2025 Albums of the Year
It’s very possible that this is something we say every year, but this year it truly feels real: Wow, what a great year for music.
It’s been a long year, that’s for sure. Chaos in the world aside, I mean this in the sense that Horsegirl, Michigander, and Ethel Cain released albums which feel like they have been out for several years at this point. Time is a crazy thing. But what also came about this year, is that we finally dipped our toe into the world of album reviews. And not just me (Matt), a small team of some great people who want to share their taste to the Indie Basketball masses.
I will always have my perspective on indie and emo music, and I will never claim to have a “correct” take on it. All I can provide is give you a glimpse into my favorite kinds of music, and also share some other perspectives. Because different perspectives are all we have and in a world where algorithms and streaming services force feeding music down your throat, all we want to do here is talk about some music we think is great and hopefully provide some people with recommendations they might not normally get shown.
So to kick off this year end list, let’s take a look at some of our site contributors and an album that they wanted to highlight.
CLIPSE - LET GOD SORT ‘EM OUT
With their first album in 16 years, Pusha T and Malice reunite with the hard-earned wisdom of brothers who rode the drug game to quick coke rap fame, then fractured before the decade turned. Let God Sort Em Out finds them reckoning with their legacy, asserting their superiority while measuring themselves against divine favor rather than just street cred. Pharrell produces all 13 tracks, crafting beats that feel like exquisite short films. The album samples sounds ranging from classical, soul, trap, and world music. Recorded in the men's department of Louis Vuitton's Paris flagship, the album carries absurd luxury reminiscent of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy in its high fashion tailored feel. But there's still enough heat and malice in the rhymes to make it culturally inappropriate.
MIKE STRUSZ, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Geese - Getting Killed
The Nets may have inexplicably spent five picks on a whole lot of nothing, but the future will still look bright in Brooklyn as long as these guys stay on their meteoric rise. An instant classic built out of the bones of other unassailable critical favs, Getting Killed nonetheless jitters to the pace of its own frantic drum beat.
IAN CORY, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Bambara - Birthmarks
Frontman Reid Bateh has a voice that remains one of the most striking in 2025—think Nick Cave, but channeled through a rawer, more urgent lens. On Birthmarks, the band trades some of their early experimentation—those washed-out guitars, heavy reverb, and buried vocals—for a more polished, gothic clarity. The lyrics are still vivid, sensual, and adventurous, grounding their noir atmosphere in images pulled straight from suburban Atlanta. Most importantly, the record—and their live show—feels cinematic, like something lifted from a David Lynch dream sequence or one of the many standout performances from the Roadhouse in Twin Peaks: The Return.
ZACK VENERO, CONTRARIAN CORNER
Ninajirachi - I Love My Computer
The ten tracks on Australian producer/vocalist/DJ Nina Wilson’s- AKA Ninajirachi- debut album, I Love My Computer, are a throwback to the EDM explosion of the early 2010s and call to mind influential artists like Porter Robinson, Feed Me, and Madeon. Thematically, the record- which netted Wilson 3 ARIA awards, the Australian Music Prize, the NSW Music Prize for Breakthrough Artist of the Year, and a pair of J Awards (for Best Australian Album and Best Australian Music Video)- explores the relationships we have with our devices and the impacts- both positive and negative- of our increasingly computerized world.
JULIAN WHALEN, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Fime - Just Can’t Win
After hearing Fime’s single, “Soft Science,” a power-pop-romp-meets-Militarie Gun, I was sold. Just Can’t Win–the second album from Jay Som’s former backing band, and mixed and produced by Melina Duterte herself–released on September 5, 2025, and has staying power. It shows their vast do-it-all capabilities. The first three true songs (opener “ABV” is an intro track) range from Fucked Up to Diners, MJ Lenderman to Liquid Mike, sometimes all on the same track. And the lyrics capture the frustrated stuck-ness of Millennials and Generation Z: “I picked the road. I picked the person who I thought I’d be. I picked the wrong life. Did I pick it, or it pick me?” on “Soft Science,” or, “It came down to luck, and we got stuck at the very end. Still everybody’s sure a good day is waiting just around the bend” on “Bouquet Baby.” Listen with headphones to hear it truly glisten and soar.
