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The Contenders, Vol. 15: Wisp, Blonde Redhead, Sherelle, more

Wisp's "Save Me Now" is one of our contenders for the best songs of the year.
Elinor Kry
Wisp's "Save Me Now" is one of our contenders for the best songs of the year.

It's a contenders week, which means we're updating our running list of the year's best songs with the latest cuts we can't stop listening to. These are the songs we love so much they could end up on our final, best-of-2025 lists.

This week, Brittany Luse, host of NPR's It's Been A Minute, joins us to share some of her picks. This includes the breathless, rapid-fire dance beats of U.K. producer Sherelle, nostalgic R&B from Natanya and the intricate jazz of Ekathé and El Mundo Limón. We've also got a roaring shoegaze cut from Wisp, a collaboration between Blonde Redhead and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus and more.

All Songs Considered 25th anniversary segment: Our No. 1 songs from 2019.

Weekly reset: Taiko and fireworks, Toyohashi, Japan.

Enjoy the show? Share it with a friend and leave us a review on Apple or wherever you listen to podcasts. Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org. You can also hear new songs from past episodes in the All Songs Considered playlists in Apple Music and Spotify.


Featured artists and songs

  • Sherelle & George Riley: "Freaky (Just My Type)," from With A Vengeance
  • Blonde Redhead: "Rest Of Her Life (Choir Version)," from The Shadow Of The Guest
  • Natanya: "Moviestar," from Feline's Return
  • Wisp: "Save Me Now," from If Not Winter
  • Ekathé and El Mundo Limón: "Baba" (single)

Copyright 2025 NPR

Brittany Luse
Brittany Luse is an award-winning journalist, on-air host and cultural critic. She is currently the host of It's Been a Minute from NPR. Previously, Luse hosted For Colored Nerds, The Nod and Sampler podcasts, and co-hosted and executive produced The Nod with Brittany and Eric, a daily streaming show. She's written for Vulture and Harper's Bazaar, among others, and edited for the podcasts Planet Money and Not Past It. Luse and her work have been profiled by publications like The New York Times, The New Yorker and Teen Vogue. [Copyright 2024 NPR]
Robin Hilton
Robin Hilton is the Senior Podcast Producer for NPR Music. He also hosts the New Music Friday episodes of All Songs Considered.