25 Best Albums & EPs of 2025
The year-end music scoreboard includes everyone from Kesha to Willow Avalon.
2025 has been an utter disaster in the U.S. — and more than ever, singers and songwriters have put their voices to good work in calling out the oppressive system and rallying others to do the same. When it came to capturing the artistic spirit of the year, many selections presented themselves almost immediately. Music is far more than just entertainment and offering listeners a reprieve from the world, but it’s also about bringing attention to things that actually matter.
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I sifted through both mainstream and independent releases, doing my darndest to present the best cross-section of Americana, country, folk, and pop music. Sometimes, those who have nothing to lose take bigger and bolder risks than those who do, which comes from a place of immense privilege. It took careful consideration to make this list, and I sure hope you, dear reader, find something you haven’t heard yet.
Without further ado, here’s the rundown of the year’s best and most daring albums and EPs.
Find my selections in this handy-dandy year-end playlist
Honorable Mention: Lane Moore — Final Girl EP
Genre: Pop
Lane More relishes the dark and macabre. That’s not more evident than with her comeback EP, Final Girl. The title alone says it all. A batch of four pop songs stabs the eardrums, like the Psycho theme, as you’ll encounter with the title track. Moore sings from somewhere primal, coating the lyrics with a certain fang-toothed prowess. “TBA” flickers past the eyelids with a ravaging drum chorus and the inescapable feeling you’re being watched. It’s all the experience, really, of slipping into Moore’s singular use of drums to drive her melodies. She’s survived over the years between releases, if even a little worse for wear. But she’s more committed to the music, and goodness, does it pay off.
Stream and purchase on Bandcamp.
25. John Calvin Abney — Transparent Towns
Genre: Folk
Blog favorite John Calvin Abney reaches a creative apex with his new album, Transparent Towns. Abney’s voice is as reedy as ever, allowing him to paint with natural ferocity. Songs like “Prayers and “Pollen,” “Who You Thought I Was,” and “Regret without Reason” emerge as his finest performances to date, but the entire 10-track project shines from its core. Abney is terribly, criminally overlooked as one of folk’s most compelling storytellers. He’s never sounded so good, so raw, and so honest in his lyrics.
Stream and purchase on Bandcamp.
24. ZZ Ward — Liberation
Genre: Blues/Rock/Pop
“My patience is runnin’ so very low,” sings an exasperated ZZ Ward. “Dust My Broom” serves as a lynchpin of her new album, Liberation, on which she galavants across the dusty terrain of blues and rock. Together, the fusion signals a brand new ZZ Ward. Shedding her major label days, she steps up to the microphone with only herself and a trusty band of musicians to support her. But there’s freedom in that. Throughout Liberation, what’s most clear is that she’s having fun, skipping around the genre crossroads and coloring outside the lines. There’s nothing more, well, liberating than that. [Full Review]
Stream on Spotify and purchase on the Sun Records store.
23. Rapt — Until the Light Takes Us
Genre: Folk
Rapt‘s Until the Light Takes Us is like receiving manna from heaven. The soothing trickle of “Over Aged Borders” washes the listener in a gentle, misty rain. That delicate, almost brittle tone seeps throughout the whole album, allowing Rapt (real name: Jacob Ware) to lean into subtlety and meticulous nuance. Airy vocals guide you through an echoing hall of life’s most tragic and unexpected endings, which seem to light you up from the inside out. Songs like “I Will Be My End,” “Fields of Jupiter,” and “A Theory of Resistance,” a plucky, urgent number rising as a momentous triumph, lock in the album’s overarching importance of the necessity of accepting change and being willing to push ahead.
Stream and purchase on Bandcamp.
22. Carter Faith — Cherry Valley
Genre: Country
“If I were a good Christian woman, I’d probably forgive / But I’m pretty sure even Jesus thinks that you’re a bitch,” smirks Carter Faith in one of her standout tracks on Cherry Valley. That saucy number proves her strength as a songwriter and her unflinching sense of humor. The towering 16-song record packs on the prickly emotional moments (“Six String,” “Misery Loves Company,” “Sails”) and melodic giddyup (“Sex, Drugs, & Country Music,” “Bar Star”) and culminates in one helluva debut album. If she delivers such an incredibly strong first outing, imagine what she’ll do as she grows older and wiser.