ALLEN MARTIN, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Hannah Frances - Nestled in Tangles
The most exciting thing in Chicago outside of Matas Buzelis. Featuring a co-sign from the like-mindedly proggy Daniel Rosen of Grizzly Bear, Nestled perfectly balances homespun folksy melody with a rhythmic deftness that doesn’t apologize for its complexity.
IAN CORY, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Our writings on music and basketball will continue into 2026, and hopefully, expanding. The following list, however, is entirely the rankings of my own. And much like last years list, I always find it hard to rank things within multiple genres. But that is what I think is unique about Indie Basketball. It’s not just “indie rock.” I love emo, folk, pop, hip-hop, punk. So while yes, it is hard to decide where Pool Kids, Daffo, and Dijon comparatively fall, but that’s what happens when you look for music anywhere. And that’s how you built a good basketball team too, right? You need balance. You need to look for an edge from anyone on the roster.
So the list of my favorite albums is below, and don’t ask me in three weeks because it will most certainly be different. Enjoy, and let me know what your favorite albums are in the comments, on Instagram, or on our Discord.
50. Sharp Pins – Balloon Balloon Balloon
49. HAIM - I quit
48. venturing – Ghostholding
47. Bartees Strange – Horror
46. Denison Witmer & Sufjan Stevens – Anything At All
45. YHWH Nailgun – 45 Pounds
44. Momma – Welcome to My Blue Sky
43. Pet Symmetry – Big Symmetry
42. Pictoria Vark – Nothing Sticks
41. Nourished by Time – The Passionate Ones
40. Free Range – Lost & Found
39. Friendship – Caveman Wakes Up
38. Case Oats – Last Missouri Exit
37. The Antlers – Blight
36. Hotline TNT – Raspberry Moon
35. Japanese Breakfast – For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women)
34. Cusp – What I Want Doesn't Want Me Back
33. Saya Gray - SAYA
32. Metal Bubble Trio – Cucumber
31. PUP – Who Will Look After The Dogs?
30. Horsegirl – Phonetics On and On
29. Water From Your Eyes – It's A Beautiful Place
28. Florist – Jellywish
27. Dijon – Baby
26. Saintseneca – Highwalllow & Supermoon Songs
25. JR JR – Back to the Land
24. Geese – Getting Killed
23. Greet Death – Die In Love
22. Daffo – Where the Earth Bends
21. Pool Kids – Easier Said Than Done
20. Moving Mountains – Pruning of the Lower Limbs
19. Whitney – Small Talk
18. Hand Habits – Blue Reminder
17. The Armed – THE FUTURE IS HERE AND EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE DESTROYED
16. Big Thief – Double Infinity
15. Ben Kweller – Cover The Mirrors
14. John Galm – River of Blood
13. Sean McVerry – STEVE
12. Jay Som – Belong
11. Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out
10
Men I Trust
Equus Asinus
Men I Trust kept the people waiting so long for a new full-length album that they dropped two in the same here. I gravitated far more to the first of the pair, Equus Asiunus, which features Jessy Caron’s signature sweet sounding voice accompanying songs that maintain the dreamy feel and even transcend it into a storybook style sound that ventures into genres that start to sound even cartoony, in the best way possible.
09
The Beths
Straight Line Was a Lie
There is no more consistent and out there than The Beth’s, regularly regarded as ‘Your Favorite Band’s Favorite Band.’ Their previous effort Expert In A Dying Field was critically acclaimed, by myself included, and Straight Line Was A Lie does its best (and succeeds) at following it up. Chocked full of high energy poppy tunes lined with lyrics that are far more intricate than your ears perceive.
08
Wednesday
Bleeds
Thought MJ Lenderman announced he would no longer be touring with Wednesday, his fingerprints are still all over the latest from Wednesday, Bleeds. Karly Hartzman & co. solidified their place at the head of the table of the genre that is creek rock with this album, delivering that twangy yet intense sound meant for crickets and summer sun. “Elderberry Wine” anchors this album with one of the best songs of the year, and the rest of the album delivers some unexpected turns throughout.
