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Tag: Joshua Tree

  • The 25 Best Pop Songs Of 2025: Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Dean, & More!

    2025 was truly the best year in pop music we’ve had in a while! It seems like artists are simply locking back into what makes a true pop song and mastering that art. Narrowing this list down to simply 25 songs was quite the challenge, but we think this list is the best of the best throughout all facets of pop music! From Olivia Dean and Chappell Roan to Greyson Chance and so many more, let’s jump in!

    Taylor Swift – ‘The Fate of Ophelia’

    There is no way to talk about the great pop resurgence of 2025 without highlighting The Life of a Showgirl by Taylor Swift. For us, the entire album is full of examples of a true-to-form pop song, but we had to choose to highlight ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ due to it being inescapable since its release. This song is pure ear candy, and will get stuck in your head for hours even after just hearing a few seconds.

    Olivia Dean – ‘Man I Need’

    Olivia Dean is taking the pop music world by storm with ‘Man I Need,’ and to us that makes perfect sense. In anyone else’s discography, ‘Man I Need’ would be an easy career highlight, and yet, it’s one of many songs on Olivia’s most recent album, The Art of Loving, that blew us away upon the first listen and could have easily taken this spot.

    Sabrina Carpenter – ‘House Tour’

    Man’s Best Friend is stacked top to bottom with pop gold, but after listening back through the album, ‘House Tour’ had to be our choice! Everything from that infectious chorus to the “my house is on pretty girl avenue” line made this one of those songs that will soundtrack nights out for us through the foreseeable future.

    Jonas Brothers – ‘Love Me To Heaven’

    The Jonas Brothers have been experts at the pop music game since Nick first uttered the words ‘red dress’ back in 2008, so it’s no surprise to us that they are only getting better and better 17 years later. Their newest record, Greetings From Your Hometown, had an obvious stand-out to us the first time we listened, and that was ‘Love Me To Heaven.’

    Audrey Hobert – ‘Phoebe’

    Who’s The Clown? by Audrey Hobert was truly on an endless loop here at THP! Upon first listen, it was automatically clear that we were witnessing the artistic birth of someone who had a crystal clear understanding of how to bring themselves through in the music, be specific while staying relatable, and develop a sound that was particularly hers. We could have easily put any song from the album here, but ‘Phoebe’ is a forever favorite of ours!

    Greyson Chance – ‘Waiting Outside The Lines ‘25’

    No, we are not trying to transport you back to 2011, but there is so much beauty in taking a certified nostalgia-packed hit and reimagining it with years of life lived and heightened vocal ability to back it up. We can’t help but have a permanent smile on our face listening to this track and diving into Greyson’s current catalog (which everyone should do themselves the favor of doing)!

    Jensen McRae – ‘Novelty’

    If you asked us what album impacted us the most this year, one of the easiest answers would be I Don’t Know How But They Found Me! Anyone who has dived into Jensen’s discography knows what a savant she is. Her relationship to her pen is one of one, and this album may be the best example of that in her discography so far. ‘Novelty’ is the song that immediately jumps out at us as a must-listen.

    Lady Gaga – ‘How Bad Do U Want Me’

    Lady Gaga is synonymous with pop music at this point. She has always had the skill on lock, and in many ways, has influenced so much of what the modern genre looks like. MAYHEM was a true return to form for Lady Gaga, and showed that her knowledge and talent with the pop music world has never faltered. ‘How Bad Do U Want Me’ is an instant smash and is still on repeat.

    5 Seconds of Summer – ‘NOT OK’

    We will forever preach our love for 5 Seconds of Summer and how they get better with every release! (If you didn’t know, this band is literally why THP exists!) EVERYONE’S A STAR came out just over a month ago and is the band’s most ambitious, larger-than-life project yet. But of course, every element was nailed perfectly. Each of the guys has so many standout moments, but there are even more moments when it is so clear why they continue to make music together: everything flows seamlessly.

    Sadie Jean – ‘She’s Dating My Boyfriend’

    Sadie Jean is the exact singer-songwriter your playlist is in need of, and we had to highlight a track off her debut album, Early Twenties Torture! Every song on this record feels like Sadie had a insider’s look at our deepest thoughts and struggles, was able to turn them poetic, and then put them to music. That skill of relatability is rare. ‘She’s Dating My Boyfriend’ is our favorite example of that peek inside our minds.

