Sunday, February 1, 2026

The 2025 David Music Poll Results

 

The 2025 David Music Poll Results
Honorable mention:  Bon Iver, Sable/Fable (8), Oklou, Choke Enough (8)  Geese, Getting Killed (7), Olivia Dean, The Art of Loving (7), CMAT, Euro-Country (6), Sombr, I Barely Know Her (6)
Notes:  For our 27th David Music Poll, we had 78 respondents. It was a close, close race for the top this year, with Rosalía ultimately having a one-vote edge over Gaga. It’s interesting that even with our list expanding to twelve albums because of ties, only one is fronted by a male singer (for an album that, I’ll acknowledge, is one I have close ties to, happily). (Seriously, if you haven’t listened to it, now’s your chance.)  In terms of returning acts to the DMP, this is Lady Gaga’s fourth appearance, Florence + the Machine’s fourth, HAIM’s third, FKA Twig’s second, Lily Allen’s second, Lucy Dacus’s second (solo) and fourth (including boygenius), and Taylor Swift’s eighth (the most of any artist).
My list, to be played at people’s weddings
I’m very excited because this is the first year since the Nick & Norah soundtrack that I feel like I have a conflict of interest.  So I’m going to go with an honorary top pick (which I like to think would have been on this list even if it wasn’t tied to a book of mine and I was listening to it as a stranger) and an official top pick. As many people said when sending in their lists, this was a particularly good year for music, and my list is longer than usual. 
Honorary Most Essential:  Jens Lekman, Songs for Other People’s Weddings
Official Most Essential:  Rosalía, LUX
This came from completely out of nowhere for me, and might have taken longer to hit my radar if Rosalía hadn’t collaborated with Björk. And this is not unlike the best of Björk’s work, creating a whole world to fall into.  It’s moving, it’s operatic, it’s dance-y, it’s profound. And most of the lyrics are in languages I don’t speak . . . which somehow makes it more engrossing.  Stunning.
Other essential albums (in rough order):
HAIM, I quit
Florence & the Machine, Everybody Scream
Lady Gaga, Mayhem
Lorde, Virgin
CMAT, Euro-Country
Wolf Alice, The Clearing
FKA Twigs, Eusexua
Essential songs:
Lorde, “What Was That”
CMAT, “The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station”
Sarah Kinsley, “Fleeting”
Rosalía, “Divinize”
Raye, “Where is My Husband!”
Sam Fender, “People Watching”
Robyn, “Dopamine”
JADE, “Plastic Box”
Conan Gray, “Vodka Cranberry”
Momma, “I Want You (Fever)”
Wolf Alice, “The Sofa”
Alanis Morissette and Carly Simon, “Coming Around Again”
Jens Lekman, “On a Pier, On the Hudson”, “With You I Can Hear My Voice”, “Candy from Strangers”, “You Have No New Messages” . . . I could keep going, though I will particularly shout out “We Were Here” from the book songs, which is hands down the song that meant the most to me this year.
Fun discovery:
When driving from Los Angeles to Seattle (with stops), I listened to most of the Dionne Warwick discography. Check out her album Soulful for a starting place. 
Melissa W?  I barely know her
Sombr, I Barely Know Her
Laufey, A Matter of Time
Anna Q calls it for Quits
HAIM, I Quit
Rosalia, lux
That’s showbiz, Emmanuel H
It’s a tie between these two:
Jade, THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY
Rosalia, LUX
David A’s Total Mayhem
Here are my top 10 albums of the year in alphabetical order… I don’t know how you count them but if you need a #1 it’s probably Mayhem 
Demi Lovato, It’s Not That Deep
FKA Twigs, Eusexua 
Jade, That’s Showbiz, Baby!
Jens Lekman, Songs for Other People’s Weddings 
Kpop Demon Hunters - Soundtrack Album 
Lady Gaga, Mayhem
Lily Allen, West End Girl
Panda Bear, Sinister Grift
Perfume, Nebula Romance: Part II 
Rosalia, Lux
Maggie S’s MALA prop
Increasingly I feel like I must be an alien when I contrast my DearlyBeloved songs with the others on the poll, but here goes, anyway, for anyone else who wants to sit at the weird folkgothclassicalcelticgothsynth table with me. I found a ton of older stuff this year, but I feel like '25 was a good year for new music, so I'm keeping it sleek, keeping it modern:
Essential album of 2025
KING MALA, And You Who Drowned in the Grief of a Golden Thing
Other top albums, in no particular order:
Blood Cultures, Skate Story: Vol. 1 
Tame Impala, Deadbeat
The Antlers, Blight
The Lumineers, Automatic
Allie X, Happiness is Going to Get You
And top singles (I have helpfully asterisked the ones that are actually happy-sounding):
"Guillotine" - BANKS
"The Ladder [True Electric]" - Röysopp
"Ends Meet" - Panda Bear*
"Just How It Goes" - Low Road
"I Am the Fox" - Countercurrent*
"Bag of Bones" - Lord Huron
"Cursive (feat Manchester Orchester)" - Matt Maeson
"Too Loud (feat Phantogram)" - Big Wild
"Phantasmagorical" - Jukebox the Ghost*
"Smile" - Foreign Air
"Unternehmer" - Mattis
"Charon Retires" - Vincent Lima
"Keep on Breaking My Heart" - Yukon Blonde
"Withdrawals" - Fitz and the Tantrums*
"AAAHH MEN!" - Doja Cat
"Wonderful Life" - Good Neighbors
"Low Earth Orbit" - Saint Motel*
"Distant Skies" - Old Sea Brigade*
"Useless Tears" - Brian D'Addario
"Carlines" - POLIÇA
"Good Riddance" - Austra
"Mosquito" - Squish
"This Time for Real" - Chet Faker*
(Bonus, 5 songs new-to-me, not from 2025)
"The Sun in the Sky" - Team Me (if this wasn't in Scrubs, it should have been)
"Bye Bye Bye" - Plants and Animals (this song is so happy-sad I could die)
"Better Now (feat. Mayor Hawthorn) - SebastiAn (this was used to amazing effect in Common Side Effects)
"Broken" - Isak Danielson (this is solidly in the 'BMW Commercial' genre but I like it anyway)
"Veridis Quo" - Daft Punk (I don't know how I didn't know this one, but yay woo daft punk).
Andrew P, sombr boy
I’m going to go with Sombr, I Barely Know Her. And that’s all. Because I’ve apparently only been listening to jazz from the 1950s otherwise. :)
Jeramey K radios Gaga
Album of the Year: 
Lady Gaga, Mayhem
Honorable Mention:
Jade, That's Showbiz Baby! 
Model/Actriz, Pirouette 
Beth R, scream!
My favorite album by leaps and bounds was Florence + the Machine, Everybody Scream! Followed closed by the K-Pop Demon Hunters soundtrack, trailed by the acoustic version of Taylor Swift, The Life of a Showgirl.
Eugene K lives the Lux life
My list for 2025:
Rosalía- LUX
Erika de Casier - Lifetime
Dijon - Baby
Oklou - choke enough
Carrier - Rhythm Immortal
Bad Bunny - DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS
Barker - Stochastic Drift
Salomé Gasselin - Mystères
Makaya McCraven - Hidden out! EP
Kizz Daniel - Uncle K: Lemon Chase
james K - Friend
Gunna - The Last Wun
Civilistjävel! - Följd
Akasha System - Heliocene
Never has Crissa C ever
essential album:
Oneohtrix Point Never, Tranquilizer
essential single:
Four Tet, Into Dust (Still Falling)

