*Year-End Lists are the intersection between a Third Space and Endless Consumption
The end of each year brings a lot of year-end lists to put a bow on the soundtrack our lives. In a year of much anxiety and fear in my life and throughout the world, music in its many forms was a solace from that anxiety. From going to concerts with friends, karaoke, buying CDs and Vinyl, to making playlists for New Music Friday, were joys to take on in a world of such turmoil.
In an era of ceaseless consumption and AI music, I found songs and records that reached me from friends, music blogs, substacks, and (if you let it ride) the YouTube Algorithm that allowed for peace in the middle of the storm.
From the music I came across and what people were enjoying, I found a deep presence of yearning and escape. A yearning of something real, whether that be a feeling, love, care, or joy.
The escape could take the form or dancing in PinkPanthress of Bad Bunny, or being lost in a pharmacological haze listening to Playboi Carti.
The yearning for love took place in many forms. The yearning of being a good father in the Albums of Chance the Rapper, Earl Sweatshirt and Dijon. The yearning of being a good partner in different forms from Oliva Dean and Sabrina Carpenter, respectively. What really stood out to me was the yearning to be ok to fall in love from both Tyler, the Creator and Lorde
“Why Can’t I Fall in Love? “- Tyler, the Creator –Tell Me What It Is/Don’t Tap The Glass
Am I Ever gon’ love again? – Lorde – David/Virgin
All in all, the music of 2025 faced a lot of yearning and escape for more from the current realities of today, but made a space where hope, joy, dance, and love can grow in many forms.
Here are some favorite albums and songs of 2025:
Spotify|Apple Music|Tidal|YouTube|Amazon Music
Top 100 Songs 2025
100. Unidos – Sofia Kourtesis/Daphni
99. Loop Defenders – Bartess Strange
98. Da Problem Solva – Thirteendegrees
97. Lights, Camera, Action – Hope Tala
96. Ride – Chance the Rapper ft. Do or Die
95. Yukon – Justin Bieber
94. Big Daddy – Tems
93. Aquamarine – Addison Rae
92. SAULT – W.A.L.
91. Mi Luz – Sabrina Claudio
90. A Bug’s Life – Sudan Archives
89. Playas F*** Up – Lemonxde80s
88. Jan 14th – Larry June
87. Magnolias – Rosalia
86. Relentless Hands and Feet – Open Mike Eagle
85. Fully Known – Liv Roskos*
84. Community – JID/Clipse
83. IKEA – Kelly Moonstone ft. Saba
82. There It Is – Sunny Lou/Run Along Forever/414bigfrank
81. Black Xmas – Billy Woods/Brusier Wolf/SadhuGold
80. Rust & Steel – Durand Jones and the Indicators
79. I’ll Be There – Bon Iver
78. Sugar Sweet – Mariah Carey/Shenseea/Khelani
77. 30 for 30 – SZA/Kendrick Lamar+
76. Survive – Sammy Virji/salute
75. Cry for Me – The Weeknd
74. Woes of the World – Saba/No ID
73. MTV’s Pimp My Ride – zayALLCAPS
72. Cuando Me Te Olvido – Karol G
71. Doorways and Floorboards – Damon Groen*
70. Crank – Playboi Carti
69. Tossed Away – Nourished By Time
68. Thick n’ Country – KIRBY/Akeem Ali
67. Girl Like Me – PinkPanthress
66. Sage Time – Amine
65. 24 Gospel – Navy Blue/Earl Sweatshirt
64. For Biggs – Anthony Bruno
63. Jensen McRae – Let Me Be Wrong
62. Lonely – Little Simz
61. Back to the Go – Chance the Rapper/Vic Mensa
60. Couples Therapy – Doja Cat
59. Where Are You – 54 Ultra ^
58. Craig Finn – Fletcher’s
57. Pardon – Burna Boy/Stromae
56. FORGE – Earl Sweatshirt
55. Man I Need – Olivia Dean
54. The Chase – Erika de Casier
53. Don’t You Worry Baby – Tyler, the Creator/Madison McFerrin
52. Where is My Husband? – Raye
51. Baby Steps – Olivia Dean
50. I Care – Turnstile
49. It’s Time – Nourished By Time
48. London Summers – Odeal
47. 3x – Jim Legxacy/Dave
46. Day One – Bon Iver/Dijon/Flock of Dimes
45. Tomorrow – Ella Mae Sueref/Leroy Horns/Kenny Keys
44. TTW – Rochelle Jordan
43. EN EFF – De La Soul/Black Thought
42. Cobra – Geese
41. DtMF – Bad Bunny
40. Ring Ring Ring – Tyler, the Creator
39. So Be It – Clipse
38. Battery Death – Ninajirachi
37. Lion – Little Simz/Obongjayar
36. Spider Webbing Windshields – Boldy James/Nicholas Craven
35. I Can Change Him – Jensen McRae
34. My Everything – Braxton Cook
33. Without You – Durand Jones & The Indications
32. Stranger to Love – dexter in the newsagent
31. Never Enough – Turnstile
30. Heart of a Child – Meerba
29. CRISCO – Earl Sweatshirt
28. M.T.B.T.F – Clipse
27. Partycrasher – Jeneieve
26. When A Grown Man Cries – CMAT
25. Free – Little Simz
24. BAILE INoLVIDABLE – Bad Bunny
23. In The Rain – Addison Rae
22. Countryside – Blood Orange
21. tiger driver ‘91 – Jim Legxacy
20. Love Takes Miles – Cameron Winter
19. Khamari – Head In a Jar
18. MIKE – man in the mirror
17. You Can’t Always Get What You Want – Erika de Casier
16. The Field – Blood Orange/Tariq Al-Sabir/Caroline Polacheck/Daniel Cesear/The Durutti Column
15. Blue Ocean Water – D2X
Solid albums and EPs from this Chicago rapper. Interested to see what he does next.
