All Songs Considered

Listener Poll: Your Favorite Albums of 2025

December 19, 2025

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  • The episode of All Songs Considered reveals the results of a listener poll, counting down the top 10 favorite albums of 2025, with Rosalia's *Lux* ultimately taking the number one spot. 
  • Listeners in 2025 expressed a strong desire for music that provided hope, beauty, serenity, and a needed escape from the realities of the year, influencing the high rankings of several albums. 
  • The countdown highlighted a strong showing for rock music, with Wednesday's *Bleeds* and Geese's *Getting Killed* placing highly, suggesting a resurgence or strong appreciation for the genre among the audience. 

Segments

Episode Introduction and Context
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(00:00:24)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts confirm the episode is counting down the top 10 albums based on listener votes for the year 2025.
  • Summary: Robin Hilton and Sheldon Pearce open the episode, noting they are nearing the end of NPR Music’s year-end celebration for 2025. They confirm the focus is sharing the top 10 albums selected by listeners via an online poll. Listeners can find the top 50 vote-getters available online.
Bon Iver’s #10 Ranking
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(00:02:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Bon Iver’s Sable Fable ranked tenth, surprising the hosts who noted its blend of classic Bon Iver sound with pop/R&B elements.
  • Summary: The album Sable Fable by Bon Iver secured the number 10 spot, which surprised the hosts regarding the artist’s current cultural footprint. Listeners cited finding hope, beauty, and serenity in the record, with one noting its perfect vibe for a sunny day.
Taylor Swift’s #9 Placement
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(00:04:56)
  • Key Takeaway: Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl landed at number nine, which surprised the hosts given the album’s initial mixed reception.
  • Summary: Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl placed ninth, which host Robin Hilton found surprising, suggesting it didn’t initially seem like a favorite that listeners would sit with. Fans who voted praised the album for its ‘bangers’ and described it as ‘pure pop at its best,’ offering a needed distraction.
Hayley Williams at Number Eight
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(00:09:31)
  • Key Takeaway: Hayley Williams’ solo album Ego Death at the Bachelorette Party ranked eighth, reflecting listener demand for catharsis and human connection.
  • Summary: Hayley Williams’ Ego Death at the Bachelorette Party came in at number eight, noted as a breakout record for her star power outside of Paramore. Listeners sought escape and catharsis, finding the existential yet warm album made them feel less alone amidst political turmoil and the age of AI.
Clipse Reunion at Number Seven
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(00:13:52)
  • Key Takeaway: The reunion album Let God Sort Them Out by Clipse placed seventh, celebrated as a powerful return that addresses loss and proves veteran rappers can still excel.
  • Summary: The reunion album Let God Sort Them Out by Clipse secured the seventh position, marking their first new music in 16 years. Listeners found the record deeply moving, noting its beautiful production and the emotional weight of the brothers making art from parental loss, balancing tragedy and triumph.
Wet Leg’s Sixth Place Finish
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(00:18:58)
  • Key Takeaway: Wet Leg’s Moisturizer ranked sixth, praised for its unique quirkiness, humor, and satisfying energy release.
  • Summary: Wet Leg’s Moisturizer landed at number six, with both hosts expressing deep affection for the band’s energy and humor. Listeners appreciated the album’s unique quality and its ‘raging undercurrent’ that provided a satisfying release for anxiety and frustration.
Wednesday’s Rock Entry at Number Five
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(00:21:40)
  • Key Takeaway: Wednesday’s Bleeds was voted number five, recognized as a defining rock record of 2025 that balances thrash energy with country/roots threads.
  • Summary: Wednesday’s Bleeds took the fifth spot, with Sheldon Pearce calling it the rock record of the year for pushing the band’s sound to a greater magnitude. Listeners connected with its blend of roots music, shoegaze, and thrash, noting its encapsulation of meaningful rural communities.
Lady Gaga’s High Ranking
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(00:25:34)
  • Key Takeaway: Lady Gaga’s Mayhem placed fourth, surprising the hosts due to its early March release date but resonating as necessary danceable escapism.
  • Summary: Lady Gaga’s Mayhem achieved the number four spot, surprising the hosts because it was released so early in the year. Listeners described the album as pure, undiluted pop that made the rest of the world go away, with one fan noting a track encouraged dancing even if the ‘floor is on fire.’
Bad Bunny’s Top Three Placement
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(00:28:42)
  • Key Takeaway: Bad Bunny’s Debi Tora Mas Photos secured third place, lauded as a seismic, ambitious work blending reggaeton with classic Puerto Rican forms.
  • Summary: Bad Bunny’s Debi Tora Mas Photos claimed the number three position, described by a listener as ‘Seismic’ due to its eclectic, emotional, and inspired nature. The album successfully married Bad Bunny’s established sound with traditional forms like bomba and plena, achieving major crossover appeal.
Geese’s Surprising Second Place
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(00:32:26)
  • Key Takeaway: Geese’s Getting Killed ranked second, demonstrating that polarizing, art-rock bands can achieve massive viral success through word-of-mouth momentum.
  • Summary: Geese’s Getting Killed unexpectedly landed at number two, surprising the hosts because the music is often polarizing and rock bands rarely dominate the conversation. The band’s success is attributed to their unique, art-rock sound and the viral momentum generated by word-of-mouth recommendations.
Rosalia’s Number One Victory
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(00:38:19)
  • Key Takeaway: Rosalia’s Lux was voted the number one album by listeners, validating its status as a cohesive, grand statement redefining pop music.
  • Summary: Rosalia’s Lux was confirmed as the number one album in the listener poll, mirroring its top placement on the NPR Music team’s list. The album was recognized as a quintessential ‘album album’ that makes a grand statement by pushing pop music toward an operatic, theatrical vision.