My Favorite Albums of 2025

Music

The year 2025 has come and gone. For some it may have appeared like a breeze as they wonder where those 365 days actually went, while others struggled to get through the weeks and were happy to see the end of it. For those following the record industry, it was also a very long year. Luckily, this was not because of some kind of struggle, but because of the sheer quantity of quality output! As such and in order to hide my hesitation when it comes to making hard choices, I propose to instate a new tradition at Bildingblocks
 To let the number of albums that I discuss at year’s end match the last two digits of the date. Totally coincidentally, this means that I can discuss twenty-five albums today, instead of last year’s twenty.

All joking aside, I did have to be quite ruthless while creating this year’s selection. As such, there were a lot of excellent albums that narrowly missed out on the following list, however expanded. For those who want to satisfy your curiosity: you can find my longlist with all the albums that were, at one time or another, in the running to make it into the final twenty-five by clicking here. And, as in the previous two years, I am again indebted to the unsung heroes at Allmusic.com whose editorial work brought so much music to my attention which I otherwise would have certainly missed.1

This blog is also available in Dutch.

2025 in Music

Though the final twenty-five do not need more anticipation, let me steal some of your time to note an interesting trend in last year’s popular music. Whereas much of the pop culture in the 2010’s was characterized by a return to a glamorized and – to a degree – sanitized 1980’s, in the year 2025 it has become undeniable that we currently experience a revival of the late 1990’s and early 2000’s.2 And this includes music writing, record production, and the lyrical themes. To say nothing about the physical media that are making an unlikely comeback, including cassette tapes!3

One adjacent trend that fascinated me throughout the last twelve months, was the renewed (relative) ascendance of punk-rock and -pop. This had been in the making for a while and did not come as a complete surprise, naturally. In 2023, I myself discussed the success of Olivia Rodrigo’s latest albums, that very much sounded as a part of this musical tradition.4 And 2025 is the year that many of the Rodrigo juniors, so to speak, started to make a real impact on the music that passed my proverbial desk. It was a veritable treat to listen to music which reminded me of this bygone era, but with even more of an attitude – if that was even possible. And don’t we all still like to sing along to songs with a refreshing lack of care about society and its expectations that we could never afford to exhibit ourselves in our daily lives?

25. GOLOMB – The Beat Goes On

Not all great music is immediately accessible. But even if the melody is obscured by the instrumentation, you can still feel the melody. And even when the lyrics are primarily understood through your own interpretation, they can still be meaningful to you. And that is what this fine rock album by the band GOLOMB – yes, the capitalization is necessary – has to offer.5 It is a record where both the music and lyrics become better with every listen, even though they may appear harsh or even impenetrable at first. And I cannot prove it, but I swear that the title track and the song ‘Be Here Now’ are a reference to the Britpop band Oasis and the solo work of its front man.

24. Nell Smith – Anxious

As most of us have learned throughout our lifetimes, fate does not care about our plans. We can get maimed or even die when we have not lived for that long and have not achieved a fraction of what we set out to do. The tragic death of Nell Smith in October 2024 at age 17 underlines this heartbreaking fact of life once again. Early in 2025 her first record with original material was posthumously released and to great acclaim.6 This acclaim is more then deserved, as Anxious is an adventurous and innovative album, which takes the best parts of its many influences and combines great song writing with daring instrumentation and production.7A gem which undoubtedly will be (re)discovered be many coming generations of youngsters who are tired of the then current musical trends and are searching for the proper inspiration to create a sound that is authentic to them.

23. The Last Dinner Party – From The Pyre

One of the defining pop culture moments of last year was, of course, the end of the hit TV-series Stranger Things. The show had a habit of bringing older artists back in the Zeitgeist through its soundtrack. Specifically Kate Bush saw a renewal of interest in her work.8 And the legacy of this artist has perhaps never been more successfully taken up this year than with the newest album by The Last Dinner Party.9 On this second effort, they showcase a crafty and veritable operatic musicianship as they delve in an array of subjects, from the everyday to the mystical.10 But regardless of the subject, they make every track sound like the greatest adventure ever experienced.