14. Islands of Man – Geese
I bet money people doubted The Strokes, Interpol, and TV On the Radio in the early 2000s. Rise. A continuation of a long-running NYC Garage bands.
13. HIGHER! – Dijon
Well, Pop Music is sounding more like K-Love. Forrest Frank. Brandon Lake/Jelly Roll, Alex Warren. This is in the same neighborhood with with Justin Vernon’s influence. Check out his SNL performance with Bon Iver, Nick Hakim, and Amber Coffman
12. Eyes Shut – Rochelle Jordan
Dancing through the anxiety of heartbreak and doomscrolling
11. Cooler By The Lake – Justice Hill
This song was on heavy rotation during the summer when my A/C broke down. As the year progressed, and seeing all the news with ICE and hearing other people outside talk about Chicago, it felt like this is who we are, stepping up and supporting others.
10. real yearners unite – Yaya Bey
If Man I Need is the party, this is the slowburn kickback
9. Purpose – Loyle Carner/Navy Blue
Reflective. Sober. Mature
8. Mine – Tems
7. Father – Jim Legxacy
Such an earworm. The Mitski shoutout
6. Take care – dexter in the newsagent
Finding God and peace in the middle of uncertainty
5. Birds Don’t Sing – Clipse/John Legend/Voices of Fire
One of the best album openers, and a loving tribute. Check out their Vactian performance.
4. Illegal – PinkPantheress
My Summer Song. So infectious
3. A Couple Minutes – Olivia Dean
Ah the tension. Will she? Will they? but knowing its best to say hi, glad your well and send it on.
2. Another Baby! – Dijon
The 1:40 mark where Dijon carries All Night sends me. Also, peep the DJ Quik/Suga Free sample at the songs start and finish
1. When the War is Over – Nourished By Time
Vocals remind me of an old Gospel song. Song holds near with all the anxiety and tension I’ve seen in the world and life in the last couple of years
Top 40 Albums
40. Wale – Everything Is a Lot
Songs of Note: Belly, Where to Start, City on Fire
39. Playboi Carti – MUSIC
Songs of Note: Crank, OPM Babi, Fine S***, WALK
38. dexter in the newsagent – Time Flies
Songs of Note: Special, Lift Me Up, Stranger to Love
37. Addison Rae – Addison
Songs of Note: Diet Pepsi, Fame Is a Gun, Aquamarine, In the Rain
36. Kelly Moonstone – New Moon
Songs of Note: IKEA, Nervous
35. Open Mike Eagle – Neighborhood Gods Unlimited
Songs of Note: relentless hands and feet, rejoiner (burning the last puzzle piece)
34. Justice Hill – Cooler By the Lake
Songs of Note: Right Where You Started, Title Track,
33. Aminè – 13 Months of Sunshine
Songs of Note: New Flower, History, Changer, Arc de Triomphe
32. Danny Brown – Stardust
Songs of Note: Book of Daniel, Stardust, The End
31. Kokoroko – Tuff Times Never Last
Songs of Note: Never Lost, Three Piece Suit
30. McKinley Dixon – Magic, Alive!
Songs of Note: We’re Outside Rejoice!, Magic, Alive!
