25 for ‘25: Billy’s Albums of the Year
When it comes to listening to music, 2025 has been a special year for me. Writing for this blog has made me engage with more artists, genres and styles than ever before. And my top 25 albums of the year list reflects this changing listening habit, although there are still genres I consciously stay away from (looking at you Metal!). I hope you will be inspired to check out some of the following albums if you haven’t yet done so. Honourable mentions go to CMAT, Pulp and Little Simz among many others whose albums I very much enjoyed but that have not cracked my list. Let’s start with albums 25 to 11 before counting down the Top 10 in more detail.
25. Hurry Up Tomorrow – The Weeknd
24. Departures & Arrivals: Adventures of Captain Curt – Curtis Harding
23. Who Wants To Talk About Love – Jade Bird
22. God Does Like Ugly – JID
21. People Watching – Sam Fender
20. Don’t Look Down – Kojey Radical
19. Juniper – Joy Crookes
18. Flowers – Durand Jones & The Indications
17. The Parlour – Picture Parlour
16. Open Wide – Inhaler
15. Carving The Stone – For Those I Love
14. The Passionate Ones – Nourished By Time
13. Cabin In The Sky – De La Soul
12. Planting by the Signs – S.G. Goodman
11. black british music (2025) – Jim Legxacy
10. New Threats From the Soul - Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band
Ryan Davis’s twangy vocals, telling intricate tales with lyrics veering into the realm of absurdity, and the Roadhouse band’s gorgeous instrumentation make listening to New Threats From the Soul an utterly wholesome experience. Highly recommended for a cozy night in over the Christmas break.
9. When Youth Fades Away - Somebody’s Child
On their second album, Dublin-band Somebody’s Child reckon with the inevitability of getting older and changing perspectives as youthful exuberance is replaced by domestic pleasures (‘Now I’m into porcelain / Oh where did it all go?’ sings frontman Cian Godfrey on the album’s standout track “Porcelain”) backed by melodic hooks and captivating riffs. The band has established itself as one of the most promising and exciting indie acts out there.
8. Tuff Times Never Last - Kokoroko
You can’t pin down Kokoroko to any one genre, with prominent elements of jazz, afrobeats, soul, RnB and funk. But one thing is certain – the South London collective make music that is as enjoyable as it is layered. Their most recent album Tuff Times Never Last lets you drift away into the group’s gorgeous soundscapes and that is a lovely place to spend 50 minutes.
7. Debí Tirar Más Fotos - Bad Bunny
With Debí Tirar Más Fotos, Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny has taken another huge step forward in an already illustrious career. Complementing his classic reggaeton sound with traditional latin influences has added another dimension to Bunny’s music that leaves you wanting more. Keep an eye out on his halftime show at next year’s Super Bowl!
6. From The Private Collection of Saba & No ID - Saba & No ID
Saba has been an interesting voice in hip hop ever since I first heard him on Chance the Rapper’s “Angels” in 2015. On his fourth album, he teamed up with fellow Chicago native No ID to create one of the year’s most appealing hip hop records, packed with No ID’s smooth production that meshes perfectly with Saba’s unique flows and vocal hooks, most notably on tracks like “Westside Bound Pt. 4”, “Woes of The World” and “How to Impress God”.
5. Snocaps - Snocaps
It’s no understatement to call Snocaps a super group of American 2020s indie-rock. Led by Katie and Allison Crutchfield (Katie of Waxahatchee and Allison of Swearin’ fame) and backed by MJ Lenderman’s beautiful electric guitar licks, the twin sisters provide us with a delightful batch of tracks on the super group’s eponymous debut. Fittingly, the album ends on a reprise of the album’s opening track “Coast” because as soon as it ends you can’t wait to listen to it all over again.
4. Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful! - The Dears
The title of Murray Lightburn-led The Dears’ newest project Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful! sounds like someone reassuring themselves of life’s beauty in the face of the darkness we are confronted with every day. And that is also what the music on the album sounds like as The Dears deliver 42 minutes of life-affirming, gorgeously arranged indie-rock anthems.
3. Let God Sort Em Out - Clipse
Brothers Pusha T and Malice reunite 16 years after their last release as rap duo Clipse to bring us what is without doubt the hip hop record of the year. Opener “The Birds Don’t Sing” sets up an awesome five-song run to start the album. And the quality does not drop off throughout the entire record thanks to superb, gritty production, Pusha T and Malice’s sharp bars and a stacked supporting cast led by Nas, Pharrell Williams and Kendrick Lamar.
2. Antidepressants - Suede
Oasis’ reunion tour, Pulp’s comeback… Britpop’s heroes are alive and well. And none more so than Suede, whose prolific 2020s run continues with Antidepressants. Enveloping us in atmospheric, eerie post-punk soundscapes, Suede sound raw and fresh, led by Brett Anderson’s emotive vocals and Richard Oakes’ haunting riffs.
1. West End Girl - Lily Allen
A heartbreaking, moving yet also hilarious account of the breakdown of her marriage sees Lily Allen make her grand comeback seven years after the release of No Shame. While each song tells its own story and is great in its own right, the tracks truly come alive within the context of the album, making West End Girl a riveting and endearing listen. Highly recommended!
So… a great year for hip hop with some tasty sprinkles of pop throughout the year. What I am hoping for is a continuing resurgence of indie-rock music, led culturally by Geese (sadly not my cup of tea), and young bands breaking out in 2026. What are you looking forward to in 2026? And please let us know about your favourite albums of 2025 in the comments. Check out Rich’s Top 25 list here. Stay tuned for a list of our favourite tracks of the year!