Stream on Spotify and purchase on Carter Faith’s official online store.
21. Caroline Spence — Heart Go Wild
Genre: Folk/Country
Caroline Spence‘s Heart Go Wild pounced like a leopard this year. If you’ve been following Spence for any amount of time, you already know she likes to pummel you with two-ton songwriting and a voice as smooth as butter. Among her best include “Effortless” and “Dried Flowers, Old Habits,” proving her work is aging like a fine wine. The way she can craft a melody is unlike most of her peers. Heart Go Wild is akin to a warm tear on a cheek, a golden and pink-hued sunrise, and a warm fleece blanket on a cold winter’s night.
Stream and purchase on Bandcamp.
20. Haunted Like Human — American Mythology
Genre: Folk/Americana
Everything Haunted Like Human touches turns to gold (to borrow a lyric from their song “Appaloosa.”) Their third studio record, American Mythology, releasing November 21, quakes with a timeless tremor that echoes throughout every single song. Its rustic feeling pulls you in, with plenty of strings, percussion, and oh so smooth harmony work. It’s the kind of record that defines careers and catapults artists into the stratosphere. [Full Review on Rainbow Rodeo]
Stream on Spotify and purchase on Haunted Like Human’s official online store.
19. Simona-Valetina — Mirrors & Feathers
Genre: Folk
There’s cathartic freedom when making art. Just ask Simona-Valentina. Her debut album, Mirrors & Feathers, showcases an artist with pure, raw talent that defies the constraints of genre. Having spent years writing, recording and re-recording, and mixing and re-mixing, her hard work pays off in spades. Many of the album’s essentials ring with an acoustic rendering that allows her voice to glide effortlessly through darkened valleys before soaring to snow-capped mountaintops. In being bold, Simona-Valentina finds herself breaking chains of the past and clutching the power of songwriting. [Full Review]
18. Sabrina Carpenter — Man’s Best Friend
Genre: Pop
Sabrina Carpenter gets hella physical with her post-first Grammy win, Man’s Best Friend. The pop juggernaut opts for sexy and sultry vIbEs, exhanging candy-coated pop hooks for moods. Aside from “Manchild” and “When Did You Get Hot?,” the majority of the record glides in the air like so many dandelion seeds. It’s perhaps not as accessible as much of her previous output, but it still demonstrates she’s never been a one-trick pony. She was thrust into big-star status, and she proclaims that she has no plans to give it up anytime soon.
Stream in Spotify and purchase on Sabrina Carpenter’s official online store.
17. Lady Gaga — Mayhem
Genre: Pop
“I can cure your disease,” Lady Gaga promises with opening track, “Mayhem.” That simple refrain serves as the musical salve to the lack of truly big and bold pop music these days. Gaga hasn’t been a stranger to making remarkable pop or avant-garde music since she shashayed onto the dance floor. With Mayhem, she returns to those Monster days (mixed with an Artpop lean) for a record that feels vintage Gaga while pushing into the future. Mother Monster cuts moments like “Abracadabra,” “Zombieboy,” and “The Beast” from the same boundary-shattering clothe, as only she could do. She’s never lost her creative edge, even if the general public has fallen way behind on what she’s doing.
Stream on Spotify and purchase on Lady Gaga’s official online store.
16. Rebecca Porter — Roll with the Punches
Genre: Americana
Rebecca Porter causes quite a scene with her debut LP, Roll with the Punches. A vocal firestorm, the singer-songwriter plants her flag in modern Americana with a vow that this is just the beginning. “Memories,” “The Devil,” and “No Evil” emerge as her best songs so far, from composition to vocal acrobatics and emotional weight. There’s a pin needle precision to her pen that makes for an impressive rodeo that’ll leave you in utter awe.
Stream on Spotify and purchase on Bandcamp.
15. Rebecca Black — Salvation
Genre: Pop
If “Friday” is your only reference point for Rebecca Black, stop living in 2011. Much like Carly Rae Jepsen, Black’s output so often gets overlooked for A-listers who rarely take risks and spend most of their time issuing the same album on 20 different variant vinyls. Salvation is not only Black’s liberation, but a welcome sonic bath for the listener. From the frantic first beats of the opener and title track, it’s most evident that Black didn’t come to play. She sculpts other standouts, such as “Sugar Water Cyanide” and “Tears in My Pocket,” with clay that’s as detailed as they are musically hypnotic. She cooked, and we ate.
