Every year, right before New Year’s, I like to look back at the music that I’ve enjoyed the most. reflecting on albums that didn’t just get played, but felt. 

As 2025 wraps up, I can honestly say that from 2022 up to now, I’ve experienced some of the strongest and most meaningful album releases in recent years. The creativity, storytelling and evolution in music during this stretch has been something special, and this year continued that momentum in a big way.

Before I reveal my Top 5 albums of 2025, I have to acknowledge a few projects that came extremely close, but were unfortunately outshined.

Honorable mentions

“DON’T TAP THE GLASS” – Tyler, The Creator

I’ve been a fan of Tyler, The Creator since the release of “IGOR “ in 2019, even though I had been listening to his music as far back as 2012. I just didn’t realize who he was at the time. I was genuinely surprised that we got another full album so soon, because his usual release pattern tends to follow a two-year cycle.

That usual two-year schedule shifted since “CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST: The Estate Sale” dropped in 2023, his two-year pattern after the original 2021 album. Then in 2024, instead of waiting another full cycle, he surprised us with “CHROMAKOPIA,” and later followed it up with a one-year anniversary deluxe edition, “CHROMAKOPIA +,” this year.

What made things even more unexpected was that only nine months after CHROMAKOPIA, Tyler dropped “DON’T TAP THE GLASS” almost out of nowhere, with only a small amount of promo teased during one of his tour stops, making it one of his most unpredictable releases yet.

The album has some really good tracks, I can’t lie, but unfortunately I could not get a good standing on the first listen.“Sucka Free” currently stands out as one of the album’s strongest tracks, though that opinion may shift after another full listen. Plus, knowing that he’s been named as 2025’s Apple Music Artist of the Year, is confirmation that I need to give this album a second chance.

“Best Thing Never Heard” – Seafood Sam  

This one might feel like a cheat code, or maybe it isn’t. I only started listening to Seafood Sam in late July, but my first experience with an album release didn’t actually drop until September. His 2021 project “Rocco’s World” grabbed my attention immediately, especially with the opening track “Cuban Linx,” which had me hooked from the first listen.

Seafood Sam is an exceptional artist, and the fact that whenever he releases, it’s only either full albums and EP’s instead of making fans wait, shows how dedicated he is to putting out complete bodies of work, not just quick singles for attention.

My favorite track from this new album is “Winter Baby,” which stood out to me the most and truly represents why I’m now a fan.

“C0FFEE!” – Saba 

I really like this album, but I’m placing it as an honorable mention mainly because it was released the day before Halloween, and I don’t think it’s fair to fully judge a project until I’ve had a chance to give it more listens over time. Saba’s lyricism feels extremely relatable to me, as his writing comes from personal experience rather than chasing whatever is trending, and I can’t do anything but respect that level of authenticity.

What makes this project even more impressive is that he wrote and recorded the entire album in his car, over the course of just one week, which adds a whole new level of appreciation. In that context, “Today Years Old” definitely deserves recognition, both creatively and personally.

I’m grateful for all the music I heard this year, but these five albums resonated with me in ways I didn’t expect. They earned their place not just for sound, but for impact.

My top five albums of 2025

“Life Is Beautiful”- Larry June, 2 Chainz & The Alchemist 

Larry June has become one of my favorite artists over the past couple of years. He’s the perfect example of an adult who started with nothing, put in real work, and reached a level of success where he can live life on his own terms, all while staying low-key and focused on his grind. That’s the energy Larry represents. Along with his love for orange juice and smoothies, luxury cars, wealth, health and his Bay Area lifestyle. 

He once again teams up with one of my favorite producers, The Alchemist, a legend who was making classics long before I was even a thought in my parents’ heads. And if I ever become successful with my craft, I wouldn’t hesitate to put in the work necessary to earn a collaboration with him myself.

The title track, “Life Is Beautiful,” really reflects Larry June’s whole philosophy, simply being alive is a beautiful thing. While a lot of artists focus on their trauma, mistakes or past struggles, Larry June is one of the few willing to rap about the everyday details, what he ate that day, a random place he traveled just to reset, or even a book he’s been reading. Those simple, specific moments make his music feel lived-in and fully present, not forced or overly dramatic.

That’s what sets Larry June apart. He celebrates progress, routine, health, small wins and personal peace. He reminds listeners that growth doesn’t always come from chaos; sometimes it comes from staying consistent, taking care of yourself, leveling up quietly and enjoying the little things life offers. His music turns normal life into motivation, making you want to improve without losing your joy or your balance. 