22. Lilly Hiatt – Forever

This excellent effort by Lilly Hiatt is one of those albums that exemplifies the lens of the nineties through which much of the developments in current music can be viewed, but it also stands entirely on its own.11 When listening to the nine tracks, you get a sense that you are one of the few patrons in a bar during the late hours of the night – or the early hours of the morning! – and that you are listening to a live band which does not care about how meager the audience is, but instead tailors their repertoire to all the broken and lonely hearts still present. And the tales spun about personal failings and perseverance, make you eventually go home lighter on your feet than you arrived.12

21. Car Seat Headrest – The Scholars

On this brilliant concept album, Will Toledo has crafted a fantastical world which could sustain many an album – and books and movies besides! We meet an innocuous group of animal friends that attend a fictional university. And through describing their several trials and tribulations there, the songs are able to explore rather hefty themes that range from life to death and anything in between.13 Furthermore, this is an album one could get lost in. The songs are so expansive and diverse that the you can always find novel narrative satisfaction and new sonic pleasures.14

20. Deacon Blue – The Great Western Road

At its heart The Great Western Road is an album about escaping. And there are many ways in which we can escape that which we want to avoid. Whether it is the bittersweet memories of lost youth by creating new experiences, spending a timeless night just sitting outside watching the stars, or taking a literal road – all of these possibilities are serenaded here in a variety of styles. And throughout these escapes, there is an inescapable humanism. An empathy with others that is perhaps the most pertinent on standout songs ‘People Come First’ and ‘How We Remember It’. There is one escape, though, that is denied to Deacon Blue: to avoid making great music.15 And we are better off for it!

19. Conan Gray – Wishbone

Of all the aforementioned Rodrigo juniors that enlivened the musical scene of 2025, Conan Gray is perhaps the one that comes closest to the way in which the American superstar combines expansive songwriting with intense emotions. Wishbone exemplifies why pop music often works best when it unabashedly embraces big feelings. These feelings, which we all have felt or longed for at some point in our life, explain why the entire world gladly listens to songs that were written by specific persons under specific circumstances. Because, on a very basic level we can all relate. This album is bound to become a classic for all those that have fallen deeply in love, as well as for all those that had their heart subsequently shattered, but would not have missed that prior roller coaster ride for anything more sane.16

18. Jeanines – How Long Can It Last

Speaking of shattered hearts, a lot of beautiful art is the result of such a sense of deep personal loss. And seldom has the realization that one has suffered such a loss and that you eventually have to properly deal with it, been better embodied musically than by the Jeanines’ new record. But you’d never know this if you, on your first listen, did not pay attention to the song titles or lyrics. Because the arrangements on How Long Can It Last are so incredibly melodious and the guitars are so upbeat, that the album may also function as one’s crutch to further postpone dealing with loss…17

17. Night Moves – Double Life

There is something beautiful about visiting everyday environments, which normally bustle with activity, during the midst of the night. When the streets appear serenely abandoned and all the lights warmly melt into one. The hour during which the hills and forests are the domain of animals that for once do not have to mind their appearance or the sounds they make. This album, on which the band Night Moves combines guitar pop, country music, and electronic elements, delivers you the exact feeling of those nights.18 And while listening, you cannot help but think about the triumphs and mistakes that led to the times when you did find yourself outside and on the road, when everyone else was sound asleep.

