As year-ending playlists and streaming recaps roll in, we asked members of Dallas鈥� music scene, what albums and songs resonated with you personally and professionally this year.
Brandon Blue
Brandon Blue is an open format DJ in Dallas, often found spinning at neighborhood spots like Double Ds. He mainly uses Spotify to discover new music, and this year his wrapped crowned Don Toliver, and Spotify recognized The Weeknd鈥檚 Hurry Up Tomorrow as his most played album.
鈥淚 think Don is at the peak of his power and can鈥檛 make a bad song if he tried,鈥� Blue said. 鈥淭he Weeknd鈥檚 album is fantastic. It really grew on me as a body of work the more I listened. It feels like theater. Almost like I鈥檓 listening to a movie.鈥�
After moving back to Dallas from New York in 2024, Blue said he鈥檚 most proud of re-grounding himself in the city. He鈥檚 found momentum through 鈥淪tick Talk,鈥� his DJ lessons workshop, and his packed R&B nights at Ladylove.
鈥淸The city] embraced me back. That鈥檚 all I could ask for,鈥� he said.
Devy Stonez
Devarius 鈥淒evy Stonez鈥� Jackson is a Dallas-based rapper. He鈥檚 been rapping since the third grade but says he began taking it seriously in 2009. Jackson uses Apple Music, and this year he crowned Dom Kennedy as his top artist and Kendrick Lamar鈥檚 GNX as his most-played album.
鈥淚 think nostalgia played a part in my top artist, I listen to the things I鈥檝e been a fan of often and for top album, Kendrick just had a crazy year. GNX was an undeniable moment in hip hop,鈥� he said.
Although he didn鈥檛 release new music this year, Jackson said he鈥檚 proud of doubling his streams from last year.
Kali Flowers
Dallas-based singer Kali Flowers moved from Oahu, Hawaii to Dallas in 2003. She blends poetic lyrics and lush harmonies into a smooth R&B pop sound.
She uses both Apple Music and Spotify, switching between platforms depending on her mood. She leans on Apple Music for her day-to-day listening, curating library and sound quality.
Her top artist this year was Tate McRae and her most-played album was McRae鈥檚 So Close To What.
鈥淚f you have ever seen a Tate performance, you know exactly why she鈥檚 kept my attention,鈥� Flowers said. 鈥淪he truly embodies the definition of a superstar, from her fierce choreography to her evolving dark pop sound that鈥檚 intoxicating, and her personal content that peels back the curtain on the glitz and glam.鈥�
This year, Flowers says she experienced her most meaningful creative chapter yet. She released her debut EP, Saltwater Secrets, building what she describes as a world for listeners navigating loss.
鈥淔rom that, so many blessings followed: opening for Dallas artists Tay Money and Kaash Paige, becoming a Recording Academy member, and winning Sounds of DFW鈥檚 Bop of the Year Award,鈥� she said. 鈥淎ll of it was the result of two years of intentional, consistent work I鈥檝e been pouring into my music career.鈥�
But the accomplishment she cherishes the most is a more internal one 鈥� strengthening her relationship with God as she prepares to share what she calls her 鈥渘ext season鈥� with the world.
Coach Tev
Tevyn 鈥淐oach Tev鈥� Jenkins is a Dallas-born and -raised rapper who started making music at 19 and mainly uses Apple Music. His top artist? Technically, himself.
鈥淥nce a month, I gotta go listen to my album to make sure it鈥檚 still hitting,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut outside of myself, for some reason it's Drake. It was like that last year but I don鈥檛 think I listened to him as much as they say I have, but that鈥檚 another story.
Jenkins鈥� most-played album was Clipse鈥檚 Let God Sort Em Out.
鈥淭hey had the best rollout I've seen in ages and [they鈥檙e] still rapping better than 95% of the field with so much swagger,鈥� he said. 鈥淢ade me go revisit their first two albums multiple times鈥�
This year, Jenkins is proud of releasing what he calls his most cohesive and transparent album to date, as well as a well-produced music video for his single 鈥淧at in All Black.鈥�
Graham Malice
Xavier 鈥淕raham Malice鈥� Smith is a Dallas-based rapper who stepped into the scene in 2015. He uses both Spotify and Apple Music, partly to study the platforms鈥� interfaces for his own artist pages 鈥� but he leans on Spotify for casual listening. His top artist was rapper Sosocamo, whose album No Service became Smith鈥檚 road-trip staple.
In 2025, Smith focused on writing, production, creative direction and video work rather than releasing singles. He spent time in studios collaborating with other artists, leaning into sync placements and finding new audiences.
鈥淢oving to L.A. and back, helping artists like Yakiyn with video production 鈥� I really want to emphasize the different sides of my skillset and lean into creative studio work with my platform, The Waiting List,鈥� he said.
Wrapping up 2025, Smith said the year has inspired him to 鈥渄ouble down and go even harder鈥� in 2026.
KILO POSH
Keiva 鈥淜ilo Posh鈥� Spence is a DJ and co-founder of the CD Club, a music discussion club in Dallas. She chooses Apple Music over Spotify. Her top artist this year was the R&B group Silk, and her top album was Mos Def鈥檚 The New Danger.
