2025 Best Albums Lists

My last podcast episode discussed the top 10 albums of 2025, and this is a corresponding post.  I included the top 100 albums of the year, the best in several genres or conditions, and the worst of the year.

All images are from Wikipedia unless otherwise noted, and the rights of the picture belong to the owner, artist, and/or distributor of the cover.  The album cover selected is bolded when listed in each individual list.

 

 

Top-100 Albums

 


  1. Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You, Ethel Cain
  2. Horror, Bartees Strange
  3. Sable, Fable, Bon Iver
  4. Eusexua, FKA Twigs
  5. Lonely People with Power, Deafheaven
  6. Copper Changes Color, CAAMP
  7. Wild and Clear and Blue, I’m With Her
  8. Let God Sort Em Out, Clipse
  9. Foxes in the Snow, Jason Isbell
  10. I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me, Lorna Shore
  11. Sankofa, Redveil
  12. Luminal, Corpus Delicti
  13. New Threats From the Soul, Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band
  14. Timeless World Forever, Graham Hunt
  15. Westward, Dylan Gossett
  16. Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory, Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory
  17. Magic, Alive!, McKinley Dixon
  18. Self Titled, Kae Tempest
  19. Everybody Scream, Florence and the Machine
  20. Sweet, Mayday Parade
  21. Collective Ecstasy, Shouse
  22. Lust for Life, Or: ‘How to Thread the Needle and Come Out the Other Side to Tell the Story, Courting
  23. From the Pyre, The Last Dinner Party
  24. Lux, Rosalia
  25. How to Be Human, Cat Burns
  26. Perverts, Ethel Cain
  27. Silakbo, Cup of Joe
  28. Cabin in the Sky, De La Soul
  29. Ginkgo, Panchiko
  30. Beloved, Giveon
  31. Ferxxo Vol X: Sagrado, Feid
  32. Pirouette, Model/Actriz
  33. Who Let the Dogs Out, Lambrini Girls
  34. Oyster, Chloe Moriondo
  35. West Texas Degenerate, Treaty Oak Revival
  36. Scorched Earth, Harakiri for the Sky
  37. 1991, Drop Nineteens
  38. Revengeseekerz, Jane Remover
  39. The Dream, The Favors
  40. Myss Keta, Myss Keta
  41. The Sky, the Earth & All Between, Architects
  42. Middle, Jesse Welles
  43. Hurry Up Tomorrow, The Weeknd
  44. Saving Grace, Robert Plant with Suzi Dian
  45. Don’t Tap the Glass, Tyler, the Creator
  46. This Consequence, Killswitch Engage
  47. Lotus, Little Simz
  48. Djandjay, Baker Boy
  49. Neighborhood Gods Unlimited, Open Mike Eagle
  50. Essex Honey, Blood Orange
  51. Deadbeat, Tame Impala
  52. Sincerely, Kali Uchis
  53. I Can See the Future, Leith Ross
  54. After the Sun Goes Down, Khalid
  55. Viagr Aboys, Viagra Boys
  56. Anxious, Nell Smith
  57. Dead Channel Sky, Clipping
  58. Under the Powerlines April 24 – September 24, Jesse Welles
  59. Are We All Angels, Scowl
  60. Do What Ya Wanna, Beddy Rays
  61. Glutton for Punishment, Heartworms
  62. 13 Months of Sunshine, Amine
  63. Black Star, Amaarae
  64. If You Asked for a Picture, Blondshell
  65. Tunnel Vision, Beach Bunny
  66. Aspiral, Epica
  67. Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams, Patterson Hood
  68. New Radiations, Marissa Nadler
  69. Tonky, Lonnie Holley
  70. Hell is an Airport, Liquid Mike
  71. Unclouded, Melody’s Echo Chamber
  72. Antidepressants, Suede
  73. The Passionate Ones, Nourished by Time
  74. Music for People Who Believe in Love, Joe Jonas
  75. Übermensch, G-Dragon
  76. Like a Ribbon, John Glacier
  77. Everyone’s a Star!, 5 Seconds of Summer
  78. Star, 2hollis
  79. Humanhood, The Weather Station
  80. Full Moon, Moonchild Sanelly
  81. Loner, Barry Can’t Swim
  82. Blush, Kevin Abstract
  83. Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets!, Counting Crows
  84. Liquorice, Hatchie
  85. I Forgive You, Cynthia Erivo
  86. Ghostholding, Venturing
  87. You, Heartbreaker, You, Jehnny Beth
  88. Girl Violence, King Princess
  89. Better Days, Yellowcard
  90. The Scholars, Car Seat Headrest
  91. Där skogen sjunger under evighetens granar, Vildhjarta
  92. Champion Sound, Faithless
  93. Planting by the Signs, S.G. Goodman
  94. I’m Only F**king Myself, Lola Young
  95. Dance Called Memory, Nation of Language
  96. Heritage, Songhoy Blues
  97. Showbiz!, Mike
  98. All Is Love and Pain in the Mouse Parade, Of Monsters and Men
  99. Drive to Goldenhammer, Divorce
  100. Can’t Rush Greatness, Central Cee

