Top Music of 2025

2025 Playlists

Spotify Links:

Top Music of 2025 https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2GZkbgaeNljYll6SQX3fQP?si=85be8e74063d4008

2025 Music Playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6owwH1ln6BKahZav4CZRqR?si=5f82f8925ad346b6

Top Music of the 2020s...so far https://open.spotify.com/playlist/78eLOVk2sNm3aEiYPHGzm8?si=dfec9cf75dd54d79

Top Albums of 2025

• Alex Williams - Space Brain - Fun Outlaw Country versions of Hard Rock Classics

• Ally Venable: Money & Power - Rockin Blues with several standout tunes

• Angel White - Ghost of the West: The Album - Country mixed with other musical blends with excellent songs "Long Way Up" and "Down by the River"

• Annie & the Caldwells, CAN’T LOSE MY (SOUL) - Belting out a great blend of R&B, Funk & Soul

• Balto - No Hard Feeling - Excellent Rock n Roll - for fans of Tom Petty

• Belair Lip Bombs - Again

• Belle Blue - Watch this artist, excellent singles released in 2025

• Ben Torbett - Bluer Side - Not sure how this is not getting any plays on Spotify, excellent Country Rock - for fans of Drive By Truckers

• Bob Mould - Here we go Crazy - Another collection of great rockers extending an unbelievable catalog of music

• Born 53 - Turnpike - overlooked gem with no Spotify plays, Swedish band playing a blend of music hard to explain, Dire Straits meets Tragically Hip meets Fairport Convention

• Brandon Santini - Which Way Do We Go? - Rockin Roots Music

• Brennen Leigh - Don’t You Ever Give Up On Love - Excellent collection of well written country songs

• Brent Cobb - Ain't Rocked in a While - Rocking Country with a Southern Rock twist - for fans of Skynyrd

• Brain Dunne - Clams Casino - Solid Modern Rock with a Classic twist

• Bryce Leatherwood -Bryce Leatherwood - Traditionalist Country and nailed it

• Buddy Guy - Aint' Done with the Blues - OMG, how does Buddy keep making such great music, best blues album of the year

• The Budos Band - VII - Classic rocking instrumentals with a touch of jazz and funk and more, don’t overlook their earlier work

• Burnett Sisters Band – Easy Come, Easy Go - overlooked Americana excellence

• Case Oats - Last Missouri Exit - Excellent debut collection of tunes for Wilco fans

• Charles Wigg Walker - This Love is Gonna Last - Groovin R&B with Soul, must hear

• Charlie Musselwhite - Look out the Highway - Blues great still pumping out the great music

• Cha Wa - Rise Up - Mardi Gras magical mix of music genres, must hear

• Cimarron 615 - It's a Good Life - Self described as California Country Rock is fine collection of Poco 2.0 songs

• Clay Street Unit (sounds promising, wait for full release)

• Cristina Vane - Hear My Call  - Americana genre bending must hear

• Death By Unga Bunga - Raw Muscular Power - Straight forward Rock n Roll, excellent!

• The Delines - Mr. Luck & Ms Doom - Excellent songwriting and vocals highlight this grooving pop\rock

• Delivery - Force Majeure - Good collection of garage rock for fans of the White Stripes

• D.K. Harrell - Talkin' Heavy - Fine, fine collection of modern blues with BB King inspiration, one of the best Blues releases of the year

• Doohickeys - All Hat No Cattle - Fun Country collection not to be missed

• Drew & Ellie Holcomb - Memory Bank - Outstanding collection of Americana

• Dustin Brown - Dustin Brown - Completely overlooked outstanding collection of songwriting and singing, must hear

• Dyer Davis - Kiss The Ring - Excellent blues infused southern rock with excellent songwriting, must hear, overlooked

• Finick - Weekends in Purgatory - Excellent youthful mix of Pop\Folk\Rock\Country, bright future with this artist

• Florry - Sounds Like… - keeping the alt country movement alive!

• George Porter Jr - Porters Pocket - Funky New Orleans instrumentals for fans of The Meters and Booker T. & the MGs

• Greensky Bluegrass - XXV - Excellent collection of Bluegrass jams with special guests galore

• Greg Freeman - Burnover - Captivating quirky pop rock for fans of Big Star and Alex Chilton

• Guided By Voices - two solid album releases to check out

• Hayes Carll - We're only Human - Hayes releasing more Americana classics!