on repeat:
Bibio, Phantom Brickworks
Nina L spreads the Djon
Dijon, Baby
Lola Young, I'm Only Fucking Myself
Lucy Dacus, Forever is a Feeling
Daniel H isn’t horsing around
Horsegirl - Phonetics On And On
best new album to which to work:
The Necks - Disquiet
throwback:
the 20-minute version of “America” attached to Prince’s Around The World In A Day reissue
Maybe this WAS meant for Joel P . . .
Most essential album of the year: Lola Young, This Wasn't Meant For You Anyway
Other must listens: 
Lady Gaga, Mayhem
Doja Cat, Vie
Haim, I quit
Sleigh Bells, Bunky Becky Birthday Boy
Your Smith, The Rub
Doechii, Alligator Bites Never Heal
FKA Twigs, EUSEXUA 
Geese, Getting Killed 
Fred again..., USB 
Gianfranco L polishes up the Jade
2025 albums I still have on repeat:
1. JADE, THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY!
2. MARINA, PRINCESS OF POWER
3. HUNTR/X, KPop Demon Hunters
2025 albums that hit me hard when they dropped:
3. ROSALÍA, LUX
4. Lady Gaga, MAYHEM
5. Sabrina Carpenter, Man’s Best Friend
2025 albums that I feel like only I listened to (but love):
6. Andrew Lloyd Webber, EVITA (2025 London Revival)
7. Ludwig Göransson, Sinners (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
8. Harry & Rupert Gregson-Williams, The Gilded Age: Season 3 (Original Soundtrack)
9. David Buckley, The Sandman: Season 2 (Original Soundtrack)
10. Chris Bacon, Wednesday: Season 2 (Original Score)
11. John Powell, How to Train Your Dragon (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
A 2025 single that continues to give me LIFE:
12. Madison Beer, yes baby
Abdi N is a natural at this
Most essential (tie):
Marina Sena, Coisas Naturais
Erika de Casier, Lifetime
Other essential:
Ali Sethi, Love Language
KAROL G, Tropicoqueta
Oklou, choke enough
FKA twigs, Eusexua, and Eusexua Afterglow
Léonie Pernet, Poèmes Pulvérisés
CMAT , EURO-COUNTRY
Addison Rae, Addison
Kali Uchis - Sincerely,
Bad Bunny - DTMF
Amaarae - BLACK STAR
ROSALIA - LUX
Mon Laferte - FEMME FATALE
Baco Exu do Blues - HASOS
James D-J, come what may(hem)
1. Lady Gaga, Mayhem
2. Olivia Dean, The Art Of Loving
3. Benson Boone, American Heart
4. Taylor Swift, Life Of A Showgirl
The other album that's been on repeat is Ariana Grande's Eternal Sunshine (Deluxe - Brighter Days Ahead). 
Nick E crashes these Weddings
Great year for music!
1. Jens Lekman, Songs for Other People’s Weddings
2. Vegyn & Air, Blue Moon Safari
3. Sombr, I Barely Know Her
4. Taylor Swift, The Life of a Showgirl
5. Blondshell, If You Asked for a Picture
6. Pulp, More
7. Beirut, A Study of Losses
8. William Fitzsimmons, Incidental Contact
David G, in the lap of lux-ury
I think my top three of 2025 will be in rotation forever:

1. Rosalía, Lux
2. Lily Allen, West End Girl
3. Florence + the Machine, Everybody Scream
4. Polo & Pan, 22:22
5. Geese, Getting Killed
6. Ethel Cain, Willoughby Trucker, I Will Always Love You
7. FKA Twigs, EUSEXUA
8. Flyte, Between You and Me
9. Julie Odell, Disappearing Act (EP)
Jess S thinks Ego is super