    Laufey – ‘Lover Girl’

    Laufey has seamlessly blended the worlds of pop and jazz music and made a fusion that leaves us regularly at a loss for words. A Matter of Time is Laufey’s most recent album. And upon our first listen, it was clear that this is a generational album, one of those records where anyone who gives it a chance will fall in love with it. ‘Lover Girl’ is our favorite song off the record, so we had to highlight it!

    Amber Mark – ‘Let Me Love You’

    Amber Mark is the pop star you’ve been looking to add to your playlists! If you’re a fan of artists like Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Dean, Amber’s album, Pretty Idea, and specifically our favorite track, ‘Let Me Love You,’ is going to be right up your alley! We are predicting that 2026 is going to be a huge year for Amber! And with music of this quality, it makes complete sense!

    Justin Bieber – ‘Yukon’

    ‘Yukon’ was one of our most-streamed songs of the year; it’s that serious to us! SWAG, for us, felt like Justin coming back into his own, making the music that feels true to form. With ‘Yukon,’ that infectious chorus we’ve come to know and love from Justin Bieber is the shining star, which definitely adds to why we are constantly playing this track on a loop.

    Lydia Night – ‘The Bomb’

    You may know Lydia Night from her time with the band The Regrettes, but trust us when we say she has turned into a full-blown solo pop star. Lydia released her debut album, Parody of Pleasure, back in August, and all thirteen songs are expertly crafted! ‘The Bomb’ has been a standout since we first dove into this album. The song is playful and reminiscent of early 2000s pop.

    Role Model – ‘Sally, When The Wine Runs Out’

    Obviously, ‘Sally, When The Wine Runs Out’ has taken the world by storm this year, so there was no way we weren’t going to give Role Model his flowers. We haven’t heard a chorus quite as infectious as ‘Sally, When The Wine Runs Out’ in quite a long time. It’s impossible not be in an instant good mood when it hits.

    Myles Smith – ‘Stay (If You Wanna Dance)’

    If you were as obsessed with Myles Smith’s ‘Stargazing’ as we were, then ‘Stay (If You Wanna Dance)’ is the perfect addition to your playlists! Myles is someone who you continue to find new things about his artistry to dig into with each listen.

    Zara Larsson is a pop star in the truest sense of the word. Her entire album, Midnight Sun, is a pop masterclass, in which she’s the only person equipped to teach. When we first heard the title track ‘Midnight Sun,’ we knew that this was a whole new ball game in terms of pop music, and that we would take every opportunity to praise what Zara is doing with her artistry.

    HAIM – ‘Relationships’

    This song is pure ear candy and truly a discography highlight from one of our favorite trios! The chorus has serotonin woven into every line and lyric. And it makes us want to be out at night in the city with friends, dancing to every word. Their most recent album, i quit, is chock-full of tracks where you will see these themes.

    Conan Gray – ‘Vodka Cranberry’

    Conan Gray was born to make the exact music he’s making right now. He releases such infectious pop tracks with lyrics that both feel true to self for Conan and still connect deeply with his audience. ‘Vodka Cranberry’ blew up this year, and to us, it only makes perfect sense. This is a solidified hit.

    Tate McRae – ‘Sports Car’

    If you didn’t know, Tate McRae is a name that we have been screaming from the rooftops since we got to interview her years ago (which you can read here!). Tate blends musicality with dance seamlessly to draw people into who she is as a musician. ‘Sports Car’ and its visual components showcase exactly why Tate has quickly become a household name.

    Avery Cochrane – ‘Shapeshifting On A Saturday Night’

    Hailing from Seattle, Avery Cohrane is bound to be the name you can’t escape this next year in pop music! This year, she released her track, ‘Shapeshifting on a Saturday Night,’ and blew us away with the established pop sound she was crafting. If you’re a fan of artists like Chappell Roan or Olivia Rodrigo, we think you will love Avery!

    Addison Rae – ‘Headphones On’

    It’s no secret that Addison Rae has had a massive year. From the success of ‘Diet Pepsi’ and her tour to her debut album, Addison, everything about her career so far has been the beginning of a pop star who will be talked about and celebrated for years to come. For Addison, pop is a true work of performance art, following in the footsteps of the likes of Britney Spears. ‘Headphones On’ off her debut album summarizes everything we love most about Addison as an artist.

