The Albums That Defined the Year: Album Review 2025

Tuesday, December 30, 2025

Music releases in 2025 reflected a year of bold experimentation, viral moments, and deeply personal storytelling across genres. From chart-topping pop albums to underground discoveries, artists pushed creative boundaries. SCOPE content members looked back on the year to review their favorite releases, highlighting the songs and albums that defined their listening in 2025.

Check out this Spotify playlist to hear all the top tunes and most streamed songs that all SCOPE members were listening to throughout the year!

Geese: Getting Killed

Written by Lucy Prescott

Winning Rolling Stones top indie rock album of 2025 and earning Pitchfork praise as “one of the best, strangest, and most compelling rock records of the year,” Getting Killed has caused for commotion and attention for the New York band Geese and their third studio album.

Spanning 11 tracks and roughly 45 minutes, the album arrived on streaming platforms in September and has since challenged traditional rock conventions. Geese blend alternative, indie and experimental rock with elements of jazz, funk and noise. These influences, combined with Cameron Winter’s versatile vocals, create a dense, groove-driven sound that has resonated with listeners.

Throughout the album, the band twists and turns through sharp guitar lines and shifting rhythms. Winter’s voice rises and falls in sync with each tracks momentum, allowing space for manic, high energy songs such as “Trinidad,” “Getting Killed,” and “Long Island City Here I Come,” while quieter moments like “Au Pays Du Cocaine” or “Half Real” that provide contrast and reflection.

Each track teeters on the edge of unsettled discovery. Producer Kenny Blume captures the albums rawness without polishing away its rough edges. Lyrically, Getting Killed explores the tension of relationships- between idealizations and disillusionment- weaving that narrative throughout the record.

Revengeseekerz by Jane Remover

Written by Matthew Schmalz

This past year was a great one for music, with momentous albums such as Getting Killed by Geese, along with Turnstile’s Never Enough and Dijon’s Baby. But for me, my album of the year has to go to Revengeseekerz by Jane Remover. This record is Jane’s third under this name, having released multiple others under their side projects of leroy and venturing. This release is a follow up to their album Census Designated which was a noisy mixture of shoegaze and electronic sounds to create a very unique project. This album however, goes in a completely different direction, showcasing Jane’s ability to write, produce, and perform fun, engaging, and intense music with more of a pop and dance focus.

Revengeseekerz is an anthemic album of the modern day. This record is the result of Jane dialing it all the way up to 11 to create something that is the antithesis to minimalism. It is filled with detailed and chaotic production that utilizes glitchy electronic sounds along with far out samples to create an almost overwhelming sonic palette across the entire project. The hard-hitting addictive bass found on many of the tracks along with the high energy vocals and catchy lyrics makes you want to hit the dance floor. There are some more vulnerable moments found throughout the tracklist, with Jane reflecting on the pros and cons of success and fame on “Dreamflasher” and their current life situation on “JRJRJR”. Along with those 2, there are other very noteworthy songs like “Dancing With Your Eyes Closed” which is a super fun hyperpop song that has some more abrasive elements to it. There is also “Fadeoutz” which is definitely one of my favorites with its more melodic elements, relaxed vocals, and entrancing hook. This project is just about entirely the product of Jane Remover, besides the feature from collaborator Danny Brown on “Psychoboost” which is an exceptional track that features high-tempo rap verses from both of them along with once again amazing production. Although it is consuming and EDM driven across its runtime this album shows its versatility with songs that range from experimental hip-hop to hardstyle. Overall, I find this album to stand out from the rest in 2025 through its effortless blend of genres, as it delivers 49 minutes of excellence that I believe will have this record be remembered as a future classic and a defining moment in electronic music.

Turnstile: Never Enough

Written by Lucy Prescott

Hardcore band, Turnstile, expanded their reach with the release of Never Enough this summer, an album that pushes beyond genre boundaries while maintaining the band’s intensity. Pitchfork noted that vocalists Brendan Yates, delivers the anxious words with gusto of someone granted extra decades to live.”

