Our staff’s favorite albums from the year that was.
By 
Katie Atkinson, Katie Bain, Eric Renner Brown, Anna Chan, Hannah Dailey, Leila Cobo, Stephen Daw, Kyle Denis, Frank DiGiacomo, Angel Diaz, Thom Duffy, Ingrid Fajardo, Josh Glicksman, Paul Grein, Joe Lynch, Taylor Mims, Gail Mitchell, Melinda Newman, Jessica Nicholson, Isabela Raygoza, Amanda Retotar, Kristin Robinson, Jessica Roiz, Dan Rys, Michael Saponara, Thomas Smith, Andrew Unterberger, Denise Warner, Abby Webster, Sophie Williams
12/10/2025
Clockwise, from left: Sabrina Carpenter, Clipse, Tame Impala, Rosalía
Klawe Rzeczy
Is pop now officially an albums-driven genre? The year 2025 made a strong argument for the answer being “yes.” Acclaimed sets from rising stars like Addison Rae and Amaarae established them as leading voices without producing a huge chart hit, while the excitement over Olivia Dean and the KPop Demon Hunters film grew so overwhelming that their respective albums ended up spawning several major hits at once. Meanwhile, proven hitmakers like PinkPantheress and Rosalía used new albums to cement their stardom, while Lily Allen and Lorde used comeback albums to reassert their pop relevance.
And of course, the A-listers made their presence felt on the LP front: Bad Bunny proved he could still be blazing hot even with a January sneak-release, one that smoldered all through the calendar year. Lady Gaga bolstered her legacy with another fan-beloved Billboard 200-topper. Sabrina Carpenter immediately proved her 2024 breakthrough blockbuster was no fluke by going two-for-two barely a year later. And the biggest star of them all, Taylor Swift, put the entire music industry in her rearview in October with an album that broke records we previously thought unnearable — and continues to rule the roost even into the start of the holiday season.
Which is hardly to say pop had a monopoly on the year’s buzziest albums. In rap, Clipse had perhaps the year’s most-heralded comeback set, while Tyler, The Creator one-upped Sabrina Carpenter by releasing his follow-up to his 2024 smash less than nine months later. In rock, Geese won over the critics while Lola Young and Sombr proved the genre had renewed crossover potential. And in country, Zach Top won over the old heads while Morgan Wallen continued to raise the genre’s commercial ceiling for the future.
Find the albums from all these year-defining artists below — as well as many less-heralded favorites that still found their fair share of fans — as part of our staff’s picks for the 50 best albums that 2025 had to offer.
-
Eric Church, Evangeline vs. The Machine
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Eric Church has declared that Evangeline vs. The Machine follows “that time-tested tradition of making records that live and breathe as one piece of art.” This is, in fact, a cohesive collection of great songs celebrating memories (“Hands of Time”), creativity (“Bleed on Paper”), tradition (“Johnny”) and much more, with non-stop allusions to other great songs and singers. The Machine that Church challenges here breaks artistic vision into songs streamed without context, like sonic wallpaper. But “Evangeline,” the muse, creates songs that “could raise the dead/ bring a blind man out of the dark.” — THOM DUFFY
-
Panda Bear, Sinister Grift
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Noah Lennox chose an antithetical title for what is his most easygoing and accessible-sounding — not to mention singles-stuffed — solo album yet (although the three other members from his old Animal Collective outfit are also involved). With his gorgeous layered vocal harmonies and the music’s summery, Caribbean sound, Panda sounds more than ever like the second coming of Brian Wilson. Meanwhile, the intro to “Ends Meet” recalls The Cars’ “Magic” — and is that a nod to Sugar Ray’s “Fly” at the beginning of “Ferry Lady”? Grab a Corona and decide for yourself. – FRANK DIGIACOMO
-
Amaarae, Black Star
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}“Ketamine, coke and molly/ I’m ’bout to serve somebody,” Amaarae chants on Black Star‘s “Starkilla,” issuing a warning duly heeded by pop, R&B and dance fans alike in 2025. The brilliant latest LP from the Ghanian-American singer-songwriter proved her at the vanguard of all those genres — and particularly the spaces where they intersect — with enough clout to summon appearances from current power players like PinkPantheress, legends like Charlie Wilson and even non-musical icons like Naomi Campbell. But it’s Amaarae who still shines brightest on Black Star, her sweetly pinched coo elevating “Girlie-Pop!” to anthem status and making “B2B” and “S.M.O.” more alluring and addicting than any controlled substance. — ANDREW UNTERBERGER
-
Zach Top, Ain’t in It for My Health
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}With his sophomore country set, the CMA’s reigning new artist of the year underscores his evolution as both an artist and songwriter. He deepens his allegiance to traditional-leaning, 1980s- and 1990s-influenced country sounds, while weaving in contemporary nuances. The album unfolds as a tightly curated set of richly layered songs, from honky-tonk standouts like “Tightrope” and “Good Times & Tan Lines” to emotionally resonant balladry with “South of Sanity” and “Livin’ a Lie.” The album is anchored by Top’s nimble acoustic guitar work and burnished vocals, ultimately reinforcing the rising artist as a master of his craft already. — JESSICA NICHOLSON
