Zenthony Mentano here, the Internet's busiest music nerd, and we are here. We are finally here at our last video for 2025 List Week. It's the best albums of 2025.

Yeah, these are my favorite albums of the year. All 50 of them. Going to list them all out, move through the first half of the list quickly, the second half less so.

Let's go ahead and do it.

Number 50, Earl Sweatshirt, Live Laugh Love. 49, Ho99o9 with their latest Tomorrow We Escape. Cool rap, metal, punk fusion there. At 48, we are going to go with Bon Iver, SABLE fABLE. And following that one at 47, we have Horsegirl, Phonetics On and On, a really wiry and post-punky indie rock record with a lot of cute vocals and great peppy grooves.

At 46, we are doing The Weeknd with Hurry Up Tomorrow. And at 45, it is the Chat Pile & Hayden Pedigo crossover collab In the Earth Again. Lots of beautiful guitars and sad tunes, sludgy rips all over that one. After that, at 44, we are going to do JID with God Does Like Ugly. Then next at 43, Mac Miller with Balloonerism, his very quality posthumous project from around the Faces era with a lot of great production.

At 42, we are Going with singer-songwriter Hannah Frances, Nested in Tangles, a beautiful, folksy, and dusty record there. Then at 41, Aesop Rock, Black Hole Superette. Closing up the '40s, we have Tyler, the Creator with Don't Tap the Glass. Tyler giving us a little bit more of a pop and dance excursion on this one, but still quality, still fun. Some good summer jams on that one.

Then after that, 39, De La Soul with Cabin in the Sky, with the group reflecting on mortality and life itself in a series of super theatrical creative songs. At 38, it is Maruja's new album, which is not their first record, but the first record they've come through with since breaking out in the indie scene. I would say with this project, they definitely lived up to the hype with a lot of winding, thrilling, socially conscious tunes that are just absolutely fiery.

At 37, we have Danny Brown's latest, Stardust, which is wild, experimental, hyperpop-flaved, noisy, chaotic. Definitely one of the most challenging records to come out of the hip hop scene this year. You can tell from how many who were just not prepared for it at all. A lot of split opinions on this album, but I myself think it's one of Danny's most daring.

At number 36, we are going with Bad Bunny's latest, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS. At 35, it is one of Deerhoof's most instrumentally ambitious projects to date. That is Noble and Godlike in Ruin. Really reflecting on the dystopia of our time there. Indie veterans, got to respect them.

At 34, we have Swedish garage punk phenoms The Hives with The Hives Forever, Forever the Hives, a project that really goes back to their old ferocity, their old sound, and just shows how much gas they have left in the tank, really celebrating the staying power of the band.

At 33, I want to make sure I don't say this one incorrectly, Infinity Knives & Brian Ennals, A City Drowned in God's Black Tears. It's definitely one of the most unpredictable, wild, versatile projects to come out of the hip hop scene this year. From spacious doom folk to the occasional Latin vibe, this album really is truly all over the map and is packed with verses, bars, and lyrics that, honestly, despite the truth to them, I feel like most artists are afraid to say it.

At 32, we are going with Navy Blue, The Sword & the Soaring, Navy's most contemplative and well-put-together album yet, for sure. I would argue the strongest release to come out of the abstract hip hop scene this year.

At 31, it is Oneohtrix Point Never with Tranquilizer. One of a kind producer Daniel O'Patten, continues to deliver just mind bending, dimension-defying collage pieces and progressive electronic works that are unlike any other out there.

At 30, we are going with FKA twigs, EUSEXUA, the original tracklist of that record, because obviously, we did get another album in this series and an updated version of the project, too. It's a very mystifying and clubby, low-key art pop release with a lot of great dance vibes. A little all over the place, though, at points, as is this next record, but it's, too, a great one.

29, Agriculture, The Spiritual Sound, one of the most visceral and thrilling black metal albums I've heard this year. But at its core, you have a lot of interesting themes around spirituality and the like, as well as some mind-blowing guitar solos, too.

Following this, 28, it is Snõõper. We are snooping into their new Worldwide album, which if you're looking for some very zany, colorful, lofi, noisy, chaotic egg punk or just synth punk, post-punk, if you want to call it that, you've got to give this one a spin. It's so short. It's not going to take up too much of your time. It's a very bite-sized bit of fun.

27, we are going with Miley Cyrus, Something Beautiful. My favorite record I think she has ever put out point blank, period. The ambition and the execution are something to behold.

