It’s been an incredibly memorable year for music, with the return of Oasis, controversies from Kneecap and the sad passing of Black Sabbath’s Ozzy Osbourne. This year had a lot to live up to after the cultural phenomenom of Brat summer in 2024. That was a busy year for pop girlies with Charli xcx, Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter dominating the charts and popular culture.
However, 2025 has had a different feel, one of nostalgia and a continuing rise of indie sleaze. Icons, Beyoncé, Billie Eilish and AC/DC have been out on tour, while Haim, Bon Iver and Wolf Alice have dropped new albums. However, the year isn’t up yet. A new album from A$AP Rocky is still on the way alongside Taylor Swift’s latest body of work. It was an abundant year for music but there are three specific albums that have stood out for me so far this year.
Choke Enough by Oklou
Oklou has burst into the music scene this year upon the release of her full-length debut album, Choke Enough. She is a French electronic pop artist whose music presents a fusion of Y2K worship, and dreamy ambiance. I would describe her music as fitting into the “Charli xcx-fuelled” genre of hyperpop but a more relaxed underground version. Some stand out song of the album for me are take me by the hand, harvest sky and ict.
Addison by Addison Rae
This must be one the most highly anticipated albums of the year. Addison Rae has been teasing it since summer 2024, with the release of timeless track Diet Pepsi, and the upbeat, angelic-sounding Aquamarine. She is at the centre of pop culture at the moment and has had an intriguing journey from TikTokker to pop star. She recently supported Lana Del Rey at her headline shows in London and made quite an impression. Some stand out tracks from the album for me are New York, Diet Pepsi and Fame is a Gun.
Jonatan by Yung Lean
Yung Lean is a Swedish rapper who has been around since the 2010s. He has released many incredible albums under both his Yung Lean alias and his birth name Jonatan Leandoer. This latest album is a creative pursuit to merge the two identities together and it is very successful in doing so. I’d describe the album as an edgy yet poetic anthemic work. Produced by Frank Ocean, Jonatan is a stripped backed, indie sounding treat to your ears and it serves as character development of Yung Lean as an artist. Some stand out songs include Horses, Might Not B (which features an ABBA interpolation and Paranoid Changes.