This critically diverse album has taken a different path than previous album Glow On (2021) though still incorporating the same tempo-twisting and genre-mixing perfected. There is heavy influence of 80s inspired dream pop sound. The album explores themes of inner conflict and self-reliance, pairing slower dreamlike passages with explosive, high-energy tracks. There is a wide range of guest contributors on the album including Haley Williams, A.G Cook, Faye Webster, and more.

One of the album’s standout moments, “SUNSHOWER,” transforms an intense hardcore track into an echoing, keyboard-driven outro, creating a moment of unexpected calm. The closing song, “MAGIC MAN,” brings the album together with psychedelic edge, leaving listeners with a sense of resolution. Perhaps most impressive is the album’s flow; each transition feels deliberate and seamless.

Never Enough success not only as a punk album, but as a getaway for new listeners, broadening Turnstiles' appeal without sacrificing their core sound.

The Art of Loving by Olivia Dean

Written by Abby Rhomberg

One of my favorite albums of 2025 was The Art of Loving by Olivia Dean. This jazz-inspired, no-skip album came into my life at the the exact right time. With hit single “Nice to Each Other,” gaining popularity on Tik Tok, I was reminded of the moment I first heard the voice of Olivia Dean. It was September of 2024 and I was waiting for Gracie Abrams to come on stage at the Armory in Minneapolis. A pre-show playlist was playing, as I was surrounded by girls with bows in their hair, and my friend turned to me to say, “I love this song…she is going to be the next big pop girl.” Turns out, her comment couldn’t have been more true.

“Maybe romantic love isn’t the forefront of your life right now. But love exists in so many forms. It’s in your friendship, it’s in strangers, it’s in your parents; I think that there is so much love to be shared in the world right now. I think we need reminding that it’s all around us.”

This directly correlates to the theme of my favorite song on the album, “I’ve Seen It,” which is a wholesome reminder that we can find love all around us, in the simplest of things, if we just take a closer look. Other stand-out lyrics include:

The Art of Loving (Intro) – “It wasn’t all for nothing…you taught me something…Something lost and something gained, in the art of loving.”
Lady Lady – “Overnight, the clothes I always wore, don’t suit me anymore…She’s always changing me without a word, and I was just, I was just getting used to her.”
So Easy (To Fall In Love) – “I’m the perfect mix of Saturday night and the rest of your life. Anyone with a heart would agree, it’s so easy to fall in love with me.”
Let Alone The One You Love – “You’re the hug that had to end, though I’ve tried to hold on. And if you knew me at all, you wouldn’t try to keep me small.”
A Couple Minutes – “Of course, I still care. Love’s never wasted, when it’s shared.”

Dean’s lyrics are able to speak to the masses, while also being so deeply personal and symbolic. Her vocals are both unique and timeless. The Art of Loving, which Dean has credited Amy Winehouse, Carole King, The Supremes, and Nat King Cole to be inspirations for, is the perfect soundtrack for a local cafe or an underground jazz lounge. Whether you’re a hopeless romantic, chronically independent, or “something in between,” I would strongly recommend giving this album a listen.

Big City Life: Smerz

Written by Chloe Palmer

Reflecting on all the excellent albums released in 2025, I found myself constantly going back to ‘Big City Life’ by Smerz. Smerz is an Oslo-based music duo created by Catharina Stoltenberg and Henriette Motzfeldt. The two grew up together and eventually attended university in Copenhagen. They released their first single, ‘Because,’ on SoundCloud in 2016, and their first EP, ‘Okey,’ later in the same year, leading them to sign with XL Records.

Stoltenberg and Motzfeldt are classically trained musicians who have created a new sound, immersing classical, electronic, and R&B elements to offer a new listening experience in Scandinavian Pop. Their latest album, ‘Big City Life’, features 13 tracks offering a new listening experience. The album brings a sultry, romantic feel, made for nights out in the clubs. Played during a midnight drive home, a ride on the metro, or a damn good mixtape for the 17-year-olds craving their very own big city life. The album takes you for a ride with its electronic grooves and transitions so smooth that it makes you want to close your eyes and explore a new reality. This album dances through the nights out and the possibilities of the ever-expanding opportunities to feel something new. I want to highlight a few specific songs, ones that had me hit the replay button every time. Dreams, Imagine This, Easy, and Feisty.

