10 Albums I listened to a lot this year (2025)
When I made my initial list, I could barely come up with 25 albums. To my credit, I did listen to a lot of music this year, but the 10 listed are the ones I kept returning to. Having a baby changes your life priorities. Although having a newborn comes with a lot of quiet downtime, I spent much of that time listening to outdoor sounds and silence—mostly just watching my daughter explore and experience the world around her for the first time.
Music was something I usually put on when I wasn’t with her; however, I would occasionally show her what I listen to, mostly to blank or unamused stares. I listened to a decent amount of music this year, but the albums listed from this year are the only ones I really sank into and returned to.
This is hardly a reinvention on my part, so it’s a lot of the usual—beat-heavy but melodic space music, sometimes with a darker tone, or spacious instrumental drones, or something in between. Music listening has been so much a part of my identity that I wonder whether, as my daughter gets older and if our family grows, my pursuit of music will fade. I don’t think it will—but change is inevitable. |
| 10 |  | Chief (CAL)
Lost In The Everglow
Alternative/Pop: A nice little surprised the algorithm served me up this year. Chief's sound feels like it falls somewhere between Dayseeker's "heavy" pop euphoria, From Indian Lakes shoe-gaze, and some of the bop of older 1975. Respectfully though they have certainly carved out a sound of their own. |
| 9 |  | Sleep Token
Even in Arcadia
Pop Choir Boy Prog Metal: (Band) drop their poppiest record to date. Either you like it or you don't so get in or get out. Gethesame always hits me in the feels. |
| 8 |  | Thrice
Horizons/West
Rock/Post-Hardcore: Thrice conclude the Horizons chapter, playing up their classic art-y Alt Rock arrangements but never afraid to lean into their experimentation. The closing track oddly enough might be my favorite with it's droning cacophony of sound bells that build as Dustin lets his rasp developing baritone range ponder the happenings as our sun sets. |
| 7 |  | Slow Crush
Thirst
Shoe-gaze/Metal: Take the shoe-gaze-y heaviness of deftones but pull it more in the direction of MBV and you get Slow Crush. No disrespect to private music (an album I also loved) but I found's Thirst's wall of flowery and drone wall of sound more engaging on the whole. If you did like the newest Deftones this album is a must-play. |
| 6 |  | Architects
The Sky, the Earth & All Between
Alt Metal/Metalcore: This record became my muse for processing anger about the current world and political climate, helping me navigate the chaos of raising a baby in it. |
| 5 |  | Jason van Wyk
Inherent
Ambient/Drone: Inherent might ve Wyk's best album to date. Wyk so masterfully tells a story that feels cinematic in scope with the swelling ambient layers, drones, orchestral pads and pianos. A world I enjoyed melting into on my commutes to and from the city. |
| 4 |  | How to Disappear Completely
Seraphim III
Drone/Ambient: This is my most listen to record of the year. I think i've finished it a few times....? HTDC continues their brand of dark eveloping drone soundscapes that help you find peace in the darkness that surrounds us. If you liked the Seraphim I and II you'll be happy with this. |
| 3 |  | Moving Mountains
Pruning of the Lower Limbs
Indie/Emo/Post-Rock: Like putting on an old comfy coat from your closet. MM not only return with a bang 12 years later but they somehow managed to drop their best record to date. BrooklynVegan's description of combining emo and post-rock while listening to The National is pretty spot on. It's an album that came out a few days after my daughter was born. So although the lyrics werent a direct reflection the general themes of change and moving forward felt relevant. Longing for my extended time frame as a youth but also embracing a new chapter as a father. |
| 2 |  | The Weeknd
Hurry Up Tomorrow
R&B/Pop/Hip-Hop: The Weeknd in 8K, IMAX, ultimate experience. Abel really ended this era of his music with a bang, dropping his best release to date. Stories and concepts from his previous works lyrically and thematically come in and out of this one. Simultaneously his most diverse and cinematic release to date. Btw i'm talking about the record, NOT the movie (heard it was pretty bad). |
| 1 |  | Dayseeker
Creature in the Black Night
Alternative Metal/Pop: Rory's combines his recent 80s pop love and seductive vocal and lyrics tones with a gothic noir aesthic, all to a very pretty alternative metal back drop. An album that felt oddly relatable with the new challenges my wife and I faced as we continue to figure out our new rhythm with having a baby. |
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