Musically, 2025 has been slightly underwhelming. However, there have been some important albums this year that have shaped industry standards and left a mark on listeners’ psyches.
Latin artist Bad Bunnyreleased his sixth studio album, “DeBí TiRAR MáS FOToS” on Jan. 23. As one of the biggest global artists right now, he rose to prominence with his reggaeton style and pop appeal.
Bad Bunny could have kept producing in that lucrative style, but he opted to pivot. The album uses elements of dembow and salsa, allowing Bad Bunny to reach new demographics. Although the album initially seems to be about an ex, it becomes clear that the ex is his home island of Puerto Rico.
He is currently on tour, notably avoiding the U.S., but he will be on the mainland Feb. 8, 2026, to perform Super Bowl LX’s halftime show in San Francisco.
Kicking off the summer June 27, Lorde put out her fourth studio album, “Virgin.” She returned to her original musical style after a pivot to acoustic pop on her previous album, “Solar Power.”
This is an incredibly vulnerable album, starting with the album cover of an X-ray of a pelvis, with an IUD visible.
The vulnerability is immediately heard in the opener, “Hammer,” where Lorde sings, “Some days, I'm a woman, some days, I'm a man.”
She is currently on her Ultrasound World Tour, which is set to finish in February 2026.
After 16 years away, brothers Pusha T and Malice reunited under the Clipse moniker for the pair’s fourth studio album, “Let God Sort Em Out.”
The duo broke through with its coke rap in the early 2000s, a sound Pusha T carried into his solo career.
However, this album showcases the maturity gained over the group’s 16 years away. The first song, “The Birds Don’t Sing,” is a heartfelt tribute to both of their late parents. “All Things Considered” sees Pusha T reflecting on a miscarriage he and his wife experienced.
Clipse has been performing this album mainly at festivals and larger group shows, including a performance in Vatican City at the “Grace for the World” concert.
Continuing his venture into more R&B-influenced sounds, Justin Bieber dropped “SWAG” on July 11. This was then followed up by a second half to the album “SWAG II.”
The album showcases the evolution Bieber has undergone in the past decade. There are more signs of him being a full-fledged adult and having escaped the teen pop idol moniker.
While “SWAG” is pretty boring aside from some fun songs like “DAISIES,” “SWAG II” lacks even more. Initially, the songs seem to be tracks left off of “SWAG,” and it makes sense why. They’re even more boring and showcase more underwhelming performances from Bieber.
Bieber is headlining day 2 of Coachella in April of 2026.
However, there is one more important album fans were waiting for. Originally announced on her partner Travis Kelce’s podcast New Heights, Taylor Swift released her 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” on Oct. 3.
Swift appears significantly happier than in her previous “Tortured Poet’s Department,” because of her engagement to Kelce. This is also much shorter, coming in at 41 minutes over 12 songs.
Swift blends pop and melancholy to make the worst of both worlds. The poetry is not as deep and includes some emotional lines that seem misplaced.
The poorly executed pop is highlighted by the song “Wood,” which is full of metaphors about Kelce’s genitalia.
Swift has not announced a tour yet for this album andsharedshe doesn’t plan to tour again after the exhaustion of her multi-year-long Eras Tour.
Although the albums are all very different in topic and style, they are anchored by their vulnerability and artists’ shifts, making them the most important albums of 2025, so far.
"Debí Tirar Más Fotos"
Best: “DtMF"
Worst: “EoO”
Overall: 9.5/10
“Virgin"
Best: “Favourite Daughter"
Worst: “If She Could See Me Now"
Overall: 10/10
"Let God Sort Em Out"
Best: “Birds don’t sing"
Worst: “So far ahead"
Overall: 9/10
"SWAG”
Best: “DEVOTION”
Worst: “DADZ LOVE"
Overall: 4.5/10
"SWAG II”
Best: "MOTHER IN YOU,"
Worst: "WHEN IT'S OVER,"
Overall: 4/10
“The Life of a Showgirl"
Best: “Opalite"
Worst: “Wood"
Overall: 5/10
