Best of 2025 – Recorded Music

Not a great deal brand new to me cracked my top 20 this year, but so many artists I love put out some of the best work of their career I can’t complain – this was a hard year to whittle down to 20. More detail comes with my blurbs in the two playlists for “Songs” and “Spaces.”

New Records

• Halley Whitters, Corn Queen – No Bandcamp link, purchase at https://haileywhitters.com/
• Little Simz, Lotus – No Bandcamp link, purchase at https://store.littlesimz.com/
• SG Goodman, Planting by the Signs
• Mary Halvorson, About Ghosts
• Jerry David DeCicca, Cardiac Country
• Saul Williams and Carlos Niño, Saul Williams Meets Carlos Niño and Friends at Treepeople
• Annie and the Caldwells, Can’t Lose My Soul
• Kae Tempest, Self Titled – No Bandcamp link, purchase at https://storeus.kaetempest.com
• Dana, Clean Living
• Vandoliers, Life Behind Bars – No Bandcamp link, purchase at https://store.vandoliers.com/
• Damon Locks, List of Demands
• Sweet Megg, Never Been Home
• Patricia Brennan, Of the Near and Far
• Amanda Shires, Nobody’s Girl
• Des Demonas, Apocalyptic Boom! Boom!
• Mavis Staples, Sad and Beautiful World
• Florence + the Machine, Everybody Scream – No Bandcamp link, purchase at https://shop.florenceandthemachine.net/
• Linda May Han Oh, Strange Heavens
• Valerie June, Owls, Omens, and Oracles
• Armand Hammer and The Alchemist, Mercy

Reissues/Compilations/Archival

• Ugly Stick, Absinthe
• Peter Gordon and Love of Life Orchestra, LOLO80
• Various Artists, It’s All Her Fault: A Tribute to Cindy Walker
• Tim Barnes, Lost Words
• Various Artists, I Will Swim to You: A Tribute to Jason Molina
• Various Artists, DJ-Kicks: Quantic
• Joni Mitchell, Joni’s Jazz – No Bandcamp link, purchase here: https://jm.lnk.to/JonisJazz
• Various Artists, Junglist! Old Skool Ragga, D&B, and Jungle 1993-95 No Bandcamp link – Purchase here: https://soundsoftheuniverse.com/product/junglist-
• Drive-By Truckers, The Definitive Decoration Day
• Various Artists, Roots Rocking Zimbabwe – The Modern Sound of Harare’ Townships 1975-1980