1. Hayley Williams, Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party
2. Florence + The Machine, Everybody Scream 
3. Sabrina Carpenter, Man's Best Friend
Singles: Chappell Roan, "The Giver" and "The Subway"
Kate W, all Showgirl, no tell
Album: Taylor Swift, The Life of a Showgirl
Top 5 Finds (singles)
  • Ascension by Zephrinth 
  • Bet You Didn’t Need by Daniel Allen, Arlo & fkblnde 
  • Mr. Right Now by tig3r lewis
  • Lose Control by Young Franco, EARTHGANG & Jafunk
  • The End of the Road by Noga Erez
Mike R’s scholarly work
MIKE’S (PERSONAL, SUBJECTIVE) TOP 20 ALBUMS OF 2025:
  1. Car Seat Headrest, The Scholars
  2. Tyler Childers, Snipe Hunter
  3. Lady Gaga, Mayhem
  4. Sam Fender, People Watching
  5. Hue Park & Will Aronson, Maybe Happy Ending
  6. Hayley Williams, Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party
  7. Bad Bunny, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS
  8. JADE, THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY!
  9. Lily Allen, West End Girl
  10. Patrick Wolf, Crying The Neck


  1. Bruce Springsteen, The 30-Track Playlist I Made Out Of
    His 83-Track, 4-Hour-&-45-Minute, Merciless
    Siege Weapon, “Tracks II: The Lost Albums.”
  2. Oklou, Choke Enough
  3. Luke’s Terrarium, Dream Vacation
  4. HAIM, I quit
  5. Brian Dunne, Clams Casino
  6. The Knocks & Dragonette, Revelation
  7. Counting Crows, Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets!
  8. The Last Dinner Party, From The Pyre
  9. Ezra Furman, Goodbye Small Head
  10. Josh Ritter, I Believe In You, My Honeydew
Collin Q R’s gut choice
Surely 2026 will be better than whatever last year was... at least we had an abundance of excellent new music to keep us going!
TOP ALBUM
Baths, Gut*
Honorable Mentions
Anamanaguchi, Anyway
The Beths, Straight Line Was A Lie
CMAT, EURO-COUNTRY
Ethel Cain, Willoughby Tucker, I'll Always Love You*
Ether Cain, Perverts
FKA Twigs, EUSEXUA*
Great Grandpa, Patience, Moonbeam
Hayley Williams, Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party
Jensen McRae, I Don't Know How But They Found Me!
Joshua Burnside, Teeth of Time
Lorde, Virgin*
Momma, Welcome to My Blue Sky
Oklou, choke enough
Perfume Genius, Glory*
Rosalia, LUX
Wednesday, Bleeds
TOP SONGS
Anamanaguchi, Magnet
Bartees Strange, Too Much
Baths, Governed
CMAT, Running/Planning
Ethel Cain, Waco, Texas
Great Grandpa, Ladybug
Jensen McRae, Let Me Be Wrong
Joshua Burnside, Nothing Completed
Momma, My Old Street
Oklou, choke enough
Robyn, Dopamine
Wednesday, Reality TV Argument Bleeds
*attended the live tour, all 10/10 experiences
Goldy M throws a Party
I thought I'd send you a fully female list this year, but then a man got in, as they are wont to do. 
Essentialist Album:
1. Hayley Williams, Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party
The Rest:
2. Taylor Swift, Life of a Showgirl
3. Audrey Hobert, Who's the Clown? 
4. Florence + the Machine, Everybody Scream
5. Miguel, Chaos
6.  Lily Allen, West End Girl!
Essential Song:
"Glum," by Hayley Williams
Samantha M’s de-LUX choice

1. Rosalia, LUX
2. Die Spitz, Something to Consume
3. Big Thief, Double Infinity
Alex K-N, coming from Massachusetts
Here are my top albums of 2025!
1. Jensen McRae, I Don't Know How But They Found Me!
2. JADE, THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY! THE ENCORE
3. Lady Gaga, MAYHEM
4. Lily Allen, West End Girl
5. Sam Fender, People Watching (Deluxe Edition)
6. Lucius, Lucius
7. Hayley Williams, Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party
8. Blood Orange, Essex Honey
9. Lorde, Virgin
10. Olivia Dean, The Art of Loving
11. Aly & AJ, Silver Deliverer
12. SASAMI, Blood On the Silver Screen
12. Trousdale, Growing Pains
13. Laufey, A Matter of Time
14. Tame Impala, Deadbeat
15. Brandi Carlile, Returning To Myself
Phil B, Lady’s man
Just submitting one album this year: Lady Gaga, Mayhem.
And for song, if any, Abracadabra from Mayhem.
Hillary B loves Lucy
1. Lucy Dacus, Forever is a Feeling
2. Die Spitz, Something to Consume
3. Clipse, Let God Sort Em Out
4. The Casket Lottery, Feel the Teeth
5, Tunde Adebimpe, Thee Black Boltz
I also can't get enough of the Turnstile Tiny Desk Concert!
Julia H finds Salvation

Top 2025 Albums (in order):
  1. Rebecca Black, Salvation
  2. THE DRIVER ERA, Obsession
  3. 5 Seconds of Summer, EVERYONE'S A STAR
  4. Allie X, Happiness Is Going To Get You
  5. Grace Power, Witching Hour
Special shoutouts to these 2025 songs:
  1. JADE, "Before You Break My Heart"
  2. Zara Larsson, "Midnight Sun"
  3. HUNTR/X, "What It Sounds Like"
A magical year of pop!
Jake S just can’t get enough
ESSENTIAL ALBUM:
Oklou, choke enough
WORLD’S CLOSEST RUNNER-UP
Olivia Dean, The Art of Loving
THE BEST OF THE REST
Ariana Grande, eternal sunshine (deluxe)
Sabrina Carpenter, Man’s Best Friend
Lady Gaga, MAYHEM
Zara Larsson, Midnight Sun
JoJo, NGL
Tune-Yards, Better Dreaming
HAIM, I quit
Zack Zadek, DEATHLESS
Madison Cunningham, Ace
Ninajirachi, I Love My Computer
ROSALÍA, LUX
Addison Rae, Addison
Rose Gray, Louder, Please
Bon Iver, SABLE, fABLE
Royel Otis, hickey
Perfume Genius, Glory
Josh L vivas the revolution
Adrianne Lenker, Live at Revolution Hall
Emily H hits quit-ting time
My personal picks, in order:
Haim, I Quit
Wet Leg, moisturizer
Tame Impala, Deadbeat
Andrew E’s golden oldies
 