Stream on Spotify and purchase on Rebecca Black’s official online store.
14. Olivia Dolphin — All the Time We Spent EP
Genre: Pop
Olivia Dolphin comes in just under the wire for year-end list consideration. All the Time We Spent hits you like an avalanche of vocal power, lyrical mastery, and caramel sonic bliss. “Cross” eases the listener into a soul-freezing trance, as she begins fluttering like a bird before lifting off the ground for a heart-pummeling moment in the air. The song and performance bear a striking resemblance to Brandi Carlile’s “The Story.” Dolphin appropriately takes her time with the melody, her signature approach, which marks most of the EP. [Full Review]
Stream on Spotify and purchase on Bandcamp.
13. Willow Avalon — Southern Belle Raisin’ Hell
Genre: Country
Willow Avalon possesses one of those voices that you just know it when you hear it. Southern Belle Raisin’ Hell feels primed as a LeAnn Rimes album (complementary), but her voice is uniquely her own, of course. “Baby Blue,” “Homewrecker,” “Hey There, Dolly,” and “Gettin’ Rich, Goin’ Broke” knock you for a loop, particularly from a lyrical standpoint. Her ability to craft dusty melodies and lived-in stories feels as though she’s been doing this for decades. As far as debuts go, this is truly a treasure.
Stream on Spotify and purchase on Warne Music’s officil oline store.
12. Rhiannon Giddens & Justin Robinson — What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow
Genre: Americana
In the opening track, “Rain Crow,” there’s audio of gravel and dirt crunching before Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson throw a hootenanny on a dusty backroad. The musicians have built their careers on tightly-wounded instrumentals and songs that pay respects to Black music, celebrating the foundations of folk and stretching it till it nearly snaps. What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow invites the listener to take a breather from the outside world for just 43 minutes and ground themselves in the here and now, replenishing the one thing that washes the soul the best: music.
Stream on Spotify and purchase on Bandcamp.
11. Moncrieff — Maybe It’s Fine
Genre: Pop
Moncrieff has been tearing it up for years, and his name rarely, if ever, pops up in the conversation. With his new album, Maybe It’s Time, he delivers the hooks you crave and the lyrics you need. From “Somebody’s Baby” to the hazy “High for Free” and “Mirror of You,” he twists and bends his words around pounding melodies that leave an indent on the brain. He turns over emotional stone there is, paired with his vocal prowess so potent and incredibly searing.
10. Vandoliers — Life Behind Bars
Genre: Americana
Vandoliers have long been unsung heroes in the Americana space. With Life Behind Bars, they soar higher than ever before — particularly on songs such as “Dead Canary,” “Bible Belt,” and “Thoughts and Prayers.” The record is brilliantly poignant, as it weaves through frontwoman Jenni Rose’s journey of coming out as trans, as well as her struggle with addiction. Her voice has never sounded so explosive and expressive. Everything about the group’s craft ages like a very fine wine. And it’s a wonder to behold.
Stream on Spotify and purchase on Vandoliers’ official online store.
9. Adam Mac — Southern Spectacle
Genre: Country
Adam Mac always paints outside the lines. That’s not more evident than it is with his brand new record, Southern Spectacle, a hypnotic, two-steppin’ genre mixer. Out on October 24, the 12-track project is even more fearlessly unapologetic than he’s ever been. He stands in the eye of the storm that is 2025 and squares up his pen to write some of the most brutally honest songs of his career. Naturally, he also includes many sweltering hoedowns to alleviate growing anxieties and bestow a sense of freedom and rebellion. [Full Review on Rainbow Rodeo]
Stream on Spotify and purchase on Adam Mac’s official online store.
8. Kesha — .
Gere: Pop
Kesha is as free as a bird these days. Her new album, ., finds her melding together Animal and Warrior for a mixture all its own. There’s a little tasty melodic confection and a whole lotta no fucks given. “BOY CRAZY.” and “JOYRIDE.” arrive as her most throwback-infused and electrifying releases, alongside the more emotive moments such as “DELUSIONAL.” and the groovy rodeo “LOVE FOREVER.” She stands in her own self-made light and has never been so happy, creative, and downright inspiring.
