Best Albums of 2025
As the world burns we turn to music to channel our anger and fear or to elicit joy and calm when we need it the most. Here's some of my favorites from a solid 2025.
17. TVOD – Party Time A few of our NYC faves released albums this year, first on the list are one the most fun live acts you can see in the city. It's always tricky to nail that sweaty, direct, visceral experience to a record and while I don't think this captures them entirely it does shine a light on Tylers surprising vocal range.
Check out Uniform.
16. Turnstile – Never Enough Turnstile continue to stretch hardcore into unexpected shapes, blending intensity with texture and space.
Check out BIRDS.
15. Skorts – Incompletement Once you get past the horrendous name and see them live you realize they are one of the most polished new bands on the scene. They look and sound like 70s rock stars and have a few bangers ready for radio.
Check out Bodies.
14. Ezra Furman – Goodbye Small Head Ezra Furman continues to make music that sounds like it has to exist, whether it’s comfortable or not.
Check out Jump Out.
13. Welly – Big in the Suburbs Packed with personality, this is suburban life turned into sing-along indie rock. Hanging on the coat tails of Sports Team and Blur before them, Welly have written a really fun record.
Check out the title track, Big in the Suburbs.
12. Car Seat Headrest – The Scholars A dense, ambitious rock opera that rewards patience and repeat listens. Will Toledo builds a world here, full of characters and ideas but still packs some catchy hooks and choruses.
Check out Gethsemane.
11. Art d’Ecco – Serene Demon Dark, stylish, and shimmering with tension, this record leans into glam’s shadowy corners. Really underrated band and fantastic live.
Check out True Believer.
10. My Son The Doctor – Glamours Alright - we're into the top 10 so you get EMBEDDED VIDEOS! Another NY scene stalwart we've followed a while and I think its the best release of that bunch this year. Catchy indie-rock with killer hooks, fun lyrics and maybe a slight kinship to We Are Scientists.
9. Big Special – NATIONAL AVERAGE I didn't even realize they had a new album this year until December, when they played NYC. It's quite different to the first album as there's no crooning, its straight post punk, very Yard Act ("talky talky bloke crap, steve lamacq starter pack" TM Getdown Services). Big Special shouldn't have this many good songs from 2 albums, sleeper hit of the year for me.
8. Pulp – More After a 24 year album hiatus and on the back of a frankly brilliant world tour you wanted More... Jarvis and co provided with one of their best singles to date and a cohesive album that made everyone realize what's been missing these past 24 years.
7. Matt Berninger – Get Sunk A quietly heavy record, full of emotional undertow and late-night introspection. Berninger’s voice remains a gravitational force, pulling these songs into something deeply human and bruised without ever tipping into self-pity.
6. Wet Leg – Moisturizer Wet Leg sound looser, bolder, and more assured on Moisturizer. For the first album they had to live up to the hype of a viral hit which they absolutely did, so with expectations sky high they went and cleared the bar again on album 2. Festival headline sets and world domination awaits.
5. Viagra Boys – viagr aboys Viagra Boys continue to hold a funhouse mirror up to masculinity, culture, and mortality. It's great to see them playing bigger and bigger stages and showing up on TV. Their biggest album yet.
4. Cheekface – Middle Spoon Cheekface continue to make songs that feel like overheard conversations that somehow turned into hooks. The usual dry humour, warm melodies are complimented with a couple of detours in other genres (Ska and Rap) but still ultimately very very Cheekface.
3. The Divine Comedy – Rainy Sunday Afternoon I'll be honest, I haven't listened to much Divine Comedy in the past 20 years, but every now and again the algo will send me a beauitiful nugget of wisdom from Mr Hannon. Which is how I find myself very surprised to be including them in the top 3 of a 2025 album list. This album is pure gold. Its quintessential Neil Hannon, dry, wry, hilarious but with added emotional depth I wasn't expecting.
2. Self Esteem – A Complicated Woman My disappointment at her not touring this in NYC may have knocked her off the top spot if im being honest cos this is another great record from our Becky. The big songs are now EPIC, she's doubled down on choirs, orchestras and made a record set for big stages, but there's still those quirky dance moments I love her for.
1. Sports Team – Boys These Days From the opening sax riff of I'm in love (Subaru) it was clear that Sports Team had shifted gear for album #3. Slighty more mature, heavily nostalgic but still with their trademark hooks and social commentary. Takes from the best of the 80s new wave and re-imagines it for Gen Z.
There ya go! Thanks for reading and listening. I've made a shortlist best of tracks on Spotify here. Send me any reccs you think I'd like or tell me where Im very wrong.
The long list of 2025 is here if you want deeper cuts.
And lastly give my 2026 Playlist a follow to get all my faves added throughout the year.