Sometimes a list is about the things that aren’t on it. To that end, there were two big struggles that lead up to the creation of the 2025 edition of this Top 10 list, now perhaps in its 20th year.
My primary struggle was “Should I Include the K-Pop Demon Hunters Soundtrack on this list?” Was it one of the 10 favorite albums I listened to this year? Yes! It was. It’s so much fun. Am I embarrassed about this reality? Only a little. Shit slaps. Also the movie is fun. But I decided to to exclude it for the following reasons:
- It features some non-original songs
- It features some songs more than once
- There are many instrumentals at the end I don’t care about or listen to
As a consolation prize and acknowledgment of the role this music had in my year, the visual theme for this year is a tribute to this movie & soundtrack. In the place of Mira, Rumi and Zoey are Adrianne Lenker (Big Thief), Karly Hartzman (Wednesday) and Katie Crutchfield (Waxahatchee). All of these women have had the #1 spot on this list in past or (spoiler alert) current years and all three appear on this list as well.
The second struggle: Why don’t I like Geese that much? Can I get myself to like them enough by the end of the year, so that I can put their universally acclaimed album “Getting Killed” on my list. No, I couldn’t. I think I’m coming around on it a bit, but as of now it just isn’t one of my favorites.
Anyway, here’s a list. I am 100% sure of my #1 album of the year, but the rest is a bit of a toss-up. There were a lot of albums I really enjoyed this year, and these 10 are great from start to finish. I (only?) saw 4/10 of these bands this year, but I had tickets for a show that was canceled due to tornado and I’m seeing 2 more of them in January.
10. Cheekface – Middle Spoon
In our poisoned hellscape of a reality, Cheekface is out there fighting the good fight. They are touring their asses off, seemingly putting out an album a year, and advocating for the value of human connection and human-made art on their social medias.
Middle Spoon is a fun evolution of the Cheekface formula, layering their signature largely spoken, largely entertaining lyrics over some different sounds (ska? reggae?) and collaborating with some new voices as well.
But, as they say on Growth Sux: “If you used to love me you’ll still love me. If you’ve always hated me not that much has changed.”
I didn’t see Cheekface this year because they were supposed to perform right after a tornado hit St. Louis. I hope to see them in 2026!
9. Samia – Bloodless
Samia has been bopping around my Spotify recommendations for years, but this album is the first one that really grabbed me. Don’t have a ton to say about it. Saw her live at Delmar Hall and it was a great show.
8. Case Oats – Last Missouri Exit
I was sold on this one from the first couple singles “Bitter Root Lake” and “In a Bungalow” and the album did not disappoint with its full release in August. Last Missouri Exit, the debut release from Case Oats, is a comfortable & relaxed alt country record.
The band seems to be Chicago based, so I’m unclear how my home state of Missouri fits into the picture exactly… but it’s an honor to be mentioned I suppose. I follow lead singer Casey Walker on Instagram and she’s been to a Blues game. Maybe she’s from St. Louis? Who knows.
Spencer Tweedy is also in the band and his dad Jeff is from St. Louis (Belleville, IL) even though everyone claims he’s from Chicago. Maybe this is related. Probably it is not.
Anyway, chill album. Give it a spin.
7. Sydney Sprague – Peak Experience
8 songs, 21 minutes. Every song & every minute of Peak Experience has gotta count, and it does! This album sounds good, and the songwriting is strong. Nice pop hooks, energetic rock guitars. I keep coming back to it!
I don’t know what the best show I saw this year was, but I know that one of my favorite shows of the year was Sydney Sprague at Off Broadway. There were maybe 20 other fans in attendance and it felt great to be there supporting a great artist. Get off your ass. Go see live music. It’s magical!
6. Greg Freeman – Burnover
I didn’t know anything about Greg Freeman prior to this 2025 release and I suppose I don’t know much about him now. But I do know that I love this album Burnover, I love his lyrics, his delivery, and find his voice charming. “Picking up trash in the extraterrestrial part of town” is unexpected and fun to say.
The instrumentation is delightful throughout the album as well, with a saxophone & violin featured throughout… and they both made it to the live show as well.
5. Snocaps – Snocaps
A surprise release from somewhat of a super band coming at the end of the year? Sign me up! Twin sisters Katie & Allison Crutchfield have joined forces for the first time in a long time along with a couple friends (Including MJ Lenderman) to put out this rock album that feels like home.
This is my least favorite Katie Crutchfield release since before Waxahatchee’s St. Cloud and it’s still one of my 5 favorite albums of the year. Instantly relaxed, familiar, and fun. Katie is on a roll!
4. Big Thief – Double Infinity
Double Infinity is a short 1-disc album from Big Thief. It follows their 2022 release, Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You, which was a Double album. Look, I don’t know.
This is not my favorite Adrianne Lenker project, but I appreciate the way that it continues to evolve the Big Thief sound. Just like Katie Crutchfield in the previous entry, even when not at their best, a Lenker release is a can’t miss. The song Los Angeles in particular is so so gorgeous. Check it out!
3. The Beths – Straight Line Was a Lie
I thought I was getting better
But I’m back to where I started
And the straight line was a circle
Yeah the straight line was a lieA lot of this year’s list is about the illusion of progress and it’s hard to sum it up much more succinctly than the first track & title track from The Beths. This may be my favorite album from the New Zealand rock group.
2. Annie DiRusso – Super Pedestrian
#1 funnest album of the year. Crunchy guitar hooks, fun lyrics, an overall great vibe. Deals with heavy stuff, but never takes itself too seriously.
You can skip the Derek Jeter song, but the rest is really really great.
1. Wednesday – Bleeds
Karly Hartzman, the queen of noisy alt country is BACK and better than ever. Lead single “Elderberry Wine” was immediately my song of the year upon release and the rest of the album is nearly as striking.
An incredible balance of story telling, character building, and big fuzzy guitars. Each song paints a different vivid picture, like this bit from the first verse of Townies:
Met you in the neighborhood.
You had connects to get us high
And then You sent my nudes around
I never yelled at you about it ’cause you Died
The closer, Gary’s II, clocking in at just 2:35, is a story told so perfectly that I’d have to quote the whole thing to do it justice.
Anyway, keep making noise.
Thanks for reading. Here’s some more stuff I liked this year that didn’t quite make the list:
- Goose – Getting Killed
- Tristen – Unpopular Music
- Camille Schmidt – Nude #9
- Momma – Welcome To My Blue Sky
- Beach Bunny – Tunnel Vision
- Lucy Dacus – Forever Is A Feeling
- Blondshell – If You Asked For A Picture
- Ben Kweller – Cover The Mirrors
- Miya Folick – Erotica Veronica
- S.G. Goodman – Planting by the Signs
- Eliza McLamb – Good Story
Here’s all of the top 10 in one playlist (no particular order)
Here’s a mix of 30+ songs from a variety of my favorite releases of the year. This one is put together in a pretty good sequence:
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