Stream on Spotify and purchase on Kesha’s official online store.
7. Brandi Carlile — Returning to Myself
Genre: Americana/Country
In life, we have friends and loved ones to rely on, but the one true constant is ourselves. Sooner or later, we must learn how to stand alone and fully embark on our life’s journey. With her new album, Returning to Myself, Brandi Carlile breaks her heart wide open and finally learns what it means to stand on her own. “I’m reflecting and realizing that learning to stand alone is something that people are supposed to do when they’re young,” she writes on Instagram. [Full review on Rainbow Rodeo]
Stream on Spotify and purchase on Brandi Carlile’s official online store.
6. Lola Blanc — Crowd Pleaser
Genre: Pop
With 2019’s “Angry Too,” it was evident that Lola Blanc‘s pen spewed venom. Her debut LP, Crowd Pleaser, digs deeper into animalistic lyrics that puncture the gut. From “Everybody” and “The Silence” to the hissing, rib-stomping “Pedestal” and beyond, Blanc delivers songs that rival most in the mainstream arena. It’s exactly the album we need in 2025, as she pours every ounce of rage and other scattered emotions into her images. Her voice, too, sounds fearlessly ferocious — to the point that we all should shake in our boots (complementary).
5. Orville Peck — Appaloosa EP
Genre: Americana
An acoustic rendering of big spectacle number “Maybe This Time” (from Cabaret) shouldn’t work nearly as well as it does on Orville Peck‘s new EP, Appaloosa. An obvious nod to his work as the Emcee in the most recent Broadway run of the famous musical is certainly an oddball choice for a country/Americana project. But in Peck’s very capable hands, it transforms into a scorching torch song that’s among his best vocal performances of his career. [Full Review on Rainbow Rodeo]
Stream on Spotify and purchase on Orville Peck’s official online store.
4. Mandi Sagal — Nothing Matters EP
Genre: Country
Mandi Sagal has been on fire the last few years. She struck lyrical gold in 2023 with “Holy Smoke,” an essential on her brand-new EP, Nothing Matters. She pours gasoline and lights a match, literally and metaphorically, to the Christian extremist establishment. That barbed-wire approach serves her well across the other five songs; “America Dream” and “Thoughts and Prayers” are of particular note. Both songs capture this moment in time like putting a ship inside a bottle. Thoughtful, fueled by anger, and just plain important in these fucking confusing times.
3. The Devil & the Daylong Brothers — Official Motion Picture Soundtrack
Genre: Americana/Blues
Nicholas Kirk jolts you awake with a fire-consuming soundtrack for one of the year’s biggest indie horror/thrillers, The Devil and the Daylong Brothers, which we named one of the 100 Best Horror Movies & Thrillers of 2025. Kirk composed and produced the release, with The Brothers Bright behind the performances. Top to bottom, the songs are exactly how modern blues-fused Americana should be made. “Hell is at Hand” and “Ties That Bind,” for example, give the actors moments to flex their soul-baring vocal power. There’s not a dud in the mix. Every performance delivers the punches, both lyrically and musically.
2. Sinners — Official Motion Picture Soundtrack
Genre: Americana/Blues
Producer Ludwig Göransson worked closely with writer/director Ryan Coogler to capture the musical liberation of the 1930s as best they could. Göransson’s wife Serena also contributed to the process. When the creative team went to New Orleans, they rented a house for five months, also teaming up with Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell and a band of musicians, including Alvin Youngblood Hart and Cedric Burnside. What they created is a masterful record that feels very rooted in the music of the ’30s and gives Black artists and performers their due. Mainstream music, particularly country music, has long whitewashed its history and never given Black-made music its flowers. But now is the time. Miles Canton is a particular highlight here, but the entire composition is worth putting on a loop.
1. Crys Matthews — Reclamation
Genre: Country/Americana
These are trying times. As we brace for what comes next, Crys Matthews drops her earnest, masterful, and irrefutably vital album, Reclamation. Stitched with intricate details about civil unrest, blasphemous religious beliefs, and racism, the artist’s latest record documents America at this moment in time. She bottles up what life is like in this country, open wounds and all, and urges the listener to question, challenge, and reassess. [Full Review on Rainbow Rodeo]
Stream on Spotify and purchase on Crys Matthews’ official online store.
