Rolling Stone also joins the ranks of music publications that have already published the ranking of the best albums of the year that is coming to an end. After the 2025 lists published by Mojo, Uncut, Consequence, Pitchfork and Stereogum, it is now the turn of another American webzine of reference, this time more in the mainstream field.
“Music has not stood still in 2025 – underlines Rolling Stone USA in the introduction – All over the world and along every stylistic map, sound has continued to mutate in the strangest and most unpredictable forms. The artists who wrote the best albums of the year have dared, instead of simply replicating past successes. Lady Gaga has brought chaos back with her most ambitious album in years. Rosalía has signed a deeply personal work on sexual and spiritual transcendence. Bad Bunny has traveled through time and space, from San Juan to Nuevayol. Pop visionaries like Fka Twigs and Taylor Swift have made new and bold moves – continues the magazine – from emerging country to Afropop, from shoegaze to flamenco;underground by Billy Woods and the radical pulsations of the clubs according to Pink Pantheress. Some of these artists are debutants, others are legends: the eighty-six-year-old queen of soul Mavis Staples reigns alongside the adolescent energy of Sombr… There are the new languages of pop, from Addison Rae to Olivia Dean… These albums – concludes Rolling Stone USA – represent very different styles, rhythms and genres, but this is the music that has pushed us forward all year. And it will continue to resonate even after 2025 is over.”
Here is the ranking of the best 100 albums of 2025, according to Rolling Stone (full report here).
1. Bad Bunny – Debí Tirar Más Fotos
2. Lady Gaga – Mayhem
3. Rosalía – Lux
4. Dijon – Baby
5. Geese – Getting Killed
6. Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out
7. Tyler Childers – Snipe Hunter
8. Wednesday – Bleeds
9. Hayley Williams – Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party
10. Playboi Carti – Music
11. FKA Twigs – EUSEXUA
12. Addison Rae – Addison
13. Sabrina Carpenter – Man's Best Friend
14. Earl Sweatshirt – Live Laugh Love
15. Taylor Swift – The Life of a Showgirl
16. Silvana Estrada – Vendrán Suaves Lluvias
17. Billy Woods – Golliwog
18. Carter Faith – Cherry Valley
19. Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving
20. Justin Bieber – Swag
21. Lifeguard – Ripped and Torn
22. Jade – That's Showbiz Baby!
23. Pinkpantheress – Fancy That
24. Teyana Taylor – Escape Room
25. Florence + the Machine – Everybody Scream
26. Eric Church – Evangeline vs. the Machine
27. Sarz – Protect Sarz at All Costs
28. Jeff Tweedy – Twilight Override
29. Jennie – Ruby
30. Lorde – Virgin
31. Turnstile – Never Enough
32. Cameron Winter – Heavy Metal
33. Lily Allen – West End Girl
34. Karol G – Tropicoqueta
35. Haim – I Quit
36. Snocaps – Snocaps
37. Amaarae – Black Star
38. Jim Legxacy – Black British Music
39. Horsegirl – Phonetics On and On
40. Charley Crockett – Dollar a Day
41. Pulp – More
42. Nourished by Time – The Passionate Ones
43. Japanese Breakfast – For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women)
44. Zara Larsson – Midnight Sun
45. Little Simz – Lotus
46. Guitarricadelafuente – Spanish Leather
47. Oklou – Choke Enough
48. Not for Radio – Melt
49. Lola Young – I'm Only F**king Myself
50. Fuerza Regida – 111Xpantia
51. Central Cee – Can't Rush Greatness
52. Alex G – Headlights
53. Reneé Rapp – Bite Me
54. Mike – Showbiz!
55. Water From Your Eyes – It's a Beautiful Place
56. Thom Yorke and Mark Pritchard – Tall Tales
57. Givēon – Beloved
58. Tate McRae – So Close to What
59. Bon Iver – Sable, Fable
60. Cardi B – Am I the Drama?
61. Kwn – With All Due Respect
62. Jensen McRae – Don't Know How But They Found Me
63. Wet Leg – Moisturizer
64. Craig Finn – Always Been
65. Wolf Alice – The Clearing
66. Osamason – Jump Out
67. Mavis Staples – Sad and Beautiful World
68. Girlpuppy – Sweetness
69. Monaleo – Who Did the Body
70. Kelsey Waldon – Every Ghost
71. The Beaches – No Hard Feelings
72. Milo J – La Vida Es Mas Corta
73. Davido – 5ive
74. Hannah Bahng – The Misunderstood EP
75. Brandi Carlile – Returning to Myself
76. Deftones – Private Music
77. CMAT – Euro-Country
78. Mobb Deep – Infinite
79. Hannah Cohen – Earthstar Mountain
80. They Are Gutting a Body of Water – LOT
81. Brian Dunne – Clams Casino
83. Kaytranada – Ain't No Damn Way!
84. Open Mike Eagle – Neighborhood Gods Unlimited
85. Momma – Welcome to My Blue Sky
86. Chaeyoung – Lil Fantasy Vol. 1
87. Amber Mark – Pretty Idea
88. Fola – Catharsis
89. Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco – I Said I Love You First
90. Bob Mold – Here We Go Crazy
91. Drake and Partynextdoor – $ome $exy $ongs 4 U
92. Bar Italia – Some Like It Hot
93. Freddie Gibbs – Alfredo 2
94. Blondshell – If You Asked for a Picture
95. Lucy Dacus – Forever Is a Feeling
96. Chance the Rapper – Star Line
97. Lizzo – My Face Hurts From Smiling
98. Demi Lovato – It's Not That Deep
99. Skrillex – F*ck U Skrillex You Think Ur Andy Warhol But Ur Not!!
100. Sombr – I Barely Knew Her
Antonio Santini for SANREMO.FM
