2025 was a great year for music by any means. From newcomers to renowned musicians—and even some of the best discoveries of my life—this year offered remarkable music across a wide range of genres. I woke up listening to them, fell asleep with the echoes of some still on my mind, and others lingered with me throughout the year.
And now, it’s time to name the best of the year, in the way I usually do: by listing them.
Below, you’ll find my top 50 albums of 2025, along with a selection of honorable mentions. Please don’t forget to also check out my annual music awards, Cemoir Music Awards 2025, where I celebrate the year in music.
50. Tame Impala – Deadbeat
Release Date: October 17
Genres: Dance Pop, House, Electronic Dance Music
Favourite Song: Dracula
49. Viagra Boys – viagr aboys
Release Date: April 25
Genres: Art Punk, Dance Punk, Post Punk
Favourite Song: Uno II
48. Curtis Harding – Departures & Arrivals: Adventures of Captain Curt
Release Date: September 5
Genres: Psychedelic Soul, Neo Soul, Singer Songwriter
Favourite Song: There She Goes
47. Jacob Alon – In Limerence
Release Date: May 30
Genres: Singer Songwriter, Alternative Folk
Favourite Song: Of Amber
46. Daniel Caesar – Son Of Spergy
Release Date: October 24
Genres: Neo Soul, Singer Songwriter, Gospel
Favourite Song: Sins Of The Father
45. Sudan Archives – THE BPM
Release Date: October 17
Genres: Art Pop, Electronic Dance Music, Alternative R&B
Favourite Song: DEAD
44. Khamari – To Dry a Tear
Release Date: August 22
Genres: Alternative R&B, Neo Soul, Singer Songwriter
Favourite Song: Head in a Jar
43. CMAT – EURO-COUNTRY
Release Date: August 29
Genres: Pop Rock, Country Pop, Soft Rock
Favourite Song: EURO-COUNTRY
42. Honningbarna – Soft Spot
Release Date: February 28
Genres: Noise Rock, Post Punk, Post Hardcore
Favourite Song: Heute ist mein tag
41. Sam Fender – People Watching
Release Date: February 21
Genres: Heartland Rock, Singer Songwriter, Alternative Rock
Favourite Song: People Watching
40. Florence + the Machine – Everybody Scream
Release Date: October 31
Genres: Singer Songwriter, Art Rock, Art Pop
Favourite Song: Everybody Scream
39. Legss – Unreal
Release Date: September 12
Genres: Art Rock, Post Punk, Post Rock
Favourite Song: Broadcast
38. Linda Martini – Passa-Montanhas
Release Date: January 24
Genres: Alternative Rock, Post Rock, Post Hardcore
Favourite Song: Corações Rápidos
37. shame – Cutthroat
Release Date: September 5
Genres: Post Punk, Garage Rock, Dance Punk
Favourite Song: Cutthroat
36. Hayley Williams – Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party
Release Date: August 28
Genres: Singer Songwriter, Alternative Rock, Pop Rock
Favourite Song: Ice in My OJ
35. Blood Orange – Essex Honey
Release Date: August 29
Genres: Sophisti Pop, Singer Songwriter, Bedroom Pop
Favourite Song: Mind Loaded
34. Suede – Antidepressants
Release Date: September 5
Genres: Alternative Rock, Glam Rock, Post Punk
Favourite Song: Life Is Endless, Life Is A Moment
33. FKA twigs – EUSEXUA
Release Date: January 24
Genres: Art Pop, Electronic Dance Music, Glitch Pop
Favourite Song: Eusexua
32. Sophie Ellis-Bextor – Perimenopop
Release Date: September 12
Genres: Dance Pop, Nu Disco, Electropop
Favourite Song: Vertigo
31. Racing Mount Pleasant – Racing Mount Pleasant
Release Date: August 15
Genres: Art Rock, Post Rock, Chamber Pop
Favourite Song: Call It Easy
30. Anna von Hausswolff – ICONOCLASTS
Release Date: October 31
Genres: Art Rock, Post Rock, Neoclassical Darkwave
Favourite Song: Aging Young Woman
29. Little Simz – Lotus
Release Date: June 6
Genres: Conscious Hip Hop, UK Hip Hop, Neo Soul
Favourite Song: Lotus
28. Mogwai – The Bad Fire
Release Date: January 24
Genres: Post Rock, Shoegaze
Favourite Song: If You Find This World Bad, You Should See Some Of The Others
27. Tyler, The Creator – DON’T TAP THE GLASS
Release Date: July 21
Genres: West Coast Hip Hop, Dance Pop, Pop Rap
Favourite Song: Sugar On My Tongue
26. Dave – The Boy Who Played the Harp
Release Date: October 23
Genres: Conscious Hip Hop, UK Hip Hop
Favourite Song: Selfish
25. Big Thief – Double Infinity
Release Date: September 5
Genres: Folk Rock, Alternative Rock, Singer Songwriter
Favourite Song: Double Infinity
24. Charlie Cunningham – In Light
Release Date: March 14
Genres: Singer Songwriter, Alternative Folk
Favourite Song: This House
23. Deafheaven – Lonely People With Power
