End Of The Year Retrospectives, 2025

It's always been a favorite December ritual of mine to browse the end-of-the-year lists of music magazines, see which albums made the best-of lists, which had escaped my attention, and plan future additions to my record collection. Nowadays I only buy two magazines, Mojo and Uncut, but I keep including Classic Rock in my end of the year retrospective because it offers a very different viewpoint to the other two. Those always have a lot in common, including -this year- their no.1: Pulp's return to discography after 20+ years is entitled more, and it's a great reminder of what we had been missing all this time; I especially liked the track included in the MOJO sampler, the Gainsbourg-esque "My Sex". Tellingly, this is one of only 4 entries that all 3 magazines have in common. The second one is another 90s favorite, Suede (#2 for MOJO, #3 Uncut, #37 CR). This is their 5th since their reunion (in 2013, after a 10+ year hiatus); I regret to say I haven't followed them at all post-reunion, even though I liked their initial 5-album run a lot. They keep getting great reviews, and "June Rain" (included in the Uncut sampler) proves they're as adept as ever in Bowie-like melodrama. The third one I expected: a collaboration of Robert Plant with Suzi Dian, reminiscent of the former Zeppelin's great collaborative albums with Alison Krauss, only this time there's a bit more psychedelia mixed in with the folk and blues influences. The fourth one I never saw coming: the newest Neil Young LP, entitled Talkin to the Trees. I hadn't even registered it when it came out, because let's face it, the guy releases one or two LPs every year for at least the last four decades. You just know they're going to be good, and you also know they'll be more of the same.Van Morrison is another ultra-prolific veteran whose newest album is supposedly a return to form. CMAT is the newest Irish sensation from a country with a very active scene during the last years, while also of interest is an LP by proggers Cardiacs making the list (#51 Uncut, #29 CR) even though their leader Tim Smith has been dead for 5 years. If I'm not mistaken, the only CD I own which is also on this list is Wet Leg's Moisturizer; I enjoyed it as much as I did their debut, even though it didn't go as high in the end-of-the-year ratings. Two other albums on these lists, I've only ever heard played live: John Fogerty's update of his Creedence catalogue, and The Waterboys' concept album based on the life of actor Dennis Hopper: The last time I saw the band a couple of months ago, they played they whole thing live, and I thought it sounded very interesting. Classic Rock, as always, live in a world of their own; one where the return of the original Alice Cooper band (The Revenge Of Alice Cooper, on #2), is a significant event, and where a title like All Washed Up (Cheap Trick, #4) doesn't carry an uncomfortable whiff of truth about it. Their top choice though (Steven Wilson's The Overview) did get uniformly good reviews.

UNCUT MAGAZINE 1. More (Pulp), 2. Instant Holograms on Metal Film (Stereolab), 3. Antidepressants (Suede), 4. Bleeds (Wednesday), 5. End of the Middle (Richard Dawson), 6. New Threats from the Soul (Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band), 7. Interior Live Oak (Cass McCombs), 8. Twilight Override (Jeff Tweedy), 9. Sable, Fable (Bon Iver), 10. Saving Grace (Robert Plant with Suzi Dian), 11. Lotus (Little Simz), 12. Planting by the Signs (S.G. Goodman), 13. Time Indefinite (William Tyler), 14. Caroline 2 (caroline), 15. The Heat Warps (Modern Nature), 16. Alan Sparhawk