    Reneé Rapp – ‘I Think I Like You Better When You’re Gone’

    We yell the chorus to ‘I Think I Like You Better When You’re Gone’ at truly astronomical levels. Everything about this track resonates with us. Something that Reneé Rapp never fails to do is draw the listener in and weave her story in a way that feels relatable to others. On top of the lyrical content of the song, Reneé’s vocals are otherworldly here.

    Demi Lovato – ‘Joshua Tree’

    The 2025 version of Demi Lovato is the only artist who could craft an album like It’s Not That Deep. This record is a amalgamation of someone who has gone through it all. Someone who has experienced hardships and heartache and is in the complete opposite space now. And a lot of it is backtracked with songs you want to be in the club dancing to. That’s the duality of pop and of Demi, and it’s beautiful. To us, ‘Joshua Tree’ best represents the album as a whole.

    Chappell Roan – ‘The Subway’

    Ending our best 2025 pop songs with one that is still inescapable like ‘The Subway’ only felt right. Chappell Roan is a once-in-a-lifetime artist. She creates with such intention and really takes her time with each project, which comes through in the music. ‘The Subway’ will be looked at years from now as one of the great songs of the decade.

    Check out more of our end of year coverage here!

    We would love to hear from you! What is your favorite pop song of 2025? Is it something off the new Taylor Swift album? Maybe a Conan Gray song? Or an Olivia Dean song? Let us know by commenting below or by tweeting @TheHoneyPOP! We are also on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!

    Hailey Hastings

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  • Joshua Tree’s Housing Boom Is Busted

    Joshua Tree’s Housing Boom Is Busted

    Joshua Tree’s housing market during its pandemic surge looked like an investment oasis, but instead it may have been a mirage.

    The market in the California desert has dried up after exploding four years ago, the Wall Street Journal reported. Those who bought homes in recent years — which are typically modest, despite some architectural marvels — are facing a difficult dilemma if they choose to sell.

    Joshua Tree home values jumped significantly during peak Covid. In July 2020, the typical value in the area was $217,007, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. Two years later, that number had more than doubled to $467,348. But as of February this year, the typical home value fell to $385,941.

    Approximately 40 percent of the market’s 199 listed homes have seen price reductions, Bryan Wynwood, a local agent told WSJ. Buyers are also grappling with increased interest and mortgage rates from the height of the pandemic, which is having an impact on markets across the nation.

    Wynwood did, however, admit that the price boom was unsustainable. 

    During the height of the pandemic, homes were often sold in under two weeks. But in February, those that did sell were on the market for a median of 106 days, according to Redfin.

    One factor impacting Joshua Tree’s housing market is its popularity as a tourist destination. In 2021, more than 3 million people visited the area, according to the National Park Service. The trickle effect has increased demand — and supply — of short-term rentals, which have nearly doubled in four years, upping competition and dragging down long-term rents.

    Investors who bet on long-term rentals are not making as much money as expected, so buyers are thinking twice about the potential payoff they can deliver in the future. According to one source WSJ spoke with, sales may instead be driven by investors looking at short-term rental assets.

    — Holden Walter-Warner

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  • Why Joshua Tree’s $18M House Remains “Invisible” to Buyers

    Why Joshua Tree’s $18M House Remains “Invisible” to Buyers

    The Joshua Tree property, which looks like a horizontal reflective skyscraper resting in the desert, was listed for $18 million last year — making it the most expensive house ever built in Joshua Tree, a bit over two hours east of Los Angeles.

    Over 400 days later, according to its Zillow listing, and after many short-term rentals and plenty of interest from potential buyers — ranging from celebrities to billionaires to art collectors — there are still no takers.

    While the 5,500-square-foot home, known as the Invisible House, has attracted a lot of known figures such as Alicia Keys and Demi Lovato, along with influencers and brands Hermés and BMW, finding a buyer has proven a challenge for Aaron Kirman and Matt Adamo of AKG Christie’s International, who represent the property owner.

    The uniqueness of the home, the high price range for its remote location and a challenging 2023 market were all contributing factors, according to Adamo. 

