The Best Music Albums of 2025
I usually do these best music album lists earlier in the year. A combination of indecision and getting sidetracked by stuff delayed the list. However, the list is here now. Like I said indecision was a factor, some albums didn’t quite do it for me and perhaps the list is a bit samey, but it’s the music I enjoyed the most. So enough yapping, here’s the list.
Honorable Mentions
Heretoir – Solastalgia
Heretoir is one of those blackgaze, type bands, they kind of have their own spin on it. They’ve actually been around for a while but this album was my introduction to them. Very bleak, dark depressing stuff, but I think (the vocalist) David Conrad’s vocals add a little extra to the formula.
Oklou – Choke Enough
In what will be an ongoing theme for most of these albums. Hard to really classify this one. It’s kind of a pop-electronic type of album. Something light and whimsical sounding, slightly hypnotic. Interesting enough to mention.
Top Ten
10.
Cradle of Filth – The Screaming of the Valkyries
A band that gets better with age. They’ve been around since 1991 so they need no introduction. But their music has matured through the years and they seem to be making consistently good music that is arguably better than their classic albums.
Cradle of Filth – The Screaming of the Valkyries
09.
Saor – Amidst the Ruins
This guy usually ends up on my list, always consistently good. This album is probably among his best. If you’re a new or old listener a great album to check out.
08.
Ceresian Valot – Uumen
This is a band that gives off those southern metal vibes but from Finland. Slow, deliberate, technical and the singer sings. The music is a lot about the atmosphere it creates through the progression of the music. Hard to describe, it’s just something you have to vibe with.
07.
Nachtblut – Todschick
What if Black metal was catchy and German? This is one where you can’t judge the book by the cover (literally). From the theatrical black metal outfits the band wears to the naked dead lady on the cover you might expect something not great. But I was glad to be proven wrong. I think the music is, as mentioned earlier, a bit catchy and kind of over the top in a good way. It’s a bit Rammstein in that type of way, where you could take it seriously and enjoy it but the music is played up in such a way that it isn’t serious. I’ll call this one a pleasant surprise.
06.
明日の叙景 (Asunojokei) – Think of You
Hard to put a label on these guys. Kind of blackgaze but have a more laid back twang to the music, like hard rock that has an emphasis on the guitars but with harsh vocals. As a follow up to their 2022 album this one sounds a bit different. It’s a fun album though the vocals might not be for everyone.
05.
In the Woods… – Otra
This is on the doom metal side but with amazing vocals and somehow very catchy. Very front loaded though and tapers off towards the end but overall feels somewhat unorthodox and enjoyable.
04.
Allegaeon – The Ossuary Lens
Allegaeon is another band that I had heard before, enjoyed and then kind of forgot about. They’re a melodic death metal band but have a high emphasis on the technical side. So a lot of the melody is complex guitar riffs. So if you’re into crazy fast riffs this might be up your alley.
03.
ano – Bone Born Bomb
In 2025 I actually went to Japan and ano was all over the place. I didn’t know who she was at the time but she was on a bunch of commercials, television shows and even a music video of hers was on TV. But it didn’t really connect with me who she was until I returned home.
ano makes some very unconventional pop music which made it all so strange that she was propped up so much. How much mainstream appeal could she have? It’s hard to say what she sounds like because she doesn’t have one cohesive sound. Some tracks she’s screaming like a metal singer but other tracks she’s got a cutesy voice. She plays the guitar, the songs are generally fun, but there’s just something about her that is so good. Give her a shot and there’s probably something in there for you to enjoy.
02.
Deafheaven – Lonely People With Power
I’ve been a fan of this band back since their debut album Roads to Judah. A blackgaze band from San Francisco, I actually had kind of fallen off from them since their 2018 album. But this new album Lonely People With Power started making some waves this year. It’s quite good but also a lot more aggressive than their previous albums. But I can’t say it’s a bad change of direction since I enjoyed it very much.
Deafheaven – Lonely People With Power
01.
Harakiri for the Sky – Scorched Earth
Harakiri for the Sky seem to have a formula that works for them and I’m personally not tired of it quite yet. Whenever they bring out an album it’s almost always at the top of my list and same can be said for this year. If you’re not familiar with them by now they’re an Austrian Blackgaze band. While the songs are lengthy it always feels like there is something going on, which is why I always keep coming back. Great riffs, captivating melodies, and they even have some songs in English on this album.
Harakiri for the Sky – Scorched Earth
Another year in the books and another list down. A solid year where the first and second album could be easily swapped. Looking forward to what 2026 has in store, there always seems to be something new to discover.
If you enjoyed this list and want to see last year’s list, the best music albums of 2024 is right around the corner!