I actually listened to enough new music to have an opinion this year!
Essential Albums of 2025:
1. Various, K-Pop Demon Hunters Soundtrack
2. Taylor Swift, The Life of a Showgirl
3. Florence + the Machine, Everybody Scream
4. Rosalia, Lux
Essential singles, not included above:
1. Polo & Pan ft. Beth Ditto, "Petite Etoile"
2. Sabrina Carpenter, "Manchild"
3. Lady Gaga, "Abracadabra"
4. Lorde, "What Was That?"
Bryant P, Fable hunter

Most Essential Album:
Bon Iver, SABLE fABLE
Other Essential Albums:
Taylor Swift, The Life of a Showgirl
Youth Lagoon, Rarely Do I Dream
Lady Gaga, MAYHEM
CMAT, EURO-COUNTRY
Banks, Off With Her Head
Olivia Dean, The Art of Loving
The National, Rome (Full Concert)
(A lot of ALL CAPS this year!)
Brian M’s Jubilee line

I must admit to paying less attention to what is new, but I got a few:
Cindy Lee, Diamond Jubilee 
Nell Smith, Anxious 
New Candys, The Uncanny Extravaganza 
Geese, Getting Killed 
Ethel Cain, Willoughby Tucker I Will Always Love You
Zach F, Being alive
An absolutely incredible year for experimental electronic music: 
Max Cooper, On Being
rRoxymore, Juggling Dualities
Greg Surmacz, Building Beyond the Sky
Barker, Stochastic Drift
Djrum, Under Tangled Silence
Teri Y keeps the emotion coming

My essential 2025 albums:
Carly Rae Jepsen, Emotion (10th Anniversary Edition)
MARINA, Princess of Power
Sigrid, There's Always More That I Could Say
Conan Gray, Wishbone

Other good albums:
Lady Gaga, MAYHEM
Kesha, .
Florence + The Machine, Everybody Scream
morgxn, HEARTLAND: PART I & II
Matthew B rages for the machine
Let's gooooooooo. Here are the ones that meant something to me. Let the Hunger Games begin! 

Florence + the Machine, Everybody Scream 
Haim, I Quit 
Lily Allen, West End Girl 
Lorde, Virgin 
Bon Iver, Sable Fable 
Geese, Getting Killed 
Chris K, Rwaking up to Magik
Album of the Year: Rwake, The Return of Magik
2. Tormentor Tyrant, Excessive Escalation of Cruelty
3. Cold Steel, Discipline & Punish
4. Teen Mortgage, Devil Ultrasonic Dream
5. Doomsday, Never Known Peace
6. Ancient Death, Ego Dissolution
7. Wednesday 13, Mid Death Crisis
8. Hooded Menace, Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration
9. Decrepisy, Deific Mourning
10. 1914, Viribus Unitis
11. Deafheaven, Lonely People With Power
12. Bear Mace, Slaves of the Wolf
13. Castle Rat, The Bestiary
Cecil C’s West End story
In no order:
Coco Rosie, Little Death Wishes
Men I Trust, Equus Caballus
Florence and the Machine, Everybody Scream
Cat Le Bon, Michelangelo Dying
Sloan, Based on the Bestseller
The Dears, Life is Beautiful, Life is Beautiful, Life is Beautiful
I’m going to vote for Lily Allen, West End Girl as album of the year
Maggie T-H takes to the Beaches
My top album: Beaches, No Hard Feelings
Top Song: Cain Culto, KFC Santeria
Andrea R, a perfect Wedding guest
I am woefully out of sync with current music, so I don't have votes except for Songs for Other People's Weddings, which was fabulous!
Kelley S tethers to some great music

Most essential albums for me this year were:
  • Annahstasia, Tether
  • Ethel Cain, Willoughby Tucker, I'll Always Love You
  • Wet Leg, moisturizer
  • Jacob Alon, In Limerence
  • yeule, Evangelic Girl is a Gun
  • Set Dressing, i can't be alone tonite
  • Bon Iver, SABLE, fABLE
  • Penelope Trappes, A Requiem
  • Lucy Dacus, Forever is A Feeling
  • Damon Locks, List of Demands
  • TOKiMONSTA, Eternal Reverie
  • DARKSIDE, Nothing
  • Saya Gray, SAYA
  • Oklou, choke enough
  • jasmine.4.t, You Are the Morning
  • HAAi, HUMANiSE
  • DJ Sabrina the Teenage DJ, Fantasy
Len V looks to the Creator
Most essential album last year: 
Tyler the Creator, Chromakopia
Rediscovery: 
Rilo Kiley, Take Offs and Landings
Matthew U, for Petey’s sake