 

Rock

 


  1. Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You, Ethel Cain
  2. Horror, Bartees Strange
  3. Sable, Fable, Bon Iver
  4. Lonely People with Power, Deafheaven
  5. Copper Changes Color, CAAMP
  6. I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me, Lorna Shore
  7. Luminal, Corpus Delicti
  8. New Threats From the Soul, Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band
  9. Timeless World Forever, Graham Hunt
  10. Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory, Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory

 

Pop

 


  1. Eusexua, FKA Twigs
  2. Lux, Rosalia
  3. How to Be Human, Cat Burns
  4. Silakbo, Cup of Joe
  5. Oyster, Chloe Moriondo
  6. The Dream, The Favors
  7. Hurry Up Tomorrow, The Weeknd
  8. Sincerely, Kali Uchis
  9. After the Sun Goes Down, Khalid
  10. Black Star, Amaarae

 

Rap/Hip-Hop

 


  1. Let God Sort Em Out, Clipse
  2. Sankofa, Redveil
  3. Magic, Alive!, McKinley Dixon
  4. Self Titled, Kae Tempest
  5. Cabin in the Sky, De La Soul
  6. Myss Keta, Myss Keta
  7. Lotus, Little Simz
  8. Djandjay, Baker Boy
  9. Neighborhood Gods Unlimited, Open Mike Eagle
  10. Dead Channel Sky, Clipping

 

R&B/Soul

 


  1. Beloved, Giveon
  2. Hurry Up Tomorrow, The Weeknd
  3. Djandjay, Baker Boy
  4. Essex Honey, Blood Orange
  5. Sincerely, Kali Uchis
  6. After the Sun Goes Down, Khalid
  7. Black Star, Amaarae
  8. The Passionate Ones, Nourished by Time
  9. Full Moon, Moonchild Sanelly
  10. I Forgive You, Cynthia Erivo

 

Country

This includes country, country pop, bluegrass, Americana, etc.

 


  1. Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You, Ethel Cain
  2. Wild and Clear and Blue, I’m With Her
  3. Foxes in the Snow, Jason Isbell
  4. New Threats From the Soul, Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band
  5. Westward, Dylan Gossett
  6. West Texas Degenerate, Treaty Oak Revival
  7. Saving Grace, Robert Plant with Suzi Dian
  8. Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams, Patterson Hood
  9. Planting by the Signs, S.G. Goodman
  10. Drive to Goldenhammer, Divorce

 

Electronic

 

This image was obtained from Bandcamp.


  1. Eusexua, FKA Twigs
  2. Collective Ecstasy, Shouse
  3. Lust for Life, Or: ‘How to Thread the Needle and Come Out the Other Side to Tell the Story, Courting
  4. Revengeseekerz, Jane Remover
  5. Myss Keta, Myss Keta
  6. Deadbeat, Tame Impala
  7. Tonky, Lonnie Holley
  8. Star, 2hollis
  9. Loner, Barry Can’t Swim
  10. Champion Sound, Faithless

 

Heavy

This includes metal, hard rock, hardcore punk, etc.

 


  1. Lonely People with Power, Deafheaven
  2. I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me, Lorna Shore
  3. Scorched Earth, Harakiri for the Sky
  4. The Sky, the Earth & All Between, Architects
  5. This Consequence, Killswitch Engage
  6. Are We All Angels, Scowl
  7. Aspiral, Epica
  8. Där skogen sjunger under evighetens granar, Vildhjarta
  9. Ethereal Horizons, Blut Aus Nord
  10. Zenith, Bleed from Within

 

Warped Tour Style

This includes artists who perform a style of music similar to that found at a Warped Tour, including emo, punk, pop punk, and metalcore.

 


  1. I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me, Lorna Shore
  2. Sweet, Mayday Parade
  3. Pirouette, Model/Actriz
  4. Who Let the Dogs Out, Lambrini Girls
  5. The Sky, the Earth & All Between, Architects
  6. This Consequence, Killswitch Engage
  7. Viagr Aboys, Viagra Boys
  8. Are We All Angels, Scowl
  9. Do What Ya Wanna, Beddy Rays
  10. Everyone’s a Star!, 5 Seconds of Summer

 

Albums by “Foreign Language” Artists

This one is loosely defined, and I don’t love the fact that I have this as one category.  There are two ways an album could be included here:  if it is in a foreign language or if it is in a style that is often in a different language (i.e. Latin, K-Pop/J-Pop/C-Pop/P-Pop, Afro-Pop).  I did this because I wanted to include some genres that didn’t have enough albums to break into a separate category.

 


  1. Lux, Rosalia
  2. Silakbo, Cup of Joe
  3. Ferxxo Vol X: Sagrado, Feid
  4. Myss Keta, Myss Keta
  5. Djandjay, Baker Boy
  6. Sincerely, Kali Uchis
  7. Black Star, Amaarae
  8. Übermensch, G-Dragon
  9. Full Moon, Moonchild Sanelly
  10. Där skogen sjunger under evighetens granar, Vildhjarta

 

Eclectic

These albums are those which are either weird musically or are genres that are considered by many (not necessarily me) to be unusual or strange.

