Top Albums of 2025
I've mentioned before that I don't use Spotify anymore, and my music habits have changed -- in a good way! -- since I stopped regularly using a streaming platform. I do have YouTube Music, but I'm trying to wean myself off of it as well, so I've been focusing on Bandcamp and physical CDs lately. As a result, I've been listening to full albums a lot more than playlists. And I listened to so many albums this year. A lot of them were older CDs that I bought secondhand through discogs.com or a local store, but there were plenty of good new releases this year too, and I want to look back on some of my favorites.
Here are my personal top 10 albums that released this year.
10. Parasites & Butterflies by Nova Twins
Favorite Track: "Hummingbird"
I discovered Nova Twins at the tail end of the year, and I'm so glad I did. I still need to check out their other albums, but I've had this one stuck on repeat and haven't quite been able to move on from it yet. It's very reminiscent of '90s alternative and pop music with heavy drum & bass that's just really satisfying to listen to. It's the album I'm currently spinning the most.
9. Sleepless Empire by Lacuna Coil
Favorite Track: "Scarecrow"
Maybe a bit surprising this isn't higher on the list, considering that Lacuna Coil is my all-time favorite band. I've been listening to them since I was 14, and I often play their album Delirium whenever I need a pick-me-up. Sleepless Empire unfortunately didn't stick with me as much as 2019's Black Anima or 2022's re-imagined version of Comalies. It feels a bit watered down, maybe, compared to them. It still deserves a spot on the list, though, as I listened to it quite a lot this year. I especially appreciate the Halloweeny vibes it has going. It's definitely one I'll be listening to in Octobers from now on.
8. Tsunami Sea by Spiritbox
Favorite Track: "Ride The Wave"
Spiritbox is one of those bands I have an extra deep attachment to because I discovered them before anyone else seemed to know or talk about them. I think Tsunami Sea really showcases all of their different sounds, and I consider it a perfect album. It's amazing to see how far they've come since their first singles and yet how consistent they've stayed as well. Tsunami Sea isn't a departure from their previous stuff in any way, but it experiments with some things to great effect, like spoken word on "No Loss, No Love" and electronica on "Crystal Roses." It's just a really solid album filled with different sounds but is still uniquely Spiritbox.
7. Back to Life by Keri Noble
Favorite Track: "Holiest Hallelujah"
I've been listening to Keri Noble since I was a teenager, back when her debut album Fearless was released, so she's another artist that's been a long-time favorite. She's not very well-known outside of her hometown of Minneapolis, but her songwriting is absolutely beautiful. She released her first full-length album in over a decade this year, much to my surprise -- and delight! It was recorded fully live in a studio with a small audience of fans, but it's amazing how polished it sounds. Keri's voice is raw and powerful, and her piano-driven folk music is full of emotion.
6. Aspiral by Epica
Favorite Track: "Arcana"
One of my favorite metal bands released a new album this year, and I got to see them live and experience some of the new songs! It was a very Epica year for me. Honestly, Aspiral is probably my favorite Epica album to date. They went in a slightly new direction, and I can hear some influences on this album that I've never really heard from them before, like indie rock, where the songs are more stripped back and minimal. I think they did a great job of incorporating new elements while keeping their signature sound, and I love this album all the way through.
5. Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party by Hayley Williams
Favorite Track: "True Believer"
This was not released as a full-length album but, rather, as a series of singles that Hayley kind of dropped on us unexpectedly back in the summer. I was listening to them in a completely different order on YouTube Music before she arranged the official tracklist. I earned a badge for this on YouTube Music as well, for being in the top 0.5% of Hayley Williams listeners in August, so that should tell you how much I love it. There's an overarching lyrical theme of living in the corrupt southern US, which -- let me tell you -- I can relate.
4. Tomorrow We Escape by Ho99o9
Favorite Track: "OK, I'm Reloaded"
Ho99o9 (pronounced "horror") is a hip-hop/noise/metal band that addresses relevant themes like police corruption and mass deportation. This is the album to listen to this year if you want heavy artistic retaliation against the US political machine. It's cathartic, grungy, and has some great features on it, including Nova Twins and Chelsea Wolfe. It's worth listening to in one sitting, especially for the one-two punch of "Target Practice" and "OK, I'm Reloaded."
3. Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer soundtrack by Daniel Kobylarz
Favorite Track: "Verdant Street"
Kathy Rain 2 is my game of the year, and the soundtrack perfectly accompanies it. I bought it on Bandcamp and have been listening to it on repeat pretty much the whole year. It's full of ambient tracks that suit the investigative narrative of the game, and it's been the perfect music to just have on in the background while writing or playing with Ranni or working a puzzle.
2. House of Grief by Cammie Beverly
Favorite Track: "Another Room"
Cammie Beverly is the lead vocalist of one of my favorite metal bands, Oceans of Slumber. This year, she released her first solo album in a different style. It's kind of like atmospheric trip-hop with a dark southern gothic vibe. She addresses religious corruption in the southern US, which -- again -- relatable. Every song is beautifully moody and really showcases Cammie's incredible voice. Even though it's pretty short at only seven songs, it's perfect and every song is so affecting that it feels like enough, even if I would've gladly taken more.
1. Exploding Star by Heather Maloney
Favorite Track: "Leave it to Them"
This is my album of the year in large part because it's so personal to me, although I also think it's filled with beautifully crafted songs. My aunt died in early February, shortly after Exploding Star was released. I had already been listening to it, but it suddenly took on a deeper meaning. Every song is a rumination on grief and a tribute to Heather's late father, and the album brought me a lot of comfort while I was dealing with my own grief. I spent a lot of late nights driving home from my parents' house listening to this album and just letting the words sink into my bones. It also has one of the most beautiful cover songs I've ever heard, of Duran Duran's "Ordinary World."