16. Molly Tuttle – So Long Little Miss Sunshine

Although her bluegrass roots do shine through on this magnum opus, Molly Tuttle has crafted with So Long Little Miss Sunshine an album that can serve as a refuge for all those music lovers who miss the determined self-confidence of many of the female singer-songwriters of the late 2000’s. Though there are flavors of her previous forays in genres like country, the atmosphere on this album is decidedly expanded beyond them.19 What makes this album extra special, is the fact that it marks a milestone for the artist when it comes to being more open about her struggles with Alopecia, which is reflected in songs like ‘Old Me (New Wig)’ and the inspiring album cover.20

15. Chris Brain – New Light

In our 24/7 world, both time and opportunity for contemplation are fast becoming a rare commodity. But when the opportunity does present itself, you could do worse for a soundtrack than this third album by Chris Brain, New Light. The songs here are witness to a musicianship which is so subtle, that you only notice some of the instruments he used when you are made aware of them. And the relaxing atmosphere, where the world appears to retreat and it is just you and your thoughts, is no accident. This album was not only recorded in a traditional studio, but also partly in an allotment shed!21

14. Nadia Reid – Enter Now Brightness

As far as my favorite albums of 2025 are concerned, the island nation of New-Zealand/Aotearoa punches far above its weight. Though to be fair, Nadia Reid lived in the United Kingdom when this record came out. And that move is but one of the changes that have been encapsulated by the ten songs here. Variations on this theme include the realization that sometimes one needs to take one’s time – however that is frowned upon – the challenges of parenthood, and quietly learning that it is okay to rely on one’s loved ones.22 Enter Now Brightness presents an immediate familiarity with its soft tinges of nostalgia that is sure to enchant any listener on their first encounter with the album.23

13. Horsegirl – Phonetics On and On

As you can imagine, in order to write this blog I have to listen to a lot of albums at least several times. And when I compiled my longlist and eventually prepared to write about the final 25, I had to carefully re-examine much of that music. Though Phonetics On and On was one of the first albums I encountered this year, it still appeared fresh on every one of those listens. As if the members of Horsegirl had discovered a new genre from the not too distant future, in which other artists had yet to make their mark. From the musicianship to the aesthetics, and from the vocals to the emotions captured in the tracks, this album is a treat for all those who have ever loved any kind of music.24

12. The Belair Lip Bombs – Again

Words are nice, aren’t they? For example, you are reading some of them right now! But when it comes to emotions, music is perhaps even more useful than words – regardless of the language that is used in any of them. And there are few bands who can eloquently express emotions through musicianship alone than the Belair Lip Bombs. Whether you plead with your younger self about past mistakes, or rues the mistakes that you made since then – Again offers the perfect soundtrack.25

11. The Cords – The Cords

In the previous year we heard a lot about human beings becoming obsolete when it comes to the production of new music.26 But I do not think that this will ever stop people from taking up instruments, microphones, or the producer’s chair. And The Cords offer a brilliant example why. These two sisters from Scotland, a country within the United Kingdom, noticed that their classmates seldom shared their musical tastes and took it upon themselves to single-handedly revive several subgenres of indiepop from the 1980’s and 1990’s.27 The result may give all appreciators of human-made music hope for the future. As this eminently listenable record teaches us: don’t fall for the cloud castles of the fabulists!

10. The Midnight – Syndicate

Though other grim futures are perhaps more difficult to avert… And we find a few glimpses of those possible dystopia on the newest album by synth veterans The Midnight. This band became famous through records which harkened back to the sounds and aspects of (primarily) the 1980’s that many people remember most fondly. In fact, one of their songs, Land-Locked Heart, was featured in my previous blog about ecomusicology! Syndicate expands on the stories told on those earlier albums and offers expansive vista’s on the possible roads humanity – and eventual robots! – could take. But the heartfelt emotion that characterizes singular lives, be it meaty or mechanical, is never far away.28

9. Patterson Hood – Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams

The intriguing but admittedly disturbing artwork on the album cover may chase away some curious music lovers. But please believe me and take the plunge! This is a great album with ditto guest performances that make a few of the tracks – especially the Gothic romance of ‘A Werewolf and a Girl’ and the mellow storytelling of ‘The Forks of Cyprus’ – instant classics.29 But Patterson Hood also shines without guest vocals. The excellent ‘The Van Pelt Parties’, for example, has to be the best Bruce Springsteen song that the Boss had nothing to do with. Brooding and frightful, as well as life-affirming and comforting, this album should quite literally not be judged by its cover…30

