The AllMusic 2025

Year In Review

Pictured above is award-winning Chilean singer and songwriter Mon Laferte who offers a sophisticated brand of Latin music that melds indie and roots rock, blues, bolero, cumbia, ranchera, and electronics with Chilean folk traditions. If that genre-bending description isn't the perfect ambassador for our overall list of albums covering rock, blues, jazz, rap, country, classical, and more, we don't know what is. These are our favorite albums of 2025.

AllMusic Best of 2025 Favorite Rock & Metal Albums Favorite Blues Albums Favorite Electronic Albums Favorite Classical Instrumental Albums Favorite Rap & Hip-Hop Albums Favorite Jazz Albums Favorite Country, Folk, & Americana Albums Favorite Pop Albums Favorite Latin & Global Albums Favorite Classical Vocal Albums Favorite Alternative & Indie Albums Favorite Singer/Songwriter Albums Favorite R&B Albums Favorite Archival Releases

Adrian Quesada

Boleros Psicodélicos II

The guitarist/producer's second batch of collaborations with first-rate vocalists proves just as transcendent and important.

Alice Sara Ott

John Field: Complete Nocturnes

A precise but sensitive performance of the works that defined the Nocturne genre, soon to be taken up by Chopin.

Ambrose Akinmusire

Honey from a Winter Stone

On his sophomore date for Nonesuch, the trumpeter through composes five sprawling post-genre works with a quintet and string quartet.

Anna Lapwood

Firedove

The diversity and drawing power of this young organist's programming reach new heights on this 2025 release.

Anna von Hausswolff

ICONOCLASTS

The Swedish composer, singer, and keyboardist shifts musical focus to embrace dark indie pop without sacrificing her doomy Goth aesthetic.

Annie and the Caldwells

Can't Lose My (Soul)

Inviting and often-funky gospel soul from a Mississippi family group led by one of the main voices of the Staples Jr. Singers.

Ashley Jackson

Take Me to the Water

Hypnotic transformation of spirituals and related materials into harp music with spectacular engineering.

Automatic

Is It Now?

The Los Angeles-based post-punk trio streamline their sound into something closer to '90s alternative dance on their third effort.

Bad Bunny

Debí Tirar Más Fotos

Returning to Puerto Rico amid turbulent political climes, Bad Bunny's sixth album uplifts and uproots in equal doses.

Barbara Hannigan /David Chalmin /Katia Labèque /Marielle Labèque

Electric Fields

A convincing mixture of medieval and Renaissance female-composed music with electronics that shows them fitting together at multiple levels.

Ben Kweller

Cover the Mirrors

Power pop songwriter simultaneously expresses overpowering grief and inspired hopefulness in this loving tribute to his late son.

billy woods

GOLLIWOG

A grim yet fascinating work from the rap visionary, inspired by horror and sci-fi but drawing narratives from real-life experience.

Blood Orange

Essex Honey

Devonté Hynes breaks from film scores and classical compositions to deliver a soul-stirring fifth album under his main alias.

Brandon Woody

For the Love of It All

The Baltimore trumpeter crafts a soulful love letter to his hometown with his Blue Note debut.

Brìghde Chaimbeul

Sunwise

The experimental Scottish piper's third album is a mesmerizing celebration of the seasonal passage.

caroline

Caroline 2

The U.K. octet's intoxicating sophomore LP runs the gamut from spare experimental folk to crushing noise.

Castle Rat

The Bestiary

A crushing doom-fantasy soundtrack tailor-made for dungeon masters plotting the ultimate campaign.

Clipse

Let God Sort Em Out

Sixteen years after their last album, this legendarily furious rap duo hold on to their intensity while exhibiting moments of newfound refinement.

Cola Boyy

Quit to Play Chess

Putting aside disco in favor of a jumble of styles including hip-hop and big beat, the Oxnard, California musician's posthumous album is joyous and inspiring.

Cold Specks

Light for the Midnight

The singer/songwriter transforms some of her hardest times into transcendent, timeless-sounding expressions of empathy.

Comet Gain

Letters to Ordinary Outsiders

The band up the production values -- adding extra keys and horns -- but lose none of their usual fiery passion in the process.

Conan Gray

Wishbone

True love and heartbreak are forever intertwined on the singer's deeply affecting fourth album.

Damon Locks

List of Demands

A riveting pro-Black synthesis of sound collage and spoken word from the Black Monument Ensemble leader.

De La Soul

Cabin in the Sky

On their first album since founding member Trugoy the Dove's death, this rap institution grapples with mortality without losing any of their sunny positivity.