Here are my picks this year. First and second place are a toss-up because they are so different but both a lot of fun. I haven’t heard a lot of buzz about Petey USA but he’s really a delightful oddball doing interesting things. On the other hand, Tame Impala — a perfectionist with an album I could listen to in any setting. 
My most essential albums of 2025:
1.     Petey USA, The Yips
2.     Tame Impala, Deadbeat
3.     Sharon Van Etten, Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory
4.     Sombr, I Barely Know Her
5.     The Avett Brothers, AVVT/PTTN
6.     Hayley Williams, Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party
My most essential songs of 2025:
1.     Tame Impala, My Old Ways & Dracula
2.     Petey USA, Spirit Animal & Breathing the Same Air
3.     The Avett Brothers & Mike Patton, Dark Night of My Soul
4.     Hayley Williams, True Believer
5.     Klangkarussell, Sun Went Down Sky Went Dark
6.     Dawes, When My Time Comes
7.     Lord Huron, Looking Back
8.     Afterlife, Sharon Van Etten
9.     Sombr, Under the Mat
10.  Silversun Pickups, The Wreckage
11.  Television Love, Of Monsters and Men
12.  The Slims, Talking in My Sleep
13.  Automatic, Black Box
14.  PUP, Hunger for Death
15.  Margo Price, Nowhere Is Where
16.  LEAP, Play Dead
Ryan Y, really ros-ie
1. Rosalía, LUX
2. Bad Bunny, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS
3. Olivia Dean, The Art of Loving
4. JADE, THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY!
5. Florence & The Machine, Everybody Scream
6. Lady Gaga, Mayhem
7. The Last Dinner Party, From The Pyre
8. Karol G, Tropicoqueta
Jackie D praises the Lord
The only (& best!) new 2025 album I bought:
Lord Huron—Cosmic Selector, Vol. 1
As usual I am down other, older rabbit holes so these were my favorite mostly-new-to-me albums (i.e. sometimes I knew the singles), in order of when in the year I discovered them:
The Byrds, Sweetheart of the Rodeo
King Crimson, In the Court of the Crimson King
The Zombies, Odessey and Oracle
Fox, Self-titled
Blue Angel, Self-titled
Kate Bush, The Kick Inside
Oingo Boingo, Nothing to Fear
Gotye, Like Drawing Blood
The Poppy Family & Susan Jacks, Which Way You Goin’ Billy
I’ve been listening to a ton of 1960s & 1970s global pop/rock/funk but I won’t pain you or myself with trying to get titles.
The Virginia E W variations

This year, it's a tie for Most Essential Album.
1. JERUSALEM QUARTET, Shostakovich String Quartets Nos. 2, 7, and 10.
BIS lLabel, a Division of Platoon Ltd. 
The Jerusalem's never-fail illuminating choices, phrase to phrase, remind us what paying close attention sounds like. Lyrical and shattering, Shostakovich's music deserves the fine tunings of the Jerusalem. Probably the last recording with the eloquent violist Ori Kam, who announced that he was leaving the quartet at the end of 2025.
2. YANNICK NEZET-SEGUIN and THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA, Still & Bonds: Symphonies & Variations. William Grant Still's Symphonies Nos. 2 (Song of a New Race, 1937) and 4 (Autochthonous, 1947). And  Margaret Bonds' The Montgomery Variations (1964). Recorded at Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia.
Deutsche Grammophon. Stream on Apple Music Classical or Spotify. 
William Grant Still (1895-1978) and Margaret Bonds (1913-1972) both made musical history. Still, the "Dean of African American Composers," has been respected, played, and recorded for decades. Bonds, less widely recognized, wrote significant vocal works and collaborated with Langston Hughes. She dedicated Montgomery Variations to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She never heard the powerful seven-movement work performed. 
Brant R puts on some moisturizer
My Essential Albums of 2025:
Wet Leg, moisturizer
The Beths, Straight Line Was a Lie
Jane Inc., A RUPTURE A CANYON A BIRTH
FKA Twigs, EUSEXUA
CMAT, EURO-COUNTRY
Sudan Archives, BPM
Jane Remover, ♡ [EP]
Neko Case, Neon Grey Midnight Green
Jens Lekman, Songs for Other People’s Weddings
Yves Jarvis, All Cylinders
Elder Albums I Found Essential in 2025:
Churchbuilder, Patty Darling [2001]
Aretha Franklin, Young, Gifted and Black [1972]
Fruit Bats, Absolute Loser [2016]
Ian McCulloch, Candleland [1989]
Joni Mitchell, Court and Spark [1974]
Nation of Language, Strange Disciple [2023]
Sally Shapiro, Disco Romance [2006]
Kali Uchis, Isolation [2018]
Wishy, Triple Seven [2024]
Gary Wright, The Dream Weaver [1975]
Dan P, luscious for Lucius

