I’ve ranked my top 15 albums from this past year. For brevity’s sake, I’m just listing the first five with my 1-10 rating and the tracks I liked, and give more comments on the top 10.
I’ve put together 3 playlists below with the top albums, an unranked list of over 100 songs I liked from the year, and a top 30 songs ranked. Enjoy!
15. HAIM
I Quit
8/10
14. Arcade Fire
Pink Elephant
8.1/10
13. Virgin
Lorde
8.1/10
12. Julien Baker, TORRES
Send A Prayer My Way
8.2/10
11. Stardust
Danny Brown
8.3/10
10. Snipe Hunter
Tyler Childers
8.3/10
This is the first time Childers has been on my list, but if he keeps up this interesting blend of the serious, the sacred, and the silly, don’t be surprised if you see him again.
Favorite songs: Cuttin’ Teeth, Oneida, Bitin’ List, Nose On The Grindstone, Poachers
9. Wednesday
Bleeds
8.4/10
My entrée into this band was following their guitarist M.J. Lenderman who came out with a great album in 2024 (Fireworks). I think Karly Hartzman really brings it on this album. I don’t love every track, but the highs are very high on this album.
Favorite songs: Townies, Wound up Here (By Holding On), Elderberry Wine, Phish Pepsi, Gary’s II
8. SABLE, fABLE
Bon Iver
8.4/10
When the lead-in EP SABLE came out in 2024 it made my list, so no one should be surprised that the full-length LP is here. I’m basing this ranking solely on the latter half of the album. The more upbeat, direct, and joyful tenor of Justin on this album was a welcome evolution in an artist known for his beautifully stark and impressionistic stylings.
Favorite songs: Everything is Peaceful Love, Day One, If Only I Could Wait, There’s A Rhythmn
7. Geese
Getting Killed
8.5/10
Yep – I joined the Geese-Brigade this year. The strength of the album doesn’t rest solely on the shoulders of the frontman in this dynamic, exciting, and noisy offering. The band shows a fun fearlessness with their production which, matched with the lyrical stylings of frontman, has made the hype around the band well deserved. More on the frontman later…
Favorite songs: Trinidad, Cobra, Getting Killed, Islands of Men, 100 Horses, Half Real, Taxes, Long Island City Here I Come
6. Mac Demarco
Guitar
8.6/10
Mac has continued his journey into himself with this album. I’m not sure if there is an artist out there today (other than maybe Bob Dylan) who is taking more advantage of his independent status (i.e. having his own record label) to create the exact music that he wants to right now. The songs on Guitar might not jolt you awake with their energy, but they may help you distill some of the chaos around you into something tangible. Beyond anything else, these songs feel true.
Favorite songs: Shining, Sweeter, Phantom, Terror, Punishment, Holy, Rooster
5. Petey USA
The Yips
8.7/10
We’ve reached the top 5! Back in Denver, I was a part of Petey Fan Club, and when this album came out we all did a little gig. I might get push-back from ‘the boys’ but I think this is his best album to date. It is energetic, introspective, fun, and a real tear-jerker at points. Also ‘The Yips” might be 2025’s best album-opener.
Favorite songs: The Yips, Breathing the Same Air, As Two People Drift Apart, Spirit Animal, This Bucket Of Water, Stereoscope, God Is In The Gray, I Am Not A Cowboy
4. John Van Deusen
As long as I am in the tent of this body I will make a joyful noise Pt. 1
8.9/10
I think JVD is making the most interesting christian music today. This is the second of his albums that have been a dominant fixture in my home over the last 4 years. (The other being (I Am) Origami Pt. 2 – Every Power Wide Awake.) I would encourage everyone to give this album a spin. Can’t wait for Pt. 2!
Favorite songs: I Was Made to Praise, The Red Sea Within Me, No Greater Love, Anything Other Than What I Am Right Now, Close Enough, You Never Let Go
3. Clipse
Let God Sort Them Out
9.1/10
The brothers are back together! (can I say that?) Clipse knocked it out of the park with this album. It goes hard, it hits you in places you weren’t expecting (like a Mike Tyson blow to the face…), and I really enjoyed the inclusion of all the financial lingo. A real eduction.
Favorite songs: The Birds Don’t Sing, All Things Considered, E.B.I.T.D.A., F.I.C.O., Let God Sort Em Out/Chandeliers, By The Grace Of God
2. Blood Orange
Essex Honey
9.2/10
No one saw this coming. Essex Honey is the chillest album of the year. Put it on in the car, play it around the house on vacation, play it as ambiance for a good conversation, just play it. The drums on Vivid Light got me hooked on this album, but song by song, the album kept drawing me in until it finally had me firmly within its grasp. I guess you can take that as an invitation or a warning.
Favorite songs: Look At You, Thinking Clean, Somewhere in Between, The Field, Mind Loaded, Vivid Light
1. Cameron Winter
Heavy Metal
9.5/10
Many people saw this coming. We’ve made it to the aforementioned frontman for Geese, Cameron Winter. My favorite story about this album is how I first came to listen to it. My father sent me an article about ‘this new artist that was making interesting music and had a ‘Bob Dylan vibe’ or something.’ He had sent me the article because he said the story of how Cameron Winter’s drive to create with whatever tools he could find reminded him of dajob. I, with much apprehension, went ahead and listened to the album. After a couple plays through, I had completely fallen for it. I sent it to my friend Kyle (of previous top 5 album of 2025 list fame) in January saying ‘you should listen to this’ and, as is his right, he ignored the prompting, only to reach back out to me a couple months later suggesting for me to check out the album. Needless to say, after Heavy Metal had fully secured its spot on this list, I asked my dad what he thought of the album. To this day he has not listened to it. He doesn’t like heavy metal music.
Here’s what I’ll say about the music itself:
You’ll either love it or hate it
Love takes miles is the most approachable song, so start there
My favorite line is “I’ll love whatever kicks me hardest in the mouth” (Nina + Field of Cops)
The vocals, the lo-fi production, the poetry, the chaos, the imagery. It all works together to make something I think is quite special.
Favorite songs: The Rolling Stones, Nausicaä (Love Will Be Revealed), Love Take Miles, Cancer of the Skull, We’re thinking the Same Thing, Nina + Field of Cops, Can’t Keep Anything