-
Myd, Mydnight
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}We expect dance music to move us, but it’s not always assured that it will touch us too. With his second album, Ed Banger’s stoner cousin Myd demonstrates that he’s not just aiming to flex his established dancefloor dexterity, but to weave a richer, deeper, weirder and — dare we say — more vulnerable sonic tapestry than we’ve previously heard from the French producer. Standouts on Mydnight include the contemplative (and eventually soaring) “Be Someone New” and the scintillating “A.M.E.R.I.C.A.”, but really, just let this one play start to finish. — KATIE BAIN
-
f5ve, Sequence 01
Image Credit: Courtesy
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}If these rising J-pop girls are truly on a mission to eradicate the world of negative vibes, the BloodPop-produced five-piece’s debut uses all the strongest weapons in their arsenal. To conquer the doldrums of everyday life, f5ve bends the very rules of reality — and genre — to its whims: a bleak office commute becomes a subterranean rave on the heady “Underground,” while the nostalgic synths of the A.G. Cook-co-produced “Magic Clock” wind back the hands of time to an unforgettable night out. Whether dreaming of partying amongst angels on the trippy, ethereal “Jump” or downing shots with Kesha on the slithering, bass-heavy “Sugar Free Venom,” this album goes out to all the independent gals — the ones who, by day, are steadfastly working for that kitchen renovation. — ABBY WEBSTER
-
Brandi Carlile, Returning to Myself
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Carlile’s acclaim has grown through her many collaborations with the esteemed likes of Tanya Tucker, Joni Mitchell and Elton John. But on Returning to Myself, Carlile faces up to what she told Billboard was her “aversion to aloneness,” embracing a fruitful new creative process with big-name producers Andrew Watt, Aaron Dessner and Justin Vernon. “Returning to myself is such a lonely thing to do/ But it’s the only thing to do,” she sings in the title track, while celebrating her marriage to activist Catherine Shepherd in “Anniversary” and her rich friendship with Mitchell in “Joni.” In the raging tour de force “Church and State,” Carlile confronts the new political threat to gay families, even quoting the famous Thomas Jefferson letter from which the title phrase originally derives. — T.D.
-
Jessie Reyez, Paid in Memories
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}On Paid in Memories, Jessie Reyez pours the messy beauty of love, heartbreak and survival into her third album with unflinching honesty. The Afrobeat-tinged “Palo Santo” grooves with sultry urgency, while “Cudn’t Be Me” delivers gut-wrenching emotion, as Reyez laments not fitting into a former lover’s world — capped by a heartfelt voicemail from her old collaborator Sam Smith. “Psilocybin & Daisies” reimagines The Smashing Pumpkins’ mid-’90s classic “1979” into a hazy, alt-pop meditation on fleeting love. Balancing fiery production with raw vulnerability, the Toronto-based Colombian artist traverses genres effortlessly, blending hip-hop, alt-rock and Latin rhythms to craft a rich, complex portrait of relationships and growth. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
-
Larry June, 2 Chainz & The Alchemist, Life Is Beautiful
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Larry June and The Alchemist have proven to be potent collaborators, and the Great Escape duo invited an unlikely teammate into the fold for their latest teamup, as veteran rap hitmaker 2 Chainz demonstrated why he was the perfect partner to run the three-man-weave with on this year’s Life Is Beautiful. The MC pair offer plenty of “intelligent trapping” over Alc’s breezy production, which translates to a picturesque expedition, matching the sun-soaked vibes of the ocean boat cruise emblazoned on the LIB cover art. The pair of smoothie-sipping rappers trade wealthy flexes about the fruits of their labor, while toasting to the success that their bloodline will enjoy long after they hang up their mics. “You know the seeds been planted, they just gotta bloom,” Chainz raps. — MICHAEL SAPONARA
-
Oklou, Choke Enough
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Choke Enough was a moment of arrival for French avant-pop singer, songwriter and producer Oklou this year. While she’s been releasing music since 2014 and spent her formative years as part of the artist collective NUXXE, which also featured Eartheater and Shygirl, Oklou — real name, Marylou Mayniel — managed to blend influences of pop, baroque and European trance into a record that serves as one of the most emblematic of where indie stands in 2025. It has it all — Y2K aesthetics, AG Cook production, a feature from Bladee — with a perfectly brief 35-minute runtime and exquisite highlights like “Take Me by the Hand” and “Thank You for Recording.” But its greatest payoff comes at the end with “Blade Bird,” a song about accepting the flightiness of an unreliable lover and all the pain that comes with it. — KRISTIN ROBINSON
-
Ryan Castro, Sende