And at 26, it is Honningbarna with Soft Spot. These Norwegian rock punk garage veterans are back with a new record that is so fresh, so crisp, so noisy, so exciting. Handily, one of the most badass rock albums of 2025. It's crazy. These guys have been around for as long as they have, and this is the first I'm hearing of them. But going back, listening to their old stuff, listening again to this, this project is as good a place as any to start. So if you're playing catch up like me and you enjoy bands such as Refused and The Hives, who I mentioned earlier, you're going to dig on this thing.

Okay, moving into the upper half of the list. 25, we are going to go with Deafheaven, Lonely People with Power. One of the best black metal releases of the year, highly conceptual, super revealing, and sometimes tragic lyrics. In my opinion, this is the group's best record since their classic Sunbather, and I really feel like after all these years, they really nailed down the very difficult balance and combination of black metal and more experimental or progressive forms of rock and rock structures and also indie and a little shoegaze too. Sounds that, to me, historically have not always come together well. Again, I do think there were some growing pains on recent albums from the band where they were trying to do a little bit of all of that and having a tough time of making it all work. But finally on Lonely People with Power, it really does, and it comes together under some great lyrical themes, some great consistent lyrical themes.

Next, going on to 24, we are going to go with Natalia Lafourcade, Cancionera. This Mexican singer and songwriter has been on such a creative and incredible run over the past few years. While I wouldn't say this album is reinventing the wheel for her or anything, or feeling like it's a new frontier, the writing and the vocal performances, per usual, are some of the best out there today. If there is anything that makes this album special, it's that all of these different Latin folk sounds are executed with these live to tape performances, which give these songs just a very nice, organic, in the moment feel that honestly, when I'm hearing some of the best of the best material on this thing, it just feels like time stops. I'm just lost in the moment.

At number 23, we are going to give it to Tropical Fuck Storm, Fairyland Codex. Super nasty, super dystopian experimental rock record from this Australian band who have come through with one of their best crops of songs in a while. As the world grows darker, Tropical Fuck Storm grows bolder.

At number 22, Brazil stand up, it's Gaby Amarantos, Rock Doido. Just an insane, crazy, nonstop run of reggaeton cuts, of Brazilian funk cuts, of pop cuts and dance cuts, everything. You're getting a little bit of it all with some super bold vocals to boot on a record that is formatted like you're listening to this really thrilling exciting DJ set, like the best Brazilian block party ever. That's what this one sounds like.

At 21, we are going to go with Quadeca, Vanisher, Horizon Scraper. Ben Lasky really comes through with his best collection of songs and productions to date. Absolutely beautiful baroque arrangements. Cool, textured beats, heavily manipulated, but ghostly lead vocals. It is a record that does ask a lot of the listener, but what a narrative, what a progression, what a finish. A record that's really been getting a lot of praise this year, and it's well deserved.

After this, at 20, we are going with Annahstasia's Tether. Definitely one of the most beautiful new voices to come out of the singer/songwriter sphere this year. Just the vibrato, the depth, the volume, with some great guitar work to boot. As good as this record is, I have a feeling that Annahstasia is just getting started.

At number 19, I'm going to go with my favorite Tyler Childers' record, Snipe Hunter. Tyler really wowed me on this one, not just because he stuck to his country roots and gave us a lot of good quality songwriting, but I think he really fired the performances up on this record with some really great vocals, some rock guitars here and there, and then eventually cooled it down with these spiritual tracks that speak very conceptually and lovingly about the Hindu religion. But yeah, very interesting, unique album and one of the best of country this year.

At 18, I'm going to go with Ninajirachi, I Love My Computer. Award winner, Ninajirachi, I will say. And this album most definitely deserves the accolades it has been getting because what a creative, fun, personal EDM record with fun progressions, great groups, relatable storytelling, and a really cool flow from track to track as well.

At number 17, we are going to go with Sumac & Moor Mother, The Film. Sumac's sludgy, dystopian, crushing riffs and Moor Mother's very foreboding poetry, and I would say also unnerving vocal performances, marry much better than you might think they do on paper, making for one of the darkest loud rock listens you can have in 2025.

At number 16, shout out to Polish artist miffle for her goodbye, world! record. An absolutely stunning and entrancing tape music album with a lot of wintery guitar and string passages that are manipulated beyond recognition through all these different processes, working with the tape and all that, coming through with a lot of interesting drones and distortion passages. Really a stellar headphones listen right there.

