"We got some cool comebacks, a number of impressive follow-up efforts and, well, basically everything in between and from every different genre. As 2025 gets ready to slip into the rearview mirror, and the promise of more good music to come in the new year grows ever more prescient, it's time to look back at the new releases that we loved most this year."
"Lorde has done it again delivering an outright masterpiece that shines more brightly than any other album of the year. A worthy successor to the all-time great 2013 debut Pure Heroine and the equally magnificent 2017 follow-up Melodrama, and sitting at a slightly higher perch than 2021's fine Solar Power, this fourth full-length finds the New Zealand wunderkind further sharpening her already razor-like lyrical ability as she tells stories filled with personal liberation, conflicting emotions and New York City grooves."
"It's closest in spirit and sound to Melodrama, existing in a sleek, shadow-filled urban dreamscape as opposed to the sunny, beachy vibe of the previous album. Lorde sounds self-assured and at peace throughout the recording, with these songs both screaming and whispering out the same kind of message/manifesto she made during her concert in Berkeley back in October: I have been reflecting on this tour that, in some ways, I feel that this is the first year of my career,"
2025 produced a diverse set of musical treasures spanning debuts, longtime favorites, comebacks, and impressive follow-up albums across many genres. The year-end selections mix familiar artists and emerging voices positioned for continued impact. Lorde's fourth album, Virgin, stands out as a high point, sharpening lyrical precision while exploring personal liberation, conflicting emotions, and New York–inflected grooves. The record favors sleek, shadow-filled urban soundscapes compared with sunnier prior work and conveys a renewed curiosity, playfulness, and openness. Overall, the year showcased consistent artistic vitality and promise for more strong releases ahead.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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