Most favorite:
Lucius, Lucius
Other favorites:
Florence and the Machine, Everybody Scream
Samia, Bloodless
Lucy Dacus, Forever is a Feeling
Haim, I Quit
Jensen McRae, Don’t Know How But They Found Me! 
Brandi Carlile, Returning to Myself
Bon Iver, SABLE, fABLE
Lady Gaga, Mayhem
Anjali B goes with the Flo
My top album releases of 2025, below! I couldn't resist the long list this year. 
  1. Florence and the Machine, Everybody Scream
  2. Rosalia, LUX
  3. FKA Twigs, Eusexua  
  4. Bad Bunny, Dtmf
  5. Lorde, Virgin
  6. Addison Rae, Addison 
  7. Gaga, Mayhem
  8. Zara Larson, Midnight Sun
Matthue R pecks away at his list
Most essential:
Orville Peck, Appaloosa
It's brief by necessity - I think he recorded it in between starring in Cabaret and filming Street Fighter - and all this acting had me wondering a little, did I love Orville Peck's lonesome queer cowboy self or just the persona he was acting? Not that it made his songs less genuine, but maybe, if only by definition less...authorial? This is like a hastily scribbled love note, an EP (I know, what are albums coming to) between gigs. But it is so sincere, and so well performed, and so very, very authorial. I wake up most mornings to "Oh My Days," which is about being in a happy relationship, and wallow in the Noah Cyrus duet, but really, I get a secret joy from "My Side of the Mountain," knowing that Orville not only dreamt of running away to the woods (I did!) but also that he read the book (I did) and loved it so truly (I do). Not in the same way as the album, but something about each kindles a different but similar campfire in my wounded heart.
Other essentials: 
If I'm going to be objective and do reportage, the best album of the year - writing, music, smartness (lyrical and otherwise), ability to change the world - is Kpop Demon Hunters. But who are we kidding? The essence of David's Music Poll is not to be objective. 
I'm still pretty okay putting it on my "other essentials" list, though. So:
Rumi, Zoey, Mira, Kpop Demon Hunters soundtrack
Chappell Roan, The Subway  (dammit, it's just 1 song, what are albums coming to)
Chappell Roan, The Giver (ditto)
Rosalía, Lux
De la Soul, Cabin in the Sky
AFI, Silver Bleeds the Black Sun
Twice, Enemy
Chaeyoung, Lil Fantasy Vol. 1
Raye, My 21st Century Blues
Lucy Dacus, Forever Is a Feeling
Big Discovery from Previous Years: 
Whatever's for Us, Joan Armatrading & Pam Nestor - Kaia Wilson, ex-lead singer of the Butchies and Team Dresch, now dogsits and writes an astrology substack. This album came on an astrological chart that was not for my sign, but she wrote so convincingly I tried to change my birthday.
Best single: 
Girlfriend, I-dle. Kpop again. What can I do? I'm reading this as a queer-coded protest song, in spite of (a) the entire album seems to be singer/rapper/composer/creative director Soyeon's breakup spree and (b) I don't understand most of the lyrics anyway, and in spite of being completely and utterly in love, I keep walking around the house to the consternation of my partner and my children singing, "We don't give a fuck about love cause we are I-dle"
Best Version I Loved of a Song I Didn't Really Like (tie): 
Lady Gaga singing "Vanish Into You" on a quiet piano on Colbert, and Lady Gaga singing another song where she's walking around SNL backstage and finally bursts out into a raucous tumblesauce of a drum solo. I don't really identify with her music but she's so talented!
"For Good" from Wicked makes me weep pretty much whenever you put it on. I don't have an award for it. I don't even really know what to do with it but cry more.
Of Monsters, Men, and Coe B
Hmmm, this was a tough year. I have a TIE for the top album! But if I have to pick just one, I’ll have to go by which one I’ve listened to the most: 
Coe’s Top Album of the Year:
Of Monsters and Men, All is Love and Pain in the Mouse Parade
Coe’s Runner-up:
Hayley Williams, Ego Death at the Bachelorette Party
Other albums I got into in 2025: 
Sleep Token, Even in Arcadia
KPop Demon Hunters Cast, KPop Demon Hunters
Lucas K ties a for a Wet Wedding
My total album-listening hours crashed hard last year, since I'm not working from home anymore. So here are my Select Six!
Tie: Wet Leg, moisturizer; Jens Lekman, Songs for Other People's Weddings
Beach Bunny, Tunnel Vision
The Beths, Straight Line Was a Lie
HAIM, I Quit
Ben Kweller, Cover the Mirrors
Best live performance: David Levithan and Jens Lekman
Talia C lucks with a Lady
Here are my submissions for the poll:
  1. Lady Gaga, Mayhem
  2. Addison Rae, Addison
  3. Lucy Dacus, Forever is a Feeling
  4. Jade, That's Showbiz Baby
  5. Various artists, KPop Demon Hunters Soundtrack
Kevin K does not walk a straight line
Would best describe music in 2025 as uneven. There were lots of great songs, but not many no-skip records.
Kevin’s No Skip Records
  • The Beths, Straight Line Was A Lie
  • Horace Silver, Silver in Seattle: Live at the Penthouse
  • The Lemonheads, Love Chant
  • Liquid Mike, Hell Is An Airport
  • Turnstile, NEVER ENOUGH (Best of the Year!)
  • Wednesday, Bleeds
Here is a LINK to my Top 40 of 2025! 
Roberto R’s eusexual healing
So happy this is still happening!
fka twigs, EUSEXUA
Kathleen P combs for some Honey
Blood Orange, Essex Honey
Bon Iver, Sable, Fable
Olivia Dean, Art of Living
Lily Allen, West End Girl
Jeff Tweedy, Twilight Override
KPOP Demon Hunters Soundtrack
Emma L loves a mouse parade
I'll vote for All is Love and Pain in the Mouse Parade by Of Monsters and Men.
Sara F gets to the crux of the matter
I listened to a lot of weird stuff this year and mostly old things. But here are artists I had in rotation that had great albums in 2025. Thank you for the reminder and here is my basic b-word list. 
Albums
1) Djo,The Crux
2) Lily Allen, West End Girl 
3) Rosalia, LUX
4) Foxwarren, 2
Songs
1) Yukon, Justin Bieber
2) In It With You, Craig David and Jo Jo
3) Where is my Husband!, Raye 
Reese H gives us a timeless list

I don't think there's any way I could rank any of these! These were my most listened to from 2025...and there is so much more!
Graham Hunt, Timeless World Forever
The Tubs, Cotton Crown
Jens Lekman, Songs for Other People's Weddings
LAKE, Bucolic Gone
Shitlove, my friend
The Lo Yo Yo, Self Titled (archival release)
Fashion Brigade, Annie, I Wish You'd Quit Drinking (EP)
Caution, Peripheral Vision
Cinnamon Teals, cut 'n paste
Cash Langdon, Dogs
Cass McCombs, Interior Live Oak
Jeffrey Lewis, The EVEN MORE Freewheelin’ Jeffrey Lewis
Tee Templeton, Diner of Doubt
Paco Cathcart, Down On Them
Noah Britton, I Like Being Alive (single)
Scott T rolls in the Ivy
I'll call 2025 a "return to form" as many faves returned with wonderful albums.
Most Essential:
Ivy, Traces of You
After the death of Adam Schlesinger to COVID-19 (older brother of Laurie Schlesinger B' 94), it seemed to be the end of an Ivy reunion.  But they created this brand new album using extant recordings so that Adam is a part of every track (hence the title) and it's as good if not better than any previous Ivy album.  What a treat.
Other Essential Albums:
Stereolab, Instant Holograms on Metal Film
Alison Goldfrapp, Flux
The Orb, Buddhist Hipsters
Faithless, Champion Sound
Above & Beyond, Bigger Than All of Us
Vioflesh, Nostalgia
Fave Songs of 2025:
Turquoise Yachting Club, Overnight
Kenya Grace, Mr. Cool
Hxvsfly, Dead2Me
Echopecker, Scrape Lick Bite Suck
Aname, Astronaughts
Armin Van Buuren (with Alok), Euphoria
Kylie Minogue, Someone For Me
Made of Light, Afterglow
Velvet Trip, Burnin' Up
Auger, Too Soon
Cassandra P-F sorts it out
Most Essential Album
Clipse, Let God Sort Em Out
Other Essential Albums
Cardi B, Am I the Drama
Kpop Demon Hunters (Soundtrack from the Netflix Film)
Hayley Williams, Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party
Brent G jumps for Turnstile
1. TURNSTILE - NEVER ENOUGH
2. OLIVIA DEAN - THE ART OF LOVING
3. CLIPSE - LET GOD SORT EM OUT
4. TAYLOR SWIFT - LIFE OF A SHOWGIRL
5. LOLA YOUNG - I'M ONLY FUCKING MYSELF
6. DEFTONES - PRIVATE MUSIC
7. HAYLEY WILLIAMS - EGO DEATH
8. SCOWL - ALL WE ARE ANGLES
9. MINI TREES - SLOW IT DOWN
10. DIJON - BABY
Everything’s coming up Rosalía for Gabriel D

