LONDON: The music year 2025 produced a string of high-profile releases that shaped playlists worldwide, from mainstream pop to experimental rock. Critics and fans debated which records defined the year.
Several albums won broad acclaim and commercial success, while others failed to meet expectations, according to reviews and audience reaction.
Standout hits
Alessia Cara’s Love & Hyperbole won warm reception from fans. Reviews praised its emotional candour and melodic craft, even though official sales and chart figures remained undisclosed.
British singer Olivia Dean consolidated her rising reputation with The Art of Loving. The record attracted both commercial attention and critical praise.
Dean followed the release with a major tour and a high-profile live television appearance, and she picked up a Grammy nomination, industry observers noted.
English rock band Wolf Alice returned with The Clearing. The album marked a successful chart run and secured a Mercury Prize Album of the Year nomination, underlining the band’s continuing impact on the UK rock scene.
Global superstar Taylor Swift released her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl. The record divided critics, but it dominated sales and streaming charts, breaking several commercial records, according to industry reports.
Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend made a major streaming splash. The album was reported to have recorded the biggest streaming debut for a female artist in 2025.
Reviewers highlighted its sharp lyricism and catchy production.
Lady Gaga’s Mayhem returned to the singer’s theatrical roots with mature songwriting. The album attracted strong critical attention and Grammy nominations, and it resonated with long-time fans.
Ed Sheeran’s Play surprised listeners with South Asian influences. Its songs blended his familiar pop sensibility with new musical textures. Critics praised the album’s lyrical depth and commercial response was positive.
New Zealand artist Lorde released Virgin, a record that echoed the candid lyricism of her earlier work Melodrama.
The album won both critical approval and solid sales, and it became one of the year’s defining alternative pop records.
Albums that underwhelmed
Not every high-profile release achieved traction. Will Smith’s comeback album Based On A True Story failed to make a commercial impact despite wide publicity around his return to music.
Tyla’s WWP EP also struggled to register in the broader market, receiving limited attention outside core fans.
Miley Cyrus’s Something Beautiful generated strong online anticipation but stalled commercially after its first week, according to market reaction.
Rapper Ty Dolla $ign saw his latest project Tycoon miss the Billboard 200, a setback for an artist who had previously charted consistently.
Year of variety
Observers said 2025 was notable for its musical variety. The year produced intimate records about heartbreak and identity, as well as expansive pop spectacles and experimental rock.
Some albums combined critical acclaim with mass commercial success. Others showed that star power alone no longer guarantees chart dominance in a fragmented streaming era.
Industry commentators added that shifting listener habits and fierce competition for streaming attention made 2025 a harder market for mid-tier releases.
