12 Best Needle Drops of 2025
Which movies gave us songs we couldn't stop singing?
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This is one of my favorite lists to do. There's something about the use of popular music (not the score) in movies that always gets me. Last year my Spotify was dominated by "Greatest Day," a movie I thank Anora for using every day. A great needle drop can make you instantly discover a new artist or band you haven't heard, or rediscover how a great song is made even more perfect by its placement in a scene. Certain songs can even become synonymous with the movie they're in (it's pretty much why I can't listen to "Sussudio" with a straight face anymore).
I worried I wouldn't be able to conjure up a list of needle drops this year, though. Not because the movies weren't great, but because I didn't notice popular music being used as much. It wasn't until I went back to start generating ideas for this list that I realized there was some GREAT music used in movies this year. So, alongside some friends, we're listing our 12 best needle drops of the year! Be sure to list your favorites in the comments to keep the music playing.
