Favourite music of 2025

I’m early! Spotify Wrapped (100 days, most-listened genre Alt Metal, album Tethered Hands by Tethered Hands, artist AFI, plus “get their numbers up” listens in the top 5 for Suns of the Tundra’s 20^th anniversary s/t remix and Rinoa’s An Age Among Them) has been and gone, I already know what my favourites are, and I’m thinking that if I haven’t listened to a new release enough by now then I’m unlikely to any time soon.

A premium duo / family account saved my Wrapped from K Pop Demon Hunters (plenty of bangers though, tbf) and I’ve worked out that in the absence of a streaming presence – for something like GY!BE, for instance – I can scan my LP barcodes to register a play (scrobble). I have managed to resurrect my vinyl listening in the later third of the year – all it took was buying a new player under the threat of needing one for my birthday party and my existing turntable not working. Mostly I’ll still play the stuff on my phone on a low volume in a drawer or another room, as bizarre as this behaviour is – gotta keep those stats up!

Speaking of stats, my gig spreadsheet tells me I went to 16 shows this year – fewer than in 2022 and ’24, and only one more than in ’23. The most recent was Radiohead at the O2 Arena, over 22 years since I last saw them play – Glastonbury 2003! Three visits to Ronnie Scott’s for jazz, leaving me with two to go to hit my century (c’mon free glass of champagne!). Thank you to my wife for looking after our children while I go to these shows, particularly during the week when there’s work to be done.

Several people I know, including many that love music as much as I do, often listen to podcasts instead of streaming music 24/7. Unfortunately I don’t find there are enough hours in the day for that, but of course I make exceptions for specific artists, musicians, or other persons of interest. I watch Rick Beato interviews, Drumeo videos, and, this year, a four-hour podcast of Davey Havok talking through the history of AFI (in which he strongly intimated the new record runs on vibes only, but there are definitely riffs in there, including on acoustic guitar which I am a sucker for. Overall I much prefer it to its predecessor, which is admittedly not difficult. Too short though, perhaps).

PSA: don’t confuse AFI’s 2025 song Behind the Clock with Dream Theater’s 2025 Bend the Clock. Not much danger of that really, but welcome back Mr Mike Portnoy to the latter. I think he’s often the one who has made DT extra special – movie samples, tattooed rock star coolness, themes, suites, and honestly obvious influences – which perhaps raised my expectations of his comeback record with the band. It’s not bad though!

I wanted to love the new deftones album, and again I much prefer it to its predecessor, particularly owing to the return of strong and discernible vocal melody. But it’s not quite as clever as I’d hope for, although tbf neither was the relatively straightforward Diamond Eyes and that heralded the ‘tones second coming!

There was a plethora of decent but not amazing releases from artists I might have expected to love – The Weather Station, Lucy Dacus, Employed to Serve, Mogwai, Sunny War,… – that sort of thing, but conversely rejuvenations of artists I’ve given up on – well, Deafheaven, anyway.

As weird and unmarketed as it was, I confess I didn’t hate the new Mars Volta album, essentially one 49-minute song. To suggest that the six minute closing track (of the 18) is the only thing worthwhile in here is to miss the flashes of genius (yes, they’re still there) and lovely vocal lines dotted throughout the rest of the record. (I saw Sparta at a tiny pub over the summer and while they are certainly a great band, I couldn’t help but feel it’s probably Omar and Cedric who made ATDI next-level. Of course correlation is not causation, and I’m hardly objective – the 2-hour ‘If this ever gets weird’ documentary was at least 2 hours too short (I feel something similar about Netflix’s recent ‘The New Yorker at 100’).

Anyhoo. Most of my favourites became so very quickly, if not instantaneously. Suspicious, I know. Here they be:

We Lost the Sea – A Single Flower

Tethered Hands’ self-titled record was going to be my favourite post-rock release of the year – I wasn’t sure I had enough post-rock on my 2025 playlist – here, btw: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7pOMJ6FwzRu0H6A6BkBYXL?si=S7Y0TBPnS5CxIbLb7Utj_Q&pi=ufMhtEa7RJK4y – to make this statement mean anything, but I’ve found I just about do – but then in July, We Lost the Sea released their new record, and here we are. TH includes a super nice dude on Facebook as well though.

