Another year, another discussion of the year’s best music! I’m grateful to have done this enough now that artists who made a list a few years ago are coming back with new projects worthy of discussion. I’m also thankful for all of you who read each year and reach out to talk about your favorites of the year. The best albums of 2025 might be subjective, but I have confidence that everyone will find something they love in these articles. Let’s dive into it, starting with 25 – 21.

#25: Colin Miller – Losin’

Asheville, North Carolina, is a hotbed for indie artists. Starting our countdown of the best 2025 albums is a multi-instrumentalist who has worked with the likes of Indigo De Souza and Wednesday. From the first track on Losin’, it’s clear we’re not quite in the slacker rock pocket of MJ Lenderman, but rather something with a similarly understated storyteller instinct. Whereas someone like De Souza or Wednesday’s Karly Hartzman utilizes emotion to drive the deeper, more desperate parts of themselves to articulate meaning, everything comes and goes in Miller’s music like a breeze.

On standout tracks like “Thunder Road,” we can hear how this generation of songwriters from the Asheville scene values everyday life as a means of understanding its meaning. The purpose is in and of itself, because what else could it be? Miller’s strengths for future projects are laid out in Losin’, and I would imagine another record would push him up an echelon, in a pattern other artists in his sphere have paved. Lucky for us, that means we get more of Miller’s sense of melody, embedded in his soft delivery and great guitar work.

#24: Horsegirl – Phonetics On and On

Horsegirl’s previous projects that resonated with me were very much noise rock. Usually, if an artist leaves a genre I love on a project, I feel a bit disappointed, but moving into a bedroom pop space on Phonetics On and On might have been what makes Horsegirl an up-and-comer in a crowded indie space. Vocalist Nora Cheng has such a fantastic delivery in the sung-spoken vocals that make this subgenre special that you would easily believe this is where Horsegirl has always existed. Penelope Lowenstein, the group’s other vocalist, is equally skilled, allowing the group to pass singing duties back and forth with confidence.

Something about this project that particularly resonated with me was the added benefit that a softer record allows the three-piece to tighten up its sound. Sometimes, sound as a vehicle can work well as a chaos agent. On this record, however, the guitar, bass, and drums all feel so fit together rather than battling for dominance. It allows lyrics to come through clearly and feels right in line with bands like Dear Nora or Free Cake for Every Creature. Namedropping either of those acts isn’t something I’d do lightly, which speaks to the joy this record brought me this year.

#23: Saba & No ID – From The Private Collection of Saba & No ID

The production of From the Private Collection is immediately nod-inducing. There’s a timelessness to a combination of a producer who has their own keen sense of blending genres, beats, and tones with a rapper who knows their lane. Saba has long been an underrated artist in hip-hop, even as his attention and praises from fellow artists increase. There’s a clear connection to Saba’s sound with other Chicago rappers like Noname or Chance, but I appreciate the multitudes No ID’s production brings out of him.

As the spoken word scene in Chicago has propelled many rappers from the city to stardom, what comes after the low-key tracks is always interesting to me. On songs like “Westside Bound Pt. 4” or “How to Impress God,” I feel like Saba is showing off his skillset. Without a producer to push you out of your zone and encourage exploration, some artists stay the same shade of their original color. No ID and Saba’s collaboration feels like both artists at their peak, and what more could you want from a project like this?

#22: Pictoria Vark – Nothing Sticks

At less than 2,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, I’m astonished we’re ending 2025 without more love for Pictoria Vark and their sophomore record, Nothing Sticks. It’s not shocking to me that I like this project; it’s very much in the vein of the singer-songwriter music I’m drawn to. What caught me off guard was how well the record previews what an artist like singer-songwriter Victoria Park can do with a bit more production. There’s a keen sense for dynamics; there are beautiful sections of the record set with strings, and others are very comfortable being driven by guitar.

I think, similarly to Collin Miller’s vocals, Pictoria Vark succeeds as a project because there are no showy vocals that push you away from the lyrics. Instead, you’re hearing stories that understand what’s being said is just as important as the instruments you’re hearing. I love this record’s ability to let Park shine as a songwriter without falling into a single lane that’s defined by a single adjective. There’s a lot to dig into deeply on this record, and hopefully, more people take the chance to do so.

#21: Deftones – Private Music

Ten albums into a successful career, I wonder if at any point Deaftones understood the funny path their group would take. After being a mainstay in the mainstream rock scene, Gen Z took to TikTok to utilize the group’s intense, visceral sound to backdrop videos emoting angst, anger, or downright animosity for the world around them. Suddenly, you show up to a Deaftones show and instaed of men in their 30s and 40s, the crowd is filled with young folks of all genders enjoying the emotion on stage. The kids are alright, as it turns out.

Private Music isn’t some major deviation from the formula that makes Deftones consistent. I’d say the one thing this album does differently is return to form a bit in terms of the band’s early 00s metal instincts. We’re not quite back in Nu Metal territory, but we’re closer to that than the sounds on recent records from the group. I think we’re nearing a major pendulum swing back to Nu Metal, and who better to sound the warning bell than a band that survived that era, evolved, and continues to put out great work. Keep reading for the next batch of albums making our best of list for 2025! Sound off in the comments if you enjoy any of the records discussed in this article.

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