Deftones

Private Music

With returning producer Nick Raskulinecz, the alt-metal vets craft a flawless stunner of a tenth album.

Dijon

Baby

An enthralling second album from the progressive R&B artist, fresh from working with Justin Bieber and Bon Iver (and Paul Thomas Anderson).

Djo

The Crux

The third album from the Stranger Things star showcases his wry and hooky mix of vinyl era-inspired pop.

Duo Ruut

Ilmateade

Elegant, minimalist folk from this Estonian duo who perform on a shared instrument while singing intricate harmonies.

Edith Frost

In Space

The singer/songwriter's first album in 20 years adds more wisdom and poignancy to her artfully simple music.

Emma-Jean Thackray

Weirdo

An emotionally complex, grieving, and enriching work of a one-woman band crossing jazz, soul, funk, and alt-rock.

Eric Church

Evangeline vs. The Machine

Four years after his last studio album, the singer/songwriter delivers seven new songs and a cover that showcase visionary writing and production.

Everything Is Recorded

Temporary

The sorrowful, comforting, and folk-inspired third album from Richard Russell's cross-generational collective of singers and players.

Faten Kanaan

Diary of a Candle

The electronic composer's enigmatic sixth album is enchanting and transporting.

Fergus McCreadie

The Shieling

The Isle of Skye trio masterfully builds a harmonic language integrating Scottish folk tradition with contemporary and post-bop jazz.

FKA twigs

EUSEXUA

The multifaceted artist's kinetic third album thrives in the complexities of intimacy and identity.

Florence + the Machine

Everybody Scream

Mystical sixth set of Baroque pop anthems from the English band features the show-stopping title track.

Franz Halász

Villa-Lobos: The Complete Solo Works

An excellent survey of Villa-Lobos' solo guitar music, much of it not terribly common.

Geese

Getting Killed

Geese at their most chaotic, delivering an assured yet jarring set of no wave-tinged art-rock missives that are as unnerving as they are affecting.

Gerd Schaller /Philharmonie Festiva

Bruckner 3, Version 1877

A superbly recorded live performance of one of the many versions of Bruckner's Third.

Ghost

Skeletá

Tobias Forge steers Ghost into darker waters while continuing to mine the vestiges of Kevin Seal and Adam Curry-era Headbangers Ball.

Good Flying Birds

Talulah's Tape

Thrilling amalgamation of indie pop and rock styles -- from C-86 to shoegaze to lo-fi -- delivered with equal amounts of deftness and energy.

Hamilton Leithauser

This Side of the Island

Eight years in the making, the former Walkmen frontman's rousing fourth album dares to be uplifting during difficult times.

Hayden Pedigo

I'll Be Waving as You Drive Away

Another quiet instrumental gem from the Texas fingerstyle guitarist.

Hayley Williams

Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party

The Paramore singer lets go of the past and moves forward on her artful, introspective third solo album.

Horsegirl

Phonetics On and On

The band's near-perfect second album dispenses with noise in favor of space and restraint while adding more hooks and tenderness along the way.

Hotline TNT

Raspberry Moon

The band deliver a euphoric and thrillingly organic follow-up to their Third Man Records debut.

Ichiko Aoba

Luminescent Creatures

Whispery vocals, delicate classical guitar, and impressionistic chamber accompaniment etch the transportive sequel to Windswept Adan.

JADE

THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY!

Thrilling debut LP from the former Little Mix member that takes inspiration from across the contemporary pop spectrum.

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet

Ravel: Complete Works for Solo Piano

A superb cycle of Ravel's piano music seems attuned to the composer's intentions at every turn.

Joe Armon-Jones

All the Quiet (Part I)

On the opening half of a projected double album, the pianist and his collaborators deliver an expansive, ear-opening investigation into spacious groove.

John Southworth

The Red Castle

Southworth hits another career peak with this smart pop hymnal inspired by the death of his father.

Kathleen Edwards

Billionaire

With a little help from Jason Isbell, the Canadian tunesmith hones her observations into one of her very best albums.

Keiyaa

hooke's law

A world-weary but purposeful second album from the singular avant-R&B singer, songwriter, and producer.

Lady Gaga

MAYHEM

The pop chameleon's seventh mainline set embraces the chaos of being unbound by genre.

Lambrini Girls

Who Let the Dogs Out

With earned outrage cranked up high and apologies at near zero, the U.K. power duo take on misogyny, capitalism, and more on an irrepressible debut.

Little Simz

Lotus

The acclaimed U.K. rapper's sixth album explores themes of transformation, growth, and self-empowerment.