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}With Sende, Ryan Castro dives back into his Caribbean flavors, evoking the sun-drenched rhythms of Curaçao. Picture a sonic carnival: pulsating reggaetón, kizomba, Afrobeats, and the laid-back sway of reggae, all bursting with color and energy. The 18 songs are his own party — kicking things off with the electrifying title intro, then grooving into “LOBA,” a slow-burning reggae jam featuring Jombriel and Konshens, and jamming out to the wild “BOMBASTIKSendé] comes from Papiamento, and means ‘feeling good, positive vibes,’” he told Billboard in May. “And that’s exactly what I want to put out there.” — INGRID FAJARDO
-
Morgan Wallen, I’m the Problem
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Morgan Wallen continued to super-serve his ever-growing audience with May’s 37-track album release. Wallen and his finely tuned southern drawl make the most of his misery on I’m the Problem, wallowing in love’s labors lost on its five Billboard Country Airplay chart toppers — including the biting “Lies, Lies, Lies” the aching “Just in Case,” and the bruised Hot 100-topper “What I Want” (a duet with Tate McRae). With his voice often full of longing and vulnerability, and behind-the-scenes help from his usual team (including songwriters/producers Joey Moi and Charlie Handsome), Wallen broadens his view on tracks like “I’m a Little Crazy,” which wearily declares “the world’s insane.” The album debuted atop Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart and has lived there ever since, extending Wallen’s reign as the genre’s leading superstar. — MELINDA NEWMAN
-
Mac Miller, Balloonerism
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Prior to releasing fan-favorite mixtape Faces in 2014, the late Pittsburgh rapper recorded Balloonerism, which until this January, never saw the light of day in an official capacity. The posthumous album begins to explore much of what defined Mac Miller’s much-hailed evolution into a more mature, polished songwriter-producer who could seamlessly incorporate his breadth of musical knowledge into his own work. As ever, his estate’s release is deeply bittersweet: Miller’s carefree laughter to open album standout “Rick’s Piano,” followed by his promise that “the best is yet to come,” is yet another reminder of the talent he already possessed — and how much room he still had left to grow. — JOSH GLICKSMAN
-
Kaytranada, Ain’t No Damn Way!
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Arriving a little over a year after his guest-laden, Grammy-nominated double album Timeless, the singular Haitian-Canadian producer’s fourth studio set is tighter and breezier – and better for it. Across its 35-minute run time, the meticulously produced Ain’t No Damn Way! hums with the soulful precision and lurching low-end that have become Kaytranada’s trademark for a low-stakes effort that still stands with the producer’s best work. — ERIC RENNER BROWN
-
Hayley Williams, Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Hayley Williams had no ego when rolling out Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party. The Paramore frontwoman eschewed any traditional release strategies or advance fanfare to instead surprise-drop her third solo album in the form of scattered individual singles, allowing fans to experiment with the tracklist order and observe each individually arresting song as a separate work before eventually packaging everything together in album format. With the ultimate Ego Death, Williams didn’t just expertly look back on her life, career, personal demons and heartbreaks through her timeless-sounding pop rock; she also showed the industry that it’s still possible to shake things up in the age of streaming. — HANNAH DAILEY
-
Margo Price, Hard Headed Woman
Image Credit: Courtesy
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}After two albums of rock, Margo Price returned to her roots on Hard Headed Woman – her first full country set since 2017’s All American Made. With songs titled “Hard Headed Woman,” “Don’t Let the Bastards Get You Down,” “I Just Don’t Give a Damn” and “Kissing You Goodbye,” it is clear Price still has a bone to pick with the genre gatekeepers and the country at large. But the album is still a winning love letter to the genre, with all its country twang, a stunning waltz with Tyler Childers and a Waylon Jennings cover that was approved by Jennings’ widow, Jessi Colter. — TAYLOR MIMS
-
Deftones, Private Music
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}The masters of creating a vibe and painting lush, jagged soundscapes roared back with Private Music. The essentially perfect album captures the breadth of Deftones’ unique sound, from the band’s early raw aggression (“Cut Hands”) to its continued exploration into romantic, dreamy shoegaze (“I Think About You All the Time”). With nearly seamless production, and Chino Moreno’s vocal prowess ranging from fierce to mesmerizing – sometimes on the same track (“Metal Dream”) — the LP is an enthralling listen from start to finish, a source of infinite replay value. — ANNA CHAN
-
HAIM, I Quit
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Four albums in, and the Haim sisters just keep getting better. Danielle makes even heartbreak sound seductive with her sophisticated and alluring lead vocals on all but two of the 15 tracks, including highlight singles “Down to Be Wrong,” “Relationships” and “All Over Me.” Co-produced by Rostam Batmanglij (formerly of Vampire Weekend), I Quit takes flight with gorgeous harmonies, electric and acoustic guitar, and ‘90s nods to George Michael’s “Freedom ‘90’” on “Gone” and U2’s “Numb” on “Now It’s Time.” But to paraphrase a hit from the ’80s, these sisters are still doin’ it for themselves. — F.D.
