Doug's 2025 Music Recap! The Best New Music Of The Year
Hmmm…. yes there was some great new music this year, but I’m looking at my Apple Music and I don’t see as many killer releases that dropped in 2025 as the year before. And I don’t want to just list albums if they wouldn’t be otherwise worthy just because I need more entries. So this list might be a bit shorter than previous year end recaps but it is what it is.
Slight disclaimer - I launched Hail Media this year and I’ve been more distracted by things other than music than usual. i haven’t been able to listen to a ton the last 4 months. So part of this could be me. So this is the music that caught my attention, and the genres I usually make more time for like jazz or hip hop suffered this year for me. I know Billy Woods, Ghostface Killah and even De La Soul and Arrested Development all released new albums and I just haven’t gotten around to them.
So let’s get to the stuff I can say is GREAT.
Doug’s 2025 Music Recap! The Best New Music Of The Year
Note: If you click on an album cover you’ll be taken to Amazon via my affiliate link if you want to purchase it, and I may receive a small commission.
Album of the year
Ty Segall - Possession - Drag City
Ty Segall - Possession Could this actually be my favorite Ty Segall album? I’m pretty sure it is. Man it’s so good. It’s everything that’s great about Ty Segall but with songs that just sound so……fully developed this time. That’s a weird way to describe an artist I’ve loved for some time - as if I’ve been listening to half baked stuff all along? Well part of Segall’s garage rock appeal has always been just that - that it doesn’t sound too fully realized. But this time the songs do sound complete without sacrificing the energy - polished and unpolished at the same time. I know - it doesn’t make much sense but these songs are just awesome, so let’s start with that. Fantastic Tomb is the epic centerpiece here - an insane tale of a heist gone wrong and the singer made the scapegoat (?) trapped in a basement with big horns and multiple sections, plenty of guitars and plenty of groove. I think. The album contains plenty of horns and strings that weave throughout the jams and provide depth without sacrificing the vital feel (unlike King Gizzard who tried to add an orchestra to their album this year and none of it sounds necessary - it doesn’t really add or detract - it’s just kinda there in limited spots).
Other Great ones
Wolf Alice - The Clearing - RCA Records
Wolf Alice - The Clearing I love this band and they seem to have kicked it up a notch with the songwriting throughout on their latest, with a couple of songs that are just totally sublime. Soothing, relaxing pop songcraft. Passenger Seat in particular is a better Sheryl Crow song than Sheryl herself ever recorded. Safe In The World is the other highlight for me - just gorgeous. And while there don’t seem to be any noisy fuzzy guitars here like the banger Smile from 2021’s Blue Weekend, there’s still some powerful shit here like Bloom Baby Bloom where Ellie Roswell brings plenty of vitriol in her vocal performance. White Horses is a jam - an upbeat mystical thing with Joel Amey providing the staccato hypnotic vocals in the verses. The first time I heard The Sofa I did a double take (Did she just say sometimes she just wants to fuck? During such a pretty song? Yes. Yes she did.) Everything here is great - varied and completely interesting throughout.
Wet Leg - Moisturizer - Domino Record Co.
Wet Leg - Moisturizer These girls haven’t run out of ideas on the sophomore effort. Same low-key-don’t-care charm as the debut and the songs are really good. Also it’s impossible to not notice Rhian Teasdale’s new look which is stunning… Highlights on this album include the pulsing opener CPR, the menacing Catch These Fists, and the upbeat and sunny Pokemon - so good and Teasdale showing off some really pretty vocals.
Swervedriver - The World’s Fair EP - Outer Battery Records
Swervedriver - The World’s Fair EP Finally some new music from Swervedriver! This isn’t driving roaring guitar Swervedriver. it’s a bit of a mood and the four songs that only clock in at a total of less than 15 minutes seem to blend together for me so far. Now I might feel differently in a couple years when I totally understand them which is usually how Swervedriver works, and that’s okay. I can tell enough that I do love this EP and it’s always great to get new tunes from the Adam Franklin and company. Of course I wish there was more…. Volume Control has the most drive and the closer Time Attacks has the most beauty of the four tracks.
Steve Kilbey And The Winged Heels - The Road To Tibooburra - Easy Action
Steve Kilbey & The Winged Heels - The Road To Tibooburra Steve Kilbey and Gareth Koch return with the Winged Heels project and continue their musical partnership with another batch of great songs. Of course. The opener Adrift is just a perfect song. Such assured songcraft - a simple song that way more people should hear. Kilbey “only” put out 3 albums & a single this year with his various projects (I think) and this is the “conventional” one of the three (another is spoken word with Martin Kennedy and another is a music-of-antiquity album with Gareth Koch). Other highlights on this album are Doc Holiday, One Act Opera, and Too Late To Die Young, but again - everything here is good.
