This year sucked. Hard. Just several layers of not good on multiple levels. But you aren’t here to listen to me whine about my personal problems. There’s a good chance that your life might be far worse than mine. Besides, this isn’t the venue for such transparent emotional vomiting. That’s what my family, friends, and therapist are for.
You are here to read my Top 25 Albums of 2025.
Let’s be clear – this year of music started out slowly. I think we all suffered from a collective malaise during the first third of 2025. I mean, plenty of albums entered the world, but few of them truly pierced my consciousness in a way that left any lasting impression. Then again, that could have been a “me” thing, but this list is the definition of a “me” thing.
But by the time the end of year rolled around, I found a pantheon of albums I absolutely loved. Some of them matched my mood, others gave me a fresh perspective, while still more lifted me to fresh heights. So, sure, it wasn’t a good year, but at least I surrounded myself with high-quality art made by real people struggling with real life.
Let’s get into it!
Anna Von Hausswolff – Iconoclasts
I never knew I needed this sort of grandiose, orchestral art-rock in my life until this album arrived. It gives me the sensation of sitting in an old-school concert hall as Hausswolff and her contributors deliver a stunning performance that should herald an entirely new genre of music.
Armand Hammer – Mercy
At this point, I’m running out of things to write about this jaw-dropping duo. Their breathtaking sociopolitical rap rejects the tropes of turn-of-the-century “conscious rap” by ramping up the emotional and lyrical dread without ever getting too bleak.
The Armed – The Future Is Here and Everything Needs to be Destroyed
Twenty-something me would have traveled around the country to attend every possible show from this maximalist noise-punk outfit. Forty-something me has to merely blast this album on repeat and hope that younger kids can put the calls to praxis in these lyrics into good use.
Backxwash – Only Dust Remains
This rapper’s brand of clamorous hip-hop comes lives a couple neighborhoods away from Armand Hammer’s. While they both openly rail against the ugly nature of our modern world, Backxwash is more strident and openly pissed-off, which befits the raucous production aesthetic.
billy woods – Golliwog
As one half of the aforementioned Armand Hammer, billy woods still manages to pen songs specific to his vision without diluting the intensity or impact of either project. This version of minimalist rap comes complete with searing lyrics and gorgeous production that has you digging for samples and exploring the metaphors.
Chat Pile and Hayden Pedigo – In the Earth Again
If the Taylor Sheridan show Landman was honest about the awful impact the fossil fuel industry has brought upon the people and environments of Oklahoma, West Texas, and New Mexico, this album would be the soundtrack. The world needs more doom country.
Circuit des Yeux – Halo On the Inside
This dramatic record combines vintage Bjork with ‘90s industrial and ‘20s electro-rock to blistering effect. If that description doesn’t sell you on this album, then I don’t know if we can be friends.
Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out
The return of the coke rap icons. Yes, this album is serious, searing, sad, and soulful, but it’s also what mature in hip-hop should sound like in 2025.
Deafheaven – Lonely People with Power
Is this band metal? Noise rock? Hardcore? An outstanding amalgam of all three that pisses off annoying genre purists with each and every album? Hell yes.
DJ Haram – Beside Myself
This magnificent artist blends garage, grime, hip-hop, IDM, and Middle Eastern instrumentation into an engaging, eclectic whole. If the average attempt at genre mashups sounded even 25% as good as this album, the world would be a much better place.
FKA Twigs – Eusexua
The world always needs more self-assured music from talented artists, especially one who is unafraid to share her emotions with the wider world with such palpable confidence. It definitely helps that her brand of sensual electro-pop pushes the genre in fresh directions.
Hannah Frances – Nested in Tangles
I’ve achieved a fresh appreciation for singer-songwriters over the past few years. Thus, I contend that few contemporary practitioners push the traditional tropes into the future quite like Frances. This collection of tremendous art-folk tunes filters ‘70s Laurel Canyon vibes through a ‘00s freak folk lens to delirious ends.
Jim Ghedi – Wasteland
Is noise-folk a thing? Because it should be. I didn’t know I needed a blistering batch of songs that brought together the best tendencies from British pastoral folk, hipster chamber folk, and weirdo post-punk, but here we are!
KPop Demon Hunters OST
Some might argue that the lesser songs should knock the album out of end-of-year contention. I think those “some” are doo-doo heads. This wonderful, life-affirming movie and its immaculate soundtrack had FOUR different songs all in the Billboard Top 10 during Summer 2025, complete with “Golden” keeping Taylor Swift songs from Life of a Showgirl out of first place. That accomplishment alone is worth inclusion on my Top 25 albums of 2025 list.
