The best albums of 2025

Roisin O'Connor, Hannah Ewens and Ellie Muir on the year's standout records, from Lily Allen to Little Simz

- Roisin O'Connor, Hannah Ewens and Ellie Muir

Far from the music industry's prevailing belief that fans want everything spoon-fed to them, 2025's best (and rapturously received) album offerings were also some of the most challenging.

Artists were clearly in a confessional mood, from Lily Allen's eviscerating divorce drama West End Girl to Dave's candid reflections on fame, wealth and faith in The Boy Who Played the Harp. Rosalía, too, gave us something to worship in the form of her remarkable opus, Lux, while Lola Young shattered our boredom over the persisting “clean girl” aesthetic with the messy, confrontational pop of I'm Only F**king Myself.

Here are The Independent's 20 top albums of 2025.

20. Turnstile - 'Never Enough'

If you've ever had the urge to get into heavy music, let me introduce you to Turnstile. They're an unusual proposition from Baltimore, who emerged from the hardcore punk scene and have transformed into every musician's favourite band. Ahead of Never Enough's release, they posted about recording with former emo queen (now genre-agnostic) Hayley Williams, someone who makes total sense as a blueprint/ally for this band. From the eardrum-obliterating “Sole” to the funky jam “Seeing Stars”, you never quite know what direction you're being led in, but it's an almost-psychedelic journey. Twitchy highlight “Birds” builds tension until it explodes into some classic hardcore with whirring electronics. “I found a song playing just for me,” calls out frontman Brendan Yates in this ode to freedom. There will be a song, whether it's the joyful existentialism of “Time Is Happening” or the sludgy sexiness of “Slowdive”, for you here.

Hannah Ewens