    “It makes it much more difficult,” he said. “2023 one of the hardest markets that we faced, and the buyer pool for this is small, 3 percent of the buyers who are looking.”

    Selling a property of this type doesn’t come easy even in a robust market like Joshua Tree, where the average home price is $450,000.

    “Joshua Tree is a hot market despite the high interest rates, has really gained traction and scaled even over the last five years, especially during the pandemic,” said Tyler Neale, an agent at Sotheby’s International Realty who’s not associated with the listing. “It’s a popular place for Angelenos, and yet this property is an outlier from the norm in that market in every way.”

    “Most spectacular” Airbnb

    The character of the property has everything to do with the owner, the film producer and artist Chris Hanley, who along with his wife Roberta were drawn to Joshua Tree and purchased the land there.

    The Hanleys were behind movies such as “American Psycho,” “Virgin Suicides” and “Spring Breakers.”

    The concept for the Invisible House originated over a decade ago, when Chris Hanley came up with the design and approached Polish American architect Tomas Osinski to bring it to life. Its name describes how the house reflects the surrounding sky, rock and sand in a way that the structure seems to disappear into the landscape.

    They began construction in 2013. The design is inspired by New York, where Hanley grew up “feeling comfortable with the monoliths.”

    The home is located on a 90-acre property on the border with Joshua Tree National Park, making it the largest parcel of land that shares a border with the park. It was completed in March 2019. 

    It’s clear Hanley was involved in every inch of the home’s creation.

    “It has 36-inch steel beams, maybe the biggest of any residential house in California,” he said proudly.

    The house also has sustainability features, including a fully solarcool glass exterior with reflective light filtering and a solar thermal smart system for controlling the pool and hot water.

    Once the couple built it, the plan was to live in it.

    “We never thought in a million years that it was going to end up being some influencer house,” Hanley said.

    As they had more guests come over, the house generated more and more interest from people they didn’t know. 

    “By the time Alicia Keys came in 2020, she wanted it for five weeks,” Hanley recalled. “So the house is kind of like one of these science fiction forms — it was no longer just Chris and Roberta Hanley’s residential dwelling, it had taken on a form in social media and media at large.”

    Eventually it became one of the most desirable Airbnbs in the world, with CEO Brian Chesky calling it a “piece of modern art” and “one of the most spectacular homes in the world on all of Airbnb.” 

    After that, things really took off and the Hanleys started making rental income from brands including Hermés, BMW and others. 

    “The amount of income that comes, it’s better than most office buildings,” Adamo said. “You’re getting a potential 6 percent CAP rate.” 

    Joshua Tree was in fact one of the top two short-term rental markets in California and one of the top 25 in the U.S., according to AirDNA data cited by The New York Times.

    Hanley said the house generates around $900,000 each year since 2021 in net income. 

    Why Joshua Tree’s $18M House Remains “Invisible” to Buyers

    That may still not be enough for most buyers to justify the listing price.

    “There is no Airbnb price or nightly rate that will make a property of $18 million cash flow that’s practical,” Neale said in reference to the rental revenue. “It’s a hard proposition even as a short-term rental at that price.”

    “I don’t think it’s inflated, because it is a piece of art, but it is a hard proposition,” he noted.

    “Pyramid in Egypt”

    The decision to sell came when the Hanleys realized that the house was getting big and they were ready to move on to other projects.

    “When I make a movie, it needs to get out, it needs to be experienced,” Hanley said. “And this was starting to get so experienced by so many people.“

    While they have a property management company, they are not looking to become landlords long-term.

    “We’re not in the hospitality business,” he said. “We’re creating new forms.”

    They’re already on to the next project, which is the Starburst House located nearby in Joshua Tree.

    Why Joshua Tree’s $18M House Remains “Invisible” to Buyers
    Starburst House

    Hanley has big ambitions for his properties and is not shy about it.

    “It’s become this kind of social destination, very much like a pyramid in Egypt or something like that, where you just want to go to see this form,” he explained. “It somehow relates to the world at large, there’s some thought that there’s an interaction between extraterrestrial or other life forms or other forms of consciousness that are constantly taking place.”