Dreams is the 12th song on the album. The intentional placement of this song was perfect for the album and your listening experience. Dreams begins with a euphoric, eye-opening sound. A sound that encapsulates the end of the night in the club. Something you’d roll all the windows down for on your midnight drive home with the volume on max. This track dives into the heightened romantic thoughts, with lyrics like “Oh baby, do you know how hearts collide? Not in my daily moves from the bed to bathroom.” and a bridge in Norwegian that translates to “What do you think about when you're alone? When you close the door, turn off the light, does it wake up?” Imagine this lures you in with a catchy, hearty beat. An overall minimalist sound combined with a swanky spoken track. A sound that seeps out of a tiled bathroom; a sink cluttered with makeup, products, and hairbrushes. The stage of prep before slipping out into the night's air. The lyrics tell a story, walking the listener through a night out and the parting ways of two people. This track reveals the intentions, thoughts, and feelings of both Motzfeldt and Stoltenberg. Feisty is a playful track with lyrics that have an anthropological feel. Describing, simply, a night out. Lyrics like “Makeup on my mind, these shoes, so far down. Little red skirt and a blouse my mother found.” allow our imagination to play. “Ey boy, I like you so much, come over here, I'll let you feel my touch. Or we can go outside for a smoke, and stay, and kiss if that is what you want.” The conclusion of the song leaves you with “You either have it, or you don’t, either way, I feel confused and alone.” Eliciting the realities of a night out.

The last track I want to dig into is Easy, which also doubles as the album's ending. A stark contrast from the previous song Dreams, the opening lyrics are “Have I said too much?” Words that may be found in one's mind once the lights in the bar come on. Easy has a trip-hop/pop sound mixed with a hazy recollection of thoughts. It’s the perfect ending to the album as it conveys an almost drunk recollection of the mind. ‘Big City Life’ by Smerz is an intoxicating album I’d recommend to anyone with a pair of headphones and a craving to explore a world within songs.

Arcy Drive: The Pit

Written by Lucy Prescott

This long-awaited 12-track album The Pit debuted in mid-April, marking a confident step forward for the band in the indie rock scene. The record blends indie and alternative rock with touches of folk and country, creating a sound that feels both familiar and exploratory.

The album opens with “Under the Rug,” followed by “Louie,” immediately setting the tone for an eccentric and self-assured release. While the first two tracks project confidence, later songs reveal a more vulnerable side of the band, capturing the uncertainty and restlessness of early adulthood. The lyrics reflect feelings of insecurity and disorientation that accompany learning how to navigate life independently, all while maintaining a sense of melody and accessibility.

Arcy Drive included “Over the Hill (Voice Memo)” offers an intimate glimpse into the album’s creation, capturing the looseness of a jam session and giving listeners a behind-the-scenes movement of the band’s creative process. The raw interlude flows into “Oak Tree (Daydream),” a track that evokes a warm, summery feeling through its chords. While recording, Arcy Drive shared that the song was similar to The Lovin’ Spoonful’s song, “Daydream.” The band contacted the group and discovered that John Sebastian, one of the founding members, lived nearby. Sebastian joined Arcy Drive in the studio and contributed the harmonica heard throughout the track.

From its opening moments to its closing notes, The Pit served as a clear statement of who Arcy Drive is as a band, showcasing both their growth and the craftsmanship behind their sound.

Double Infinity by Big Thief

Written by Lucille Wacker

One of the albums released this year that I could not put down was Big Thief's Double Infinity. Their sixth studio album was released nearing the end of summer on September 5th, 2025, through 4AD Records. The album followed me through the fall and will stick with me long after. My top 3 tracks from the album, in order, are “All Night All Day”, “Grandmother” featuring the only feature on the album, Laraaji, and then "No Fear”. But I do have to give an honorable mention to the title track, “Double Infinity”.

The 9-track LP fits comfortably and is welcomed with open arms into Big Thief's discography. This album showcases a matured version of the band that stands out from their past releases, and I'm excited to listen to where this evolved sound will take them. The experimental percussion genre blends traditional folk, indie rock, electronic, and even jazz techniques that you can pick out throughout the songs. But, it's not just the sonic elements that make this album stand out for Big Thief. The album cover, a vibrant green lime with halos of lime rind around the citrus all over a flat black background, rejects the predominantly portrait style covers the band has showcased in the past.

