This year, 2025, has seen a strong contrast to last year, 2024, in terms of popular, quality and successful album releases. The music industry saw a large boom into electro hyperpop, along with a merging of genres from concept albums from some of the greats, only to be put into a slumber this year while those same artists went into hibernation to work on their next project, equally stepping aside for other artists to shine. But now we ask, who took the torch? Who’s stepped up to the plate for the best albums of 2025?

6. Black Star, Amaarae 

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

This is an electronic masterpiece in a nutshell. It’s the only thing we needed in summer like a dopamine rush and transportation to lounging at a beach club, see: She Is My Drug, Dream Scenario (ft Charlie Wilson). 

The trio of opening songs and four tracks that close the LP are a main highlight of the body work. 

Amaarae came out the gate for this LP with the distinctive and dramatic S.M.O and hot girl anthem Girlie-Pop! The Ghanian-American artist created a beautiful concept for ‘Black Star’ referencing Ghana’s flag with her album title and cover as she dons a full black wet-look suit as the ‘black star’ in front of the flags colours. 

5. Vie, Doja Cat

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Our favourite lady rapper returned with a French-esque 80s concept album that shocked her audience. The entire LP presents like a woman and rapper version of Prince, see: All Mine. Doja Cat adds a feminist flip to an ‘80s sample in AAAHH MEN! and continues her heartbreak and wistful storytelling for the former part of the album, coming off the back of her own breakup with ‘Stranger Things’ (also ‘coincidentally’ ‘80s themed) actor Joseph Quinn. The latter part of the album moves into sensual and romantic lyricism, see: Acts of Service, and Make it Up. 

The excellent run of the start of the album with Cards, Couple Therapy, Gorgeous, Stranger, set the precedence before Doja shows us her fun personality but popified in Silly! Fun!, and adds in French lyrics to Lipstain.

Special mention for a favourite track on the album, One More Time.

4. 13 months of sunshine, Aminé

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Aminé was so underrated for this early summer album that first hit the soundscape with the single Arc de Triomphe. From beginning to end, nearly all of the 16 songs hit like a lo-fi, chill yet vibrant summer experience. This LP kept us fed from mid May for the longevity of the European heatwaves. 

The incorporation of the rappers dad with his dialogue at the tail end and intro of some of the tracks while bringing in the Ethiopian heritage to the lyricism added to the cultural emphasis of the LP, see: 13MOS, Doing The Best I Can. 

3. MAYHEM, Lady Gaga

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

‘MAYHEM’ brought back the Gaga we know and love from her ‘Born This Way’ and ‘FAME Monster’ era – ferocious and raw pop and dance heavy music. The intros of the tracks recall early Gaga with the nonstop, pounding beat of Abracadabra’s intro, the gritty sound of Garden of Eden, the Matrix-like drum of the guitar in Perfect Celebrity, the electric guitar of Killah, the Hollaback Girl style call to action into the fabulous bass of Zombieboy. 

There’s a hint of Michael Jackson influences in the rapid chorus and build up to Shadow Of A Man, a T Swift romantic ballad lyricism style influence to the emotive How Bad Do U Want Me, and an alternative style to The Beast that’s own verses strike a familiar cord to Leona Lewis’ Bleeding Love. Gaga superbly concludes the album with two strong ballads, the vocally strong Blade Of Grass, and the infamous Bruno Mars collab Die With A Smile.  

2.DeBí TiRaR MáS FOToS, Bad Bunny

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

This album release at the beginning of the year single-handedly made me understand the Bad Bunny craze. Need I say more than point to the jubilant, (Puerto Rican) culturally expressive and proud feeling and sound of the entire album, see: NUEVAYoL, VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR, BAILE INoLVIDABLE, PERFuMITO NUEVO, WELTiTA, CAFé CON RON and DtMF. In the midst of the LP, dreamscape slowed down tracks like BOKeTE and LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii shine. 

1. Addison, Addison Rae

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Addison reinvented herself and paid attention to her pop and alternative icons to produce a magnificent and wistful, dreamy and escapist body of work from start to finish with the visuals to go with it. Soon, by way of Madonna, Lady Gaga and Lana Del Rey, Addison was born. Read our review of the debut album here.

Special mention: THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY!, JADE