Albums that have been on our radar in 2025
2025 was one of those years where every genre delivered brilliance — from heart-felt songwriting to high-energy indie rock and neo-soul that stops you in your tracks. Whether you’ve got playlists to refresh or vinyl to spin, these records deserve your ears this winter.
The Lottery Winners – KOKO – Listen
The Lottery Winners’ KOKO stands as one of the band’s most adventurous outings yet — blending warm, anthemic indie pop with honest lyricism about relationships, mental health, and self-reflection. Its infectious melodies and celebratory spirit helped push the album to No. 1 on the UK Independent Albums Chart, marking a career high point for the Leigh outfit.
The Royston Club – Songs for the Spine – Listen
Welsh guitar pop at its most addictive. Songs for the Spine is a breezy, guitar-driven collection that balances raw energy with crowd-pleasing hooks. Critics praised its anthemic feel and confident songwriting — perfect for fans of jangly indie rock with heart.
The K’s – Pretty on the Internet – Listen
A standout in 2025’s indie world, Pretty on the Internet finds The K’s artfully exploring the intersections of digital identity and real-world emotion. It’s the sort of record that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable — a must-listen for anyone navigating life online and off.
The Clause – Victim of a Casual Thing – Listen
The Clause delivered one of the year’s must-hear collections with Victim of a Casual Thing. The album blends sharp lyrical wit with genre-bending instrumentation, making it essential for listeners who crave smart, unpredictable indie rock.
Red Rum Club – BUCK – Listen
BUCK sees Red Rum Club continuing to carve out their own niche with bold rhythms and dynamic arrangements. It’s one of those albums you can turn up loud — visceral, energetic, and packed with attitude.
Wolf Alice – The Clearing – Listen
English rock-heavyweights Wolf Alice return with The Clearing, a taut, emotionally rich record that blends atmospheric soundscapes with their signature indie-rock punch. The album was not only a critical success but also charted at No.1 in the UK, proving the band’s continued evolution and relevance.
Coach Party – Caramel – Listen
Coach Party’s Caramel is a textured, inventive indie rock album — angsty, melodic, and perfect for anyone who loves guitar music with emotional depth. Its vibrancy makes it stand out as a crowd-favourite of 2025.
Swim School – Swim School – Listen
The self-titled record from swim school sees the band embracing catchy, heartfelt indie pop with a bright, youthful energy. With hooks galore and relatable songwriting, it’s a great one to throw on when you need a mood boost.
Divorce – Drive to Goldenhammer – Listen
Drive to Goldenhammer is the debut full-length from Divorce, blending alternative country, indie rock, chamber pop, and folk influences into a warm, richly textured listening experience. The band’s storytelling and genre hybrid style make this a standout record for 2025.
Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving – Listen
2025 truly saw Olivia Dean come into her own. The Art of Loving — a tender blend of pop and neo-soul — explores love in all its forms with both vulnerability and polish. Critics have called it one of the year’s most intimate and rewarding listens.
Brooke Combe – Dancing at the Edge of the World – Listen
Brooke Combe’s debut Dancing at the Edge of the World brings lush soul and subtle sophistication to the forefront. Its blend of old-school soul influences with a modern touch makes this album worth your full attention.
Rianne Downey – The Consequence of Love – Listen
Rianne Downey’s The Consequence of Love marks a strong debut from the Scottish songwriter, blending country pop warmth with reflective lyricism. Recorded in Seattle and brimming with heartfelt storytelling, it’s a beautiful, nuanced record you won’t want to overlook.
Kean Kavanagh – The Country Star – Listen
One of the most precocious talents to emerge from the Emerald Isle, Kean Cavanagh may have been born in Houston, Texas, but it’s Ireland where his artistry truly took flight. The County Star is a real statement piece—shades of The War On Drugs meet Gerry Cinnamon, yet the sound remains unmistakably his own.
Texas Tea is an ode to his birthplace, and having returned to Ireland, Cavanagh weaves Americana and Irish musical heritage together at the album’s core. Father Browns is a contender for Track of the Year; its depth is immense, echoing the protest songs of the early ’70s from Crosby, Stills & Nash and their era-defining peers.
The whole album is a richly layered listen, with the soundscape shifting, evolving, and surprising throughout. Quite simply, one of the best releases of 2025.
Joanna – Hello Flower – Listen
Hello Flower (and we love a northern-rooted album title) is the long-lost debut from Widnes band Joanna, recorded in 1990 when The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays ruled the Madchester landscape and the band themselves stood on the cusp of a record deal.
The album blends swirling psychedelia, groove-led basslines and sharp melodic songwriting under a distinctly Northern haze. When the record deal failed to materialise, the tapes were shelved, only to be rediscovered in a loft 35 years later — revealing a record that still sounds fresh in 2025 for a band denied its moment.
The opener with its title lyrics “If you don’t want me to” hypnotically swirling over an underpinning bassline before the guitars bring a funk-laden groove to the surface, setting the tone for what’s to come. Bandit Country follows with another groove, this time percussion-infused, opening with the line, “I see a stranger walking through the crowds, I said how you doing partner” — widely believed to reference football terraces and away days in “Bandit Country”. With its distorted echoes and swagger, it’s easy to imagine the track lighting up Top of the Pops in 1990.
Hey Presto cranks up the urgency further — “I’ve been standing 16 hours in the blazing heat” — while the title track feels like an anthem made for those long, sun-soaked hazy summer days.
By the time we reach the stunning closer Gardener’s World, complete with added horns and synths, Joanna deliver a politically charged statement written 35 years ago that still lands with the same poignant punch today. What a shame the band never got their chance to shine back then — but Hello Flower stands as a convincing reminder of just how close Joanna came to joining the era’s defining bands, and why this is their moment!
Final Thoughts
From breakout debut albums to seasoned artists pushing their sound forward, 2025 delivered a diverse and exciting crop of music. Whether you’re into tight indie rock, soulful R&B, or introspective singer-songwriters, there’s something here for everyone’s playlist.
Have you listened to these yet? If not — add them to your queue, press play, and enjoy what might be the best year in music yet.