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The best music, movies, and TV of 2025

Overview

Shownote

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The best music, movies, and TV of 2025

Apple News In Conversation

2025/12/18
Apple News In Conversation

Apple News In Conversation

2025/12/18
OverviewShownoteHighlightsTranscriptChaptersPins

Shownote

The end of the year is a moment to reflect on the art and culture that stood out. Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu sat down with two culture critics — Sam Sanders, the host of The Sam Sanders Show [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sam-sanders-show/id1771084688] on KCRW, and Anne Helen Petersen, creator of the podcast and newsletter Culture Study [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/culture-study-podcast/id1718662839] — to break down their top releases. They talk about the music, film, and TV they loved most in 2025. Plus, our listeners share their own picks for this year’s can’t-miss shows and albums.

Highlights

As the year closes, cultural reflections reveal both fatigue and innovation, with audiences navigating a landscape shaped by nostalgia, digital exposure, and shifting media habits. This conversation captures the tension between repetition and reinvention across music, film, and television in 2025.
00:03
2025 feels like 'reheat those nachos'—repetitive and nostalgic.
07:30
Bad Bunny is the most streamed artist globally for the fourth year in a row.
15:43
Kids' Internet access problems start early and parents can't control everything
23:49
'Sinners' succeeded despite Hollywood ignoring its potential
30:08
Sam expresses a desire for monoculture where people can share and discuss cultural experiences together.

Chapters

Why did 2025 feel so repetitive — and where did it finally break free?
00:00
Who defined the sound of 2025, and how did music reflect personal and cultural shifts?
06:00
What shows captivated audiences — and what do viewer choices say about modern life?
12:41
Why are movies struggling, and how did one horror-musical hybrid succeed against the odds?
18:23
Can anything bring us together culturally anymore — and why do we still hope for it?
26:45

Transcript

Shumita Basu: This is In Conversation from Apple News. I'm Shumita Basu. Today, a look back at the year in culture. What did you watch or listen to this year that really moved you? It's a question worth asking at the end of every year, as we take stock of ...