Lorde

Virgin

The New Zealand singer's fourth album is a boldly candid, potent declaration of personal and creative reawakening.

Maddie & Tae

Love & Light

A confident and savvy fourth album of empowered country-pop from the Nashville duo.

Margo Price

Hard Headed Woman

Price balances a swaggering '70s outlaw country attitude with moments of bittersweet intimacy on her fifth album.

Marshall Allen

Live in Philadelphia

Incredible performances by the Arkestra leader along with members of Irreversible Entanglements, Yo La Tengo, Wolf Eyes, and others.

Masaaki Suzuki

Masaaki Suzuki plays Bach Organ Works, Vol. 6 … leipziger choräle (I) …

Splendidly transparent treatments of a key group of Bach organ works.

Mclusky

The World Is Still Here and So Are We

After a two-decade hiatus, the Welsh trio return with some of their wittiest, hardest-hitting songs.

Mei Semones

Animaru

A delightful and sometimes stunning full-length debut showcasing the songwriter's singular fusion of indie pop, bossa nova, jazz, and rock.

Mon Laferte

FEMME FATALE

The Mexico-based Chilean singer/songwriter, a big band, and special guests use jazz, soul, ranchera and bolero to reclaim the title for feminist manifesto.

Natalia Lafourcade

Cancionera

Seeking creative and metaphysical transformation, the singer/songwriter cut this set live-to-analog tape in a single take.

No Joy

Bugland

The genre-defiant polymath collaborates with co-producer Fire-Toolz on an album of maximalist pop that never stops changing gears but somehow never overwhelms.

Nourished by Time

The Passionate Ones

A singular second album from self-produced genre-agnostic singer/songwriter Marcus Brown, his first for XL Recordings.

Olivia Dean

The Art of Loving

A philosophical and endearing second album from the Mercury Prize-nominated singer/songwriter, inspired by artist Mickalene Thomas and author bell hooks.

Oneohtrix Point Never

Tranquilizer

Inspired by the internet's impermanence, Daniel Lopatin returns to his musical roots and finds the lasting soul within digital detritus.

Panda Bear

Sinister Grift

While just as sunny and dreamlike as earlier work, live band instrumentation makes this Animal Collective member's solo album sound uncharacteristically friendly and carefree.

Perfume Genius

Glory

Equal parts tough and vulnerable, moving and witty, Mike Hadreas' seventh album continues the opening up of his music.

PinkPantheress

Fancy That

Fun and frivolous mixtape rooted in U.K. garage and funky house, sampling Basement Jaxx, Underworld, and Sugababes.

Pulp

Pulp's first album in 24 years contemplates the difference between aging and maturity with their expected wit and surprising tenderness.

Rafiq Bhatia

Environments

The wondrous second album from the guitarist, composer, and sound designer, aka one-third of the Academy Award-nominated Son Lux.

Rosalía

LUX

The Catalonian's fourth set soars in its maximalist exploration of faith and femininity.

Saint Etienne

International

The band's collaboration-studded final album harkens back to the stylishly nostalgic sound of their early work while still coming across as resolutely up-to-date.

Say She She

Cut & Rewind

The Nile Rodgers-approved "discodelic" vocal group turns up the heat with an even more dancefloor-oriented third album.

Sharp Pins

Balloon Balloon Balloon

Near brilliant, almost perfect lo-fi power pop, beat group revivalism, and folk-rock jangle that will thrill anyone with any interest at all in any of those genres.

Shrunken Elvis

A sleek and satisfying amalgam of jazz fusion, ambient, and hi-fi guitar music from this experimental Nashville trio.

Slikback

Attrition

The Kenyan artist's debut release for Planet Mu is a fiery, cinematic hybrid of trap, industrial, footwork, and gqom.

Stereolab

Instant Holograms on Metal Film

The band's first album in 15 years is a dynamic, uplifting call to action that pushes their legacy forward.

Steve Gunn

Daylight Daylight

Gunn's second album of 2025 is a minimalist troubadour set featuring production and orchestrations by James Elkington.

Steve Tibbetts

Close

On his first recording in seven years, the Minnesota-based guitarist reflects on family memories, the shadow nature of all music, and more.

Sudan Archives

THE BPM

A highly energized and pleasure-seeking third album from singer, songwriter, and violinist Brittney Parks.

The Cords

Two teenage sisters from Scotland deliver an all bops, no flops debut brimming with tuneful, jangly vintage indie pop.

The Last Dinner Party

From the Pyre

The U.K. group's sophomore effort follows in its predecessor's bedazzled footsteps, delivering lusty thespian rock to the masses with wit, warmth, and swagger.