Lily Allen – West End Girl
Dropping out of seemingly nowhere with more Hollywood gossip than TMZ, this was the toxic divorce album we all needed in 2025. The music reveals a grownup artist capable of cooking up gleaming sophistipop, reggae textures, and bossa nova grooves – all while penning scorched-earth lyrics about her ex’s betrayal.
More Eaze / claire rousay – no floor
As I dig ever deeper into ambient music, I look for artists who can deliver a bit of carefree whimsy and playfulness. This isn’t to say that More Eaze and claire rousay don’t make serious music, but more that these two frequent collaborators enjoy working together and having fun subverting the tropes of their preferred genre.
Olafur Arnalds & Talos – A Dawning
Think of this as the inverse of the Hausswolff album earlier in the list. These two wonderful musicians melted thoughtful art-pop into subversive post-rock to produce a remarkable and compelling suite of music that deserves a full stage production.
Margo Price – Hard Headed Woman
This woman kicks ass, takes no prisoners, and brooks no gumption. She’s been creating outsider country with a sharp, feminist perspective for her entire career, and this should go down as her magnum opus.
Ronnie Martin – Consume Like a Moth What Is Dear
It might be the only album that passes as a “legacy” act on my Top 25 albums of 2025 list, and it’s mostly a reference to my personal legacy with the artist’s 30-year-old canon. Whatever. This is MY list. If you like gloomy-yet-catchy dark wave synth-pop genius created on actual keyboards, then you really need these songs in your life.
SPELLLING – Portrait of My Heart
Brilliant new-school R&B with electro-soul. This spectacular album features driving rock grooves, soaring vocals, and retro-future sensibilities in the instrumentation, lyricism, and arrangements. It’s super-duper kinetic and fun without going over-the-top or relying on familiar rhythms or production.
Sudan Archives – THE BPM
Welcome to the third instance of “other side of the coin” album pairs on my list. This transcendent artist takes her training as a violin virtuoso and couples it with boisterous electro sensibilities, complete with impulses that veer close to IDM territory. It’s funky, grimy, and made for dancing.
SUMAC/Moor Mother – The Film
This amazing album is post-soul, post-rock, post-metal, post-rap, post-everything. Imagine Alice Coltrane fronting Paranoid-era Black Sabbath, but updated for the post-truth 2020s, and you MIGHT catch a glimpse of the intense creativity and artistry on display.
Tunde Adebimpe – Thee Black Boltz
It might seem simplistic to describe this as basically the next best thing to getting a new TV On the Radio album in 2025, but it’s also the truth. The primary difference between his band and solo work lies in the intensely personal lyrics. However, the resonant electro-funk with syncopated rhythms we always expect from an Adebimpe project reign supreme.
Wednesday – Bleeds
For the fourth duo on my Top 25 Albums of 2025 list, this album flips the script on the Chat Pile/Hayden Pedigo project by crafting searing alt-country laced through with ‘90s emo and hard rock. Come for the singalong crooners, but stay for the furious headbanging.
Whatever the Weather – Whatever the Weather II
Majestic and thoughtful ambient electro from an absolute maestro. As the downtempo side project of Loraine James, this record conjures up dense layers of moody, meditative atmospherics perfect for relaxation and contemplation.
Wait. Was my list of the top 25 albums of 2025 not enough for you? Well, if you want even MORE insight into the music I loved in 2025, this list of 25 additional albums should satisfy those needs.
Agriculture – The Spiritual Sound
Ambrose Akinmusire – honey from a winter stone
Barker – Stochastic Drift
Cate Le Bon – Michelangelo Dying
Catherine Brookman – If a Song Fades Out, It’s Playing Forever Somewhere
CHIME OBLIVION – CHIME OBLIVION
Earl Sweatshirt – Live, Laugh, Love
Ela Minus – DIA
Ethel Cain – Perverts
FACS – Wish Defense
Gelli Haha – Switcheroo
Jason Isbell – Foxes in the Snow
Kathryn Mohr – Waiting Room
Lambrini Girls – Who Let the Dogs Out
Little Simz – Lotus
Lucretia Dalt – A Danger to Ourselves
Lynyn – Ixona
Neko Case – Neon Grey Midnight Green
The New Eves – The New Eve Is Rising
No Joy – Bugland
Oneohtrix Point Never – Tranquilizer
Open Mike Eagle – Neighborhood Gods Unlimited
Pile – Sunshine and Balance Beams
Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend
Sharon Van Etten and The Attachment Theory – S/T