2025 boasted many high-profile music releases. From Taylor Swift to Bad Bunny to Tyler, the Creator, there has been no shortage of tracklists to add to our Spotify libraries.
Now that we’ve entered 2026, I can acknowledge just how good a year of music it was. Although I’ve enjoyed many album releases in 2025, five really stood out to me. Here is my ranking of my top five albums of the year.
Known for her Tik-Tok famous hits “Sailor Song” and “Fable,” Gigi Perez is quickly making her name in the music industry. With a uniquely deep, rich voice, Perez writes about her experience in the LGBTQ+ community, striking a chord with many queer fans.
“I don’t believe in God, but I believe that you’re my savior,” she sings on her most popular track, “Sailor Song.”
Her gut wrenching lyrics and poignant vocals are what make her so special. Her music is raw in a time of overly-polished vocals and manufactured instrumentals. Her use of under-produced acoustic guitar makes this album feel extremely personal.
I’m excited that Perez is beginning to make her name in the industry. I hope and expect her incredible talent will make her a household name.
If you told me back in August, when Sabrina Carpenter released “Man’s Best Friend,” that it would end up in my top five for the year, I would’ve never believed it. Because when this came out, it wasn’t my favorite. Actually, I’d say I hated it.
I’ve been listening to Sabrina Carpenter for more than five years now, and this album felt like an end to the artist that I’ve listened to. Because it is a very different album from her more lyric-focused “emails i can’t send,” and it feels more mainstream than her last album, “Short n Sweet.”
But, once I was able to get over the fact that the album wasn’t a carbon copy of any of Carpenter’s previous albums, I gained appreciation for it as an individual piece of art. When I previously cringed at the humorous jabs laced into the lyrics, now I don’t need to take the album as seriously. It’s not the most lyrically complex album, but it is clever, upbeat and delightful to listen to.
Here I go, once again, defending Taylor Swift. It seems the internet can’t ever seem to be happy with what she releases. When she released “The Tortured Poet’s Department,” social media called it pretentious, too lyric-focused and whiny. But when she completely pivots to “The Life of a Showgirl,” her first real return to traditional pop since “Lover” in 2019, social media goes into an uproar about how it’s “too basic” and not lyric-focused enough.
I’m not saying I have no issues with the album or Taylor Swift as an artist. In fact, while I love the album itself, Swift set herself up for failure with the way she marketed the album. You can click here for my in-depth look at the album and its marketing failures.
But marketing aside, “The Life of a Showgirl” is refreshing, fun and clearly shows Swift in a much brighter spot in her life than the deeply depressing “The Tortured Poets Department.” As a lifelong Taylor Swift fan, it’s incredible to see her so blindingly happy.
Her third studio album, “A Matter of a Time” showcases the widest range of sound and style we’ve heard from Icelandic artist Laufey. Read my in-depth review of the album here.
Although Laufey’s mission has been to bring the jazz genre to modern music, this album leans more in traditional pop than her previous two. I thought this would bother me–it doesn’t.
While still having more traditional jazz songs like “Clockwork” and a bonus track cover of Guy Lombardo’s “Seems Like Old Times,” she shows her wide range with the orchestral “Forget-Me-Not,” country-esque “Clean Air” and more traditional pop “Tough Luck.”
I was lucky enough to see the “Matter of Time” tour at Capital One in October, and it was life changing. You can check out my full concert review here.
“A Matter of Time” shows that while Laufey draws on older sounds, she has a unique voice that is individual from previous jazz artists.
Olivia Dean takes the win with her delightfully classy and understated sophomore album “The Art of Loving.” With elements of pop, R&B, bossa nova and neo soul, Dean doesn’t need to sing whistle notes or employ heavy bass to capture listeners.
The most impressive thing about Dean and this album is their simplicity. Simple doesn’t have to be boring and Olivia Dean displays that with “The Art of Loving.” With refreshingly self-confident lyricism and mature instrumentals Dean has quickly solidified her place in the music industry.
It’s surprising, but delightful, that my top album of the year was released by an artist I didn’t know until 2025. I love to see new, younger artists succeeding like Olivia Dean is, and I can only hope she can continue to ride this momentum.