8. The Gentle Spring – Looking Back At The World

It is perhaps part of the human condition that almost every happy moment is tinged with a bit of sadness. Even if it is only because no-one will eventually remember the joys that we experienced. But by that same logic, is not every sadness contaminated with unavoidable happiness? This debut record by French indiepop band The Gentle Spring is one good exhibit to prove the latter hypotheses. Through a variety of instruments – including unexpected guests, like a woodblock – this album communicates a timeless wisdom. Namely, that rays of sunshine do reach the most desperate of places, but that some shadows are inevitable – even in the brightest of abodes.31

7. Jason Isbell – Foxes in the Snow

When looking at 2025 in music through this blog, you may wonder what happened to country music. But this is just a consequence of the aforementioned ruthless selections that I had to make. Because it was a very good twelve months for country music. We already saw this with Molly Tuttle and Night Moves, but Jason Isbell’s sparse acoustic effort Foxes in the Snow is by far the best country record I have heard all year. This has to do with a simple fact of life: getting divorced is almost always difficult, but getting divorced when you share a band with your spouse adds a whole extra layer of emotion and complexity.32 Jason Isbell does not spare himself on this album and he tackles his thoughts and feelings regarding his life up until this point with an intimacy and honesty that will impress any sincere listener.33 And it may even invite some self-reflection of our own.

6. Superchunk – Songs in the Key of Yikes

Even when the world is faced with a number of crises and the outlook of people who force themselves to follow the news is understandably bleak, it does not necessarily follow that our music about those crises should be anything less than triumphant – even if a quick glance at the lyrics reveals a large smattering of that very same bleakness.34 Songs in the Key of Yikes is, in that sense, a kind of exorcism. The band Superchunk hollers in ten infectiously melodic punk-rock tracks about the absurdities they observe around them, both in their personal lives and on a global scale. And it is impossible to not sing along while indiscriminately dancing around.35 What’s more, we may even feel less alone – if only for a brief moment – when it comes to the challenges we ourselves face.

5. Sunflower Bean – Mortal Primetime

This effort by Sunflower Bean shows that while previous decades may have made a comeback in today’s music, what artists do with those influences will most of the time lead to something that is both original and uniquely them.36Mortal Primetime is a very personal album about very personal life changes.37 But sooner rather then later, we will all be confronted with similar disruptions to our existence – unless we are exceedingly lucky. And because of the varied musicianship on display, from stirring punk-rock to folksy melancholy, there is a song on this record for everyone, whatever they are confronted with and whichever emotions they experience. These are songs for all seasons.

4. Jetstream Pony – Bowerbirds and Blue Things

In the age of streaming, the album is regularly declared obsolete as an art form.38 But either stubbornly in denial about or blissfully unaware of this fact, Jetstream Pony has delivered one of the most enduring and coherent listening experiences of 2025 with their sophomore effort Bowerbirds and Blue Things. The band plays around with genres in a way which is still imminently accessible and even the heavier entries are effortlessly listenable.39 It is one of those albums where every song is a standout, but they work even better in tandem. The lyricism is also remarkably sophisticated, insightful, and witty. What’s more, you will probably find yourself singing along during your very first listen! So perhaps there is something to those rumors that the death of the album was declared prematurely.40

3. Suzie True – How I Learned To Love What’s Gone

As I get older, I tend to miss being younger. But Suzie True is here to remind us that being young can be hard, confusing, and unfair. And the younger you are, the more the circumstances of your life are (by and large) out of your control. Both the personal and systematic obstacles that come with life as a youth in the 2020’s are serenaded here with an acerbic wit. To quote the excellent opening track ‘Glow’: “You’re just like my student loans, if I ignore you then you don’t exist/You’re like my sixty-hour work week, dissociate to get it over with.”41 And so the album continues in that spirit, sneering at everything that should be sneered at. From unattainable beauty standards to the battle without honor or dignity that is the contemporary dating scene. Though never without a sense of romanticism, optimism, and sheer fun. And these observations are brought to us with a melodic punk-rock sound that can compete with the best the genre has to offer.

