BMR's Music of 2025

2025 was a crazy year for the music industry: Nicki went crazy, Addison blew up, Clipse came back, and Kendrick destroyed Drake during the Super Bowl. Everyone at BMR felt the chaos: we listened to a lot of music, some good, some not. BMR’s highlights span everything from Korean shoegaze to PinkPantheress. Get to know our individual writers’ diverse tastes a bit better by reading our 2025 recap!

- The BMR Editors

Picks by Morgan Anderson ‘27

Album of the Year: Virgin by Lorde

Virgin uses a familiar soundscape to swirl together the endless struggles of womanhood into one record. Pulling on the endless and conflicting pressures of purity, desirability, and social performance, Lorde places herself in the middle of the expectations placed on her body, identity, and innocence by society, fans, and most relevantly, herself. While not as emotionally provocative as some of her previous work, I wholeheartedly believe that this album is her most vulnerable by far. Her willingness to interrogate her own complicity in these pressures adds a rare sharpness to the album’s softness, making its quiet moments feel the most revealing. In embracing contradiction rather than resolving it, Virgin stands as a startlingly honest portrait of a woman learning to name the forces that have shaped her.

Song of the Year: “Shapeshifting on a Saturday Night” by Avery Cochrane

An underground star, Avery Cochrane is bringing back the highly coveted bubbliness that some believe pop music has been lacking, all while tackling the profound, universal struggle of an unstable self-image through the perspective of a love interest. It has a rich and captivating production story with an addictive chorus. If not for Avery Cochrane’s status as an up-and-comer, this song could have been on everyone’s radar and been a strong contender for song of the summer. It certainly was my song of the summer, and the obsession has prolonged into the colder months, also making it my personal favorite track of 2025.

Underrated Album: The Firstfruit by Mark Lee

The Firstfruit presents a deeply personal and cohesive biography detailing the singer’s life and career. The album uses intermissions to shift between lyrical and production styles to reflect the significant moments of his life, using the four cities (Toronto, New York, Vancouver, and Seoul) he has lived in as settings for the narrative he poses throughout the album. The tracklist is versatile, stretching across genres and displaying vulnerability through his relationships with his family, fame, and religion. While not every track on the album resonates, The Firstfruit is a substantial and sincere debut album that successfully establishes a sense of identity for a narrator whose identity oftentimes feels stretched thin, making it a worthwhile listen for both old fans and newcomers.

Picks by Blake Horne ‘26

Album of the Year: Baby by Dijon

Arriving as a quiet, surprise release in August, Dijon’s sophomore album as a solo artist is anything but. A maximalist, collagist, pop record, Baby is the sound of giving into your urges. Dijon screams out for sex with cartoon eyes bulging out of his head. He yelps and cries like Prince, asking to “make a baby / Another baby! / I’m ready baby!” Even in the album’s quieter moments, Dijon can’t hide from his passion, as his screams turn to whimpers. While his collagist tendency was present across Dijon’s previous LP Absolutely, Baby takes that even further, combining old-school rap samples, stock sound effects, and overwhelming drums to create something explosively vibrant yet still maintains the core of his love songs. In a year where Dijon has lent his talents to larger music stars, he kept his most innovative and impressive work for himself.

Song of the Year: “ten thousand blakk interns” by svn4vr

If you’ve paid attention to or, even worse, had to interact with the current job market, you may have thought, “I’m cooked.” “Ten thousand blakk interns” is an encapsulation and release of that feeling. Amidst a viciously distorted guitar, svn4vr issues a rallying cry for the many students and recent graduates attempting to find work, stating, “I done wrote my cv like 100 times,” but “it don’t show my worth.” He delivers these lines with passionate, angry screams and yells, as the stress boils up and out onto the song. It’s cathartic, not just for him but for the listeners, as “We just tryna make it out / 10,000 black interns.”

Underrated Album: Tether by Annahstasia

Across Tether, Annahstasia hones her warm, distinctive voice to craft a unique new sound in the singer-songwriter circle. Her voice quivers over sparse basslines, crossing the lines between folk, rock, and pop music. It’s slow and meticulous, stressing the emotion of every syllable. When Tether chooses to expand into something greater, it becomes triumphant, loose, a showcase of her talents. Her belts on album closer “Believer” are otherworldly, while the refrain “Can I be lonely here with you” is so effective in its passion to bring you closer into her world. For a debut album, Tether is as self-assured as they come, a miraculous feat for the artist.

