Back in January of this year (2026) I decided I wanted to make monthly playlists that highlighted the songs that mattered to me as well as the songs I kept on repeat for each month. These are notably not the same thing, as often the songs that left the biggest impression on me can be very upsetting to have on repeat for a whole month and I like to pretend I’m working on my mental health more than I am. 

Another year, another December filled with music fans filling social media with screenshots from their Spotify and Apple Music wrapped. This January The Chaos Collective shared their thoughts about the past year along with their top streamed songs for 2025. Together, our collective shares an eclectic taste; spanning from local metalcore artists to small international alt pop icons. Here is what we learned: