As 2025 draws to a close, I’ve been reflecting on the music that defined my year. This was a phenomenal year for music across genres, from experimental hip-hop to art rock to electronic pop. Below are my top 20 albums of 2025, plus two honorable mentions that technically came out in late 2024 but felt too essential to leave off this list.

1. Clipse - Let God Sort Them Out

This album hit me like a freight train. Clipse’s raw energy and uncompromising production made this my most-played album of the year. The way they blend aggression with moments of unexpected vulnerability creates something that feels both confrontational and deeply personal. Every track demands your full attention.

2. JID - God Does Like Ugly

JID continues to prove why he’s one of the most technically gifted rappers working today. The wordplay on this album is insane, and the production perfectly complements his complex flows. This is the kind of album where you catch new details on every listen, and months later I’m still discovering hidden layers.

3. Geese - Getting Killed

Geese’s sophomore effort shows a band hitting their stride. The angular guitar work and unpredictable song structures keep you on your toes, while the lyrics capture a specific kind of millennial anxiety that feels painfully relevant. This album rewards patience and repeated listens.

4. clipping. - Dead Channel Sky

clipping. has always excelled at creating unsettling soundscapes, and Dead Channel Sky might be their most successful experiment yet. The industrial noise elements blend with Daveed Diggs’ precise delivery to create something that’s both abrasive and oddly beautiful. This is art that challenges you.

5. Viagra Boys - viagr aboys

The Swedish post-punk group delivers another collection of sardonic social commentary wrapped in infectious grooves. Their ability to balance humor with genuine critique makes this album endlessly replayable. Plus, these songs absolutely rip live.

6. Bon Iver - SABLE, fABLE

Justin Vernon continues to reinvent what a Bon Iver album can be. SABLE, fABLE feels like a natural evolution from the experimentation of previous albums, finding a sweet spot between accessibility and innovation. The emotional depth here is staggering.

7. aya - Hexed

This album came out of nowhere for me. aya’s production is otherworldly, creating textures that feel both futuristic and ancient. Hexed is the kind of album you put on when you want to be transported somewhere else entirely.

8. billy woods - GOLLIWOG

billy woods remains one of hip-hop’s most compelling storytellers. GOLLIWOG is dense, challenging, and rewards careful attention. His collaborations with producer Kenny Segal continue to yield fascinating results, and this album might be their best work together yet.

9. Panda Bear - Sinister Grift

Noah Lennox’s latest solo effort leans into darkness in unexpected ways. The unsettling atmospheres and cryptic lyrics create an album that feels like navigating through a fever dream. It’s uncomfortable in the best possible way.

10. Open Mike Eagle - Neighborhood Gods Unlimited

Open Mike Eagle’s wit and observational humor shine on this album. He has this unique ability to be simultaneously funny and profound, finding meaning in everyday experiences. This is the kind of album that makes you smile while also making you think.

11. Wednesday - Bleeds

Wednesday’s shoegaze-influenced indie rock hits all the right emotional notes. The wall of sound production creates a sense of overwhelming feeling that somehow never becomes too much. This album captures a specific kind of catharsis.

12. Earl Sweatshirt - Live Laugh Love

Earl continues to push hip-hop into stranger, more interesting territories. Live Laugh Love is sparse and lo-fi in the best way, with Earl’s internal monologues feeling more intimate than ever. This is music for late nights and existential thoughts.

13. Ninajirachy - I Love My Computer

This album is pure digital-age pop experimentation. Ninajirachy’s production is gleefully maximalist, throwing everything at the wall in a way that somehow coheres into something brilliant. It’s chaotic, fun, and genuinely innovative.

14. caroline - caroline 2

The London collective’s second album builds on the promise of their debut with even more ambitious song structures and dynamics. The way they move between quiet intimacy and explosive crescendos shows remarkable control. This is chamber music for the modern age.

15. Blood Orange - Essex Honey

Dev Hynes continues to craft sophisticated pop that never feels overthought. Essex Honey is lush and inviting, with production that reveals new details with each listen. This album feels both timeless and completely of the moment.

16. Saya Gray - SAYA

A stunning self-titled statement from an artist who deserves more recognition. Gray’s voice and songwriting create spaces that feel simultaneously expansive and intimate. This album has been a constant companion throughout the year.

17. Wet Leg - moisturizer

The British duo’s follow-up shows real growth while maintaining the irreverent energy that made their debut so fun. moisturizer proves they’re not just a one-album wonder, with songs that are catchier and more ambitious than before.

18. FKA twigs - EUSEXUA

FKA twigs creates art that exists in its own universe, and EUSEXUA is no exception. The production is meticulous and the performances are captivating. This is pop music elevated to high art.

19. Rosalía - LUX

Rosalía’s ability to blend traditional flamenco with modern production continues to yield extraordinary results. LUX is bold and confident, showcasing an artist at the peak of their powers.

20. Dijon - Baby

A gorgeous album that feels like a warm embrace. Dijon’s songwriting is emotionally direct without being mawkish, and the production gives everything room to breathe. This is comfort food for the soul.

Honorable Mention

Cameron Winter - Heavy Metal (December 2024)

Another late 2024 release that I just found in 2025. Winter’s intimate folk-adjacent songwriting creates a mood that’s hard to shake. This album was on constant rotation through the first months of the year.

Conclusion

This year reminded me why I love music so much. Each of these albums offered something unique, whether it was challenging my expectations, providing comfort, or just making me want to move. Here’s to another year of great music in 2026.