29. Bon Iver – SABLE, fABLE
Songs of Note: Day One, I’ll Be There
28. Chance the Rapper – Star Line
Songs of Note: Ride, No More Old Men, Drapetomania, Back to the Go
27. Geese – Getting Killed
Songs of Note: Cobra, Husbands, Islands of Man
26. CMAT – Euro-Country
Songs of Note: When a Grown Man Cries
25. KIRBY – Miss Black America
Songs of Note: Thick N’ Country
24. Karol G – Tropicoqueta
Songs of Note: Cuando Me Muera Te Olvido
23. El Michaels Affair – 24 Hour Sports
Songs of Note: Anticipate, Indifference
22. Navy Blue – The Sword and The Soaring
Songs of Note: 24 Gospel
21. Earl Sweatshirt – Live, Laugh, Love
Songs of Note: FORGE, CRISCO
20. De La Soul – Cabin In the Sky
Songs of Note: Will Be, EN EFF,
19. Khamari – To Dry a Tear
Songs of Note: Head in a Jar, Sycamore Tree, Apollo Eighteen
18. Turnstile – Never Enough
Songs of Note: I Care, Never Enough, Look Out for Me
17. Saba/No I.D. – From the Private Collection of Saba and No ID
Songs of Note: Crash, Woes of the World, head.rap
16. Jensen McRae – I Don’t Know How But They Found Me!
Songs of Note: I Can Change Him, Nostalgia, Savannah, Praying for Your Downfall
15. Rochelle Jordan – Through the Wall
Best dance album this side of Renaissance, with a whole set of dance producers from Kaytranada, Dam-Funk, to Terry Hunger
Songs of Note: TTW, Eyes Shut
14. Loyle Carner – hopefully!
Mature rap songs of fatherhood, life and learning to let go
Songs of Note: all i need, purpose
13. Yaya Bey – do it afraid
Poined neo-soul tracks on the current realities of economic uncertainties and personal doubts with mixes of lovers rock, soca, and calypso
Songs of Note: real yearners unite, spin cycle, merlot and grigio
12. Tyler, the Creator – Don’t Tap the Glass
Who knew back in 2011, Tyler would make 80s Funk music, encouraging us to put our phones down to dance carefree with friends.
Songs of Note: Sugar on My Tongue, Ring, Ring, Ring, Don’t You Worry Baby
11. Durand Jones & The Indications – Flowers
Durand Jones and Aaron Frazier are an unstoppable combination and make perfect retro soul that could make The Delfonics blush
Songs of Note: Lover’s Holiday, Rust and Steel, Without You
10. Blood Orange – Essex Honey
Dev Hynes and friends take on influences from old indie rock songs and craft a perfect fall album exploring grief
Songs of Note: The Field, Countryside, Westerburg
9. Little Simz – Lotus
Simz being reflective and taking on a new style in a personal letter to keep going in the light of disappointment and struggle
Songs of Note: Free, Lion, Lotus, Lonely
8. Bad Bunny – Debi Tirar Mas Fotos
A love letter to Puerto Rico and its multiple genres in the form of Salsa, Reggeaton, Bomba, Plena, Perreo (with splashes of Bachata and Merengue), in the wake of gentrification and land development on the island
Songs of Note: NUEVAYoL, BAILE INoLVIDABLE, Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii
7. Erika de Casier – Lifetime
This reminds me so much of being driven at night as a kid with family and having smooth jazz and quiet storm radio stations with influences of trip-hop and downtempo music.
Songs of Note: You Can’t Tell What You What, Season, You Got It!, The Chase
6. Clipse – Let God Sort It Out
A masterful and commanding comeback after a 16 year hiatus
Songs of Note: Birds Don’t Sing, So Be It, P.O.V. M.T.B.T.T.F.
5. Dijon – Baby!
Running off producing Justin Bieber and Bon Iver albums this year, this album the joys of love, marriage, and fatherhood with a burning passion. The most inventive R&B album you can listen to this year.
Songs of Note: Another Baby!, HIGHER!, Yamaha, Kindalove
4. PinkPantheress – Fancy That
Say what you want about her short songs, but she knows how to produce and sample to the fullest to create an anxious dance party. Hearing samples from UK legends Basement Jaxx, Underworld, The Streets, Estelle’s American Boy(!) in between Nardo Wick and Panic! At The Disco! Throughout this short project is so infectious and on point in bringing back the 2000s aesthetic
Songs of Note: Illegal, Girl Like Me, Tonight, Fancy Some More (Remix Album)
3. Jim Legxacy – Black British Music (2025)
Made in Britain, Paid in Britain. How listening to a rap mixtape felt in the early 2010s. Taking UK Grime, Afrobeat, Pop-Punk/Emo, R&B Samples (even a Mitski shoutout) into a style all of his own, curating tales of survival and debauchery in the midst of family loss.
Tracks of Note: Stick, ‘06 Wayne Rooney, Father, SOS, I just banged a snus in Canada Water, 3x, tiger diver ‘91
2. Nourished By Time – The Passionate Ones
Bedroom Pop Music informed by 80s//90s R&B and Gospel cuts in on the balance of love and devotion through a 9 to 5 work culture
Tracks of Note: Idiot in the Park, Baby, Baby, 925, When The War is Over
1. Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving
A Perfect letter for love in its many forms. For the romantic, friends, family, anxious, avoidant, and everyone in between
Tracks of Note: Nice to Each Other, Man I Need, Baby Steps, A Couple Minutes
+Sza’s album SOS Deluxe Lana came out late December 2024
*Friends/Family/Community Members doing cool work. Support local shows and buy local music when you can
^Song came out initially in 2023, but came across this year
Honourable Mentions Songs & Albums
Cocaine Nose – Playboi Carti
Love Me Anymore – Ghostface Killah/Nas
Documents – Slick Rick/Nas
Better Sober – Lecrae/Madison Ryann Ward
sos/I just banged a snus in Canada water/big time forward – Jim Legxacy
FALSEDAD – Rauw Alejandro
We Outside, Rejoice! – McKinley Dixon
No Need to Worry – Daniel Cesear/Clario
Dave – The Boy that Played the Harp
Sevn Wonder – Daybreak
Giveon – BELOVED
The Typecaster 