鈥淚鈥檓 the moody music connoisseur,鈥� she said. 鈥淪ilk taps into my sensual, soft, attentive side, while Mos Def鈥檚 New Danger album feels powerful and intentional 鈥� it鈥檚 intellect, emotion and energy all at once. It makes you feel happy, sad, mad, empowered, beautiful 鈥� seen.鈥�
This year, Spence said she truly found her footing as a DJ in Dallas. She鈥檚 grown with venues like LadyLove Lounge and Double Ds, which she says welcomed her into their families and let her help shape the city鈥檚 sound.
As the founder of CD Club, Spence is proud to see the listening experience expand, with demand growing in Dallas and beyond.
鈥淪eeing other cities become interested, and witnessing years of work evolve into a community that truly values these intentional experiences has been something I鈥檓 deeply proud of,鈥� she said.
Christy Ray
DJ and daughter of Salt-N-Pepa鈥檚 DJ Spinderella, Christy 鈥淐hristy Ray鈥� Anderson strictly uses Apple Music these days.
South Korean girl group NewJeans topping her list wasn鈥檛 a surprise.
鈥淚鈥檝e been super into K-pop this year,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 such a fun genre of music to me. It鈥檚 really cool to listen and pick up on all the influences of some of my other fav types of music 鈥� R&B, pop, Jersey Club, UKG. K-pop really has it all.鈥�
Lucky Daye鈥檚 Painted remains one of Anderson鈥檚 favorite albums ever.
鈥淚鈥檓 pretty sure it鈥檚 been my top album since its release in 2020. It鈥檚 just a beautiful album from start to finish. The lyricism, the production, all of it. It鈥檚 also really straddles that line of feeling so original while also paying homage to some of the R&B greats. ( For example, 鈥淟ate Night鈥� sounds like a reimagination of a Michael Jackson song, in my opinion.) It also just came out at a time when I was struggling personally and it really pulled me through. It means a lot to me as a body of work. Timeless!鈥�
Creatively, she says this year pushed her to experiment more by trying new sounds, blending genres and letting herself play music she might not have touched before.
House of Freq鈥檚 Stephen Carmona and Jordan Edwards
The DJs of House of Freq are frequent Spotify users. Although both listen to Spotify casually, they often turn to Bandcamp or vinyls to support artists directly.
Carmona's top artist and album were Cheryl Lynn and her album In The Night.
鈥淚鈥檝e grown a closer connection to the disco and dance music of the late 1970s and 1980s,鈥� Carmona said.
This year, Carmona released a remix of Ari Lashell鈥檚 Do Nane with FWM Entertainment, an Atlanta-based record label. He also self-released a remix project called Reworks #2 on Bandcamp. Carmona also co-founded Labor of Love with DJ Rami, an event built to gather music lovers for judgment-free dancing which he says has become one of his proudest accomplishments.
As for Edwards, his top artist this year was New Zealand house music group Chaos in the CBD and his top album was their A Deeper Life.
鈥淭he album is such a feel-good project, easy to listen to over and over again without getting stale,鈥� Edwards said. 鈥淭hey produce such a wide range of dance music and even a few peaceful, ambient tracks, so Chaos in the CBD has always been in regular rotation鈥�
This year brought Edwards behind the decks at venues like the Nasher Sculpture Center and Dallas dance club It鈥檒l Do Club. Edwards also worked alongside major artists including Shigeto and Demarkus Lewis. Lastly, he wrapped the year by working on an upcoming EP, a highlight of his year in music.
LadyLove Lounge & Sound鈥檚 Kate Siamro
Co-founder Kate Siamro opened the doors to LadyLove with David Grover in July 2023. The concept came from the shared love of hi-fi bars outside Texas and wanting a community space that was inclusive to all people, multiple genres and offered a high quality audio system in Oak Cliff, where they鈥檝e worked for over a decade.
Siamro has used Spotify since it first dropped when she was in high school. This year, Suki Waterhouse鈥檚 album Memoir of a Sparklemuffin was on repeat.
鈥淚 think the 鈥榮ad siren-like鈥� songs have been this escapism and empathy through music I鈥檝e needed in the loud environment I鈥檝e been in,鈥� she said. 鈥淭o transition from a record shop to a club scene has made me crave music once alone and at home that鈥檚 calming and soothing.鈥�
It鈥檚 been an eventful year for Siamro and LadyLove. Besides booking over 75 DJs, Florida rapper Doechii and the notable Janet Jackson have made appearances at the 100 capacity club.
鈥淚鈥檓 consistently honored and humbled by it all,鈥� Siamro said. 鈥淚 want to create more and have our space grow so it can fit more people and bigger concepts, too.鈥�
Double D鈥檚 Jermey Elliott
Jermey Elliott, owner and operating partner at Double Ds, is a Spotify listener. His top artist this year was Larry June, and his top album was Allah-Las by Allah-Las.
Working in what he describes as a 鈥渄ynamic environment,鈥� Elliott said the pace of a busy bar can be intense, even when it鈥檚 a blessing.
鈥淎 busy bar can be hectic,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 find that when I鈥檓 off the clock, I like to listen to more chill stuff just to slow my mind and nervous system down a bit.鈥�
This year, Elliott is especially proud of completing his new home hi-fi setup with a dedicated listening nook. He says he鈥檚 looking forward to spending more time unwinding there, diving deep into new music and old favorites.
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