My Favourite Albums of 2025
Many journalists rush their end-of-year lists just to be first, but I prefer to take my time. There’s no need for this list to be a round number, and I cannot listen to every album released. So if your favourite record, only available on a Google Drive via a VPN with only three listeners is not included, I apologise.
Out of hundreds of albums released in 2025 that I have listened to; I have highlighted six as being truly great. Before that, a few close cuts which deserve recognition:
BODIES – Thornhill
Ego Death At Bachelorette Party – Hayley Williams
black british music (2025) – Jim Legxacy
Beneath The Lilypad – Alexandra Savior
People Watching – Sam Fender
NEVER ENOUGH – Turnstile
EUSEXUA – FKA Twigs
SABLE, fABLE – Bon Iver
Addison – Addison Rae
Number 6: private music – Deftones
Deftones have consistently evolved, though this is slowing as they’re growing older as a band. But instead of overreaching and forcing novelty, they deliver an intimate project that feels like an ode to their supporters. This album reflects a refined version of the strongest elements of their most defining eras.
Number 5: LUX – ROSALIA
There is little more I can add here that I haven’t already expressed in review. LUX is a musical revolution that succeeds in uniting the world. Building from my review, my dad had become a huge fan of the album, urging for it to be played at every festive occasion and declaring it a ‘true five stars’.
Number 4: Virgin – Lorde
My relationship with modern music begins with Lorde. Melodrama still holds a special spot in my taste, but Virgin marks something new. Following her emotionally groundbreaking and relationally revolutionary remix with Charli XCX, Virgin is a true X-Ray into Lorde’s inner life. It articulates thoughts many are afraid to express, while sounding effortlessly assured.
Number 3: Getting Killed – Geese
“Getting killed by geese” does not sound like an appealing fate, but this album is worth the risk. From the first listen, I knew it would take several more to fully grasp. Many “anti-dad-rock” bands fall into pretentious chaos, but Geese avoid that trap entirely. They deliver something as eye-catching as it is enjoyable. This is music that captures the spirit of its moment: chaotic, bombastic, and screaming, “I have no idea where I’m going, here I come.”
Number 2: Vanisher, Horizon Scraper – Quadeca
This album feels less like a collection of tracks and more like a journey. Listening to it felt like drifting through the Atlantic on a mythic voyage, hidden from the public eye long before I realised that was the intended vision. It is a true hidden gem, best understood as a complete experience rather than dissected song by song. A tip for first-time listeners: play it on a long coach journey, ideally with an eye mask on.
Number 1: Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You – Ethel Cain
Ethel Cain defies genre. Her music is defined by its aesthetics, emotions, narratives, and, most importantly, its moral core. Serving as a prequel to the life-changing Preacher’s Daughter, this release provides a more polished context for the agony of her debut. The album is allowed to breathe, giving the listener space to fill in the gaps and construct their own emotional world. Despite its lengthy runtime, it paradoxically feels both shorter, due to its immersion, and longer, because it genuinely feels like living through a complete tale of love and loss.