Despite a year characterized by the looming shadow of AI-generated content and a landscape of simmering political strife, 2025 proved that the human spirit remains the undisputed heartbeat of great music. Artists this year didn’t just ignore the chaos; they channeled it into some of the most visceral and authentic projects we’ve seen in a decade. From the raw, analog warmth of protest folk to the sharp, cutting edges of experimental hip-hop, this year’s releases served as a necessary reminder that technology can mimic a sound, but it cannot replicate the soul or the struggle behind it.
The top 10 list represents a masterclass in versatility and creative evolution. Little Simz continued her reign with the introspective Lotus, while the long-awaited return of Clipse on Let God Sort Em Out brought a grit that only siblings can master. We saw high-concept releases like Cleo Reed’s C*ntry, which brilliantly deconstructed the Black femme experience through folk-electronic landscapes, alongside the smooth, soul-inflected heartbreak of Madison McFerrin. To be honest, in a time where I only talked about hip-hop, my top 10 consisted mainly of R&B, with it was the soul-stirring melodies of Kirby and Yaya Bey standing up for the genre.
My honorable mentions, the “Extra 10,” further prove that 2025 was a year of incredible depth. Rap saw the return of Slick Rick and Chance the Rapper, while the genre expanded it’s boundaries with newcomers Vayda and Zelooperz. As always, the UK brought the heat with the punk energy of Lambrini Girls and wet-leg, and the always amazing Sault.
I entered 2025 with doom and gloom, but I’m exiting with a renewed creative purpose based on the sounds of the year.
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STONE’s TOP 20 of 2025
1. Little Simz – Lotus
2. Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out
3. Freddie Gibbs and Alchemist – Alfredo 2
4. Madison McFerrin – Scorpio
5. Cleo Reed – C*ntry
6. Bad Bunny – DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS
7. Kirby – Miss Black America
8. Yaya Bey – Do It Afraid
9. Kokoroko – Tuff Times Never Last
10. Bricknasty – BLACKS LAW
11. Vayda – VAYTRIX RELOADED
12. Chance the Rapper – Star Line
13. Wet Leg – Moisturizer
14. Zelooperz – Dali Ain’t Dead
15. Lambrini Girls – Who Let the Dogs Out
16. Slick Rick – Victory
17. Sault – 10
18. SALIMATA – The Happening
19. _BY.ALEXANDER – MEMORIES FOR SALE AT 66 GREENE ST
20. Spree Wilson – These Days Don’t Last Long
