Let’s all agree that 2025 wasn’t a great year overall (unless you won the lottery or something), but thankfully the music didn’t suffer. I remain somewhat astounded that very few artists (especially in the U.S.) have met this trying era with songs and records that push back against the tyrrany and evil permeating our world. A protest record, particularly by a prominent artist or band would not only be relevant but could serve as inspiration for others to use their voices and do the same. Alas, it was not to be in 2025, but if you plan to make music next year and are reading this, there’s a wide open topical direction you could take with a real potential for positive impact.

But enough about what types of records we didn’t get in 2025, and more about what we did. There wasn’t really a general theme or style that dominated this year, other than maybe pop music remaining pop(ular) and hip hop struggling to find new ways into the cultural zeitgeist. A TikTok star somehow managed to pull a pretty damn good debut album out of her ass (with the help of a talented team), a well-known rock band singer made her strongest solo album to date, and alt/experimental pop brought a couple of new names to the forefront. We reaffirmed that just about anything with the names billy woods or Earl Sweatshirt attached to them is going to be quality, welcomed back a beloved rap duo to reclaim their status for the first time in nearly 20 years, and saw a slightly different side of Tyler, The Creator.

You want to prove rock music isn’t dead or dying? Listen to Geese, Wednesday, Viagra Boys, Wet Leg, Deftones, and Deafheaven. R&B certainly isn’t suffering either when Dijon, FKA twigs, PinkPantheress, and Amaarae are giving us inspiration. Then there’s the immense talents of Chicagoans like Saba, Jeff Tweedy, Sharp Pins (/Lifeguard), Pixel Grip, and Circuit des Yeux, with Horsegirl getting honorary local ststus even though they’ve relocated to New York. I’m grateful for all their contributions this year, even if some didn’t make the list.

Below you’ll find my 50 favorite albums from 2025, plus 10 more Honorable Mentions because I couldn’t just stop there. Honestly this list could have gone to 75 without much trouble, but I don’t want to assign you even more homework beyond what’s already here. In short, if you haven’t heard these records yet, please do yourself a favor and give them a try. My hope is that you’ll fall in love with something new and continue to expand your world through music. Taste is subjective, and most likely everything listed here won’t fully capture your attention or imagination. But in the off chance some of this does, it’ll turn out to be well worth the exploration. Please enjoy this list and these records as we collectively prepare to strap in for the wild ride 2026 is sure to bring.


Honorable Mention
Circuit des Yeux – Halo on the Inside
Florence + The Machine – Everybody Scream
Darkside – Nothing
Gelli Haha – Switcheroo
Hannah Cohen – Earthstar Mountain
Lambrini Girls – Who Let the Dogs Out
Lucrecia Dalt – A Danger to Ourselves
No Joy – Bugland
Panda Bear – Sinister Grift
Pixel Grip – Percepticide: The Death of Reality

50. Horsegirl – Phonetics On and On
49. Lily Allen – West End Girl
48. Los Thuthanaka – Los Thuthanaka
47. MIKE – Showbiz!
46. Sharp Pins – Radio DDR
45. Jeff Tweedy – Twilight Override
44. Alex G – Headlights
43. Tyler, The Creator – Don’t Tap the Glass
42. Momma – Welcome To My Blue Sky
41. Blood Orange – Essex Honey
40. Maria Somerville – Luster
39. Lady Gaga – MAYHEM
38. Nick Leon – A Tropical Entropy
37. keyiaA – hooke’s law
36. aya – Hexed!
35. Deafheaven – Lonely People With Power
34. Playboi Carti – MUSIC
33. YHWH Nailgun – 45 Pounds
32. Turnstile – Never Enough
31. Erika de Casier – Lifetime
30. Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving
29. james K – Friend
28. Djrum – Under Tangled Silence
27. Saba & No I.D. – From the Private Collection of Saba and No I.D.
26. Rochelle Jordan – Through the Wall
25. Ninajirachi – I Love My Computer
24. caroline – caroline 2
23. Joanne Robertson – Blurrr
22. Smerz – Big city life
21. Earl Sweatshirt – Live Laugh Love
20. Deftones – private music
19. Addison Rae – Addison
18. Hayley Williams – Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party
17. PinkPantheress – Fancy That
16. Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band – New Threats From the Soul
15. Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out
14. Water From Your Eyes – It’s A Beautiful Place
13. Wet Leg – moisturizer
12. Amaarae – BLACK STAR
11. billy woods – GOLLIWOG
10. Viagra Boys – viagr aboys
9. Sudan Archives – The BPM
8. Nourished By Time – The Passionate Ones
7. Bad Bunny – DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS
6. Oklou – choke enough
5. Wednesday – Bleeds
4. Rosalia – LUX
3. Dijon – Baby
2. Geese – Getting Killed
1. FKA twigs – EUSEXUA