2025 was a great year for Celtic music. From traditional Celtic music to pop and rock and everything in between, this year’s releases truly had something for everyone to enjoy. These songs were the standout songs for me from the year. This is my opinion, so it is okay if you disagree and think other songs deserve to be here. These are my favorite songs. The songs are in no particular order.
1. “Up Hope” by Deacon Blue
“Up Hope” is from Deacon Blue’s tenth studio album. This
whole album is phenomenal and upbeat, but this song perfectly captures the
essence of the album. It is a song of hope, unity, and bringing people
together. In a world of darkness and division, this song reminds us that there
is still love and light in the world that unite us.
2. “Take A Sexy Picture Of Me” by CMAT
This song is an anthem for all women who deal with so much
on a regular basis. Women are expected to do so much and look good doing so.
Society puts so much pressure on women to look good from an early age. This
song questions the importance of that when women have so many other important
things to do. The second verse of the song was a hit across social media,
becoming the soundtrack to a viral dance and video trend.
3. “Hey Brother” by the Red Hot Chilli Pipers
I was lucky enough to hear this song live, even before I
listened to the album. I discovered the band in September of this year and went
to see them in concert. This song was an absolute standout in the concert. It
was played early on in the set. I was drawn into other songs that were played
prior to the song, but this song solidified my love for the band for me.
4. "A
Mother's Heart for Palestine" by Mothers Against Genocide
2025 was an amazing concert year for me. I got to see Mary
Black perform with the High Kings back in March, which was a great experience.
She is featured on this song, among other musicians. Not only is the song a
beautiful song in its own right, but the message behind it and the awareness it
is raising make it even better. The original song, “A Mother’s Heart,” is one
of my favorites, but this rendition adds a new layer of meaning to it.
5. “Lovers and Friends” by Varo
This song is about the current political climate around the world. It was written by Sean Mone about politicians who only work for themselves, ignoring the needs of their constituents. The song says that our social connections will get us through. Though the song was written and released by other musicians prior to this year, Varo’s rendition is timely for all that is going on in the world currently.
Related Articles:
-Album Review: "The World That I Knew" by Varo: https://kiltedowl.blogspot.com/2025/05/album-review-world-i-knew-varo.html
-Mothers Against Genocide Release "A Mother's Heart for Palestine": https://kiltedowl.blogspot.com/2025/08/mothers-against-genocide-release-mothers-heart-for-palestine.html
-Concert Review: Red Hot Chilli Pipers: https://kiltedowl.blogspot.com/2025/09/concert-review-red-hot-chilli-pipers.html