Readers Voted With Their Clicks: Our Most Read Music Stories of 2025
- Mars
- Dec 26, 2025
- 3 min read
As the year winds down, we're spotlighting the moments in music this year that got our digital magazine readers locked in. From indie wins and scene shifting pod recaps to New Wave favorites and business model shakeups, these are the top 10 most read stories on The Wave in 2025. Ranked from 10 to 1, each post tapped into something deeper, a sound, a hustle, a voice, or a vision.
Some of you won’t recognize too many of the artists listed here, and that’s also the point of SoundsLikeWater. Sharing with you stories and music from the independent side of the game.
10. Zillionare Doe and Montana 700 Redefine the Dallas Rap Scene
Our piece on Zillionare Doe and Montana 700 highlighted how brotherhood, business savvy, and ambition are redefining the Dallas rap game through their rise as new city staples. The article was a recap of their Million Dollaz Worth of Game Episode.
9. LaRussell Rolls Out $1,000 Fan Package
Our story on LaRussell rolling out a successful $1,000 fan package with live experiences and equity perks highlighted a new wave of artist-to-fan engagement strategies. The feature stood out as readers were curious about innovative ways musicians are creating deeper connections and offering tangible value to their supporters.
8. Helen Hailu – Don’t Fail Me (Review)
Our review of Helen Hailu’s Don’t Fail Me focused on the hypnotic return to originality in her sound, highlighting how the project blends genre boundaries while staying deeply rooted in emotional expression.
7. SpaceyMusic.com Launches and Redefines How Artists Buy Beats
Our story on SpaceyMusic.com’s launch highlighted how the new platform is redefining the way artists buy beats, spotlighting innovative features that make beat discovery and licensing more accessible for creators of all sizes and they continue to grow.
6. Giveon Reflects on His Journey in Interview with Big Boi
Giveon reflects on his journey from his Long Beach roots to global success in a wide-ranging interview with Big Boi, sharing insights into his artistic growth, the challenges he’s navigated, and how his personal experiences shape his soulful sound.
5. Brandman Sean Breaks Down the Clipping Campaign StrategyMusicBiz News feature that broke down an emerging indie artist strategy and drew strong reader engagement.
This story broke down on clip-seeding and clip-seeding strategies for social media growth. No Labels Necessary shows how independent acts can use creator-driven social clips to scale visibility and compete with major label marketing.
4. Wale – Everything Is A Lot (Review)
Our review of Wale’s Everything Is a Lot explored where rap and R&B intersect, and this post became one of the year’s most read as fans looked to see how others were responding to the project.
3. Dee-1 – Hypocritical Hop (Album)Single release from the New Waves section, posted by our curation team.
2. The Musalini & $moove – "Easy on the Eyes" (Single)Single release from the New Waves section, posted by our curation team.
1. Fendi P – From Corner Boy to Jet Life Luminary
This is a testament to the underground music scene being alive and well. This story was a recap of Fendi P's feature interview on The No Rap Cap Podcast where he started from the beginning to his journey with Jet Life and how he continues to thrive as an independent artist.
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