Matt Berry - Heard Noises - Acid Jazz
Matt Berry - Heard Noises I feel like I’m supposed to know Matt Berry from his acting and his comedy but I had no clue. Like if someone discovered Kevin Bacon’s stuff with his brother and didn’t know he was an actor. Maybe Matt Berry isn’t as famous as Kevin Bacon, but I’d be curious if Bacon’s music is as good as Berry’s, because this album is really cool. Groovy, mysterious jams abound such as Wedding Photo Stranger with weird beats, a cool funky bass line, Berry’s understated vocals and sounds that make for a unique listening experience. There Are Monsters with the jazzy intro before it settles into a nice groove with some awesome keys and guitar before a few vocals (strange choir style if that’s a thing) show up halfway through the song. There’s plenty going on to keep this album interesting throughout - highly recommended.
Chameleons - Arctic Moon - Metropolis Records
The Chameleons - Arctic Moon What a triumphant return for the most underrated of all the first wave alternative 80’s bands. Only 7 songs but still a full 43 minutes plus. This one is dominating my listening as of late. For whatever reason the less-noisy interlude at the 2:15 mark of the opener and lead single Where Are You? is everything. Such a great classic Chamleons tune with layered guitars, a great riff and some well-placed dramatic flair. Every song here is fantastic and as I’m writing and listening I’m feeling a strong urge to make this the album of the year…. Back to Arctic Moon, every song here is outstanding, and the one I am really obsessed with is the epic and creepy David Bowie Takes My Hand. Mark and Reg take long hiatuses and to return with something this original - a sweeping epic that evokes isolation and despair with as much effect as they’ve ever done in their almost half century as a band - is quite remarkable. Free Me is another standout - just gorgeous. Was so good to see them perform a couple of these tracks on KEXP alongside 4 tracks from the Strange Times album - let’s hope there is more new music coming in the coming years!
Singles:
The Church - Sacred Echoes (Part Two) It’s rare for The Church to just put out a single that isn’t attached to an album. They’ll do it, just not that often, and who knows - maybe this IS part of something more coming. One can only hope - the band did tour this year so they do indeed continue to be active as a band which is only exciting. And no, there is no Sacred Echoes (Part One).
Filter - All The Good Classic sounding Filter with an industrial kick and a melodic chorus - is there a new album coming…..?
Smashing Pumpkins - Chrome Jets This one kicks ass! Billy still in rawk mode.
The Crosseyed - Hang Me Out To Dry My buddy Jeff Malkin released a few singles from the upcoming second LP by his current project The Crosseyed this year. Start with this one.
Honorable Mentions:
King Princess - Girl Violence You know I love King Princess, and I do love a couple songs on this album the best of which is RIP KP. I’m just not sure this is her best work. None of it’s bad.
Psychedelic Porn Crumpets - Pogo Rodeo An up and coming band that I’m finding interesting, even if after I listen to a few songs I’m itching for King Gizzard. Which is likely not fair and I do plan on giving this one some more time.
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Phantom Island And then there’s King Gizzard themselves. I wanted this album to be better and it has its moments. It might even be better than I’m giving it credit for but I just didn’t listen to it enough to say for sure, which says something in and of itself. But the band (Joey at least) kinda pissed me off this year too which I won’t go into, so that may have had me keeping my distance. At a crossroads perhaps? A band that had rocketed up to my favorites - in a slight slump? We’ll see.
Steven Wilson - The Overview Another anomaly - a Steven Wilson album that didn’t keep me that interested. Never happened before. It sounds good, yes. I just doesn’t sound like a masterpiece to me which is usually all he produces.
Car Seat Headreast - The Scholars My daughter Lacey who writes about music for screenrant.com told me to listen to this - so far so good. Singer sounds a bit like Beck. Has potential for me.
So there you have it - the best of 2025 and certainly feel free to chime in with any i’ve missed!
M10 Social is owned by Doug Cohen in West Bloomfield, MI and provides social media training and digital marketing services from the Frameable Faces Photography studio Doug owns with his wife Ally. He can be reached there at tel:248-790-7317, by mobile at tel:248-346-4121 or via email at mailto:doug@frameablefaces.com. You can follow Doug’s band Vintage Playboy at their Facebook page here. You can also visit our other business Detroit Jerky at the website www.DetroitJerkyLLC.com! Also please visit Doug’s other media company Hail Media for all kinds of Michigan content - podcasts and shows about the Wolverines!