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Kelly’s Top 5 playlists created in 2025

The collage sums up my 2025, ranging from memories and friendships made in between the busy year. (Kelly Park)

AirPods, my unofficial vestigial organ, racked up over 50,000 minutes of music with me in 2025. From the happiest to the lowest moments, music captures all my laughter, conversations and the nostalgia I’ll look back with yearning. Therefore, with the unhealthy amount of blasting music over the year, I meticulously curated 5 playlists catered to an ultra-niche moment I hope to share with you:
1. “late night drives”

Hence the title, the songs are perfectly fit for your late-night drives. I often find myself returning to this playlist on lengthy night roadtrips, surrounded by the bliss of the crisp-cold wind and bass-boosted audio. With the bass amplified, the tracks are ready to make your night ascend to heaven.
2. “on trinkets and dreams”

All but one track on “on trinkets and dreams” are from Korean-heritage artists. Throughout the year, I carefully cherry-picked these songs for internal reflection—between the intersection I faced after attending an international school for the majority of my life. Though not always of the same background, Korean-American artist Japanese Breakfast takes up about half of this playlist. I discovered her music after reading her memoir, “Crying in H-Mart” and found myself somewhat resonating with her cultural crossing.
3. “just because she likes the same bizzaro crap you do doesn’t mean she’s your soulmate”

The playlist is an allusion to my favorite movie, “500 Days of Summer.” It starts with the soundtrack from a movie, featuring the first opening lines. As the film features iconic references to the Smiths, this compilation sprinkles the band all throughout; as well as another by She&Him, a band with Zooey Deschanel, the lead actress, as the main vocalist. Perhaps the most meticulous out of all playlists in this listicle, I organized the songs in the same order they appear in the movie.
4. “im on the pursuit of happiness”

“im on the pursuit of happiness” spans over 18 hours, with 276 songs. It is a mash-up of all hip-hop tracks I’ve found over the years—with the addition of unreleased tracks I downloaded on the internet. Considering the extended length of this playlist, I find myself returning whenever I need something new—as I’ve never listened to this on one sitting.
5. “summer ‘25”

Starting last year, I’ve been creating playlists to capture memories—to relive the moments in times of longing. Always a summer girl, the playlist takes me back to UV 10 and the sandy shores of California. With the seasonal depression winter brings, this offers a getaway back to happier times.

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2025: Jets Flyover Staff Picks