-
Summer Walker, Finally Over It
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Finally Over It fell short of its No. 1 2021 predecessor Still Over It (166,000 vs. 77,000 first-week units). However, bowing at No. 2 to Taylor Swift’s juggernaut was no mean feat — Walker achieved the best album debut by a woman R&B artist in 2025. Raw, emotive lead single “Heart of a Woman” paved a year-long runway for the third entry in her Over It series. But the wait didn’t take away from the project’s additional highlights: teamups with star collaborators like Chris Brown and Doja Cat, creative interpolations and a smorgasbord of more potential hits such as the Beyoncé-lifting final-straw pledge “No.” Artfully interweaving threads sewn by the first two Over Its, Walker closes her signature album series with her prowess as an intuitive singer-songwriter still unquestioned. — GAIL MITCHELL
-
Kali Uchis, Sincerely,
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Rightly celebrated for singing in both English and Spanish despite industry pushback, Kali Uchis deserves just as much credit for her refusal to stay in one genre lane. Putting aside the reggaetón rhythms of Orquídeas (at least for now), the Colombian American star delivers a vibey, retro-pop meditation on motherhood, love and the world that’s warm yet guarded (“Don’t play with my heart —that’s like playing with an open blade” she warns on “For: You”). From dream-pop (“Sugar! Honey! Love!”) to doo-wop (“All I Can Say”) to psychedelic soul (“Sunshine & Rain”), Sincerely is the rare “some personal updates” letter that leaves you wanting to know more. — JOE LYNCH
-
Sombr, I Barely Know Her
Image Credit: Courtesy
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Though Sombr is just 20, he knows his pop history: The stacked harmonies and melancholy undertones in his hit singles “Undressed” and “Back to Friends” are reminiscent of The Beach Boys, while several other tracks on debut set I Barely Know Her are rooted in ’90s alternative rock. What’s more, Sombr wrote every song on the album himself, and co-produced the it with Tony Berg (except for two tracks he produced on his own). The rising star kept ascending following his LP’s August release, winning best alternative at the VMAs in September and snaring a Grammy nod for best new artist in November. Win or lose on Feb. 1, this talented newcomer should be headed for a long career. – PAUL GREIN
-
Florence + The Machine, Everybody Scream
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Florence Welch plants her feet on the ground and pleads to the skies and anyone who will listen to her daring, soaring, confident and intimate sixth album. Welch exhibits a spectacular ferocity while grappling with personal tragedies — all in the name of being “One of the Greats.” Unfettered and at times unhinged, the British singer-songwriter molds a spectacular opus of rousing anthems across Everybody Scream. Feel the mystical hope of “Sympathy Magic,” the playful solemnity of “Music by Men” and the sweet cacophony of “And Love.” Certainly, take heed of the album’s opener and title track: “Here, I can take up the whole of the sky/ Unfurling, becoming my full size/ And look at me burst through the ceiling/ Aren’t you so glad you came?” Yes, Florence, we are. — DENISE WARNER
-
Sam Fender, People Watching
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Following the success of 2021’s Seventeen Going Under, it’d have been easy for the British singer-songwriter to capitalize with radio-friendly anthems. Its sequel People Watching, winner of the U.K. and Ireland’s prestigious Mercury Prize, succeeds because it does nothing of the sort and tells intimate, local stories: the soaring title track honors a late mentor, while “Remember My Name” is a gorgeous homage to his grandparents and the North East’s mining heritage. A newly released deluxe edition features collaborations with Elton John and Olivia Dean, but Fender’s raw talent proved plenty — 82,000 fans at his London Stadium show in June certainly agreed. — THOMAS SMITH
-
FKA twigs, Eusexua
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Taking inspiration from the Prague techno scene she dove into while in the city filming 2024’s The Crow remake, FKA twigs’ subsequent spin on the genre distills techno (and a few related genres) to essential elements that the artist reconfigures in her own dually intense and delicate style. “Drums of Death” is the chopped kick-drum beat of your dreams, “Girl Feels Good” channels Madonna’s Erotica-era electronica, while “Perfect Stranger” outlines the excitement of falling in love with someone you just met on the dancefloor. Like a good night out, it’s sublime, start to finish. — K.B.
-
Tyler Childers, Snipe Hunter
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Comprised of 13 self-penned tracks loosely tied together by themes of pain, loss, healing and resilience, Tyler Childers’ terrific Snipe Hunter is as ambitious as it is focused. Lead single “Nose on the Grindstone” stands as of the year’s most harrowing offerings, thanks to its Appalachia-rooted narrative of intergenerational opioid addiction — but it’s Childers gutsy choice to hinge the song’s soundscape on somber organ keys that allows it to exist in the album’s twin worlds of spiritual discovery and hard-fought sobriety. Brimming with astute observations on rural malaise and devoted to upholding gospel as the greatest throughline of American music, Snipe Hunter is a feast for the ears, mind and soul. — KYLE DENIS
-
Various Artists, KPop Demon Hunters Soundtrack
Image Credit: Courtesy
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}To quote Thomas, Bad Bunny’s effusive fan character on SNL, “You know what music I like? KPop Demon Hunters!” The soundtrack to the Netflix blockbuster smash, KPop Demon Hunters relies on an all-star cast of singers, songwriters and producers (from both sides of the Pacific) to serve up some of the catchiest pop cuts of the year. EJAE’s vocals soar through octaves on the hopeful “Golden,” while Andrew Choi’s Saja Boy Jinu bewitches the listener in the minor key on “Your Idol.” Each song wields emotional pull and staying power beyond the screen, proving that HUNTR/X and their co-stars are eminently qualified to show us “how it’s done, done, done.” — AMANDA RETOTAR
