Photo by Brian Ziff
Once again, I’m back with a delayed issue of The Pop Drop, but the source of my delay has evolved from midterms to finals week! On the bright side, I wrapped up my last final a couple of days ago and am finally experiencing the sweet relief of free time, so life is good. You know what else is good? November 2025’s pop releases, so let’s dive into them (smooth transition, I know).
1. 5 Seconds of Summer - EVERYONE’S A STAR!
5 Seconds of Summer’s newest album, EVERYONE’S A STAR!, pulls from a large range of influences, including The 1975, Gorillaz, The Strokes, and the band members’ individual solo projects to create not just a compelling alternative pop-rock record, but an intimate look into the perils of fame and pop stardom. The production is unapologetic and high-energy, complemented by Y2K visuals that lean into the caricatured versions of the band members presented throughout the album.
When asked about the parasocial aspect of growing up in the spotlight—one of the central themes of the album—lead singer Luke Hemmings told Rolling Stone, “People romanticize and sexualize a younger version of yourself, and you start to get these insecurities of ‘Oh, I don’t look like that anymore.’” These anxieties are reflected on one of the album’s standout tracks, “Boyband,” where bassist Calum Hood sings, “love me when I’m skinny, and we never ever age / same four chords, but it never feels the same,” capturing the intense pressure from the industry to remain frozen in a marketable stage of youth.
Another favorite of mine is “Evolve,” a punchy, bass-heavy alternative rock track that grapples with the desire to “grow up” to match the emotional maturity of the women in their lives. Complete with an amusing scientific audio clip in the bridge explaining the maturity gap between women and men, “Evolve” is a clever and well-crafted banger.
Lead single “NOT OK,” track five “No 1. Obsession,” and the closing track “Jawbreaker” round out some of my other favorites. Considering the album consists of just 12 tracks, I realize that my “favorites” constitute nearly half the record, but that only speaks to its consistency. EVERYONE’S A STAR! is more than worth a listen. In fact, I’d go as far as to say it’s tied with Audrey Hobert for my top album release of the year.
2. Del Water Gap - Chasing the Chimera
Del Water Gap, the indie pop project of S. Holden Jaffe, was born during his college years at NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. While the project was initially intended to be a full band, with an early lineup that notably included Maggie Rogers, Jaffe eventually carried it forward as a solo project. His third studio album, Chasing the Chimera, single-handedly proves that music degrees aren’t completely useless after all (spoken by a music minor with love).
Tracks like “How To Live” and “Please Follow” showcase Del Water Gap’s attention to detail and skill for creating emotionally intriguing moments. “Please Follow,” in particular, feels almost cinematic, like stepping into a grand masquerade ball in a spy thriller. The dreamy instrumental breakdown, with rich layers of brass and strings, constructs a sonic world that feels glamorous and enigmatic. The first time I heard this track, I was completely floored, so if you give one song on the album a chance, make it this one.
Chasing the Chimera is an album that deserves far more attention than it’s gotten. Its release has been largely overlooked by the pop world—but it’s layered, engaging, replayable, and an overall fantastic offering from Del Water Gap (plus, brass instruments in pop music are always a win in my book).
3. Dominic Fike - “White Keys”
On November 14th, Dominic Fike released the long-awaited “White Keys,” a track pulled from deep within his archives. First teased in a brief Instagram Story clip back in 2020, the song immediately became an unreleased fan favorite, with the full track eventually leaking in May of this year. A screenshot from the leaked video later became the official single’s cover art, a small, tongue-in-cheek move from Fike.
Driven by a chorus of “oh’s” and a bright electric guitar, the alternative pop track carries a nostalgic feel—perfectly complementing the lyrics in which Fike reflects on a past love, the growing distance between them, and a time when life felt simpler. He sings about his adolescence in Florida: his birthplace and a major source of inspiration throughout his discography.
In true Dominic Fike fashion, the track combines rap verses with sung choruses. “White Keys” may feel familiar within his discography, but tracks like this are exactly what made him so special in the first place.
4. Elle Coves - “Fault Line”
Rising pop artist Elle Coves is one of my favorite discoveries this year. In her latest release, “Fault Line,” Coves sings about leaving a toxic love: “We cut it close, but we're losing daylight / And I can't spend, can't spend another night on your fault linе.” It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what makes her music so enchanting. Is it her clear, effortless vocals, sweeping pop choruses, or vulnerable lyrics? The only thing I know is that she’s one to watch, and “Fault Line” will be going triple-platinum in my headphones.
5. Alemeda - But What The Hell Do I Know
After hearing the single, “Beat A B!tch Up,” a spunky pop-punk song with a memorable Doechii feature, I had to dive into Alemeda’s full EP, But What The Hell Do I Know. The project delivers another notable collaboration called “Chameleon” with Rachel Chinouriri (whom I reviewed in Issue #1 of The Pop Drop), and I have to applaud Alemeda’s skill at adapting her style to match her collaborators. Despite Chinouriri and Doechii coming from very different genres and vocal approaches, neither collaboration felt out of place. Highlights include the introspective “Losing myself” and the biting “Chameleon.”
To end off my November issue of “The Pop Drop,” here are a few more tracks I’ve had on repeat this month—not all released in November, but all worth a listen:
1. Ashe - “Running Out Of Time”
2. Ruel - “I Can Die Now (ER Version)”
3. Beeson - “everybody’s baby”
4. Tate McRae - “NOBODY’S GIRL”
5. 5 Seconds of Summer - “Chest”
Check out the full playlist here: The Pop Drop: November 2025 (Issue #8)
