"Since starting at the Portland Mercury in February, I've spoken with dozens of people in various Portland music scenes, all of whom echo the opinion that it feels as though Portland is having a bit of a renaissance at the moment. Everyone is leaning more deeply into their artistic practices, starting bands, and excavating old projects no one ever thought would put music out again."
"Case in point, a massive amount of truly stellar records have been released by Portland artists thus far in 2025. We've got it all in our fair city: the hardest of hardcore, the slowest of slowcore, transcendent ambient and jazz, hip-hop and hoedown, toe-curling post-punk, and lip-biting rave music. Every single genre of music imaginable is forged on the banks of the mighty Willamette. All-femme sacred choral music? Yup. Indigenous indie? Sure thing. A clutch trans music scene? You bet!"
"The below 10 albums are my favorites of the year thus far for so many different reasons. Some dropped at the perfect time to resonate with where I was/am personally (The Barbaras, C Powers), some came on like a breath of air after a deep plunge I didn't know I was taking (The Cosmic Tones Research Trio, Boltcutter), while others are gems by true Portland legends (Michael Hurley, Soul Assembly 1)."
Portland's music community is experiencing a renaissance, with musicians deepening artistic practices, forming new bands, and reviving dormant projects. New venues are opening while others close, notable figures have returned, and established artists are relocating to the city. A large number of remarkable records by Portland artists were released in 2025, covering hardcore, slowcore, ambient, jazz, hip-hop, hoedown, post-punk, and electronic rave styles. Niche scenes such as all-femme sacred choral music, indigenous indie, and a trans music community are active. Ten standout albums were selected for timing, emotional resonance, and artistic legacy, reflecting immense creative investment.
Read at Portland Mercury
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