Picks by Andrew Fuente ‘29

Album of the Year: Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You by Ethel Cain

On Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You, Ethel Cain intertwines slow folk with synth beats and haunting guitar melodies. Songs like “Radio Towers” and “Waco, Texas” provide ample ambience to immerse you in the Southern Gothic epic that is Ethel Cain’s tragic story. With a more upbeat and alt-rock feel, “Fuck Me Eyes” is a tale of a small-town girl who has lost herself in frivolous teenage antics. In contrast, “Dust Bowl” has an iconic bass drop that can only be compared to an explosion of flame or sonic boom of euphoric electric guitar. The piece is the perfect prequel to Preacher’s Daughter and completes the story of Ethel’s fateful tale. It explores complex relationships with love and death, desire and acceptance, and betrayal in a cruel world, and is a sublime encapsulation of a scenario familiar enough to envision but far enough away to fantasize. The album is uniquely genuine and accessible to the listener: a balance of natural and synthesized sounds that create an ethereal haven to lose yourself in. This album is a great representation of driving through farmland on a Thursday night in late August, so bookmark it for your next “thought daughter” summer evening!

Song of the Year: “Money Is Everything” by Addison Rae

As one of many hits from her debut album, Addison, “Money Is Everything” captures the essence of youth and chasing that bag! On a real note, the track is an anthem of independence and the evanescence of life. Rae repeatedly asks, “Can’t a girl have fun?” The song accurately portrays the sounds of young adulthood, living in the moment, and having a good time. Something unconventional that Rae does is reference current music icons as idyllic models. For instance, Rae urges, “Wanna roll one with Lana, get high with Gaga.” Her mention of them is significant because Lana is a renowned icon for her emphasis on embracing being young and having fun, tossing cares to the wind. She connects to the ways that current teens look up to these pop goddesses as symbols of youth, success, and wildness. At the end of the day, “Money is Everything” is the manifestation of “live fast, die young” and “yolo”, so listen to the song and live a little! The song perfectly describes a Friday night out, digi-cam in hand, and a sweet treat promised at the end of your weekend sidequests.

Underrated Album: Fancy Some More? by PinkPantheress

I am a total sucker for a remix album, speaking as a former Brat and It’s Completely Different but Also Still Brat diehard fan, but PinkPantheress has amplified the vibes of her already glorious tracks from Fancy That. It is underrated for several reasons, but most easily because it was released relatively recently on October 10th, 2025. Furthermore, the album has multiple remixes of the original songs, featuring a large breadth of artists and DJs. Some of my favorite features on the album include Anitta on “Illegal,” JT on “Noises,” Bladee on “Stateside,” and Zara Larsson on “Stateside.” While Fancy Some More? lives in the shadow of the original album’s hits like “Illegal” and “Stateside,” the album hosts a range of feelings, from slow-pop vibes to hype club-style remixes. The album is a great representation of a Saturday night from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m., so give it a listen next weekend!

Picks by Lucas Pham ‘27

Album of the Year: Why Not More? by Coco Jones

Coco Jones earned well-deserved acclaim for her debut project What I Didn’t Tell You, but she deserves even more recognition for Why Not More?. “Taste,” an outstanding lead single, brilliantly uses its Britney sample without feeling derivative, showcasing Jones’s ability to blend nostalgia with fresh R&B sensibilities.Her vocals throughout the album are exceptional, and she explores a diverse range of R&B styles with confidence and ease. I especially love “Keep It Quiet” as the opening track -- its poignant, minimalist instrumental pulls you in instantly, and the audio engineering is incredibly crisp and immersive. “Forever Don’t Hit Like Before” is a beautiful, emotional closer that moves me every time I hear it. Jones’s raw, expressive vocal delivery throughout the album makes the project feel intimate and fully realized. Why Not More? delivers everything you could ask for in a contemporary R&B album. The Grammys better give her the win for Best R&B Album.

Song of the Year: “Revolving Door” by Tate McRae

“Revolving Door” takes the listener on a full emotional arc, with each verse building tension that finally resolves in the outro. It’s pop songwriting at its finest. The airy falsettos and the hollow, echoing pre-chorus create a sense of space before the chorus arrives, packed with layered background vocals that make the hook feel expansive and irresistible. The track delivers everything you’d want from a great pop song: tight storytelling, emotionally resonant lyrics, and drums that are impossible not to move to. “Revolving Door” is Tate McRae at her most dynamic, offering one of the year’s most compelling pop releases.

Underrated Album: Sugar Honey Iced Tea by Latto

While Sugar Honey Iced Tea isn’t a flawless album, it absolutely deserves more recognition than it received. Latto delivers several standout solo tracks -- “H&M” and “Liquor” in particular -- that are sharp, memorable, and showcase her playful yet confident rap style. What really makes this project shine, though, are the features. “Ear Candy” with Coco Jones and “Look What You Did” with Mariah the Scientist are gorgeous fusions of rap and R&B, highlighting Latto’s versatility and chemistry with vocalists. Meanwhile, “Squeeze” with Megan Thee Stallion and “Good 2 U” with Ciara are pure fun -- tracks that feel like they should have been major hits but remain surprisingly under-streamed and under-recognized. Latto brought a refreshing energy and cleverness to this album, and it’s a shame it didn’t receive more acknowledgment. Sugar Honey Iced Tea is full of personality, strong collaborations, and moments that deserve far more attention. In my eyes, she is the Nicki successor that the world has been waiting for...

