"The Lebanese Civil War. Corporate agri-capitalism. Tips for surviving a nasty divorce. Violence, unfettered avarice, and the need to hold on to your heart-all of these, among other timely themes, infuse a group of widely varied but generally excellent albums released over the past year. A horrible time in so many ways that we know all too well, 2025 also gave us some terrifically inventive, ear-stretching, and entertaining music."
"Many of the most inventive recordings were hybrid works, carrying on the genre-blending and style-blurring that virtually defines music in every category these days, making the very idea of categories quaint. I've been curating lists like this one for decades, and when I started, early in the 21st century, it felt strange to mingle albums of pop and jazz and hip-hop and classical and other kinds of music; but now, everything seems at home with everything else."
Albums released in 2025 confront subjects such as the Lebanese Civil War, corporate agri-capitalism, divorce survival, violence, unchecked avarice, and the struggle to retain emotional humanity. The music of the year combines incisive engagement with difficult times and inventive, ear-stretching sounds that propose ways to endure. Many standout recordings prioritize hybrid approaches, blending genres and blurring stylistic boundaries so categories feel quaint. Lists of notable releases include an 11-album selection ordered alphabetically by artist. ARTMS, a K-pop quintet derived from Loona, delivered a playful, impeccably produced six-song EP whose flawlessness can feel both enchanting and slightly unsettling.
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