1) Rosalía, Lux
2) Zara Larsson, Midnight Sun
3) CMAT, EURO-COUNTRY
4) Mariah the Scientist, Hearts Sold Separately
5) Tate McRae, So Close to What
6) Jade, That's Showbiz Baby
7) Lola Young, I'm Only Fucking Myself
Yes that seems right to me ... the ZL album is so good ... I love Euro Summer ... and midnight sun is pop song of the decade IMO
Wilson R sketches his picks

This is my submission for the music poll ballot, albums listed descending from most essential.
1. key vs. locket, i felt like a sketch
2. Jane Remover, Revengeseekerz
3. glaive, Y’all
4. Geese, Getting Killed
5. Lucy Bedroque, Unmusique
6. Ninajirachi, I Love My Computer
7. Jane Remover, ♡ (EP)
8. Feng, What The Feng
Shelly R is still a Cowboy cheerleader

Top Album of 2025: Cowboy Carter
Once again, Miss B. claims my top spot. I truly think this album along with Renaissance are just so insanely amazing, but Cowboy Carter just speaks to me, especially at this moment in time. 
Honorable Mentions:
Sleep Token - Even in Arcadia
Ice Nine Kills - Welcome to Horrorwood: The Silver Scream 2
Sinners (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) 
My Top 10 Songs Released in 2025 (in no order):
  • "I Lied to You" - Sinners Soundtrack
  • "Rocky Road to Dublin" - Sinners Soundtrack
  • "Emergence" - Sleep Token
  • "Even in Arcadia" - Sleep Token
  • "Nosebleeds" - Doechii
  • "Born Again" - LISA, Doja Cat, RAYE
  • "Your Idol" - Saja Boys, KPop Demon Hunters Soundtrack
  • "How It's Done" - HUNTR/X, KPop Demon Hunters Soundtrack
  • "The Dead Dance" - Lady Gaga
  • "Self Evident" - Puscifer
Nico M, Garbage collector
It’s between Gaga and Garbage so I’ve gotta go with the one that moved me to tears:
Garbage, Let All That We Imagine Be the Light
Paul G phils his tank
1) Gabriela Ortiz (with the LA Philharmonic), Yanga
2) Kendrick Lamar: Superbowl LIX 
3) Arvo Pärt, And I Heard a Voice
4) Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Rachmaninoff, The Bells, Elgar, Falstaff
5) Alexandre Desplat, score for The Phoenician Scheme
Jonathan V shows us his darkside

My album of the year:

Darkside, Nothing

This album from the mostly-instrumental awemeisters isn’t as mysterious as their previous ones—it’s more like the duo (recently turned trio, mazel tov!) has finally put their finger on what they’re doing, and are just messing around. In other words, this album is fun. It’s like going to a séance that turns into a disco party. The Darkside catalog continues to justify perked ears and deep listens, and it’s particularly good on vinyl.

My album of the year 1987 (apparently):

The Sisters of Mercy, Floodland

I heard it this year for the first time! This is not only a classic goth album, it’s an album you could plant in a graveyard and regrow the entire genre of goth with (if, say, pseudogymnoascus destructans were to wipe it out). Extra points for the enchanted kiss of Jim Steinman.

Best jazz album for Radiohead fans:

Miles Davis, Bitches Brew

If you like your jazz with a side of potent mutagens, this album will take you on a journey like no other. (My husband heard me listening to it and said, "This sounds like a horror movie soundtrack from the late sixties..." AND HE IS NOT WRONG.) There really is something enrapturing about the cohesion of the playing here. Once the full effect of the work hits you, it's like you got handed "They Live" glasses or something. (Miles Davis had more than a few pairs!)
Vacation find of the year:

Jordana & TV Girl, Summer’s Over

I heard it for the first time in the arts district of Las Vegas—a region known for extraordinary cocktails, and the mood music to match. (Go there without Shazam at your peril.) This little gem from 2021 was one of my favorite souvenirs from that trip—a sample-heavy bedroom pop EP that sounds like Beach House’s carefree cousin. And I say that as a fan of Beach House!

Best pedestrian soundtrack ever:

Dirty Art Club

This artist's groove collages sound like an establishing shot of someplace implacably cool, way too busy, and well worth walking through.
Albums I still need to hear that may have been my album of the year for all I know:

Jensen McRae, I Don’t Know How But They Found Me!
This neo-folk opus may have been my album of the year if I’d have summoned the guts to listen to it--but the track “Massachusetts” already makes me sob like a baby, so I can’t risk what might happen to my hydration level if I heard the other ten.

The Horrors, Night Life

I knew that goth long-haulers The Horrors had a new album this year, but I wanted to save it for a special occasion that wasn’t special in the bad way. Another possible contender.

