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It was a big year for the Dallas music scene.
BigXthaPlug was arrested for marijuana possession in Pleasant Grove the night before his big album release party, Erykah Badu delayed her already-delayed return to music and the city waged an all-out war against local brass instrumentalists.
It’s hard to definitely say which stories were the most noteworthy or had the most impact, so we won’t trouble ourselves with determining that. Plus, we’re really not in the business of making enemies for the sake of kicking up dust. Instead, we’ll let the numbers and the readers decide.
Without further ado, these are the top five most-read music stories of 2025.
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5. Benny Blanco Visits Fiancée Selena Gomez’s Favorite Grand Prairie Spot To Promote Their New Album
Selena Gomez was raised in Grand Prairie, but catching a glimpse of her in the town just west of Dallas isn’t exactly everyday fanfare, but it also isn’t rare. The singer has mentioned her favorite snow cone shop in the city, Tastee Ice Snow Cone, in more than one interview. Being the seemingly attentive partner that he is, Blanco hosted a meet-and-greet at his now-wife’s favorite spot. We wonder if he ordered a tiger’s blood or a wedding cake.
4. ATEEZ’s Final U.S. Stop Was Three Hours of Nonstop Screaming in Arlington
This year, the Observer significantly expanded its music coverage into the ever-growing behemoth that is the K-pop scene. One of the genre’s most celebrated boy bands, ATEEZ, played one of the largest venues in North Texas to a screaming and full crowd of adoring fans. And we were there. And you read about it.
3. Zillionaire Doe Says Major Label Deal Saved Him From the ‘Dallas Streets’
At the top of the year, local hip-hop artist Zillionaire Doe signed a major contract with Yo Gotti’s Collective Music Group. The 24-year-old Dallas native popped a celebratory champagne shower outside South Dallas’ Neighborhood Convenience Store with the music executive. Since signing, Zillionaire Doe has dropped an album and, most recently, a single called “Everyday Hustle” that was released just last week.
2. The Top 25 Dallas-Fort Worth Rappers Right Now, Ranked
We listen to a lot of music, so don’t mind us if we consider ourselves the authoritative voice on the Dallas music scene. It took a lot to narrow down our favorite hip-hop heavyweights, but the job had to be done. Spoiler alert: Everyone’s favorite plug may or may not have taken the top spot.
1. Erykah Badu and The Alchemist’s Joint Album Is Postponed
Erykah Badu, the queen of neo-soul and patron saint of Dallas music, has left us without studio-recorded blessings for more than a decade. It would be sorely understated to say that North Texans have been anxiously awaiting Badu’s next album, Abi & Alan, to drop. It was supposed to come out on Aug. 29. It did not. Badu herself blamed her collaborator and the album remains unreleased. We’re gonna start manifesting now that the album’s eventual release will be out most-read of 2026.