-
Blood Orange, Essex Honey
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Some of the year’s finest musical storytelling lived on Blood Orange’s fifth studio album. Written in the aftermath of his mother’s passing, the emotionally courageous songs of Essex Honey were revelatory, permeated with grief, intimacy, confusion and melancholy, while lush, lo-fi samples doubled as nagging memories or overwhelming rushes of adrenaline. Combined with stunning features from Lorde, Mustafa, Caroline Polachek and more expertly curated guests, Essex Honey was a refuge for solace, shapeshifting from field recordings to billowing strings and giving its author space to heal and wonder. — SOPHIE WILLIAMS
-
Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso, Papota
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}The magnetic Papota follows Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso’s viral NPR Tiny Desk Concert, which ultimately put them on a wider scale in 2024. Released this spring, the nine-track set combines new songs “Impostor,” “#TETAS,” “Re Forro,” and “El Día del Amigo,” plus five others from the NPR live recording (part of their 2024 Baño María album). Named after the slang term “papota,” which describes gym supplements such as steroids — and metaphorically describing the exaggeration in the music industry — the Argentine pair is daring, humorous and witty on each track. With its genre-defying blend of funk, jazz, pop, soul and hip-hop, Papota helped the duo nab five Latin Grammys this year, including best alternative music album, best alternative song and best pop song. — JESSICA ROIZ
-
Tame Impala, Deadbeat
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}You can act surprised if you need to, but Kevin Parker’s near-full pivot to dance music with Deadbeat was a long time coming. The singer-songwriter-producer’s fascination with layered sonic textures and thumping beats had grown steadily for the last decade — and found full bloom with Deadbeat, a near-assault of pounding kick drums and electro-shock synths, top-lined by Parker’s hazy vocals. It works because his melodic gifts remain as spellbinding as his beats, with “Obsolete” serving the kind of aqueous heartbreak groove Jon Secada and P.M. Dawn might’ve fought over in the early ’90s, and “Dracula” giving us the undeniable nocturnal dance-pop smash The Weeknd’s album didn’t. — A.U.
-
Jim Legxacy, ‘Black British Music’
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Supremely melodic and instantly memorable, Jim Legxacy’s music earned him a deal with XL Recordings last year. The British underground hero followed an instinct to keep things human on his new Black British Music, guiding listeners through an expansive and occasionally sentimental sonic world, with its tracks melding into one another in true mixtape fashion. By digging deep into the soft underbelly of London, a city that rarely stops to feel, Legxacy showed us his astonishing range – using broad influences (emo, drill, Afrobeat, Jersey Club, R&B) to convey the rich cultural diversity of his hometown. — S.W.
-
Giveon, Beloved
Image Credit: Courtesy
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Following breakthrough hit “Heartbreak Anniversary” and his guest stint on Justin Bieber’s “Peaches,” GIVĒON delivered a sophomore set whose title aptly fits fans’ continued adoration of his music. Steeped in ‘70s soul, à la idols like Barry White — but polished with a contemporary sheen underscored by live instrumentation — Beloved shines with organic portrayals of romance, love and the issues that come with both. But GIVĒON’s warm, sincere baritone is still his greatest weapon, as evidenced on the album hits “Twenties” and “Rather Be,” not to mention his unexpected guest turn on Teddy Swims’ “Are You Even Real.” As the singer-songwriter told Billboard earlier this year, “My biggest goal is always to just be believable and honest.” — G.M.
-
Cardi B, Am I the Drama?
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Cardi B waited so long to release her follow up to 2018’s unanimously acclaimed Invasion of Privacy, it felt less like a triumphant return than something she just kinda had to get out of the way. But what saved Am I the Drama? from simply being the LP that reset the Years Without a Cardi Album counter back to zero was simply that it was really, really good, in all the ways that Cardi always had been: going hard over beats just as tough (“ErrTime”), flirting with sounds from the block (“Bodega Baddie”), talking plenty of s–t (“Pretty & Petty”) but also being open about her own s–t (“Man of Your Word”). The excitement might not have been quite the same as it was on Invasion, but the standard of quality was — and now she’ll never have this same level of pressure for a new release again. — A.U.
-
Lola Young, I’m Only F–king Myself
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Lola Young’s turbulent year left an eerie, ominous glow around I’m Only F—ing Myself, her thrilling, nakedly vulnerable third studio album. Beyond the chillingly real problems that torpedoed the LP’s rollout, Lola delivered a near-flawless 14-track set that bravely reflects the specific horrors of Gen Z’s dreary young adulthood. From the overwhelming desperation of “Spiders” to the impressively sharp “Dealer” and the deliciously self-deprecating “Why Do I Feel Better When I Hurt You,” Only F—ing Myself flaunts Young’s unflinching honesty, intrepid approach to genre experimentation and achingly soulful vocal chops. — K.D.
-
Dijon, Baby
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Once a cult hero, 2025 was the year Dijon broke cover and hit the mainstream as a key architect of Justin Bieber’s SWAG LPs (which spawned two top 10 hits on the Hot 100), and as a supporting actor in Paul Thomas Anderson’s acclaimed One Battle After Another. His crowning achievement, though, was sophomore solo album Baby!, a stunningly chaotic opus that showed where the walls of pop music stand – and how to smash through them. Standout tracks “Another Baby!”, “Yamaha” and “Automatic” were heady fusions of production trickery, self-referential sampling and smart, catchy songwriting. — T.S.