“BUSHWA” – Rimera 

I didn’t really start listening to Rimera until somewhere between April and June. A snippet of his track “THE LAST MABELCORN” started circulating on TikTok, and a lot of people connected with it, especially because his sound is heavily inspired by Tyler, The Creator. The snippet alone was really good, and while the final version ended up sounding a little different than what I expected, it was still a solid track, but the full album ended up being even better.

My favorite song from the entire project is “NOTTING HILL.” The album blends an alternative rock-influenced sound with a laid-back hip-hop approach, creating a listening experience that feels fresh and different, and it definitely did for me. A few months after the original release, he even dropped a deluxe version that included “who got tha nerve?!” featuring Q THA HERO, which I thought was a great addition to the tracklist.

Another thing that really stood out to me is the fact that Rimera is from the United Kingdom, making this the first time I’ve genuinely connected with and followed an artist who isn’t from the United States. It’s really cool realizing that music can hit you no matter where it comes from, boundaries don’t exist when the art feels real.

“Justicexavier & Friends” – Justicexavier 

This was one of the first projects I listened to this year, releasing on the very last day of January. To me, it reflects what a real “quality” project looks like from an underground independent artist, especially compared to a lot of mainstream releases today, which is exactly why I tend to gravitate toward underground music.

The track “Gravy & Butter” features Chicago rapper Your Stepdad, and what caught my attention is that it uses a sample he has used multiple times throughout his own music, and since he’s another artist I consistently listen to, that familiarity made the song stand out even more.

“Alfredo 2” – Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist 

The fact that The Alchemist appears twice in my top five favorite albums this year just proves what I’ve been saying: His production is simply unmatched, borderline overpowered, no offense to anybody else. The original project, “Alfredo”, released in 2020, was one of the first collaborative albums I ever genuinely enjoyed, so when this new one dropped toward the end of summer, I was already expecting nothing short of greatness as the season was cooling down. Instead of just meeting my expectations, this album completely shattered them.

The track “Ensalada”, featuring the incredibly talented Anderson .Paak, had me floating mentally from the first listen. The way it blends smooth, soulful jazz textures with heavy, controlled 808s is something only true masters can execute effortlessly, and when The Alchemist is involved, that kind of magic feels natural.

“sankofa” – redveil 

I’m breaking my own rules for this one, and honestly, I don’t even care, because this album means more to me than just another release. “sankofa” dropped Dec. 4, and from the moment the first singles hit months back, I knew I was already locked in. This was one project I’d been waiting on since his last album, which came out three years ago. The anticipation wasn’t just excitement,  it was trust in an artist who has never disappointed me.

I’ve been a fan of redveil since “learn 2 swim“ back in 2022, but something about this new chapter feels different. He’s evolving, maturing, pulling from deeper spiritual, emotional and cultural places, and you can hear that in every layer of this project. The album is soulful, warm, and heavy in all the right ways. sankofa feels like he is confessing to his past, honoring the people who shaped him, and reaching out to anyone who’s ever had to climb out of something dark.

As I’m sitting here on the night of Dec. 3, finally pressing play on the album, I can already feel myself settling into the moment. I actually ended up falling asleep during the first listen, as my schedule has been nonstop lately, so I woke up at six in the morning, before anyone else in the house was even awake, and finished the rest of the album in the quiet. And honestly, by the time I reached the end, I was almost teary-eyed.

The production alone deserves its own paragraph. The album is drenched in jazz elements, horns, warm basslines, hazy keys, soulful textures with the assistance of a real life choir, all blended flawlessly. A lot of modern artists try to incorporate jazz, but few really understand how to make it breathe. redveil does. He composed and produced every track himself, and you can hear the intention in every detail. Every lyric settles right into the production like it was meant to be there. My expectations were high, and he cleared them with ease.

Picking one favorite was nearly impossible because the entire album is incredible from start to finish. Still, the songs that instantly stood out to me were “time (a dream deferred),” “history,” “glimpse of you,” “lone star” and “brown sugar.” These tracks have been on repeat since the moment they hit my speakers. Each one has its own energy, some reflective, some warm, some powerful, all of them unforgettable.

I can’t even be mad that it took a couple years for him to drop again. Sometimes you need time to craft something meaningful, something complete, something that feels like a new chapter. And that’s exactly why sankofa is a cleansing, a breath of fresh air, and the perfect send off to another year full of quality music.

So after all the albums, all the singles, all the releases I’ve listened to this year, I’ve made my final decision … 

 sankofa is my Album Of The Year.