2. The Beths – Straight Line Was a Lie

Now we have come this far, let me divulge a secret: Any of the albums from fourth to first place could frankly have gotten the top spot. It is only the magic of a self-imposed deadline – as there is a limited amount of time in which it is socially acceptable to talk about 2025 in the new year – that forced my hand for a final order. But do not let this second spot fool you, The Beths have delivered an album which is both accessible to any music lover as well as intricately layered. Front person Elizabeth Stokes has written ten masterpieces of songs which are at once deeply personal – subjects include her struggles with writers’ block, the relationship with her mother, and ecological disaster in her native New-Zealand/Aotearoa – as well as very recognizable to any human being.42 We all have to power through when are best laid plans fail us once again. And we all have experienced that what we thought was progress, turned out to bring us right back to where we started. Seldom has there been a better record about that melancholic and inevitable circle of life than Straight Line Was a Lie.

1. Allo Darlin’ – Bright Nights

Forget what I just said, there is no contest. Bright Nights by Allo Darlin’ ís the best album of 2025. At least that is the inescapable thought that crosses my mind anytime I put this record on. More than any other set of tracks we discussed today, these ten songs speak for themselves. They need no introduction, advocacy, or explanation. This is an album like a warm blanket that wraps itself around you and shelters you from everything you need cover for.43 It is only when you begin to dig deeper, that you find out that the track ‘Slow-Motion’ is about a car crash and that ‘Tricky Questions’ addresses depression.44 But the sentiment in even these kinds of songs is surprisingly reassuring. Because when push come to shove – when we cut through the petty obligations and static noise of our daily routine – we realize how intensely and deeply we care about our loved ones. And even in the darkest of times, we can count on those loved ones to be there for us. That fundamental love is also present on this album, especially in the tenderest of songs that 2025 had to offer, ‘My Love Will Bring You Home’. So we care and we care and we care, during the good and the bad times – because, in the end, it is all we really have.

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References

 