-
Geese, Getting Killed
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}After the Ween-meets-Strokes wildness of its 2023 set 3D Country, Getting Killed is a quantum leap forward for the prodigious Brooklyn band. Frontman Cameron Winter, whose raw 2024 solo set Heavy Metal helped fuel Geese’s breakout, drives the set with his unmistakable voice, whether he’s howling over the swampy psychedelia of opener “Trinidad” or warbling on tender highlight “Au Pays du Cocaine” – but much credit is also due to his bandmates and producer Kenny Beats, who make the chaos legible (and danceable) on ragers like “100 Horses” and “Bow Down.” — E.R.B.
-
Playboi Carti, Music
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Four-plus years following his cult-beloved Whole Lotta Red album, King Vamp’s much-anticipated MUSIC arrived in March. Carti reached superstar status and cemented himself as a magnetic leader of hip-hop’s next generation with a splashy debut atop the Billboard 200, and all 30 tracks from the album invading the Hot 100. With flows ranging from baby-voiced to throaty, and DJ Swamp Izzo’s boisterous ad-libs sprinkled in, the Atlanta native proved he could invite A-list collaborators (Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, Travis Scott) to his dark world of vaporous chaos without cheapening the sonically unpredictable rage he’s carrying the torch for. — M.S.
-
Lorde, Virgin
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}With her first album in four years, Lorde aimed to peel back all layers of excess and exaggeration and create a project using only the most necessary raw materials. The mission was an overwhelming success, with the New Zealander crafting her starkest, most harrowing and brutally honest set of songs to date. Virgin wasn’t just a musical comeback for Lorde, though; it was also a deeply personal return to self, as the creation and performance of the music on tour allowed her to finally shed the ill-fitting, constricting skin of sunny contentedness that she’d tried on during her Solar Power days. — H.D.
-
Justin Bieber, Swag
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}In his first full-length release since 2021’s Justice, Justin Bieber came roaring back with the semi-surprise drop of SWAG. Cultivating a comfy blend of hip hop, R&B and synth-pop, Bieber shows off a continued musical maturity in his evolution from teeny-bopper to husband and parent, while maintaining a more grown-up sex appeal. (The heated “Sweet Spot” will curl some toes.) Calling on a plethora of collaborators – Dijon, Sexxy Red, Cash Cobain, even Druski and Marvin Winans — Bieb muses on life (including his viral paparazzi confrontation, on the “Standing on Business” interlude), love (the slowed-down “Devotion”) and fatherhood (“Dadz Love”). With the sweetly unadorned “Daisies,” he found his pop hit – the track went to No. 2 on the Hot 100 – and on the intriguingly synthetic “Yukon,” he wonders “What would I do if I didn’t love you, baby?” Still make music, hopefully — D.W.
-
Lily Allen, West End Girl
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}From the opening strains, all seems well, as Allen sings about her fairytale life over upbeat, loungey tones suited for a White Lotus lobby. But everything quickly falls apart in the title track of the U.K. pop star’s semi-autobiographical LP about the implosion of her marriage to Stranger Things star David Harbour — by verse two, she’s noticing his demeanor change, and by the outro, her confusion and heartbreak are palpable. Over the course of 14 tracks that dabble in pop, R&B and dance, Allen lays bare her emotions as her relationship unravels, from the yearning (“Sleepwalking”), to feelings of betrayal (“Tennis”) and despair (“Relapse”), before she finds her power and realizes her ex is the “Fruityloop” in the dreamily gorgeous final song. By that point, it’s clear that this is the best breakup album in recent memory. — A.C.
-
Addison Rae, Addison
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}While the coquettish lead single “Diet Pepsi” was already somewhat of a tell, with her debut album, Addison Rae has fully mastered the art of the mood board. Following an initial misfire in the music industry in 2021, the TikTok star earned herself a record deal with nothing but a binder of print-outs, outlining the vision for her rebrand in loose aesthetic terms: glitter, intentional, aquamarine. Thus, the resulting project, helmed by Swedish production duo Elvira Anderfjärd and Luka Kloser, is a meticulous pastiche of her icons — Madonna, Britney, Lana — and an overall exhibition of exquisite taste, which has deservedly cleared a seat for the now-mononymous Addison at the cool kids’ table of modern pop. — A.W.
-
Turnstile, Never Enough
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Like Hüsker Dü and Fucked Up before them, Turnstile has gradually widened its scope from hardcore to a much broader definition of rock, without losing its DIY credibility or ability to deliver pummeling punk with machine-gun rapidity. The cinematic, searching and synthy title track that opens fourth album Never Enough is both a teaser and a feint — yes, there’s accessible stuff here, from the Police-indebted “I Care” to the meditative bedroom pop of “Magic Man,” but there’s also rigid headbangers like “Sole” and the crunchy, nü-metal rager “Birds.” Hard to pin down yet cohesive (thanks in part to frontman Brendan Yates producing the album, alongside Will Yip), Never Enough finds the Baltimore punks dining at a fancier class of restaurant, without bothering about the stuffy dress code — and they’ll take one of everything on the menu, thanks, because sweet, savory, bitter and salty are all part of the palette. — J.L.
