MY FAVORITE MUSIC RELEASES OF 2025

Hello everyone! For my first semesterly blog post, I want to share my favorite songs and albums that came out this year. To start, my name is Abby (@_abigailbjork on ig), and I have a new radio show called Beaver Fever (@beaverfeverradio on ig) on Thursdays from 8 to 9 pm with my two friends, Dani and June. Please check it out! 

I like to think that I have a very diverse taste in music with a range of languages and genres; I listen to pop, rap, classical, musical theatre, alternative, jazz, etc., and I am expanding into some country/folk and metal. Some bands and artists I love are Brockhampton, Sierra Ferrell, Elyanna, French Police, Aitana, GIMS, and Lady Gaga to name a few, many of which will be included in this list. With that being said, this year I found myself really enjoying pop music releases, so they might be more prominent in my ranking, but I am including a variety of different vibes.

Here is my list for the best music releases of 2025 (in no particular order):

1. Midnight Sun- Zara Larsson

I have been a casual listener of hers since the release of the album So Good in 2017, but this album has made me a more serious fan and reminds me of how talented and captivating Zara Larsson truly is. The album as a whole and the name itself are an ode to her home country of Sweden and is filled with energy throughout, making it the perfect album to dance to or just enjoy while listening. Using the experiences of her youth for songs “Girl’s Girl”, “Crush”, and “Eurosummer” to her life now for “Midnight Sun” and “Blue Moon” to her future for “Ambition” and “Saturn’s Return”, this album is a showcase of Zara Larsson’s talents and successes throughout the years in the music industry. Zara Larsson is the definition of a pop star; I highly recommend checking out all of her music.

My favorite songs of the album: “Midnight Sun”, “Eurosummer”, and “Hot & Sexy”

2. Mayhem- Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga really needs no introduction, so I will just say she has been a favorite artist of mine for some time now, and I am never disappointed by her releases. This album in particular had some songs that I wasn’t a huge fan of because they simply didn’t catch my attention, but the songs that I liked have been on repeat for a while now, and my overall consensus is that the album is well-made and so so so catchy (yay recession pop). I think this tour that she is currently on would have been so fun to see because of her stage presence and setlists, but there was no way I was paying those ticket prices!

My favorite songs of the album: “Shadow of a Man”, “LoveDrug”, and “Abracadabra”

3. Trail of Flowers (Deluxe Edition)- Sierra Ferrell

Is it cheating to put the deluxe album so I can say it came out this year? Even if it is, I'm including it because I recently came across Sierra Ferrell and have fallen in love. I discovered her through TikTok actually, where people were posting her cover of the song “Years”, a tribute to John Anderson, and showing the many extravagant outfits she wears on stage. Her music is a mix of country, jazz, blues, and folk. This album allows for her songwriting to shine as the storytelling in every song is so imaginative and her voice is so alluring. For anyone looking to expand their music taste, I highly suggest looking into Sierra Ferrell’s music.

My favorite songs of the album: “American Dreaming”, “Fox Hunt”, and “Wish You Well”

4. “Sip Your Wine”- Sierra Ferrell and Joe Jonas

In addition to her album this year, Sierra Ferrell was featured on Joe Jonas’ album Music for People Who Believe in Love. This was a great song to play when I was walking to work early in the morning, it really boosted my energy!

5. “FUFN”- JADE

Another song that got me to work this summer! Scenarios I associate this song with: being on the dancefloor with your friends, having a concert in your room with a fan blowing, or being so mad at somebody who you thought was your friend that all you can do is play this over and over again on the bus (except this is the end of the relationship, unlike the song suggests). I hope this is a good endorsement because I do really like this song.

6. LUX- Rosalia

A very recent release that has caught my attention! Rosalia’s music is not something I have ever specifically sought out until now, but I am a fan of a good handful of her songs already. The release of “Berghain” first as a single was the reason I gave it a listen because of Bjork’s feature. Without much knowledge of her background, this album was a great surprise. It is not often that I listen to an album and love every song, but this was one of them! With a work with this much range, it is hard not to stay interested, especially with the use of orchestral sounds and multilingual tracks. After listening to LUX, I am very excited to get more into her older releases.

My favorite songs of the album: “Berghain”, “La Rumba Del Perdon”, and “De Madruga”

7. Hurry Up Tomorrow- The Weeknd

Something I must get off my chest is that the Weeknd is the first artist I ever added to my Spotify and it was probably 15 songs on the first day I had my account. Since then, I have slowly kept up with his releases less and less, but I remain a steady fan in general. I honestly did not know this album existed other than “Cry for Me”, “Timeless”, and “Sao Paulo”, which I assumed were singles he came out with. Now listening to the album, I will continue to listen, as the album has a cohesive concept that I do not think artists are attempting as much anymore. I loved all the features and specifically the synth-pop sound that I always associate with his music. I can’t wait to see what he releases in the future; let’s just hope it doesn’t take me so long to discover it then.

My favorite songs of the album: “Wake Me Up”, “Sao Paolo”, and “Open Hearts”

8. “Libra”- French Police

French Police, a Chicago post-punk trio, is currently on tour, and I will be seeing them perform on November 16th! I can honestly play their music whenever, I feel like it can fit whatever my mood is. This could maybe be an unpopular or uneducated opinion, but I cannot really differentiate the songs if I’m not paying close attention to them, which I actually like about them. They know the kind of music that works and they run with it. This single, like all of their music, was a very solid song that I can just play on repeat without getting tired of. 

9. Perverts- Ethel Cain

2025 was officially the year that I started listening to Ethel Cain after hearing people rave about her music for years. I used to not seek out new artists and/or did not make the time to look into them when recommended, but I am changing that. This album was the first one that I listened to in full, and I was very intrigued. There is a very haunting presence when listening that is different from the upbeat and electric songs I usually listen to. Ethel Cain’s themes of the relationship between love and violence, religion, and escape are very captivating to me, especially in this album. The album is a challenge for many people to listen to as the songs are upwards of 15 minutes long of white noise, but I found myself laying in the dark really feeling the music, which has grown my appreciation for not only Perverts as an album, but also Ethel Cain as an artist, who released this project to stray from the mainstream success she has been receiving from Preacher's Daughter. This is not an album I listened to much after that first listen, but the philosophical concept and eerie sound of it are something I appreciate, which is why I added it to this list.

My favorite songs of the album: “Punish”, Vacillator”, and “Amber Waves”

10. Le Nord Se Souvient: L'Odyssée- GIMS

Congolese artist GIMS has been on my radar since high school, introduced to me by my Spanish teacher. Almost all of his music is in French, so I really don’t understand the meaning behind his lyrics, but the sound is what I’m drawn to. Upbeat tempos make his music so easy to listen to and enjoy!

My favorite songs of the album: “Air Force Blanche”, “Prosecco”, and “Ciel”

That was my list for the best music releases in 2025! I hope you enjoyed reading and were able to find some new music to listen to. Once again, listen to Beaver Fever on Thursdays from 8 to 9pm, thanks!

All images sourced from Spotify.