The New York Times Sleep Token 's single "Caramel" the best song of 2025. The track is the second single from the album Even In Arcadia (2025) and tops a list of the best songs of the past 12 months.
The choice was made by veteran music critic Jon Caramanica , who described "Caramel" as "a huge, gloriously silly, and brutally effective amalgam of abandoned styles, ripe for revitalization – rap metal, dream-prog, pop-reggaeton, alternative hip-hop, cosplay rock, metalcore, and much more."
Sleep Token is the only metal band to appear on the New York Times , and by reaching the top spot, it places itself above names like Drake, Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter , and Justin Bieber.
"Caramel" was released on April 4, 2025, preceding the album Even In Arcadia . The album was released in May, and days after its debut, the band managed to reach the top of the British charts for the first time in their career. Sleep Token's fourth album also topped the US Billboard . In addition to selling over 47,000 vinyl units and achieving excellent streaming numbers, it broke several records in the hard rock genre.
The band also received two nominations at the 2026 Grammy Awards : Best Metal Performance for the single "Emergence," and Best Rock Song for "Caramel."
Who is Sleep Token?
Sleep Token, a British band that blends metal, pop, and R&B under the enigmatic leadership of Vessel , has been gaining prominence and becoming a rising name in metal.
Formed in 2016 in the United Kingdom, Sleep Token cultivates mystery. Although not new to the rock and metal scene, the members adopt pseudonyms. With vocalist Vessel at the forefront, accompanied by musicians identified by the numbers II, III , and IV , who hide their identities behind masks and body paint.
After their debut album Sundowning (2019), followed by This Place Will Become Your Tomb (2021), the band released the album that began to solidify their success.
Take Me Back to Eden (2023) achieved a high volume of streams , becoming one of the most listened-to metal albums on streaming platforms in 2023.
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