with Trampled by Turtles (Alan Sparhawk and Trampled by Turtles), 17. Double Infinity (Big Thief), 18. Strawberries (Robert Forster), 19. Allbarone (Baxter Dury), 20. Foxes in the Snow (Jason Isbell), 21. Glory (Perfume Genius), 22. Touch (Tortoise), 23. The Universe Will Take Care of You (Holden & Zimpel), 24. Weirdo (Emma-Jean Thackray), 25. Phonetics On and On (Horsegirl), 26. The Land We Knew the Best (Chris Eckman), 27. Find El Dorado (Paul Weller), 28. International (Saint Etienne), 29. Getting Killed (Geese), 30. Inland See (Bitchin Bajas), 31. Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams (Patterson Hood), 32. Humanhood (The Weather Station), 33. That’s the Price of Loving Me (Dean Wareham), 34. Remembering Now (Van Morrison), 35. Get Sunk (Matt Berninger), 36. Crooked Wing (These New Puritans), 37. Antigone (Eiko Ishibashi), 38. Mr. Luck And Ms. Doom (The Delines), 39. What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow (Rhiannon Giddens & Justin Robinson), 40. Cotton Crown (The Tubs), 41. Real Warmth (Joan Shelley), 42. The Purple Bird (Bonnie “Prince” Billy), 43. Hard Headed Woman (Margo Price), 44. Can't Lose My (Soul) (Annie and the Caldwells), 45. Life, Death and Dennis Hopper (The Waterboys), 46. Michelangelo Dying (Cate Le Bon), 47. Nation Shall Speak Unto Nation (Edwyn Collins), 48. From Newman Street (Kassi Valazza), 49. Essex Honey (Blood Orange), 50. Moisturizer (Wet Leg), 51. LSD (Cardiacs), 52. Euro-Country (CMAT), 53. In Limerence (Jacob Alon), 54. It’s a Beautiful Place (Water From Your Eyes), 55. Headlights (Alex G), 56. A Sober Conversation (BC Camplight), 57. Pentimento (Carson McHone), 58. Sad and Beautiful World (Mavis Staples), 59. Blurrr (Joanne Robertson), 60. Desert Window (Lucy Gooch), 61. Who Is the Sky? (David Byrne), 62. Héritage (Songhoy Blues), 63. Luminal (Beatie Wolfe and Brian Eno), 64. Figure In Blue (Charles Lloyd), 65. Utopia (Gwenno), 66. Pinball Wanderer (Andy Bell), 67. Tall Tales (Mark Pritchard and Thom Yorke), 68. Mulatu Plays Mulatu (Mulatu Astatke), 69. Sinister Grift (Panda Bear), 70. Daylight Daylight (Steve Gunn), 71. Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory (Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory), 72. Talkin to the Trees (Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts), 73. Tether (Annahstasia), 74. Forever Howlong (Black Country, New Road), 75. Wolf of St Elmo (Slow Motion Cowboys), 76. Begging The Night To Take Hold (Emma Pollock), 77. Is (My Morning Jacket), 78. Never Enough (Turnstile), 79. Pequena Vertigem de Amor (Sessa), 80. Transform Me Then Into a Fish (Martin Carthy)

MOJO MAGAZINE 1. More (Pulp), 2. Antidepressants (Suede), 3. Euro-Country (CMAT), 4. Double Infinity (Big Thief), 5. Can't Lose My (Soul) (Annie and the Caldwells), 6. Instant Holograms on Metal Film (Stereolab), 7. Strawberries (Robert Forster), 8. Cotton Crown (The Tubs), 9. The Collapse of Everything (Adrian Sherwood), 10. Moisturizer (Wet Leg), 11. Find El Dorado (Paul Weller), 12. Alan Sparhawk with Trampled by Turtles (Alan Sparhawk and Trampled by Turtles), 13. Lotus (Little Simz), 14. End of the Middle (Richard Dawson), 15. Sad and Beautiful World (Mavis Staples), 16. Saving Grace (Robert Plant with Suzi Dian), 17. Twilight Override (Jeff Tweedy), 18. Weirdo (Emma-Jean Thackray), 19. Tall Tales (Mark Pritchard and Thom Yorke), 20. Interior Live Oak (Cass McCombs), 21. Allbarone (Baxter Dury), 22. Lay Low (Eddie Chacon), 23. A Bridge To Far (Midlake), 24. The Bad Fire (Mogwai), 25. Remembering Now (Van Morrison), 26. Phonetics On and On (Horsegirl), 27. Who Is the Sky? (David Byrne), 28. Michelangelo Dying (Cate Le Bon), 29. In Limerence (Jacob Alon), 30. International (Saint Etienne), 31. Critical Thinking (Manic Street Preachers), 32. Getting Killed (Geese), 33. Foxes in the Snow (Jason Isbell), 34. Sable, Fable (Bon Iver), 35. The Purple Bird (Bonnie “Prince” Billy), 36. Begging The Night To Take Hold (Emma Pollock), 37. Totality (Natural Information Society and Bitchin Bajas), 38. Love Made Trees (Loaded Honey), 39. Only Frozen Sky Anyway (Jonathan Richman), 40. Sinister Grift (Panda Bear), 41. Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory (Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory), 42. The Overview (Steven Wilson), 43. A Sober Conversation (BC Camplight), 44. Daybreak (Sven Wunder), 45. Metalhorse (Billy Nomates), 46. Heavy Metal (Cameron Winter), 47. Tell Dem It's Sunny (Greentea Peng), 48. Love Chant (The Lemonheads), 49. So Kono (Salif Keita), 50. Hard Headed Woman (Margo Price), 51. Phantom Island (King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard), 52. Liminal (Beatie Wolfe and Brian Eno), 53. Possession (Ty Segall), 54. Humanhood (The Weather Station), 55. Desire On Ice (Tav Falco), 56. I Quit (Haim), 57. The Universe Will Take Care of You (Holden & Zimpel), 58. Earthstar Mountain (Hannah Cohen), 59. Talkin to the Trees (Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts), 60. Touch (Tortoise), 61. Forever Howlong (Black Country, New Road), 62. Till the Morning (Brian D'Addario), 63. Tether (Annahstasia), 64. Renascence (Cymande), 65. Dim Probs (Gruff Rhys), 66. Time Indefinite (William Tyler), 67. Altogether Stranger (Lael Neale), 68. Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years (John Fogerty), 69. Flying with Angels (Suzanne Vega), 70. Glutton for Punishment (Heartworms), 71. Ride into the Sun (Brad Mehldau), 72. Golliwog (Billy Woods), 73. Radio DDR (Sharp Pins), 74. Die to Wake Up from a Dream (MF Tomlinson), 75. Abstraction Is Deliverance (James Brandon Lewis Quartet)

CLASSIC ROCK MAGAZINE 1. The Overview (Steven Wilson), 2. The Revenge Of Alice Cooper (Alice Cooper), 3. The End (Mammoth), 4. All Washed Up (Cheap Trick), 5. Dreams On Toast (The Darkness), 6. The Hives Forever Forever The Hives (The Hives), 7. Black & Gold (Joanne Shaw Taylor), 8. Breakthrough (Joe Bonamassa), 9. Sanguivore II: Mistress Of Death (Creeper), 10. No Rain, No Flowers (The Black Keys), 11. Curious Ruminant (Jethro Tull), 12. Saving Grace (Robert Plant with Suzi Dian), 13. June (De’Wayne), 14. Critical Thinking (Manic Street Preachers), 15. God Shaped Hole (Those Damn Crows), 16. Mirador (Mirador), 17. Satanic Rites Of The Wildhearts (The Wildhearts), 18. Bloom (Larkin Poe), 19. Bored Animal (His Lordship), 20. Welcome To The Future (H.E.A.T), 21. Everest (Halestorm), 22. The Painful Truth (Skunk Anansie), 23. V: Lamentations (Wytch Hazel), 24. Brotherhood (FM), 25. The Archer (Masters Of Reality), 26. Whomp Whack Thunder (Whiskey Myers), 27. Chosen (Glenn Hughes), 28. The Bestiary (Castle Rat), 29. LSD (Cardiacs), 30. Skeleta (Ghost), 31. Less Is More (Inspector Cluzo), 32. Futique (Biffy Clyro), 33. Everything (Eureka Machines), 34. Mad! (Sparks), 35. Leo Rising (Danko Jones), 36. Midnight At The Valencia (Cardinal Black), 37. Antidepressants (Suede), 38. Is (My Morning Jacket), 39. Something To Consume (Die Spitz), 40. Ad Astra (Ash), 41. Walking On Water (Luke Morley), 42. More (Pulp), 43. Giants & Monsters (Helloween), 44. I Beat Loneliness (Bush), 45. Gargantuan (Amplifier), 46. Here We Go Crazy (Bob Mould), 47. Circling From Above (Styx), 48. Roar Like Thunder (Buckcherry), 49. Duets Special (Chrissie Hynde And Pals), 50. Talkin To The Trees (Neil Young)

