Josh’s Favorite
Albums of 2025

As 2025 winds down, it’s high time that I reflect on what’s been an incredible year of music. In addition to being fortunate enough to attend dozens of amazing concerts in multiple cities and venues, I’ve had the pleasure of listening to a plethora of unforgettable musical releases (albums, live albums, and EPs) and interviewing many amazing musicians. Don’t forget to support your local musicians and venues too!

I was also overjoyed to see one of my favorite singers and bands, Paul Rodgers and Bad Company, finally get inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Before I get into my favorite albums list, below are some exceptional live albums that came out this year:

• Rich Hope – Live At The ANZA Club
• Sarah McQuaid – Walking Into White Live In Rapid City
• CM Porterfield – Two Percent Aura (Live)
• The Heavy Heavy – Live

As well as some EPs that were standouts to me:

• CLOVER – Atlas
• VLNTYN – The Darker Side of Being Human
• Genevieve Heyward – Sprinkles 
• The Successful Failures – Sun Studio Session 
• Maz – NPC
• Jacob on the Moon – The Gemini Club 
• The Prickly Pair – The Prickly Pair 
• Meadowers – Knee-jerk 
• IfIHadAHiFi – Paws In the Bacon Grease EP + Night Vision EP
• Maggie Rose – Cocoon
• Bartees Strange – Shy Bairns Get Nowt

In total, I listened to well over 400 releases this year. There were many extraordinary albums that left a lasting mark on me, often aided by coverage here or in my various freelance publications. (Check my bio here and at the bottom of this page to see my socials to read more of my work.) So much so that this year’s list was one of the more challenging ones to compile.

While I spent a good amount of time trying to rank my top 100 in order of fondness as best I could, my greater hope is that the following list at least provides a rough roadmap to some amazing releases I recommend adding to your 2025 yearly playlist. You know we have and will continue to advocate for outstanding artistry. If you’re here because you like reviews, we’ve got plenty this year you can check out in our reviews tab on the site. And add our socials to stay up to date.

