The year of 2025 has been amazing for music, with many artists challenging themselves to further their creativity and the quality of their music. I’ve listened to about 45 albums this year. All of them are unique in their own way, but there are always standouts. These are my top five albums of 2025.
Ranking at the low end of the list is “Yuki” by Japanese art and jazz rock band, betcover!!. Given that this is jazz and rock focused, the instrumentation takes center stage.
On this project, the band plays with jazz fusion, specifically soft jazz coupled with art rock. The arrangement of music here is magnificent in scale, giving it a grand sound. The band also has a very sporadic tone, often quickly changing tempos masterfully. This contributed to the many reasons why I loved the album.
Next is “God Does Like Ugly” by rapper JID. The 35-year-old artist is a very versatile rapper, and this album only further cements that status and his potential to become a legend.
I’ve always loved JID for his amazing flows. He raps over many kinds of instrumentals on this album, never failing to showcase his talent. His lyricism is the part of his music I love the most.
JID’s rhymes are always full of hidden meanings and references that really shine on this album, making it another one of my favorites from this year.
In the No. 3 spot is “Chrysanthemum” by Valeriey. This album was released in three separate parts – The Creator, Dancing Destroyer and The Preserver – with each part exploring a certain aspect of the universe.
Valeriey is a very unknown artist, having only about 160 monthly listeners, but they’re already a master of their craft. In “Chrysanthemum,” Valeriey personifies the concepts of the universe to explore themes of adolescence, political revolution and love, as well as a multitude of other things.
Valeriey has a style between both R&B and rap, mixing them together on this project. In terms of creativity and concept, I consider it to be their best album to date.
No. 1 and No. 2 often swap places in my ranking. They are hard to compare because of their genres and themes, but number two ultimately is “Baby” by Dijon.
Dijon is one of my favorite artists and has been for some time. This album encapsulates everything I love about him, but most importantly, it encapsulates the genuineness he includes in all his art. He puts pieces of himself into his music, which is clear from his lyrics, which often include experiences of his life.
His lyrics contain his views on love, family and being true to oneself. “Baby” is a culmination of all these topics, and Dijon truly outdid himself with this project. The album highlights his talents for songwriting and production, which only continue to evolve.
In my No. 1 spot is “Magic, Alive!” by jazz rapper McKinley Dixon. This was one of my most awaited albums of 2025, and it did not disappoint. On the 11-track project, Dixon tackles the concept of what it means to “live forever.” He does this through the portrayal of kids trying to resurrect a dead friend. Dixon addresses this theme with stories of generational trauma, violence amongst youths and the power of imagination. I love how Dixon crafts stories of substance and depth. That ability really shines on this project.