Jinjer – Duél

I keep saying that female-fronted is not a metal subgenre, then keep talking about it as if it is. The Ukranian metallers in question released their last album in 2021, as did Spiritbox and Employed to Serve. At the time I put Jinjer’s Wallflowers as my favourite, but I have several times in the 4 years since thought that EtS’s Conquering could have been. It’s a slightly easier listen, if that helps. This year though, Jinjer’s album is the clear winner, coming out all guns blazing but retaining the prog elements that make it extra interesting. Spiritbox is again my 3^rd favourite, but 2021’s Eternal Blue was excellent, and they were amazing live when I saw them at the Roundhouse in 2023. Oddly, I didn’t think much of Jinjer’s gig (supporting Bullet for my Valentine, in 2023, at the Roundhouse) but I’m trying them again next year.

ARTEMIS – Arboresque

I don’t hang on any particular jazz artist’s every word/note now, like I did in the 2010s (Courtney Pine, Christian Scott, Soweto Kinch, Hiromi, etc) but revisiting my playlist reminds me that I still check out a lot of newly released jazz. I think this group (that just so happens to be all female, which remains unusual in jazz) effort is my favourite.

My Morning Jacket – Is

I have liked MMJ for years, but only ever the general sound (southern/country-tinged rock?) and some specific songs (One Big Holiday). Now I particularly like a whole album!

Deafheaven – Lonely People with Power

Unequivocally the best twinkly-indie/black metal album since 2013’s Sunbather. While still having pretty bits and standout guitar melodies. A return to form for the ages.

DJ Koze – Music Can Hear Us / DjRUM – Under Tangled Silence

I think these are my two favourite electronic / produced records of the year, although there are several contenders. I liked Music Can Hear Us more throughout the year but Under Tangled Silence more in recent weeks. The latter is more ambient, the former more dance, maybe.

Yann Tiersen – Rathlin from a Distance

Minimalist (but clever) solo piano from everyone’s favourite Amelie composer. I liked it enough to buy the sheet music to play myself, so I must like it enough to declare it a 2025 favourite!

Paradise Slaves – With Hell in His Eyes

The music is perhaps a bit on the generic metalcore side but 36 Crazyfists (RIP)’ Brock Lindow hasn’t sounded this awesome in a fair while. There’re stacks of great vocal melodies and gigantic choruses. On one of their videos on YouTube, someone commented “that voice!”. Yes, internet stranger, yes.

The Callous Doughboys – I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven

Sorry Turnstile fans. I think in terms of saving hardcore from itself and leading it into the future, TCD are way more interesting. The Armed too, but I didn’t like their new record as much as its predecessors.

Little Simz – Lotus

There is likely less hip-hop on my 2025 playlist than post-rock and jazz, so take this with a pinch of salt, but this is probably my favourite rap record of the year. (Some folk would say Clipse or billy woods, perhaps.)

To Be Gentle – I am a Spiritual Being Having a Human Experience

Yet another shouty hardcore pick. I think I read that it’s largely one woman in her bedroom that makes this music. Astonishing if true. One of the tracks is over an hour long and it infuriates my friend why it isn’t broken up into its components.

Blackbraid – Blackbraid III

Speaking of one-person shouty music projects, here’s one more! Another indigenous black metal album, another home run.

Maruja – Pain to Power

The DJs notwithstanding, finally, a new band! Shouty hardcore yet again, but this time with absolutely chest-clutchingly tear-jerkingly gorgeous saxophone. I’m getting misty just thinking about stunning 10-minute second track Look Down On Us. Possibly my song of the year, that. Love the album so much I bought it on vinyl. (I also bought Jinjer on CD, Paradise Slaves on vinyl, a Deafheaven t-shirt, and a Tortoise gig ticket.)

Chat Pile, Hayden Pedigo – In the Earth Again

Ends up sounding like Amenra (guitars dripping with atmosphere, tortured vocals from the next room, that sort of caper), which is basically all I need to know. HP’s own 2025 record also wonderful, btw.

Tortoise – Touch

Chicago art-jazz-post-rock outfit still going strong on its eighth album, its first in nine years. Great live too, as part of the London Jazz Festival, no less. Could’ve been boring. Definitely wasn’t.

A playlist of my favourite, plus some other hopefully great, songs from the year:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/025pdTQQi1l0n62hPSVk2a?si=o5k67xPVSbSXaY5NpwyZyg&pi=DBL1y7TBRcCPW

I haven’t even got my Christmas Radio Times yet! Next year I’ll do this list in August. Jokes. TTFN.