The New Yorker’s 2025 music collection: A defiant stand against the algorithm

A writer for The New Yorker has unveiled a curated list of favorite songs for 2025, framing the selection as a direct challenge to the predictive algorithms used by modern streaming platforms.

The author’s approach to music discovery is rooted in a habit of listening to 1990s college radio. By manually seeking out new tracks, the writer aims to bypass the automated recommendations of digital services, which often suggest familiar content rather than diverse sounds.

The list features a wide array of genres and global artists. Highlights include the "warm and gentle" track “Green Juice” by Senegalese-French singer anaiis, as well as the aggressive black metal anthem “The Weight” by Los Angeles-based band Agriculture.

Rap is represented on the list by the track “Collection Plates.” The selection also spans pop, punk, and doom metal, featuring “This Night Has Been Unkind” by Superstar Crush and “Grief” by Divide and Dissolve.

The writer expressed hope that the eclectic collection would offer listeners fresh musical experiences outside of their typical rotations.

Far from a mere year-end compilation, the latest critique from The New Yorker serves as a profound meditation on the evolution of cultural experience in the digital age. At its core, the analysis explores the mounting friction between proactive human discovery and the passive consumption dictated by algorithmic architecture. The author’s defense of aesthetic autonomy signals a broader intellectual pushback against the erosion of individual taste by Big Tech platforms.

The characterization of algorithms as possessing “nefarious designs” underscores a deepening systemic anxiety regarding how technology reshapes human preference. While platforms such as Spotify and YouTube offer unparalleled convenience, they risk engineering a cultural echo chamber—trapping users in a feedback loop of the familiar. In response, the resurgence of human-led curation, bespoke newsletters, and long-form criticism represents a strategic counter-movement. These mediums prioritize serendipity and personal connection—nuances that automated systems, by their very nature, fail to replicate.

This shift highlights a significant cultural pivot: as automation becomes the default, the premium on manual, human-centric curation rises. In an era of algorithmic dominance, the act of deliberate selection is no longer just a matter of preference; it is a sophisticated form of resistance aimed at preserving the integrity of individual identity.

This narrative strikes a deep chord across the Vietnamese-American experience, bridging the gap between the generations that define our community. For the elders who built the bedrock of Little Saigon and established the nail salon industry, music was a tangible lifeline—discovered through the hiss of cassette tapes and local radio while working long hours in phở restaurants. In contrast, the younger generation, many of whom navigate the complexities of identity while pursuing H-1B or EB-5 paths, find themselves in a digital tug-of-war between personal discovery and the influence of streaming algorithms. These differing habits are more than just a matter of taste; they represent a significant cultural shift. While the older generation relied on physical connection and the steady flow of remittances to stay tied to their roots, the youth must now carve out their own space in a landscape where tradition meets the digital age.