Release Date: March 28
Genres: Blackgaze, Post Black Metal, Post Rock
Favourite Song: Doberman
22. Geese – Getting Killed
Release Date: September 26
Genres: Art Punk, Art Rock, Alternative Rock
Favourite Song: Au Pays du Cocain
21. Bad Bunny – DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS
*Winner of International Cemoir Music Award 2025
*Dance Song of the Year
Release Date: January 5 (Earliest release that made the list)
Genres: Reggaetón, Latin Pop, Dembow
Favourite Song: NUEVAYoL
20. Antony Szmierek – Service Station At The End Of The Universe
Release Date: February 28
Genres: Progressive House, UK Hip Hop, Spoken Word
Favourite Song: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Fallacy
19. Joy Crookes – Juniper
Release Date: September 19
Genres: Pop Soul, Neo Soul, Smooth Soul
Favourite Song: House With A Pool
18. Wolf Alice – The Clearing
Release Date: August 22
Genres: Soft Rock, Glam Rock, Baroque Pop
Favourite Song: Bloom Baby Bloom
17. Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out
*Hip Hop Song of the Year
Release Date: July 11
Genres: Gangsta Rap, Hardcore Hip Hop, Southern Hip Hop
Favourite Song: The Birds Don’t Sing
16. Rochelle Jordan – Through The Wall
*Dance Album of the Year
*Dance Artist of the Year
Release Date: September 26
Genres: Deep House, Alternative R&B, Dance Pop
Favourite Song: Ladida
15. McKinley Dixon – Magic, Alive!
Release Date: June 6
Genres: Jazz Rap, Conscious Hip Hop, Neo Soul
Favourite Song: Could’ve Been Different
14. Baxter Dury – Allbarone
Release Date: September 12
Genres: Synthpop, Electropop, Nu Disco
Favourite Song: Allbarone
13. Celeste – Woman of Faces
*Singer Songwriter Album of the Year
*Singer Songwriter Artist of the Year
*Singer Songwriter Song of the Year
Release Date: November 14 (Latest release that made the list)
Genres: Pop Soul, Neo Soul, Singer Songwriter
Favourite Song: Woman of Faces
Top 12 – AKA Album of the Year Nominees
12. DITZ – Never Exhale
*Producer of the Year
Release Date: January 24
Genres: Post Punk, Noise Rock, Post Hardcore
Favourite Song: Four
11. Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving
Release Date: September 26
Genres: Pop Soul, Sophisti Pop, Adult Contemporary
Favourite Song: Loud
10. Kae Tempest – Self Titled
*Hip Hop Artist of the Year
Release Date: July 4
Genres: UK Hip Hop, Conscious Hip Hop, Poetry
Favourite Song: Bless The Bold Future
9. Loyle Carner – hopefully !
*Hip Hop Album of the Year
Release Date: June 20
Genres: UK Hip Hop, Conscious Hip Hop, Jazz Rap
Favourite Song: lyin
8. Deftones – private music
Release Date: August 22
Genres: Alternative Metal, Post Metal, Shoegaze
Favourite Song: milk of the madonna
7. ROSALÍA – LUX
*Collaboration of the Year
Release Date: November 7
Genres: Art Pop, Flamenco Pop, Singer-Songwriter
Favourite Song: Berghain
6. The Murder Capital – Blindness
Release Date: February 21
Genres: Post Punk, Alternative Rock, Noise Rock
Favourite Song: Words Lost Meaning
5. Model/Actriz – Pirouette
*Producer of the Year
Release Date: May 2
Genres: Dance Punk, Industrial Rock, Art Punk
Favourite Song: Cinderella
4. Miley Cyrus – Something Beautiful
*Pop Album of the Year
*Pop Artist of the Year
*Pop Song of the Year
Release Date: May 30
Genres: Pop Rock, Art Pop, Dance Pop
Favourite Song: Reborn
3. Pulp – More
*Rock Album of the Year
*Rock Artist of the Year
*Rock Song of the Year
Release Date: June 6
Genres: Art Rock, Alternative Rock, Post Britpop
Favourite Song: Spike Island
2. Turnstile – NEVER ENOUGH
*Artist of the Year
*Breakthrough of the Year
*Punk Artist of the Year
Release Date: June 6
Genres: Post Hardcore, Alternative Rock, Hardcore Punk
Favourite Song: Never Enough
1. Maruja – Pain to Power
*Album of the Year
*Song of the Year
*Debut Album of the Year
*Punk Album of the Year
*Punk Song of the Year
Release Date: September 12
Genres: Post Rock, Post Punk, Jazz Rock, Post Hardcore
Favourite Song: Look Down On Us
Honorable Mentions
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Abor & Tynna – Bittersüß
Backxwash – Only Dust Remains
Blondshell – If You Asked For a Picture
DARKSIDE – Nothing
La Dispute – No One Was Driving the Car
Lady Gaga – MAYHEM
The Last Dinner Party – From the Pyre
Nourished By Time – The Passionate Ones
Saint Etienne – International
SPELLLING – Portrait of My Heart
Cemoir 
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