  1. Allmusic Editors, “New Releases: Editor’s Choice”, Allmusic (retrieved January 2nd 2026).
  2. Joel Hawkes, “Twin Peaks: The Return and the Gothic of Nostalgic Television”, in: Susan Flynn & Antonia Mackay (eds.), Screening American Nostalgia: Essays on Pop Culture Constructions of Past Times (Jefferson: Macfarland. 2021), p. 121-123.
  3. Elias Visontay, “Retro audio boom: Why Cassettes and CDs Have Risen from the Dead”, The Sydney Morning Herald November 29th 2025, News, p. 41.
  4. Peter van der Ploeg, “Olivia Rodrigo is de Nieuwe Grote Headliner die Pinkpop zo Hard Nodig Had”, NRC Handelsblad June 23d 2025, Cultuur, p. 4-5.
  5. Chris Deville, “Golomb Announce New Album The Beat Goes On”, Stereogum May 13th 2025 (retrieved January 2nd 2026).
  6. Craig McLean, “She could have been the next Taylor Swift. Then tragedy struck”, The Daily Telegraph April 10th 2025, Features, p. 8-9.
  7. Heather Phares, “Anxious Review”, Allmusic (retrieved January 2nd 2026).
  8. Mark Moorman, “Gevangenen in Eigen Spel”, deVolkskrant November 27th 2025, V, p. 7.
  9. Stefan Raatgever, “Heerlijk Overdadige Staaltjes Barokrock”, Het Parool October 24th 2025, Kunst en Media, p. 19.
  10. James C. Monger, “From the Pyre Review”, Allmusic (retrieved January 2nd 2026).
  11. Robert van Gijssel, “Lilly Hiatt: Forever”, deVolkskrant February 7th 2025, V, p. 5.
  12. Mark Deming, “Forever Review”, Allmusic (retrieved January 2nd 2026).
  13. Floris Hendrix, “Plaat ademt zeventig jaar rockgeschiedenis”, Het Parool May 2nd 2025, Kunst en Media, p. 17.
  14. Mark Deming, “The Scholars Review”, Allmusic (retrieved January 2nd 2026).
  15. Thom Jurek, “The Great Western Road Review”, Allmusic (retrieved January 2nd 2026).
  16. Matt Collar, “Wishbone Review”, Allmusic (retrieved January 2nd 2026).
  17. Fred Thomas, “How Long Can It Last Review”, Allmusic (retrieved January 2nd 2026).
  18. Dave Esson, “Feelgood Once Again”, Scottish Express July 25th 2025, Features, p. 35.
  19. Mark Deming, “So Long Little Miss Sunshine Review”, Allmusic (retrieved January 2nd 2026).
  20. Simon Cosyns, “Molly Tuttle: ‘My Life Goal? To Be Open About Alopecia’”, The Sun August 15th 2025, Features, p. 2.
  21. Dave Esson, “Isbell Opens Up Heart and Soul”, Scottish Express March 7th 2025, Features, p. 35.
  22. Marcy Donelson, “Enter Now Brightness Review”, Allmusic (retrieved January 2nd 2026).
  23. Dave Esson, “Olly goes retro on 80s synth slammer”, Scottish Express February 7th 2025, Features, p. 35.
  24. Tim Sendra, “Phonetics On and On Review”, Allmusic (retrieved January 2nd 2026).
  25. Marcy Donelson, “Again Review”, Allmusic (retrieved January 2nd 2026).
  26. Robert van Gijssel & Laurens Verhagen, “Kunstmatige Knallers”, deVolkskrant November 26th 2025, V, p. 4-6.
  27. Marcy Donelson, “The Cords Review”, Allmusic (retrieved January 2nd 2026).
  28. Harrty Levin, “How The Midnight Build Their Own MCU with Vintage Synths and Modern Plugins”, MusicTech November 25th 2025 (retrieved January 2nd 2026).
  29. Dave Esson, “Not Always a Sunny Life for Strong US Punk Star Ward”, Scottish Express February 21st 2025, Features, p. 35.
  30. Mark Deming, “Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams Review”, Allmusic (retrieved January 2nd 2026).
  31. Marcy Donelson, “Looking Back At The World Review”, Allmusic (retrieved January 2nd 2026).
  32. Dave Esson, “Isbell Opens Up Heart and Soul”, Scottish Express March 7th 2025, Features, p. 35.
  33. Mark Deming, “Foxes in the Snow Review”, Allmusic (retrieved January 2nd 2026).
  34. Music Editors, “Entsetzen in Euphorischen Songs”, Aachener Zeitung August 22nd 2025, Hörbar, p. 10.
  35. Tim Sendra, “Songs in the Key of Yikes Review”, Allmusic (retrieved January 2nd 2026).
  36. Music Editors, “Sunflower Bean: Mortal Primetime”, Knack Magazine April 24th 2025, p. 39.
  37. Matt Collar, “Mortal Primetime Review”, Allmusic (retrieved January 2nd 2026).
  38. Robert van Gijssel, “De Smaak van Namaak”, deVolkskrant January 15th 2025, V, p. 4-7.
  39. Marcy Donelson, “Bowerbirds and Blue Things Review”, Allmusic (retrieved January 2nd 2026).
  40. Colin Vickery, “Vinyl Is Swiftly Becoming Cool All Over Again”, Hobart Mercury November 12th 2025, Talking Points, p. 17.
  41. Grace Robins-Somerville, “Suzie True: How I Learned to Love What’s Gone”, Pitchfork October 27th 2025 (retrieved January 2nd 2026).
  42. Marcy Donelson, “Straight Line Was a Lie Review”, Allmusic (retrieved January 2nd 2026).
  43. Dan DeLuca, “Songs of the summer: From Sabrina Carpenter to the Stones – and Plenty of Philly, too”, The Philadelphia Inquirer July 6th 2025, Life, p. D10.
  44. Marcy Donelson, “Bright Nights Review”, Allmusic (retrieved January 2nd 2026).