The indie folk band’s lead singer, Adrianne Lenker, blesses us once again with her haunting vocals. Lenker’s voice, paired with Big Thief's melodies and lyrics touches you, and you can really feel what the music as a whole is trying to say. The poetry that runs through the veins of this album flows directly from the primary songwriter, Lenker. Her lyricism feels naturally heartbreaking while focusing on topics of family, love, time, and aging. Double Infinity reflects on the passage of time while simultaneously reminiscing on the now, and then the beauty and aches of change. Big Thief created a record that not only defines a pivotal moment in their career but also a unique collection of songs that will stay with me and other listeners long after the record runs out.

Jeff Tweedy: Twilight Override

Written by Lucy Prescott

This triple tweedy album was released in late September, marking Jeff Tweedy’s first major solo project since Love Is the King in 2020 After not releasing work since Love Is The King in 2020. The prolific songwriter spent the intervening years quietly stockpiling material, resulting in a 30-song collection that avoids obvious and rarely missteps.

Tracks range from a brisk one minute and 51 seconds to more than seven minutes, guiding listeners through a reflective journey that feels both fresh and familiar. Twilight Override blends folk rock, indie rock and alternative country, anchored by Tweedy’s characteristically raw and conversational lyricism. The album unfolds patiently, inviting listeners to sit with its melodies and ideas rather than rushing toward hooks or spectacle.

Best known as the frontman of Wilco, Tweedy steps fill into the role of folk singer-songwriter here, revisiting his roots while subtly expanding his sonic palette. One of the album’s most surprising moments comes on “Lou Reed Was My Babysitter,” the project’s most punk leaning track that a listener will get and clear homage to the Velvet Underground icon. The song injects a jolt of irreverence into an otherwise meditative record.

Lyrically, Twilight Override reflects Tweedy’s perspective on a turbulent world, offering observations that feel weary yet hopeful. Attentive fans may also catch a deliberate nod to musical classics. Tweedy places “Cry Baby Cry” on the album’s third disc in roughly the same positions as the track that appears on the Beatles’ White Album, a subtle gesture that underscores the project’s reverence for the past.

Ultimately, Twilight Override is a patient, reflective project that showcases Jeff Tweedy’s enduring songwriting clarity.

Big City Life: Smerz

Written by Chloe Palmer

The Art of Loving by Olivia Dean

Written by Abby Rhomberg

One of my favorite albums of 2025 was The Art of Loving by Olivia Dean. This jazz-inspired, no-skip album came into my life at the the exact right time. With hit single “Nice to Each Other,” gaining popularity on tik tok, I was reminded of the moment I first heard the voice of Olivia Dean. It was September of 2024 and I was waiting for Gracie Abrams to come on stage at the Armory in Minneapolis. A pre-show playlist was playing, as I was surrounded by girls with bows in their hair, and my friend turned to me to say, “I love this song…she is going to be the next big pop girl.” Turns out, her comment couldn’t have been more true.

The Art of Loving includes the perfect combination of classic romance tunes and odes to both self-love and platonic love. Dean explains her choice to include love letters to all these things by saying, “Maybe romantic love isn’t the forefront of your life right now. But love exists in so many forms. It’s in your friendship, it’s in strangers, it’s in your parents; I think that there is so much love to be shared in the world right now. I think we need reminding that it’s all around us.” This directly correlates to the theme of my favorite song on the album, “I’ve Seen It,” which is a wholesome reminder that we can find love all around us, in the simplest of things, if we just take a closer look. Other stand-out lyrics include:

The Art of Loving (Intro) – “It wasn’t all for nothing…you taught me something…Something lost and something gained, in the art of loving.”

Lady Lady – “Overnight, the clothes I always wore, don’t suit me anymore…She’s always changing me without a word, and I was just, I was just getting used to her.”

So Easy (To Fall In Love) – “I’m the perfect mix of Saturday night and the rest of your life. Anyone with a heart would agree, it’s so easy to fall in love with me.”

Let Alone The One You Love – “You’re the hug that had to end, though I’ve tried to hold on. And if you knew me at all, you wouldn’t try to keep me small.”