The year’s best folk albums transcend genre boundaries, yet each entry remains firmly grounded in the folk ethos of connection and storytelling.
This year’s best electronic albums span the widest range of styles of any genre, ranging from melodic electro and warm house to the experimental outer reaches.
The 25 best pop albums of 2025 radiate with unstoppable playlist power, much-needed sweet escapism, self-reflection, self-criticism, and killer melodies.
The Best Americana has never been better with the quality of music, diversity of styles, and the artists’ demographics in terms of race and gender.
In a year of daring experimentation in the best ambient music, sometimes the most classic-minded records are the ones that gave people what they wanted.
The best albums of 2025 challenged orthodoxies, created new genres, and spanned a vast range of musical styles and traditions, while looking forward.
This was another noteworthy year for the best rock music. Some artists followed a debut with a stunning second LP and mainstays showed a return to form or evolved.
The best global music albums represent ten especially powerful examples of musical communion from the past year that defy the frictional fictions of borders.
The future of the genre lies in places where it’s less insular and more artistically adventurous. The 20 best jazz albums are outstanding examples of that impulse.
This year has been particularly exciting for experimental music, ranging from free-form guitar freak-outs to lush, ambient, always pushing boundaries.
A certain group of animated demon slayers supercharged interest in what has already been a banner year for the genre. These are the best k-pop songs of 2025.
This year has delivered an embarrassment of riches, from traditional masterworks to forward-thinking madness. These are the best metal albums of 2025.
