So, How’s It Going? (Best Albums of 2025 So Far)
Well…the last time we got to a halfway point and things were this bad in the outside world, I had been locked in my house to avoid the plague for two months straight because of the actions (or lack thereof) of an orange-painted, goose-stepping, syphilitic moron. I can’t imagine what this year and that year have in common. But unsurprisingly, to those who have been following along at least, stress makes for great artistic output. And as such, we’ve been blessed with some legitimately awesome music so far this year.
To start with, two albums I missed last year:
Attempted Martyr
Prostitute
Noise Rock
This is one of the best albums I’ve heard this decade, and the fact that I didn’t hear it in time to include it on last year’s best-of-the-year list (where it would have been top 3) and best-of-the-decade-so-far list (where it would have been in the top 10) haunts me still. By the close of the final track I found myself unable to speak, tears welling up in my eyes. Music is nothing if not a conveyance for feeling, and this album utterly destroyed me.
Heavy Metal
Cameron Winter
Chamber Folk
The lead singer of weird-country-punk Geese struck out on his own for this…folk album? It’s certainly different, musically, but his lyricism is given a wide berth to display his songwriting talents with a less busy, softer background. I don’t think I’ll be returning to it nearly as often as the work of his larger band, but it is definitely a worthwhile insight into the mind behind one of the decade’s most creative and surprising albums.
With that out of the way, let’s begin the list-making, shall we? As always, starting with our honorable mentions:
Annie and the Caldwells Can’t Lose My (Soul); Ichiko Aoba Luminescent Creatures; Bad Bunny DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS; Barker Stochastic Drift; Big Black Delta Adonai; Bon Iver Sable, Fable; Ethel Cain Perverts; Alabaster DePlume A Blade Because a Blade Is Whole; Destoyer Dan’s Boogie; Heartworms Glutton for Punishment; Jenny Hval Iris Silver Mist; Japanese Breakfast For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women); MIKE Showbiz!; My Morning Jacket Is; PinkPantheress Fancy That; Ty Segall Possession; Smerz Big city life; Maria Somerville Luster; Spellling Portrait of My Heart; Tennis Face Down in the Garden; Kali Uchis Sincerely,; Sharon Van Etten Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory; The Weather Station Humanhood; yeule Evangelic Girl Is a Gun; YHWH Nailgun 45 Pounds
And now, onto the main show. Since it’s only mid-year, as always, the albums are listed alphabetically by artist, with Spotify links embedded in the album art. Enjoy!
Only Dust Remains
Backxwash
Experimental Hip Hop
SALVATION
Rebecca Black
Electropop
LOWER
Benjamin Booker
Art Rock
Dead Channel Sky
clipping.
Industrial Hip Hop
City of Clowns
Marie Davidson
EBM
(“Am I full of shit? Or maybe, halfway full?” Fuckin’ LOL, lady *chef’s kiss)
End of the Middle
Richard Dawson
Progressive Folk
Lonely People with Power
Deafheaven
Blackgaze
Decius Vol. II (Splendour & Obedience)
Decius
Acid House
Magic, Alive!
McKinley Dixon
Jazz Rap
EUSEXUA
FKA twigs
Electronic Dance Music
Soft Spot
Honningbarna
Post-Hardcore
Revengeseekerz
Jane Remover
Digicore
MAYHEM
Lady Gaga
Dance-Pop
Cancionera
Natalia Lafourcade
Mexican Folk Music
Lotus
Little Simz
Conscious Hip Hop
Princess of Power
MARINA
Dance-Pop
Pirouette
Model/Actriz
Industrial Rock
Sinister Grift
Panda Bear
Neo-Psychedelia
Glory
Perfume Genius
Ambient Pop
Ill at Ease
Preoccupations
Post-Punk
Bunky Becky Birthday Boy
Sleigh Bells
Power Pop
Birthing
Swans
Post-Rock
Viagr Aboys
Viagra Boys
Dance-Punk Revival
(Jesus, guys, this album art. This is some weird, disturbing shit)
Hurry Up Tomorrow
The Weeknd
Alternative R&B
GOLLIWOG
billy woods
Experimental Hip Hop
To end, the albums I haven’t had a chance to get to yet, but will almost certainly be on the year-end list:
Never Enough by Turnstile - finally a Baltimore band that’s critically acclaimed and not synthpop (not there’s anything wrong with that Beach House, Future Islands, and Dan Deacon)
I’ll Be Waving As You Drive Away by Haden Pedigo - I keep hearing amazing things, can’t wait to dig into it.
Thanks for scrolling, and as always, happy listening!