Nation of Language, Dance Called Memory

See entry for “Night Life,” substituting the term “goth long-haulers” with “upstart synth prodigies.”

Geese, Getting Killed
I didn’t even know there was a new Geese album until the online war broke out over the their SNL appearance. This is like finding out about a pop quiz on the morning-of...
Billy M falls takes a Gap year
Strangely my strongest obsessions of the year aren’t albums from 2025!
The ones that were from the year:
1. Del Water Gap, Chasing the Chimera
2. Anna B Savage, You and i are Earth, Anna B Savage
3. Rosalía, LUX
Amy H’s Swift-ly tilting planet
Mostly I just find myself listening to the old favorites through the eras …! But this year, with a kid who is discovering the intense pleasure and necessity of music, we’ve been sampling a lot of new releases as well as discovering / rediscovering old favorites. 
With that, our “most listened to” albums of 2025 are:
Taylor Swift - The Life of a Showgirl (this was the year that turned me from a TS hater to reluctant listener to begrudging admirer)
K-Pop Demon Hunters - You can’t deny how catchy and singable this album is, much as you want to… not to mention the impressive vocal abilities of HUNTR/X… 
LXNGVX - Habibi Ta’a (especially Montagem Mysterious Game) (this is all Dresden’s discovery). I admit, I’m digging it. 
And old is new again:
Eminem. Lots of Eminem. 
And Kendrick Lamar. Not so old but really good. Especially Humble.
Fein by Travis Scott was *the* it song, interestingly, among the middle school set in 2025. 
Billy Joel. Really! “We Didn’t Start the Fire” has become one of our most played songs lately. And also seems relevant but also… can we all leave this inferno and go back to *that* fire?? 
John A’s phonetic choices
Here’s my list.  It’s a long one but it was an exceptional year for new music. 
Most Essential Album:
Horsegirl, Phonetics On and On
Other essential albums (in no particular order):
Doves, Constellations For The Lonely
Lifegaurd, Ripped and Torn
Rocket, R is for Rocket
Nation of Language, Dance Called Memory
Twenty One Pilots, Breach
Geese, Getting Killed
Sharp Pins, Radio DDR
The Last Dinner Party, From The Pyre
anaiis, Devotion & The Black Divine
Hayley Williams, Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party
Water From Your Eyes, It’s a Beautiful Place
Snocaps, Snocaps
Deftones, private music
Goon, Dream 3
Black Country, New Road; Forever Howlong
The Dare, What’s Wrong With New York?
Little Simz, Lotus
Turnstile, NEVER ENOUGH
Deradoorian, Ready for Heaven
Model/Actriz, Pirouette
Sault, 10
Panda Bear, Sinister Grift
Daniel L, excellent single-ton

I started a list, put Chappell Roan's Pink Pony Club at the top, only to discover that it was actually released in 2020 and then rereleased in 23, I think?? So I apparently have no sense of time. And I was already messing up because I was listing songs vs albums! 

I don't think I listened to any complete albums this year, so I feel a little guilty listing albums vs. songs, but as it turns out most of the songs I could recall were singles, so I guess that worked out! Feel free to exclude anything that doesn't fit the format, but here's what I came up with. :) 

1. You'll Be Alright Kid, Alex Warren
2. After the Fact, Syd Taylor
3. Where Is My Husband!, RAYE (single, full album 2026) 
4. It Ain't Nothing, Scout Willis (single)
5. Conga, Nathan K (single/cover)
6. Pretrial (let her go home), Fiona Apple (single)
7. after the sun goes down, Khalid (this is sort of cheating because I've only listened to a LITTLE of this album, but I generally love Khalid, so I wanted to throw him on here)
Caleb H puts a period at the start
I was really led around by random singles this year, and otherwise was mostly revisiting old music I liked. But I did listen to a few albums!! Here they are:
Kesha, .
Lady Gaga, Mayhem
The Beths, Straight Line Was A Lie
Doechii, Alligator Bites Never Heal (Extended)
Samia, Bloodless
The Beaches, No Hard Feelings
Honorable Mention to the collected works of Pitbull because most of the music I listened to this year was while I was out line dancing. Did you know Pitbull is responsible for a huge percentage of popular line dancing songs? Now you do. Line dancing playlists are absolutely terrible but I now know all the songs by heart.
Tiernan B-E clowns around

Top pick: Audrey Hobert, Who’s the Clown?
More essentials:
Lady Gaga, Mayhem
Samia, Bloodless
Cleo Reed, Cuntry
Lucy Dacus, Forever is a Feeling
Miya Folick, Erotica Veronica
Baths, Gut
Bon Iver, SABLE, fABLE
Addison Rae, Addison
MyKey, Crickets & Company
Kevin Atwater, Achilles
Blondshell, If You Asked for a Picture
Ethel Cain, Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You
Hannah Jadagu, Describe
Oklou, choke enough
Kristin E has a yen for Jens

Most Essential:
Jens Lekman, Songs for Other People’s Weddings
Also Notable for 2025:
Glaive, Y’all
Neko Case, Neon Grey Midnight Green
Jane Remover, [heart]
Greg Freeman, Burnover
Clarice Jensen, In holiday clothing, out of the great darkness
KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack 
Justin W is feeling it
In a year when the only concert I went to was H Jon Benjamin's (kind of brilliant) comedy bit, called "The Jazz Daredevil", I have few non-joke discoveries, but Lucy Dacus's Forever is a Feeling was a vibe in '25.
Jonas R, ketch as ketch can

Here are my top albums this year, including one from 2023 that I only discovered recently:

Ketch Secor, Story the Crow Told Me
Yeule, Evangelic Girl Is a Gun
Stephen Wilson Jr., Son of Dad (2023, but newly discovered)
Neko Case, Neon Grey Midnight Green
Wednesday, Bleeds
Population II, Maintenant Jamais
Geese, Getting Killed
Perfume Genius, Glory
HAIM, I Quit

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