama Shakes) makes it even better. I remain mystified why an act can be huge one year, and then suddenly nothing much hitwise without any significant drop in quality whatsoever. I say "mystified" - it's actually par for the course for pop music as new kids come up to dominate charts on the Next Big Thing as older ones have work and other things to distract them.

6 1 33 BRAND NEW ME - Saint Etienne featuring Confidence Man 1301650

Saint Etienne announced very sadly that this year would be their final album release (International), but what a good one to go out on, two great singles (one in 2024's list) and an interesting goodbye. This track is pure pop, a collab with current act Confidence Man - another that can't get a hit - and very retro pop, 90's by way of 60's as the video suggests with it's very endearing trip down memory lane for those of us old enough to remember old Hannah-Barbera animated shows aimed at kids - in this case it's totally The Archies' TV show of Sugar Sugar fame, with a splash of Josie And The Pussycats, a girl group in cartoon form who ended up in outer space in series 2. Guests on the album include Nick Heyward (undergoing his own Haircut 100 comeback this year), Vince Clarke, and members of Orbital, and Chemical Brothers - in the actual charts this very week.