    Needless to say, not everyone can afford to stay at the Invisible House, but everyone can at least follow the Instagram account. It’s available for rent from $2,689 to $7,500 per night, according to property manager Fieldtrip Hospitality. 

    Demi Lovato was one guest who said she saw aliens there, as per The Wall Street Journal, and the buyer is likely to be someone who has an appreciation for metaphysical experiences, real or imaginary. 

    The agents trying to sell the property have their work cut out for them: They’ve had a hard time imagining the ideal buyer.

    Speaking about potential buyers, Adamo was nostalgic for a minute about the crypto craze of 2021, when newly minted millionaires were quick to invest in real estate and would appreciate the artistic vision behind the property.

    “We’ve had billionaires, investors from other countries and everything in between,” he said. “We’ve had brands and CEOs look at this for company retreats, art collectors.”

    They had one proposal to build “something in the metaverse” and an idea of partial ownership, which didn’t work out.

    Given the level of public and social media interest the house has generated, the buyer is unlikely to be a recluse or a hermit. There is a public performance aspect to the space.

    Still, the image of the perfect buyer remains elusive.

    “We haven’t figured out who the perfect buyer is for the property, because if we had it would be sold by now,” Adamo said.

    Daria Solovieva

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  • The ‘Invisible House’ In Joshua Tree, California Lists For $18 Million

    The ‘Invisible House’ In Joshua Tree, California Lists For $18 Million

    Producers Chris Hanley and Roberta Hanley are known for their innovative film projects, including cult hit American Psycho and Sofia Coppola’s directorial debut, The Virgin Suicides. Before his film career, Chris also worked in art, dealing in pieces by such luminaries as Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

    When it came time for the couple to design a house, they once again wanted something on the cutting edge. The Hanleys partnered with architect Tomas Orsinski, a Frank Gehry collaborator, to design their landmark Invisible House in Joshua Tree, California, two hours outside of Los Angeles. The architectural icon has hit the market for $18 million.

    Inspired by the sci-fi classic 2001: A Space Odyssey, the home is a 5,500-square-foot mirrored box that reflects back the surrounding desert scenery and seems to blend into the landscape. Heat-reflecting Solarcool glass gives the home its unique look and keeps the interiors temperate despite the harsh desert weather, and filters out harmful UV rays. An eco-friendly foam roof and solar-electric system make the house a model of sustainability.

    The glass walls open on three sides for a novel take on the indoor-outdoor living concept. Inside, a 100-foot heated indoor swimming pool is capped by a 224-square-foot projection wall perfect for screening films. The home’s three large bedrooms each have their own en-suite bathroom with Boffi fixtures. The primary suite is equipped with a giant glass bedframe and features a five-star, resort-inspired bath with soaking tub, floating vanities and rain shower.

    A world-class chef’s kitchen makes ready-to-cater events a breeze with double ovens, a separate refrigerator and freezer storage, marble surfaces and Miele, Sub Zero and Wolf appliances anchored upon sleek concrete flooring. A Flos lighting system creates radiant ambient lighting with various colors to fit the mood.

    Situated on 67 acres of tranquil desert, the home provides seclusion and oneness with nature. With cameos in numerous film projects and more extensive coverage on Netflix’s The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals, the home has been available as both a film location and a luxury Airbnb stay with a per-night price of $2,500. A good mix of home and nature, the property is bordered by national parkland and a gated tortoise reserve, but it is only 10 minutes from Joshua Tree’s downtown. Other nearby options for entertainment include the Noah Purifoy Art Museum and truly limitless hiking trails.

    Joshua Tree, California is known for both its spectacular rock formations and the quirky artists’ community that has sprung up among the eponymous spiky trees, according to TopTenRealEstateDeals.com. Escaping from LA’s corporate jungle, hundreds of painters and sculptors’ studios dot the high desert, giving it a Mad Max feel.

    The area was also a well-known pilgrimage site for the superstars of classic rock, with such heavyweights as Keith Richards, Jim Morrison and Bono drawing inspiration from its stark scenery (with, perhaps, some psychedelic assistance). A-Listers like Madonna, Kanye West and Justin Bieber have vacationed in the area, while local recording studios have attracted the likes of Queens of the Stone Age, Iggy Pop and Beyoncé.

    Brenda Richardson, Senior Contributor

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