Top Five Albums of the Year - 2025

Whew! Thankfully 2025 provided a bounty of new albums I really enjoyed (compared to '24 when there was just one). Unsurprisingly, three of my top albums were released by favorite bands that have made this blog in the past. With so much music in this year's rotation, I didn't mind that I had to leave out a few albums that would have immediately made my list in a dry year like 2024. They are North American EP by The Dear Hunter, Painter by Finally George, and The Longest Weekend by TWRP. After some consideration, my Top Five (or six, really) are:

Elton John & Brandi Carlile - Who Believes in Angels - 2025

I had seen this album was forthcoming but didn't have any expectations. I wasn't familiar with Brandi Carlile and figured material from Elton was going to be post-heyday quality. But this album turned out to be my highest played on Spotify. With Andrew Watt producing and help from Chad Smith of the Chili Peppers and Pino Palladino, this record has a lot to offer. With lyrics written by Bernie Taupin and Brandi, some songs sound like classic Elton and others are a departure from his style, allowing Brandi to shine and enlist Elton's gifts as a pianist and singer in a unique way. Cameras captured the recording process, and the resulting short documentary shows some interesting dynamics and real moments as the group created a musical gem. It's revealed too that Brandi was an obsessed Elton fan as a young girl and credits him for inspiring her to be a musician. Prior to making this album, they were already close friends that took family vacations together. It's a feel-good project in all aspects. My personal favorite tracks were Swing for the Fences and The Rose of Laura Nyro. While I thought this album was a shoo-in for an Album of the Year Grammy nomination or win, they were only nominated in the Best Traditional Pop Album category.  

Goose - Everything Must Go & Chain Yer Dragon - 2025

Goose songs were already in high rotation for me when Everything Must Go was released in April. And this album made a particular splash for me as I enjoyed my first ski pass at Timberline on Mt. Hood. Utilizing my very cool Bluetooth helmet, I was able to listen to these tracks while soaring down the slopes. I'll always remember coming down the empty, wide, and treeless west-side of the Palmer run with the song Dustin Hoffman perfectly matching my turns. It was epic. To my complete surprise, Goose dropped another entirely new full-length album in 2025: Chain Yer Dragon. And this second album may even be better than the first! Songs like Royal and Factory Fiction were favorites. It's hard to articulate, but I think that lead guitarist and singer Rick Mitarotonda's voice and style comes across like an old friend that's all about the good times. Nice to have in a year like 2025. 

The Movement - Visions - 2025

Being a big fan of Stick Figure led by Scott Woodruff, I'm always quick to listen to any collaboration Woodruff does with other reggae bands (which happens a lot). The pairing of Stick Figure with The Movement for the track Visions may be the best yet. The song was my 5th most listened to track on Spotify with 100 spins. Like most Stick Figure songs or collaborations, the sound quality of the recording is wonderfully spatial and clean, with deep bass and a classic reggae grove. I hadn't really listened to The Movement before this album was released, but I'm definitely a fan now. And they have a deep catalog that I'm excited to explore. The Movement is led by South Carolina native Josh Swain, who was a co-founder of the band in 2003. Swain left the band in 2010 and returned in 2012 when co-founder Jordan Miller quit the band unexpectedly right before a show. Swain and Miller have labeled The Movement as "alternative reggae", and cite bands such as Sublime, Outcast, UB40, and The Pixies as influences. In addition to Visions, the songs Putting Up 2 and Make It Through are favorites of mine from the album. 

Styx - Circling From Above - 2025

Circling From Above is the third album in a sequence of what I'd call a renaissance for Styx that started in 2017 with the release of the album The Mission. Led by singer/guitarist Tommy Shaw (and without Dennis DeYoung), the band is producing original material that harks back to the rockin' heyday of Styx without sounding dated. As they did in the 70's and 80's, Styx is producing albums that cleverly include themes, or at least hint at them, making their albums seem like complete packages. For me, Circling From Above is quite good from start to finish, without a single clunker in the collection of 13 songs. In addition to modeling their classic sound that incorporates acoustic & electric guitars and a heavy dose of vocal harmonies, Styx also pays tribute to other classic bands in songs like Everybody Raise a Glass (Queen) and We Lost the Wheel Again (The Who) without losing their own sound. I think it's rare for an older band like Styx to release relevant music so long after their prime. And they are still touring. While I know their shows are a greatest hits showcase, it would be great to see them perform a track or two from these recent albums. I've also become a fan of their current drummer, Todd Sucherman, who plays on all three Finally George albums. 

Big Wreck - The Rest of the Story - 2025

In 2023 Big Wreck released Pages, a six song EP that sounded like a return to the Ghosts era (replete with the same producers). The band promised two more EPs but instead released all the remaining tracks on the LP The Rest of the Story in late 2025. I think this may be some of the best music Ian Thornley and the band have released. Their blend of hard rock, melodic interludes, and soaring vocals continues to be a staple for Big Wreck, but on this collection of 11 songs it just seems to all click. Last year, Big Wreck became my #1 music choice for skiing. Their fast tempo songs are a great fit for energetic runs, and their wide-panned, reverb heavy soundscapes and vocals are a great match for the epic natural terrain. I'm stoked to listen to this album on the slopes in 2026! Knowing how much I was going to enjoy it, I intentionally stopped listening to the album to ensure it'll be as fresh as the powder I hope to plunge through!