07
Snocaps
SNOCAPS
The aforemention MJ Lenderman found a second album to join the Top 10 in Snocaps, a brand new surprise drop from The Sisters Crutchfield, alongside indie legends MJ Lenderman, Brad Cook (Megafaun), and Colin Croom (Twin Peaks). It’s an alt-country supergroup that delivers songs that a lineup like this promise. Many of the tracks echo back to those early P.S. Eliot days and pre-Saint Cloud Waxahatchee with more rough around the edges rock tracks. At times I found it difficult to discern which Crutchfield was singing, but in the end they both bring it on the vocals. I had the pleasure to see the first ever show of this band and it did not disappoint.
06
Alex G
Headlights
Alex G has always been inundated with Internet hype from loyal followers, and I historically was never one of them. But I gave his new album Headlights a shot and was happy to be proven wrong. The album jumps all over the place, but the intro track “June Guitar” has infectious melodies. Here he leans into the more folksy/indie rock side than electronic, though tracks like “Louisiana” drone and distort, making the vocals sound almost alien-like. While the album is not what many expected, it brought me into the Alex G universe.
05
Great Grandpa
Patience, Moonbeam
Patience, Moonbeam was one of my most anticipated albums of the year. After Great Grandpa took a long break and lead singer Al Menne released his own solo album (which was one of my favorite albums of 2023), we finally got our album and it did not disappoint. It feels so much more grandiose than they have ever been, laced with deeply personal lyrics, which seems to be Menne’s trademark. “Ladybug” brings an infectious singalong of a chorus that you wish would go on forever.
04
Runnner
A Welcome Kind of Weakness
Having Noah on the podcast this year was a treat, but even more exciting was to hear his album A Welcome Kind of Weakness. After an onslaught of single releases, I was pleasantly delighted to hear that despite being wonderful tracks on their own, they come together to make an even more wonderful album. In fact, it garnered an All-star Album. To be able to contrast a few vibes-only ambient albums with an album of nonstop earworms that thread the needle between folk and emo like Kyrie hitting ‘em with the tween for the easy bucket (and yes, Noah has handles).
03
Racing Mount Pleasant
Racing Mount Pleasant
Easily one of the biggest surprises out of nowhere this year. Racing Mount Pleasant, hailing from Michigan (and now recently Chicago), with a roster as deep as an NBA team released an album akin to somewhere in between Black Country, New Road and Bon Iver, with a hint of fellow Michiganian’s Anathallo. There are so many directions I can see this band moving, and I will follow any of them. Can’t wait to see what’s next.
02
Bon Iver
SABLE, fABLE
It’s bittersweet, Sable, Fable. We’ve waited a long time for another Bon Iver release, not knowing if it would come. And what he did with it was the perfect way to go out, which all signs point to be exactly what Justin Vernon plans on doing. The 4 song EP to kick off the album is a perfect ode to “old shit” Bon Iver. Those pining for the For Emma days were given a treat. But then he seamlessly blends his two worlds together, creating a hooky and hypnotic album for the ages. Songs like “Walk Home” and “Day One” find that pop sensibility he has found his way into producing, and make it into his own thing. I anticipate a big world of producing for Justin, with the holy trinity that is Dijon, mk.gee, and himself.
01
Samia
Bloodless
I would have never expected this to be my #1 in May, or even July. It was a late bloomer for me. But I found myself endlessly returning to Bloodless. “Bovine Excision” is a delectable word salad with melody shifts that keep you guessing. “Carousel” melds into an intense slow core ending. There’s so much to love about Samia’s latest, hot of the heels from a well received Tiny Desk (her stripped version of Pool is not to be missed). What I appreciate most, is how specific her lyrics get while still keeping its familiarity. And the way her melodies pivot are like sad candy. It’s December, and I’m still listening to it. You should too. Samia tops my MVP ladder for 2025.