The Album Of The Year website publishes most of the end-of-the-year lists as well as an aggregate list derived (this year) from as many as 106 different publications. This is always different, much more pop-oriented than the magazines I read. According to this list, this year's top album was Rosalía's LUX. now, this is an artist I always dismissed, without really listening, as the latest Latina pop star, sort of a younger Shakira or J-Lo. Well, I certainly was wrong! From what I've listened on youtube, Lux seems to be a very complex and well-realized album blending wildly different genres, high-profile guests, and a heavy concept: each song is inspired by the life of a "saintly" figure from the past. The fact that it doesn't collapse under the weight of all this ambition, is a miracle. And yes, this girl sure can sing! Other than that, the list proves the unanimous acceptance of 90's stalwarts Pulp and Suede - the only two artists that can be found on all 4 lists presented here. Stereolab is another 90's indie band whose return is greeted with widespread enthousiasm while newer bands we've encounterd in previous lists include, among others, CMAT, Wet Girl, Big Thief, and Horsegirl.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR AGGREGATE 1. LUX (Rosalía) 389 Points, 2. Getting Killed (Geese) 384 Points, 3. Bleeds (Wednesday) 194 Points, 4. DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS (Bad Bunny) 180 Points, 5. EUSEXUA (FKA twigs) 177 Points, 6. EURO-COUNTRY (CMAT) 171 Points, 7. Let God Sort Em Out (Clipse) 167 Points, 8. choke enough (Oklou) 158 Points, 9. West End Girl (Lily Allen) 155 Points, 10. NEVER ENOUGH (Turnstile) 153 Points, 11. Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party (Hayley Williams) 152 Points, 12. Baby (Dijon) 146 Points, 13. Addison (Addison Rae) 145 Points, 14. GOLLIWOG (billy woods) 128 Points, 15. Essex Honey (Blood Orange) 125 Points, 16. More (Pulp) 121 Points, 17. Fancy That (PinkPantheress) 118 Points, 18. Moisturizer (Wet Leg) 114 Points, 19. The Passionate Ones (Nourished By Time) 98 Points, 20. Lotus (Little Simz) 96 Points, 21. black british music (2025) (Jim Legxacy) 95 Points, 22. private music (Deftones) 85 Points, 23. MAYHEM (Lady Gaga) 85 Points, 24. Lonely People With Power (Deafheaven) 82 Points, 25. The Art of Loving (Olivia Dean) 73 Points, 26. It's A Beautiful Place (Water From Your Eyes) 71 Points, 27. THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY! (JADE) 70 Points, 28. Double Infinity (Big Thief) 70 Points, 29. Phonetics On and On (Horsegirl) 69 Points, 30. Instant Holograms On Metal Film (Stereolab) 65 Points, 31. viagr aboys (Viagra Boys) 63 Points, 32. The Clearing (Wolf Alice) 61 Points, 33. THE BPM (Sudan Archives) 61 Points, 34. Everybody Scream (Florence + the Machine) 60 Points, 35. New Threats From the Soul (Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band) 60 Points, 36. ICONOCLASTS (Anna von Hausswolff) 58 Points, 37. Virgin (Lorde) 58 Points, 38. SABLE, fABLE (Bon Iver) 56 Points, 39. Willoughby Tucker, I'll Always Love You (Ethel Cain) 55 Points, 40. caroline 2 (caroline) 54 Points, 41. Headlights (Alex G) 52 Points, 42. Antidepressants (Suede) 50 Points, 43. Sinister Grift (Panda Bear) 49 Points, 44. hexed! (aya) 47 Points, 45. Big city life (Smerz) 44 Points, 46. Glory (Perfume Genius) 44 Points, 47. Who Let the Dogs Out (Lambrini Girls) 44 Points, 48. I Love My Computer (Ninajirachi) 43 Points, 49. People Watching (Sam Fender) 42 Points, 50. Pirouette (Model/Actriz) 42 Points.