Picks by Grace Gongoleski ‘27

Album of the Year: Bleeds by Wednesday

Bleeds is Wednesday’s sixth studio album, blending elements of shoegaze, grunge, and country into what the band has called “Creek Rock.” This album has it all, from songs like “Wasp,” which is dominated by noisy lo-fi guitar and screamed lyrics, to tender twangy tracks like “Elderberry Wine” that expose scenes from lead singer Karly Hartzman’s failed relationships. I was initially drawn to the album because of the song “Phish Pepsi,” with its melodic hooks and southern-soaked sound that stood out from modern alternative rock. I was also drawn in by the rawness of the lyrics. Rather than romanticise rural town life, they present a sometimes unattractive but very real depiction of these experiences. In “Bitter Everyday,” Hartzman’s delightfully off-kilter voice conjures images of “grocery store sushi” and “potpourri dead smell of a stagnant creek.” These somewhat unappealing images transport a listener to Wednesday’s world, contributing to the vivid angst of each song’s story. It takes guts to spill such emotion, but it pays off, creating an album that captures the varied ways frustration and discontent can present themselves, from loud violence to gentle disappointment. Bleeds isn’t bound by a single idea of emotion, and instead depicts these complexities through anecdotal experiences and varying sound.

Song of the Year: “Au Pays Du Cocaine” by Geese

There’s no doubt that Geese is one of the breakout bands of the year. Their new album, Getting Killed, has breathed life into rock music, ushering in a fresh sound and sometimes nonsensical lyrics. “Au Pays Du Cocaine” is one of the more mellow and inspirational tracks on the album. Winter reassures both himself and the listener by reiterating “you can be free,” “you can change,” and “it’s alright.” But this song does more than just reaffirm; its words truly speak to people. I realized the extent of this when I saw someone on Halloween dressed as a “sailor in a big green boat” – one of the song’s lyrics. I immediately went up to them and asked them if they were a Geese fan, to which they responded “Yes!” (though they were somewhat surprised that I recognized the costume). We shared a moment of appreciation for the band, and it was then that I was able to understand the universality of Geese. There’s somehow a general appeal in the nonsense and delivery of the lyrics; it’s something I can’t quite make sense of, but compels me (and others) to listen to again and again.

Most Underrated Album: Double Infinity by Big Thief

Big Thief’s first album as a trio is somewhat different than their other work, veering away from some of the gutwrenching lyrism of their past albums, while still maintaining the profundity in each verse. I initially wasn’t sold on this album, due to its mellowness and more atmospheric sound. But after further listening and seeing the album live, I was better able to understand the intended feeling of reassured insight. They are still the same band, just unafraid to age, or, as lead singer Adrianne Lenker puts it in the song “Incomprehensible,” “wrinkle like the river or sweeten like the dew.” It conveys a sense of wisdom, which is further emphasized by the album’s focus on aging and the passage of time. When Lenker sings “It’s alright, everything that happened, happened” on “Grandmother,” it’s almost as if some cosmic force is telling you that everything will work out. The album has an ethereal and spacious sound, capturing the joy of late summer. Each song creates a feeling and transports you to a place rather than telling a direct story. The band took a different approach to recording on this album, which included long improvised recording sessions and collaborations with other artists. It seems like Big Thief has found a new version of themselves on their album, accepted change, and is unafraid to grow into something new.

Picks by Alex Pearson ‘27

Album of the Year: Seeking Darkness by Huremic

Huremic is the newest alias of Korean shoegaze artist Parannoul; under this name, Huremic creates his most avant-garde project yet, with an hour-long song split into five parts called Seeking Darkness. What I appreciate most about the album is how it uses one song to encompass so many unique sounds without defaulting to genre conventions. Post-rock is one of the most oversaturated genres in contemporary music, but Seeking Darkness feels completely fresh. This originality might be due in part to Huremic being one of the few acclaimed post-rock musicians who isn’t a Euro-American white guy, but I digress. Characteristic of Korean shoegaze, Seeking Darkness is extremely noisy. The song contains several passages of his most raw and primal work, combining electronic noise, loud and commanding rhythms, and experimental rock instrumentation. That being said, it maintains its subtlety, with quieter sections containing layers of Korean folk music, unique samples, and his haunting vocals. The hodgepodge of unrelated musical elements I just described may seem like a recipe for an unlistenable mess, but the fact that Huremic is capable of bringing it all together so beautifully is why Seeking Darkness is not just my AOTY, nor is it just a 10/10, but it may just be my favorite album of the decade.