At number 15, we are going with Black Country, New Road, Forever Howlong. Love how the band revamped things on this project with a series of very loving, endearing cuts that bring in a lot of twee and baroque pop sounds with a lot of bright, exuberant performances. And songwriting that reflects on togetherness and friendship. Definitely one of the most feel-good albums of the year.

With 14, we are going with Mon Laferte, FEMME FATALE, with numerous vocal jazz cuts that are not only well-performed, but excitedly unhinged.

At 13, Little Simz gets super personal and smashes it once more with Lotus on a range of cuts that sometimes are heartbreaking, sometimes are very tongue-in-cheek and funny. While it may not be her most ambitious record yet, instrumentally or conceptually, I do think this album showcases more emotional range than we've ever seen on a Sims record prior.

At number 12, it is Model/Actriz with Pirouette. These guys, who at one point had a very groovy and dark no wave sound, managed to sweeten their vibe just a little bit with some more melody and catchier choruses while still maintaining the gothic vibes and infectious grooves that made them so special to begin with. But yeah, I really nailed it on this follow-up album, and it sounds like Model/Actriz is an act that's here to stay.

At number 11, we are going with Backxwash's very mature accomplishment of a record. That is Only Dust Remains, an absolutely killer and captivating rap album that shows Backxwash really processing and going over all of the trauma and dark painful emotions that informed a lot of her heavier and more abrasive works in the past and going more toward the light in a way on this new project with a lot of beats and verses that are quite moving, brighter, more feel good. It's really been incredible to watch this artistic and personal evolution over the course of numerous albums from Backxwash.

Which brings us to the top 10. Let's do it.

10. Panda Bear - Sinister Grift

Okay, 10 we're going with Panda Bear, Sinister Grift. A record I really had to revisit because it is a super summery album, and I wasn't feeling super summery a lot of the time in 2025, truthfully, honestly. But every single time I put this album on, even if I'm not itching because I'm just not necessarily in the mood, it is actually a mood shifter for me. It is so bright, it is so groovy, it is so catchy, it is so psychedelic and wavy. Definitely my favorite Panda Bear solo record today, and I am not somebody who typically goes for Mr. Lennox's solo work. A lot of the time I find it to be too repetitive and indulgent and meandering and aimless. And while there definitely are a few well-placed moments in the tracklist here that are a little bit spacier, and that's cool, a majority of the cuts on this thing feel like these very bouncy and surreal altered combinations of old vocal pop and garage rock, with a handful of reggae cuts thrown in here and there, too, that go over surprisingly well. But yeah, if you're looking for something that is so sweet, so serene, so intoxicating, and just straight up fun, just easygoing, casual, but catchy and infectious, too, give this one a listen.

9. McKinley Dixon - Magic, Alive!

At number 9, I am going with McKinley Dixon's Magic, Alive! Really, jazz rap album of the year, in my opinion, with McKinley Dixon and all the musicians that he worked with for this album, many of whom were also featured on his last record, basically showing improvements on all fronts, from the concept around death and remembering loved ones' loss to the band chemistry on every single track. Also, not to mention, McKinley Dixon's literal delivery and his flows, which are more impassioned than ever. It's a record that is to the point and punchy and is going to grab you by the collar and drag you through this roller coaster for the entirety of its run time.

8. SPELLLING - Portrait of My Heart

Following this, at number 8, it is SPELLLING with Portrait of My Heart. One of my favorite modern songwriters, Tia Cabral, is back with a record that shows a pretty interesting switch up, moving away from a lot of the more whimsical and dainty instrumental vibes and palettes from her last record. Last album of all new original material being The Turning Wheel. Portrait of My Heart still does bring a lot of mystical energy, a lot of beautiful, catchy, soaring, witchy tunes. But this time you've got these pumping guitars in the background. It's more of an alt rock experience, you could say, and it's more direct for it while still much of the time bringing in that classic SPELLLING energy.

7. Viagra Boys - viagr aboys

At number 7, we have another modern fave of mine, and that is Viagra Boys, their new self-titled-ish album, viagr aboys. This band's sense of humor, their low-down vibes, and their undeniable groups continue to please in a new batch of tracks that explore the health, physical and mental health, and weird cultish way.

6. Jane Remover - Revengeseekerz

At number 6, I am going with Jane Remover's Revengeseekerz. I'm not going to say mind-blowing. I'm going to say mind-frying album that brings together all of these different sounds from pop and electronic music and hip hop and just smashes them together quite violently with mixes that are just so busy, so maxed out, so just psyche-destroying, that it really just does feel like a total overload. And yet Jane Remover's songs and choruses still shine through with pretty much every song here. Really impressive display of controlled chaos, I'll say.