• Hot Wax - Hot Shock  - Grungy guitar powered Alt Rock that hooks you

• James McMurtry - The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy - Another solid storytelling collection in McMurtry's unique style

• Jason Boland & The Stragglers - The Last Kings of Babylon - Excellent collection of well written authentic country music

• Jason Isbell - Foxes in the Snow  - Another fine collection of songwriting, singing and acoustic guitar, no stopping the Isbell musical train

• Jason Scott & The High Heat - American Girls - A fine collection of guitar driven country rock

• Jeff Tweedy - Twilight Override - There is an excellent album amongst these three discs ;-)

• Jesse Dayton, Ian Moore, Johnny Moeller - Texas Headhunters - Great Outlaw Country with lots of electric guitar

• Jesse Welles - (All his 2025 releases) - OMG this guy is incredible, just quality Folk & Folk Rock releases one after the other

• John Primer - Grown in Mississippi - Classic Blues

• Jon Cleary - The Bywater Sessions - Fun Funky New Orleans

• Joy Buzzer - Pleased to Meet You - One the best of the year, although released late in '24! Completely overlooked on Spotify plays. Power Pop\Rock Genius

• Kat Hasty - The Time of Your Life - Authentic West Texas Country, solid tunes throughout

• Kenny Wayne Shepherd & Bobby Rush - Young Fashioned Ways - Solid Blues Outing with a great pairing

• Larkin Poe - Bloom - Rockin Blues, great songs

• Little Feat - Strike Up The Band - Can never get enough FEAT

• Manu Lanvin - Man On A Mission - overlooked blues infused country rock for fans of Black Keys

• Margo Price - Hard Headed Woman - Margo keeps releasing quality country with an outlaw twist

• Marcus King Band - Darling Blue - back with the band and excellent southern rock Americana fused tunes with guest stars

• Marla Mase - Infinite They Went - Did CBGBs reopen? How is this not getting streams, overlooked alt rock\pop\funky gem

• Marshall Crenshaw - From the Hellhole - more excellent tunes from the pop rock master

• Mason Via - Mason Via - Americana at its finest

• Maygen & The Birdwatcher – The Americana Dream - wall to wall great songs from MN

• Nia Wyn - A Pleasure to have in Class - Catchy Welsh Soul

• Nick Gusman and the Coyotes - Lifting Heavy Things - Good set of Rockin Americana from the heartland

• Nikki O'Neill - Stories I Only Tell My Friends - Soulful and catchy Americana, fine collection completely overlooked on spotify

• Patterson Hood - Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams - More great tunes from the Drive by Trucker

• Robert Randolph - Preacher Kids - Excellent Rockin Blues

• Rose City Band - Sol Y Sombra - Smooth Country Rock

• Samantha Fish - Paper Doll - Solid Blues Collection

• The Scarlet Goodbye - El Camino Adios - Good collection of songs for fans of Soul Asylum and Jayhawks

• Secret Monkey Weekend - Lemon Drop Hammer - Overlooked excellent collection of power pop rock

• Shelby Means - Shelby Means - Solo debut from one of the top Bluegrass bassists, excellent album

• The Shootouts - Switchback - Outlaw Country at its core with lots of special guests

• Sierra Hull - A Tip Toe High Wire - Excellent collection of Americana and Bluegrass with some mandolin masterpieces

• Snocaps: Snocaps - Wall to wall excellent indie rock

• Southern Avenue - Family - Groovin Blues, Soul, R&B this one has it all, excellent

• Sunny Sweeny - Rhinestone Requiem - Great Honky Tonk

• Taj Mahal & Keb' Mo' (TajMo) - Room on the Porch - Join these masters on the porch for a mix of great tunes

• Them Coulee Boys - No Fun in the Chrysalis - The Boys deliver again with a great mix of Americana and Outlaw Country

• Tommy Castro - Closer to the Bone - Nice collection of blues

• Tubs - Cotton Crown - Very catchy Alternative Rock drawing from lots of influences

• Turnstile - Never Enough - Wild mix of genres, cant stop listening to figure it out

• Tyler Childers - Snipe Hunter - Excellent Americana with some rockers and a Tyler twist

• Upchuck - I'm Nice Now - Powerful modern punk rock

• Van Morrison - Remembering Now - Another great set from Van to add to his incredible 60 year plus musical legacy

• Velveteers - A Million Knives - Indie rock jumps out of your speakers

• Waterboys - Life, Death and Dennis Hopper - Mike Scott delivers again with great songs and collaborations

• Wednesday - Bleeds - Outlaw alt rock with country twist

• Wet Leg - Mosturizer - beat driving alt rock

• Willow Avalon - Southern Belle Raisin Hell - Excellent collection of Country, incredible voice

• Will Wilde - Blues is Still Alive - Rockin Blues collection with excellent harp

• Wood Brothers - Puff of Smoke - Excellent rootsy songs