-
Taylor Swift, The Life of a Showgirl
Image Credit: Mert Alas & Marcus Piggot
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Is there any more quintessential showgirl move than masterminding and recording an entire album while touring the world across 149 shows? Well, Taylor Swift did that twice, and she followed the first project — 2024’s The Tortured Poets Department, whose Anthology deluxe edition is the lengthiest album of her career — with the very shortest: the 41-minute Life of a Showgirl, which Swift explicitly promised would arrive with just 12 songs. The strategy worked on multiple levels, giving fans a sense of near-instant familiarity with those dozen songs — each tailor-made for pop radio, TikTok dance trends, and lyrical dissection — and skyrocketing to not just her biggest commercial week yet, but the biggest week ever in the modern era, with four million-plus units moved. And unlike its Tortured predecessor, the overarching theme of the livelier Life album is unbridled joy: As it turns out, a lot can happen in a woman’s life over the course of a nearly two-year tour — including two new eras for the next trek. – KATIE ATKINSON
-
Tyler, The Creator, Don’t Tap the Glass
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}There’s a certain level of irony in the success of “Sugar on My Tongue.” Not long after Don’t Tap the Glass arrived this summer — an album constructed as an ode to putting the phone down and embracing movement in the moment — the funk-driven single gained legs as a dance trend on TikTok and became the biggest and longest-lasting hit from the set. It’s an uphill battle (albeit a commendable one) for Tyler in asking fans to shelve their devices when it comes to documenting him and his music — especially when his celebrity and artistry have become the moments worth documenting.
On Don’t Tap the Glass, the sonic shapeshifter tears through a 10-track fever dream. He begins with the torrid, Pharrell Williams-assisted dance-rap winner “Big Poe” and winds listeners through a nearly 30-minute HIIT workout, including Ray Parker Jr.-sampling highlight “Ring Ring Ring,” which in another twist of fate, tells the subject to “pick up the phone.” It’s an album where if you’re not sweating by the time it ends, you probably didn’t listen to it right — or at the very least, how Tyler intended. — J.G.
-
PinkPantheress, Fancy That
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}“I wanted to create a project that reflected my progress as a producer,” PinkPantheress told Billboard in May. “I made something that kind of incorporated my two projects into one super project.” While this so-called super project, Fancy That, clocks in at a trim 20 minutes, it’s indeed loaded with the artist’s signatures, blending garage, drum & bass, strings and a frothy pop sensibility — tied together with pleasure-center-hammering samples from dance days past that somehow never verge on gratuitous, and vocals that feel as intimate as her songs are massive. Along with a newly confident live presentation, it reinforced Pink as one of the decade’s most exciting pop talents, and an artist who still might only just be getting started. — K.B.
-
Sabrina Carpenter, Man’s Best Friend
Image Credit: Courtesy
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Coming off the heels of her triumphant 2024, and a Short ‘n’ Sweet era that took her well into the new year, few believed Sabrina Carpenter would return with a full-fledged new album in 2025. But not only did she deliver, Man’s Best Friend was able to tap into the rich vein of creativity that has been coarsing through the young singer-songwirter over the past few years, channeling an ’80s pop vibe to go with her patented fun, quirky and salacious blend of lyricism, adding up to another album as compelling as it is smart. Immediate songs like “House Tour” and “When Did You Get Hot?” pop as obvious highlights, but country-tinged cuts like lead single “Manchild” and more introspective ballads like “Don’t Worry I’ll Make You Worry” take her into new territory, while still maintaining the frisky energy and cunning songcraft that make her stand out in a crowded pop landscape. The result: Carpenter is one of just a handful of artists this century to land back-to-back album of the year Grammy nominations. — DAN RYS
-
Olivia Dean, The Art of Loving
Image Credit: Courtesy
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}It would be easy to listen to Olivia Dean’s remarkable sophomore album and immediately begin drawing comparisons. In what has proven to be her breakout year, the British singer has been regularly likened to other UK-born soul-pop nonpareils like Amy Winehouse and Adele. But what makes The Art of Loving great isn’t its comparative success to other, similar projects of the past; it’s that this album can walk the line of artful nostalgia without ever tipping over into cliché.
