With 2025 inching closer and closer to its conclusion, and 2026 just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to take a trip down memory lane and remember what an incredible year it was in entertainment. As we reflect on this year, Young Entertainment has found and highlighted some of the best Young Adult entertainment content we could find. Whether through films, television shows or music, every genre plays an integral part in the lives of Young Adults, which is why YE wants to celebrate it. So, without further ado, here is YE’s Top 5 Lists of 2025.
So many artists made major strides in their careers this year, with breakthrough hits and first ever performances. Here are our top five emerging artists that you need to say you knew early on when they blow up in the next few years:
1. Jordan Doww
Jordan Doww has established himself as a jack of all trades as an actor, writer, comedian, musician and internet personality. He has allowed both his music and acting fans to see both sides of him as he got to sing while playing teenage Colton in the Hallmark series The Way Home. In our interview with him, he said acting in something and also getting to sing was a dream come true. Jordan has continued his rise as a musician, including his most recent hit “What We Lost”, which showcases his vulnerability and powerful lyrics, taking on themes of longing and the emotional impact of past relationships.
2. Alex Sampson
Alex Sampson first rose to fame on season 19 of America’s Got Talent, making it all the way to the semifinals, and he has continued to grow since then in his music journey. He released his first EP “Hopeless Romantic” last year and has showcased his songwriting talents and experimental sounds in hit songs from this past year including “There She Goes”, “Used to You” and “Growing Pains”. When we chatted with Alex earlier this year, he said some of his biggest music inspirations are Owl City, Benson Boone and Role Model.
3. Freya Skye
Freya Skye has risen to stardom over the past year, but started singing and acting when she was just five years old. You may recognize her from her film debut as Nova Bright in Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires, in addition to her viral music video “Snow Angels” for the movie, alongside Malachai Barton. She has gone on to star in the Descendants/Zombies: World Collide Tour and announced her first solo set of shows, Freya Skye: The Acoustic Shows, with performances taking place through January. Known for her catchy melodies and relatable themes, check out some of Freya’s most recent music including the singles “Silent Treatment” and “Gold’s Gone”.
4. Charlie Gillespie
While he is most known for his acting role as Luke Patterson in the hit Netflix series Julie and the Phantoms, Charlie was able to showcase his vocal chops when he made his musical debut in the show’s self-titled soundtrack, where he sang in nine of the 15 songs and helped with the songwriting of “Perfect Harmony”, alongside costar Madison Reyes. His most recent singles include the songs “In The Air” and “Somewhere In The Middle” from Sidelined 2: Intercepted, and we cannot wait to see what else Charlie has in store next year.
5. Joshua Colley
Joshua Colley is just 23 years old, but 2025 was a breakout year for him on his music journey. Joshua has appeared on Broadway before as Les in “Newsies” and Gavroche in “Les Misérables”, and also showcased his acting talents as Captain Hook in Disney’s Descendants: Rise of Red. This past year, Joshua starred in the Descendants/Zombies: Worlds Collide Tour, where he performed “I’m Gonna Remember This” and got to showcase his own music on stage for the first time. Joshua is always such a joy to chat with and we can’t wait to see what he does next!
