I’m just coming up for air, and the coast still ain’t clear. January 2025 was the longest year of my life, and I don’t know exactly how we made it through—but we did. My family was my pusher-througher, I had plates of good food in front of me, and yeah, I broke Dry January because let’s be for real. But most importantly, I had music. Music carried me through my daily commute, my daily breakdowns, and my attempts at keeping it together in the eye of the storm.
One of my favorite features on Tidal is the monthly breakdown it gives me—a reflection of what kept me going. And baby, when I tell you I was waiting at the door for my January 2025 playlist, I mean just that! Here are the tracks that got me through the longest month in history.
Buddy - "Don’t Forget to Breathe"
Longevity! This album dropped almost a year ago, and it still feels like home. (I’ll deep dive into that another day.) This whole project is a reminder to take a second and just breathe—and lord knows I needed a whole lot of breaths in January. My top song of the month was "Free My Mind" because I ran to that track every time I needed to sort through life. "Buddy a Fool" for making an album that just gets me. "Get It All," "All the Way," "Smoke," "Like This," and "You to Thank" all made appearances in my top plays, and for good reason. Reflecting on last year while putting plans in motion for a productive and life-changing 2025? This album was the soundtrack to my survival.
Sailor - "W1LL U L13"
Discovering Sailor at the end of 2024 was a parting gift from the universe. The perfect blend of Jhene Aiko and Summer Walker—like their love child I never knew I needed. I was sure Sailor would be a one-hit wonder, and I was content with just having "Pookie's Requiem," but then BOOM—"W1LL U L13" showed up and carried me through January. I needed something new yet nostalgic, and the crispy vocals over a distorted beat did the job. A tiny pocket of happiness when I needed it most.
Payroll Giovanni - "Hustle Muzik 5"
January had me in the trenches, and I needed motivation—not just any motivation, but that Detroit motivation. I needed to move like a hustler, a boss, somebody making shit shake. This track was on repeat heading into work, keeping my goals in perspective. The energy, the grind, the hunger—Payroll Giovanni gave me the push I needed to keep going.
Van Hunt - "Dust"
An oldie but a forever goodie. How can a song that dropped almost 20 years ago still fit so perfectly into a time that feels so unfamiliar? "Dust" was a comforting hand on my shoulder, whispering that everything would be okay. It’s layered, reflective, and deeply human. I found myself playing it over and over, letting it wrap me up in its warmth.
Jawan.mp3 - "Only Want U"
So, my husband sent me Jawan.mp3’s Reverie EP one morning, and this track immediately stood out. I listened to it seven times before forcing myself to move on. The whole project is a feel-good sad-boy experience, but "Only Want U" felt like a time machine back to the early 2000s. Apparently, January’s theme was me trying to teleport to another era, and this song had me strapped in, ready to go. It made me feel both small and infinite at the same time, giving me the kind of chills that I know I’ll be carrying into February.
January tried to take us out, but we lived to tell the tale. And if nothing else, we had the music to hold us down. What tracks got you through the first 47 days of 2025? Drop your survival anthems in the comments!
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