Bold claim: 2025 was a watershed year for alternative hip-hop, with more standout work than we’ve seen in years—and it’s not just nostalgia talking. If you’re hungry for fresh takes that push boundaries, you’ll want to dive into these tracks and the rest of James Gunn’s top 50 for 2025. Here’s a reimagined, beginner-friendly take that preserves the core information while enhancing clarity and context.
James Gunn’s Favorite Alternative Hip-Hop Songs of 2025
We asked a group of influential culture creators to share their best-of lists for 2025. The full compilation of James Gunn’s top 50 alternative hip-hop tracks of the year is available here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2H2re5XJvbTcJOblP3vJUj?si=91953f036fb247e3
This year stands out as the strongest era for alternative hip-hop since the early 2000s, when artists like MF DOOM, Louis Logic, CunninLynguists, Atmosphere, Aceyalone, OutKast, Aesop Rock, and many others were redefining the genre one powerful track after another. There’s a sense of abundance this year—more high-quality releases than ever—which made narrowing the list to ten tracks a genuinely tough task. GQ asked James Gunn to rank the songs, and while rankings can shift with time, the Top Three remain his clearest, most enduring picks for 2025. —JG
Top Ten Favorite Alternative Hip-Hop Tracks of 2025 (as of Thursday, Dec 11, 2025, 9:53 AM)
- Ghais Guevara, “The Old Guard Is Dead”
- LaRussell, Homage Simon, Michael Prince, Shante, ClayDough, Tietta, MALACHI, Tiione, “10s, 20s, 50s, 100s”/“Test Ya Nuts”/“Once Upon a Time”/“WHAT WE DOIN!?”” (Live on NPR Tiny Desk)
- Clipse feat. John Legend & Voices of Fire, “The Birds Don’t Sing”
- Backxwash, “Wake Up”
- McKinley Dixon, “Run, Run, Run Pt. II”
- LaRussell x Lil Jon, “I Got Flavor!”
- Aesop Rock, “Roadwork Rappin’”
- KNEECAP feat. Mozey, “THE RECAP”
- Little Simz, “Free”
- Open Mike Eagle, “woke up knowing everything”
If you’d like to explore more of Gunn’s selections, you can check out the full 50-track list here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2H2re5XJvbTcJOblP3vJUj?si=91953f036fb247e3
Thoughts to spark discussion:
- Which track here represents the boldest risk-taking in 2025, and why?
- Do you agree with highlighting the NPR Tiny Desk live performances as essential listens for context and energy?
- How does this year’s crop compare with the influential early-2000s era mentioned by Gunn? Which artists from both periods push the genre forward in different ways?
Would you like me to tailor this rewrite for a specific platform (blog post, social media carousel, or newsletter) or adjust the length for a particular audience? I can also add concise explanations for why each track stands out, with one-sentence takeaways for beginners.
