The Best Albums of 2025: A Year-End Review

2025 proved to be a remarkable year for music, offering a wealth of artistic expression often overshadowed by mainstream trends and the rise of AI-generated content. Despite the challenges, a vibrant landscape of human artistry flourished, with albums that thoughtfully engaged with the complexities of our current moment.

Top Albums of the Year

Determining the “best” albums is always a subjective process, but several releases stood out for their innovation, emotional depth, and critical acclaim.

10. Iris Silver Mist – Jenny Hval

Norwegian art-pop musician Jenny Hval’s Iris Silver Mist is a daring and incisive work. Inspired by a pandemic-era fascination with scent, particularly a perfume described as “ghostly” and “underground,” the album blends experimental sounds with melodic sensibilities. Hval’s lyrics explore themes of memory, performance, and the impact of technology on our lives, accompanied by synths, field recordings, and finger-picked guitars. [Source: TIME]

9. Big Ugly – Fust

Fust, featuring Aaron Dowdy, delivers a compelling country album with Big Ugly. Dowdy, a Ph.D. Candidate in literature, infuses his lyrics with intellectual ambition and poignant storytelling, drawing on the traditions of Southern music. The album’s sound is characterized by twang, pedal steel, and a strong band dynamic. [Source: TIME]

Canadian Artists Dominate Genius Top 10

According to Genius, Canadian artists had a particularly strong showing in 2025, with five artists from Canada appearing in the top 10 albums as measured by Genius pageviews. [Source: Genius]

• Taylor Swift topped the list. [Source: Genius]
• Sabrina Carpenter ranked fourth. [Source: Genius]
• Justin Bieber released two albums, SWAG and SWAG II, experimenting with alt-R&B. [Source: Genius]
• Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR collaborated on $ome $exy $ongs 4 U. [Source: Genius]
• Tate McRae’s SO CLOSE TO WHAT??? (deluxe edition) also performed well. [Source: Genius]

Other Notable Albums

Entertainment Weekly also highlighted the best albums of 2025, including the return of a prominent pop artist and a tribute to Puerto Rico. [Source: Entertainment Weekly]

The Weeknd’s Hurry Up Tomorrow is reportedly his final album as The Weeknd. [Source: Genius]

2025 demonstrated the enduring power of human creativity in music, even amidst technological disruption. The albums highlighted here represent a diverse range of styles and perspectives, offering a compelling snapshot of the year’s musical landscape.