2025 was a year full of music: from the exploration of heartbreak, identity, love to anthems of celebration, anger and the comic tragedy of lives, it had it all.
However, there were melodies that struck a chord and lyrics that stuck with listeners. Listed below are the albums that shaped the sound of the year.
Hit music of 2025
Love and hyperbole – Alessia Cara
In true Alessia Cara style, the singer won the hearts of fans with this album. Although official sales and charts have yet to be revealed, fans gave the album rave reviews in 2025.
The Art of Loving – Olivia Dean
The British singer had everyone humming her songs and achieved critical and commercial success with her second studio album. Dean is now gearing up to tour, has a Grammy nomination under his belt, and just made his debut on Saturday Night Live.
The Glade – Wolf Alice
The English rock band made their mark in 2025, with their signature rock sound and experimental approach on their latest album. Their project rose to the top of the charts and earned a Mercury Prize nomination for Album of the Year.
The Life of a Showgirl – Taylor Swift
Although the global pop icon received mixed reviews for her twelfth studio album, commercially it broke records like no album had before.
Man’s Best Friend – Sabrina Carpenter
With its long-awaited release, Carpenter’s album set the record for the biggest streaming debut for a female musician in 2025. The songs on this album have sharp lyricism mixed with catchy production that her fans love.
Chaos – Lady Gaga
Gaga gave fans a taste of her earlier music with more mature lyrics on the album and left a lasting impact on the musical year. Not only was it a fan favorite, but it also received Grammy nominations and critical acclaim.
Play – Ed Sheeran
The pop star’s new album surprised music enthusiasts with its Hindi influence and a collaboration on Sapphire with Indian singer Arijit Singh. The album’s lyricism also shifted from Sheeran’s trademark upbeat dance pop to deeper, more meaningful expressions of feeling that also translated into commercial success.
Lorde – Virgin
The New Zealand native created an album that resonates with her hit, Melodrama, which fans have been eagerly awaiting. The unflinchingly honest lyricism combined with the classic synth-pop sound that Lorde is known for, was a critical and commercial success.
Music flop of 2025
While the releases are undeniably exciting, there were some albums that we didn’t listen to much. Some of these albums are listed below.
Will Smith – Based on a true story
The album marked Smith’s return to music after 20 years, but unfortunately it did not perform well on the charts and failed to be a commercial success.
Tyla – WWP (EP)
Tyla’s music collection was a shorter project but not so short that it didn’t make noise, unfortunately it did just that.
Miley Cyrus – Something Beautiful
The Smilers seemed to be anticipating the album’s release all over social media, but commercial engagement didn’t match the excitement after its first week.
Ty Dolla $ign – Tycoon
The rapper failed to reach the Billboard 200 for the first time in his music career due to poor sales following the album’s release.