 


  1. Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You, Ethel Cain
  2. Eusexua, FKA Twigs
  3. Lonely People with Power, Deafheaven
  4. Collective Ecstasy, Shouse
  5. From the Pyre, The Last Dinner Party
  6. Lux, Rosalia
  7. Perverts, Ethel Cain
  8. Ginkgo, Panchiko
  9. Pirouette, Model/Actriz
  10. Oyster, Chloe Moriondo

 

Debut

These are the best debut studio albums.  I considered any artist who released their first studio album, even if they released prior mixtapes or EPs.  I also included debuts for artists involved in other projects previously.

 


  1. Westward, Dylan Gossett
  2. Collective Ecstasy, Shouse
  3. Silakbo, Cup of Joe
  4. Who Let the Dogs Out, Lambrini Girls
  5. The Dream, The Favors
  6. Anxious, Nell Smith
  7. Glutton for Punishment, Heartworms
  8. Like a Ribbon, John Glacier
  9. Ghostholding, Venturing
  10. Drive to Goldenhammer, Divorce

 

Number 1 Albums

These are the top albums that hit number one on the Billboard 200 in the U.S.

 


  1. Hurry Up Tomorrow, The Weeknd
  2. Don’t Tap the Glass, Tyler, the Creator
  3. Breach, Twenty One Pilots
  4. Debi Tirar Mas Fotos, Bad Bunny
  5. Even in Arcadia, Sleep Token
  6. WHAM, Lil Baby
  7. Man’s Best Friend, Sabrina Carpenter
  8. Music, Playboi Carti
  9. Am I the Drama?, Cardi B
  10. More Chaos, Ken Carson

 

Albums that Didn’t Chart

None of these albums charted on the Billboard 200 in the U.S.

 

This image was obtained through Spotify


  1. Horror, Bartees Strange
  2. Lonely People with Power, Deafheaven
  3. Wild and Clear and Blue, I’m With Her
  4. Sankofa, Redveil
  5. Luminal, Corpus Delicti
  6. New Threats From the Soul, Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band
  7. Timeless World Forever, Graham Hunt
  8. Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory, Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory
  9. Magic, Alive!, McKinley Dixon
  10. Self Titled, Kae Tempest

 

Grammy Nominated

Due to the cutoff, only albums released prior to August 30th were considered.  Only albums that were nominated were considered; albums that weren’t nominated but contain nominated songs were not.

 


  1. Sable, Fable, Bon Iver
  2. Eusexua, FKA Twigs
  3. Wild and Clear and Blue, I’m With Her
  4. Let God Sort Em Out, Clipse
  5. Foxes in the Snow, Jason Isbell
  6. Beloved, Giveon
  7. Ferxxo Vol X: Sagrado, Feid
  8. Middle, Jesse Welles
  9. Don’t Tap the Glass, Tyler, the Creator
  10. Under the Powerlines April 24 – September 24, Jesse Welles

 

Most Surprising

These were albums I did not expect to enjoy as much as I did.  In some cases, it was an artist who doesn’t usually release good music, artists who I don’t like, or artists who I didn’t enjoy some of their recent albums, though in some cases the album just blew me away.

 


  1. Fuck U Skrillex You Think Ur Andy Warhol but Ur Not!! <3, Skrillex
  2. Everyone’s a Star!, 5 Seconds of Summer
  3. Remembering Now, Van Morrison
  4. Even in Arcadia, Sleep Token
  5. Lost Americana, MGK
  6. Übermensch, G-Dragon
  7. Loner, Barry Can’t Swim
  8. Alienation, Three Days Grace
  9. Heard Noises, Matt Berry
  10. I’m Only F**king Myself, Lola Young

 

Most Disappointing

These were albums that I thought would be better and was surprised by how let down I felt.

 


  1. Ricochet, Rise Against
  2. What Happened to the Streets?, 21 Savage
  3. What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow, Rhiannon Giddens & Justin Robinson
  4. My Face Hurts from Smiling, Lizzo
  5. All Washed Up, Cheap Trick
  6. Mayhem, Lady Gaga
  7. Flowers, The Devil Wears Prada
  8. Vie, Doja Cat
  9. Pink Elephant, Arcade Fire
  10. Look Up, Ringo Starr

 

Worst Albums

These are ranked where number 1 is the worst and number 10 is…I guess least bad.

 

This image was obtained through Apple Music


  1. The Portal That Leads to the Tunnel That’s Under Vixen’s Home, Vixen Marq
  2. Deshawn, YoungBoy Never Broke Again & DJ Khaled
  3. Stikkz n Stonez, Lazer Dim 700
  4. Sex Hysteria, Jessie Murph
  5. Museum Music, Edward Skeletrix
  6. Rebel, EsDeeKid
  7. The Penthouse, Michael Medrano
  8. Jump Out, OsamaSon
  9. Let Me Fly, Rob49
  10. The Revenge of Alice Cooper, Alice Cooper

 

 

What did you think was the best album of 2025?  Did you have a favorite?  Let me know in the comments!

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