5. Imperial Triumphant - Goldstar

Moving up to number 5, we have my metal album of the year that is Imperial Triumphant with Goldstar. These New York avant-gardists are back with their most condensed album to date. It's basically all the dizzying, insane ferocity of every one of their past albums, but reduced down to its most eventful moments, as well as a concept that revolves around capitalist dystopia and societal rot. It's a very dark, crushing album that many will not be amenable to.

4. Guerilla Toss - You're Weird Now

At number 4, I'm going to go with Guerilla Toss, You're Weird Now. Been following this band for years, have loved some of their records, have had mixed feelings on others. Their sound from album to album has really evolved and changed by leaps and bounds as well. Going from bubble gum, neo-psych pop with '80s guitars to danceable weird post-punk freak-out tunes to cuts that are just straight up noise rock. The band has covered so many bases over the years, and You're Weird Now is just such a fun, colorful, overwhelming, exciting, sweet, snappy culmination of all of these things, creating a sound that honestly is difficult to pigeonhole unless maybe you want to label this experimental alien pop funk. Regardless of what you call it, I think it's their best record to date.

3. Geese - Getting Killed

At number 3, we are going with what's most likely a fan favorite that is going to be Geese, Getting Killed. In addition to that as well, I would, of course, too, like to shout out the recent Cameron Winter solo record, Heavy Metal. Two albums that their trajectories are really tied this year as both had very positive receptions, and we're loved by a lot of the same people, obviously. But to speak more to this Geese album, definitely a killer record from the band with a lot of key tracks I found myself going back to again and again and again, even warming up to some songs I would have preferred maybe some clearer instrumentation on.

In my opinion, Getting Killed is not quite the barn burner that the group's previous record was. It's a little less straightforward. The performances are a little bit more chaotic, but the songs in Cameron Winter's vocals are just too goddamn good. Not to mention the closing track on this thing, I think, is the best final song of any album to drop this year, "Long Island City Here I Come". But yeah, I mean, Geese, Getting Killed. It's been all the rage this year. Not sure what else I can add to the Geese discourse at this point that I haven't already through loving their last album, through Enjoying Cameron Winter's album, through loving this one, too.

2. Nourished by Time - The Passionate Ones

At number 2, I'm going to go with an album that I just could not put down this year, honestly. A record I could not put down. That's going to be Nourished by Time, The Passionate Ones. I found myself just idly singing so much of this album myself throughout the year, even though my first impression of this record was maybe a bit off because of how odd and murky the production occasionally sounds. But eventually, I grew to warm up to just how obscure the vibes are to a degree.

I mean, it's a very weird bedroom pop, hypnagogic type experience. The energy, the sound of this thing is like that of a lost '90s pop and R&B demo from an artist who never quite made it or anything like that. Then it's getting reissued decades later on some weird niche boutique record label that uncovers lost musical gems and that thing. But that's not what this is. This is new. This is everything new from a new artist with an immense amount of talent and songwriter prowess. That would be Marcus Elliott Brown, who I think is just having an amazing run this year, and I'm really looking forward to seeing where his sound moves in the future because this is just such a great breakout, as again, I really think he's breathing some actual life and creativity into the bedroom pop and the indie pop scene at the moment.

1. Clipse - The Passionate Ones

Which leaves us with our number 1. I feel like everyone saw this coming, but I mean, a 10 out of 10 is a 10 out of 10. A flawless performance, come back, that would be Clipse. But yeah, what else can I say? Pusha T and Malice came with a force on this one, which if you're talking about the best verses in hip hop in 2025, this album contains at least five or six of them.

Not to mention Pharrell, of obviously, Neptunes' fame, teamed back up with the boys on this one and gave them an incredible run of beats. And with his pop sensibility combined with Pusha T and Malice just lyrically not missing a beat on this one, this project, in my opinion, has just been a team up for the ages with some great features to boot, too, and a great album flow with each song reinforcing the next.

But also, simultaneously, nearly every cut on this thing sounds great on its own, too. Whether you're putting this thing on just to vibe out a little bit, or you're digging into the nitty-gritty of every single syllable coming out of Pusha T or Malice's mouth. This album stands up to all kinds of listening and is endlessly replayable, too. I mean, I couldn't stop fucking replaying the thing. But yeah, arguably one of the best comebacks of all time in rap music.

I'm going to leave it there. That is my number 1. Let me know what you thought of this list. You guys are the best. Happy 2025. Moving into 2026.

Anthony Fantano, 2025 Lists, Forever.