Part of that balance comes from Dean’s masterful subtlety, as she lets less do more in a pop landscape that has particularly favored maximalism over the last few years. Early standout “Nice to Each Other” ebbs and flows with its stacked, gauzy harmonies constantly pulling you in before gently pushing you back, while “Something Inbetween” utilizes its spare instrumentation to let Dean’s unstrained voice take the reins. By the time you reach the earnest, light-dappled melodies of Dean’s runaway hit “Man I Need,” The Art of Loving has already wrapped you up in a warm embrace — without once begging for your attention. — STEPHEN DAW
-
Clipse, Let God Sort Em Out
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Leave it up to the OGs to show the youngins how it’s done. After a 16-year hiatus, the brothers from Virginia Beach linked back up to reform one of the most diabolical tandems in rap history. The Clipse put on a masterclass when it came to both promoting the reunion album, and exceeding expectations after they finally delivered. With old friend Pharrell behind the boards, Pusha T and Malice proved once again that rap music isn’t just a young man’s game anymore: During their early years, they rapped from the vantage point of a hungry Tony Montana — braggadocious, maybe sometimes reckless — but now they’ve matured to rapping from Sosa’s point of view, with infallible authority as they paint pictures of needing more space to make coca space, spending summers with connects in the Andes, enjoying the crisp mountain air. The result was an immediately beloved album that will bring Clipse to the Grammys in February — with five nominations, including one for the night’s top prize. What a year from the bullies of rap. — ANGEL DIAZ
-
Lady Gaga, Mayhem
Image Credit: Courtesy
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}Lady Gaga might have given her sixth studio album a chaotic title, but the 14-track project ended up as one of her most cohesive and fully realized yet, exploring themes of fame, identity and ultimately love (romantic and self-worth alike) through the lens of disorder. What seemed especially cohesive was the response from Little Monsters and pop fans at large, who praised Gaga for returning to form while also pushing her sound into the future; as the Lady herself told Billboard‘s Stephen Daw earlier this year, her hope was that “it wouldn’t be exactly what you’ve heard from me before, but there is the DNA of my approach to pop music.” It all led to her longest-reigning Hot 100 hit in more than a decade (the five-week No. 1 Bruno Mars duet “Die With a Smile”) and seven Grammy nominations (including album of the year). If this is Gaga’s definition of MAYHEM, long live our chaotic queen. – K.A.
-
Rosalía, LUX
Image Credit: Courtesy
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}If 2022’s MOTOMAMI flung the doors open to a riveting, chaotic universe of self-expression, LUX is a study in ascension. Rosalía’s fourth album transcends the disarray of her previous work and ventures into the vast, near-unreachable domain of the divine. Boldly operatic and steeped in liturgical grandeur, yet riddled with human desires, the LP invites listeners on an unrelenting pilgrimage toward the sublime.
Sung in 13 different languages, LUX unfolds as a 15-track symphonic epic, recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra and elevated by a cast of collaborators. Björk and Yves Tumor add mystique to the high drama of “Berghain,” while Yahritza y Su Esencia’s aching, crystalline harmonies bring tenderness and venom to the waltzing diss track “La Perla.” Across four sweeping movements, the Spanish superstar reimagines genre — including the brooding piano opener “Sexo, Violencia, y Llantas,” the luminous Italian opera aria “Mío Cristo Piange Diamanti,” and “La Rumba del Perdón,” featuring flamenco legends Estrella Morente and Silvia Pérez Cruz, entwining forgiveness and spirituality in a modern prayer.
LUX blurs the lines between the sacred and the profane, the classical and the contemporary. Though spiritually leaning, the album doesn’t attempt to answer the biggest questions. Instead, Rosalía leaves listeners awestruck by the sheer audacity of her vision, to even be able to convincingly ask them in the first place. — I.R.
-
Bad Bunny, Debí Tirar Más Fotos
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo
Trending on Billboard
if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) {
pmcCnx.cmd.push(function() {
pmcCnx({
settings: {
plugins: {
pmcAtlasMG: {
iabPlcmt: 2,
}
}
},
playerId: ‘4057afa6-846b-4276-bc63-a9cf3a8aa1ed’,
playlistId: ‘190d23fd-88b6-41bd-92b4-50d96f566e9a’,
}).render(“connatix_contextual_player_div”);
});
} else {
// This should only be get called when page cache is not cleared and it’s event time.
window.pmc.harmony?.switchToHarmonyPlayer();
}When Bad Bunny made Debí Tirar Más Fotos, his intention was crystal clear: “I said: I’m making an album in Puerto Rico, for Puerto Ricans […] I always make albums from a Puerto Rican point of view, but I give something to other countries. But this one was for my own, for my family, for my friends,” he told Billboard.
Of course, Fotos turned out to be far more than that. An extraordinary example of how the most local of iterations can become universal, the album is not only a love letter for Puerto Ricans — in the island and in exile — but also a global symbol of yearning for home and stability. Eschewing the simplistic direct-to-the-jugular approach of reggaetón and trap, the album is nuanced and often complex, yet brilliantly manages to marry commercial appeal with cultural depth, from the very first song.
“Nuevayol,” Bunny’s take on El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico’s iconic 1975 salsa hit “Un Verano en Nueva York” — with its quickening of the tempo and its dissolve into dembow — is masterful (shout-out to producer MAG). But so is the way Bunny integrates a plethora of Puerto Rican rhythms — from plena and bomba to boleros (“Turista” is particularly poignant) — throughout the entire album, spotlighting up-and-coming artists like Los Pleneros de la Cresta, who are infusing tradition with innovation.
Beyond the beats and the calls to dance, however, lies the lyrical depth of 17 songs that tell the story of Puerto Ricans — rooted and uprooted — and of Puerto Rico itself, yet manages to touch the core of every one of us. Beautifully layered, the January-released Debí Tirar Más Fotos remains on repeat for us in December, because the songs tug at our emotional ties — by making his album just for family and friends, Bad Bunny also made an album for all of us. — LEILA COBO
Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox
Sign Up
The Daily
A daily briefing on what matters in the music industry
By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.
We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