Song of the Year: “In Spite of Artillery” by at first, at first

“In Spite of Artillery” has convinced me that a brand-new screamo band has the potential to shape the future of the genre. Screamo is by no means foreign to intense slow burns and progressive song structure, but “In Spite of Artillery” moves in this direction without borrowing heavily from post-hardcore. It captures a unique evolution of screamo that may bring the genre back to the critical acclaim it has been lacking in recent years. The vocals are some of the best I’ve heard in a long time, the lyrics are visceral, and the songwriting elegantly amplifies the emotional delivery of the vocals and lyrics. By virtue of being screamo, the lyrics may be difficult to parse, so I will share my interpretation of them. The song begins by describing a horrible scene of warfare, but this is followed by a rejuvenation of the earth and the phrase “I’ve seen this, I promise,” indicating a prophetic figure describing the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s one of those songs where the vocalist supports those going through a depressive time in their lives by promising a better future and revealing they know so because they’ve been there themselves. It is certainly not the most original idea, but the execution is masterful.

Most Underrated Album: SIGNALIS: MEMORIES (Side B) by 1000 Eyes

Some might not call SIGNALIS: MEMORIES (Side B) underrated, considering it has been praised online on sites like Rate Your Music and Album of The Year, but there are a surprisingly low number of eyes on this project (ironic, given the name of the artist). To be fair, the lack of attention is likely because it is a bonus soundtrack with little to no promotion for a game about lesbian robots that came out three years ago. Still, the album contains incredible ambient electronic music that accompanies the characters within SIGNALIS extraordinarily well, while remaining excellent without context. With a runtime of only 21 minutes, it’s incredible how expansive each song feels. Ambient music is one of the harder genres to convey emotion through, but tracks like “Die Toteninsel (Shooting Stars)” are among the most deeply impactful I’ve heard all year. Having a short tracklist, it’s hard to have any misses, which is why every song on SIGNALIS: MEMORIES (Side B) is a highlight, and the project overall is nearly perfect. For that reason, I believe SIGNALIS: MEMORIES (Side B) to be the third-best album of the year and easily the most underrated.

Picks by Thomas Lu ‘27

Album of the Year: choke enough by Oklou

The neighborhood ice cream truck putters outside; there’s another disaster on TV. This is our digitized, desensitized everyday, and choke enough is both a product and keen observer of it. Its thirteen tracks capture the liminal feeling of living in an ever-connected world, where our physical reality is refracted through the Internet and back again. Oklou’s luminous, recombinant pop music meets this surreal moment, blending Baroque polyphony, Y2K pop, and modern electronics to conjure both childlike wonder (the lilting medieval flute in “thank you for recording”) and existential dread (the distant rumbling in “endless”). It all feels so alive: woodwinds wiggle like living organisms; synths glimmer like sunlight on water; vivid, textured lyrics abound. “Take me by the hand / when the crisis has no name,” Oklou commands, a beacon of disarming humanity in the center of it all.

Song of the Year: “DtMF” by Bad Bunny

“DtMF,” the lodestar of DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, feels like the best toast you’ve ever heard, because this toast is dedicated to an entire island. Bad Bunny turns a lover’s lament into a call to preserve Puerto Rican culture and sovereignty. In the process, he crafts the rare pop song that fulfills all the contradictory promises of what pop music can contain: the personal and the political, structural formalism and emotional expansiveness, batá drums and bright synths. A lesser song would have crumbled beneath this ambition, but “DtMF” feels weightless. “Debí tirar más fotos de cuando te tuve … Ojalá que los mío’ nunca se muden,” he sighs in the chorus. The song gradually expands; laughter, in-jokes, and chatter enter. In four rapturous minutes, levity mingles with loss. Such is life. Bad Bunny evokes it as very few artists can.

Underrated Album: Friend by James K

Friend is a pristine digital world unto itself, folding ambient, IDM, pop-rock, and trip-hop into James K’s electronic universe. In the album’s blissful dream logic, a jungle beat takes the place of a verse, the theme song to an anime television series is quoted wholesale, and a g-funk synth wiggles alongside Cocteau Twins-style guitars. James K floats through these soundscapes, enveloped in fog, singing impressionistic and sensual lyrics about love and control and selfhood. There’s a loose breakup narrative within this shimmering abstraction; two people struggle to understand themselves amidst the senseless scale of their emotions. Friend is the sound of dissolution: of genres, of relationships, of physical bodies. It surrenders to its own antigravity and is utterly free.