1. Samantha Fish – Paper Doll

2. Joanne Shaw Taylor – Black & Gold (Deluxe)

3. Michigander – Michigander

4. S.G. Goodman – Planting by the Signs

5. Blondshell – If You Asked For a Picture

6. Bob Mould – Here We Go Crazy

7. Benmont Tench – The Melancholy Season

8. Bartees Strange – Horror

9. Podge Lane – Less Of Me

10. Next Paperback Hero – Better Late Than Never

11. Horsegirl – Phonetics On and On

12. Samantha Crain – Gumshoe

13. SunYears – The Song Forlorn

14. The Hallelujah Ward – Everybody Swoons

15. Trapper Schoepp – Osborne

16. Them Coulee Boys – No Fun In The Chrysalis

17. Margo Price – Hard Headed Woman (Deluxe – Bandcamp Exclusive Edition for ACLU)

18. Buick Audra – ADULT CHILD

19. MSSV – On And On

20. Brett Newski & the Bad Inventions – ameriCONa Pt. 1: Educate Freeloaders to Buy Art

21. Molly Tuttle – So Long Little Miss Sunshine

22. The Mascot Theory – Cosmic Hit & Run

23. Whitty Remarks – Nary A Care

24. Friendship Commanders – BEAR

25. The Mynabirds – It’s Okay To Go Back If You Keep Moving Forward

26. Ringo Starr – Look Up

27. Stillhouse Junkies – The Ballad of Charlie Avalon

28. Arny Margret – I Miss You, I Do

29. Brittany Davis – Black Thunder

30. Larkin Poe – Bloom

31. David Byrne – Who Is the Sky?

32. U.S. Girls – Scratch It

33. Hannah Frey – Lucky Girl

34. Jessica Risker – Calendar Year

35. Big Thief – Double Infinity

36.  Mister Romantic (aka John C Reilly) – What’s Not To Love?

37. Absolute Losers – In the Crowd

38. Briscoe – Heat Of July

39. Fireside Collective – The Seven

40. Alice Cooper – The Revenge of Alice Cooper

41. Mark Mallman – Magic Time

42. Inspector Cluzo – LESS IS MORE

43. Robert Finley – Hallelujah! Don’t Let the Devil Fool Ya

44. My Morning Jacket – is

45. Hide and Shine – The Red Core

46. Lucius – Lucius 

47. Patterson Hood – Exploding Trees and Airplane Screams

48. Valerie June – Owls, Omens, and Oracles

49. Sierra Hull – A Tip Toe High Wire

50. Shayfer James – Summoning

51. NODEGA – Rot In Helvetica

52. Craig Finn – Always Been

53. Brian D’Addario – Till the Morning

54. Garbage – Let All That We Imagine Be the Light

55. Tee Templeton – Diner Of Doubt

56. Post Animal – IRON

57. Winyah – Lot To Learn

58. I’m With Her – Wild and Clear and Blue

59. Car Seat Headrest – The Scholars

60. Galactic and Irma Thomas – Wait for the Night

61. Talia Key – From the Ashes

62. Matt Berninger – Get Sunk

63. Lily Hiatt – Forever

64. Ruby Sparks – Iris

65. Boo Boos – Young Love

66. Ladybird – Clementine

67. Steve Martin & Alison Brown – Safe, Sensible And Sane

68. Social Cig – Patchwork: A Road Dog Story

69. Ally Venerable – Money & Power

70. Devon Allman Project – The Blues Project

71. Larry McCray – Heartbreak City

72. Jewelry Exchange – Bedazzled

73. MKO (Davy Knowles, Gerry McAvoy, Brendan O’Neill) – S/t

74. Driveway Thriftdwellers – High Top Van

75. Christone “Kingfish” Ingram – Hard Road

76. Basia Bulat – Basia’s Palace

77. The Last Revel – Gone For Good

78. Joe Bonamassa – Breakthrough

79. Ketch Secour – Story the Crow Told Me

80. Kind Skies – Echo

81. Great Wide Nothing – A Shout Into the Void

82. Ginger Winn – Freeze Frame

83. Daisychain – All in a Name

84. Anamanaguchi – Anyway

85. Jay Som – Belong

86. Hannah Delynn – Trust Fall

87. The Belair Lip Bombs – Again

88. Remi Goode – Things I’ve Said Before

89. Lillian King – In Your Long Shadow

90. Yawn Mower – I Just Can’t Wait To Die

91. BirdBelly – The Wind The Wood

92. Dave Hause – …And the Mermaid

93. Djo – The Crux (Deluxe Edition)

94. Grace Potter – Medicine

95. Sons of the East – SONS

96. Lew Apollo – Fool’s Gold

97. Jonny Fritz – Debbie Downers

98. Soccer Mommy – Evergreen (stripped)

99. Wednesday – Bleeds

100. Jack Van Cleaf – JVC (Deluxe Edition)

Honorable Mentions and Some More Albums Worth Your Time:

• Wide Orbit – Introducing
• Claire Morales – Lost In the Desert
• ZZ Ward – Liberation
• Tom Cox – Modal Fixture
• Deep Sea Diver – Billboard Heart
• Luke Tyler Shelton – Blue Sky
• Collections of Colonies of Bees – Celebrities
• Jason Isbell – Foxes in Snow
• Julien Baker & TORRES – Send A Prayer My Way
• CIVIC – Chrome Dipped
• Lukas Nelson – American Romance
• Kassi Valazza – From Newman Street
• Anderson East – Worthy
• Ken Pomeroy – Cruel Joke
• Robbie Fulks – Now Then
• Watchhouse – Rituals
• Robert Jon & The Wreck – Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes
• Daniel Donato – Horizons
• Sunflower Bean – Mortal Primetime
• Squid – Cowards
• Cabin Fever – It’s Only Forever
• Sports Team – Boys These Days
• Indigo De Souza – Precipice
• Winser – S/t
• The Wildmans – Longtime Friend
• Suzanne Vega – Flying with Angels
• Robert Plant – Saving Grace
• Jens Lekman – Songs For Other People
• Luke Marzec – Something Good Out of Nothing
• MIRADOR – S/t
• Snocaps – S/t
• Amanda Shires – Nobody’s Girl
• Joviale – Mount Crystal
• Sparks – MAD!
• Leftover Salmon – Let’s Party About It 
• Sedona – Getting Into Heaven
• Slow Joy – Joy So Slow At Times I Don’t Think It’s Coming 
• Fruit Bats – Baby Man
• Goose – Everything Must Go
• Alan Sparhawk – With Trampled by Turtles
• Brandi Carlile and Elton John – Who Believes In Angels?
• Lucy Dacus – Forever is a Feeling
• The Devil Makes Three – Spirits
• Yves Jarvis – All Cylinders
• The Beaches – No Hard Feelings
• Brent Cobb and the Fixin’s – Ain’t Rocked In Awhile
• Bonnie Prince Billy – Purple Bird
• Lord Huron – The Cosmic Sector Vol 1
• Tami Neilson – Neon Cowgirl
• Superchunk – Songs In the Key of Yikes
• Tyler Childers – Snipe Hunter
• T Hardy Morris – Artificial Tears
• Case Oats – Last Missouri Exit
• Hilary Reynolds – Changing Seasons
• Ty Segall – Possession
• Ian James Bain – At Your Service
• Kathleen Edwards – Millionaire
• Andy Frasco – Growing Pains
• Ben Kweller – Cover The Mirrors
• Walt Hamburger – …and Louie!
• Willi Carlisle – Winged Victory
• The Beths – Straight Line Was A Lie
• The Berries – S/t * Patty Griffin – Crown of Roses
• Neal Francis – Return to Zero
• Josh Ritter – I Believe In You, My Honeydew
• Eric Schmitt – Wait for the Night
• Blue Moon – S/t
• Ok Cool – Chit Chat
• Billie Marten – Dog Earred
• Dagger Polyester – Perversion for Profit
• Lily Seabird – Trash Mountain
• Mdou Moctar – Tears of Injustice
• Jethro Tull – Curious Ruminant
• Cymande – Renascence
• The Men – Buyer Beware
• Jackie Venson – The Love Anthology
• Little Feat – Strike Up the Band
• TajMo – Room On The Porch
• The David Mayfield Parade – Go Big and Go Home
• Gyasi – Here Comes the Good Part
• Valley Fox – Bear Dance
• The Marcus King Band – Darling Blue
• Social Cinema – Don’t Get Lost
• NoSo – When Are You Leaving?
• The Grogans – Stagger
• Cass McCombs – Interior Live Oak
• Sunny War – Armageddon In A Summer Dress
• Guided by Voices – Universe Room
• Ollella – Antifragile
• Chris Bullinger – Waitin’ to Be Seen Part II
• Whitney – Small Talk
• Portugal. The Man – SHISH
• Billy Joel Jr – Ur A Star
• Neko Case – Neon Gray Midnight Green
• Rachel Bobbit – Swimming Toward the Sun
• Gary Louris – Dark Country
• Dalton – Making Songs About Love & Death
• The Waterboys – Life, Death and Dennis Hopper
• The Black Keys – No Rain, No Flowers
• The Burning North – S/t
• Michael Cleveland & Jason Carter – Carter & Cleveland
• Matt Pond PA – The Ballad of the Natural Lines
• C. Daniel Boling and Tom Paxton – It Matters
• Midlake – A Bridge Too Far
• Bombadil – How The Moon Got Back Home
• Ryan Necci and Buffalo Gospel – The Dead Can’t Take A Hint
• CMAT – EURO-COUNTRY
• North Mississippi Allstars – Still Shakin’
• The Doobie Brothers – Walk This Road
• Caamp – Copper Changes Color
• Mary Chapin Carpenter – Personal History
• Lola Kirke – Trailblazer
• Texas Headhunters – S/t
• Art d’Ecco – Serene Demon
• The Imaginaries – Fever
• SPELLLING – Portrait of My Heart
• Pigeon Pit – Crazy Arms
• HORSEBATH – Another Farewell
• Radio Free Alice – Empty Words
• Selken – The Winds
• S Carey – Watercress
• Imaginary People – Alibi
• The Wood Brothers – Puff of Smoke
• Joelton Mayfield – Crowd Pleaser
• Orillia – Fire-Weed
• The Mountain Goats – Through This Fire Across From Peter Balkan
• Laveda – Love, Darla
• Liam Kizar – Pilot Light
• Josh Ritchie – So Much More Than a Dream
• Nation of Language – Dance Called Memory 
• The Cody Sisters – All The Quiet People
• Florence & The Machine – Everybody Screams
• Mammoth – The End
• The Hives – The Hives Forever Forever The Hives
• Mekons – Horror
• Momma – Welcome to My Blue Sky
• The Rumjacks – Dead Anthems
• Jim Keller – End of the World
• The Midnight Purchase – Young/Naïve
• The Mendozaz – The Completely Fictional History Of This Great Nation of Canada
• The Barr Brothers – Let It Hiss
• Oracle Sisters – Divinations
• Durand Jones & The Indications – Flowers
• Chris Stamey – Anything Is Possible
• MoonShroom – Take a Ride
• Chicken Wire Empire – Growing Pains
• Reid Parsons – Back to Back
• Mac DeMarco – Guitar
• Japanese Breakfast – Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women)
• Asleep at the Wheel – Riding High In Texas
• The Speaker Wars – S/t
• Rubber Band Gun – Haters and Lovers
• Florist – Jellywish * Foxwarren – 2 
• Max Wareham – DAGGOMIT!
• Esther Rose – Want
• Winter – Adult Romantix
• Franz Ferdinand – The Human Fear
• The German Art Students – Diamonds And Queens
• Uwade – Florilegium
• Grey Delisle – The Grey Album
• The Lemonheads – Love Chant
• Damn Tall Buildings – The Universe Is Hungry
• Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory – S/T
• Margret Glaspy – The Golden Heart Protector
• Avett Brothers & Mike Patton – AVTT/PTTN
• Arthur Buck – Arthur Buck 2
• Fitz and the Tantrums – Man on the Moon

Joshua M. Miller

Web

Joshua is co-founder of Scummy Water Tower. He’s freelanced for a variety of newspapers, magazines, and websites, including: Rolling Stone, The Boston Globe, Chicago Sun-Times, Guitar World, MTV News, Grammy.com, Chicago Magazine, Milwaukee Magazine, MKE Lifestyle, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, A.V. Club, SPIN, Alternative Press, Under the Radar, Paste, PopMatters, American Songwriter, and Relix. You can email him at josh@scummywatertower.com.