The Best Albums of 2025 So Far (Part 2)

A ranking and review of the top 100!

See No. 100 - 76 here!

#75: W24, Seize The Day 
Seize The Day is a trip through time for W24. It celebrates their past with the inclusion of older songs: “friend zone list” was written in 2018, and “Thought of you…” was written in 2019. It celebrates their present work ethic, as they are credited with writing, composing, and arranging the new songs. And it offers a glimpse of their future, since this is their first time incorporating a British-rock style into their work. Despite being under 20 minutes, this release sums up W24’s style and effectively entices new listeners to visit their past eras, because not only do they prove they can excite a crowd as much as they can leave them touched, but they prove they have had that skill for years! 

#74: LUCY, WAJANGCHANG
WAJANGCHANG benefits from its mix of maturity and immaturity. LUCY are childlike in all the best ways, depicting youth’s ups and downs through vibrant and frenetic animations in the “Hippo” music video. … As for the B-sides, they show LUCY’s range and skill at incorporating string instruments into pop formulas. … With WAJANGCHANG, LUCY show musical growth but act more juvenile than ever! Read more here!

#73: KickFlip, Kick Out, Flip Now! 
Whether pouting about responsibilities or fussing over lovesickness, Kick Out, Flip Now! stays loyal to the boy band’s youthful and naïve image. This branding could quickly grow stale, but KickFlip show they have what it takes to avoid that fate. First of all, they indicate a willingness to challenge themselves and expand their musical skills, by already getting hands-on on the production side. Second of all, they utilize the dual connotations of their band name. “KickFlip” refers to more than just a skateboarding move. Its other inherently youthful connotation is the willingness to try new things and get up after every fall. As they sing on “How We KickFlip,” “Even if I fall again / Let’s keep going until we get it right.” Those lines can double as the group’s enduring and energizing slogan. Read more here!

#72: BSS, TELEPARTY
TELEPARTY proves that the sequel can be better than the original! Described as a direct follow-up to SECOND WIND, the self-proclaimed “mind-readers and happiness-leaders” are back in “Fighting” form! ... Further proving this era represents an improved BSS are its new musical influences: “CBZ (Prime time)” has swing jazz and country elements; B-side “Happy Alone” has an expected message about discouraging overthinking but an unexpected New Jack Swing style; and the other B-side, “Love Song,” celebrates the joys of loving and living in a new-to-them, early-aughts-inspired way. Read more here!

#71: M.O.N.T, Somewhere Out There 
This four-track EP makes the most of every second and proves that M.O.N.T continue to one-up themselves. They thrive while performing the rollicking pop-rock jam “OMW,” a single about craving a fresh start. The restless desire to start anew remains in “Double Triple,” which uses a rolling-the-dice analogy to describe the rush they feel when taking chances. “SPEED” is a fitting acceleration of their audacity. They go from saying things like “Forget fear” to “Shut the hell up, don’t ask me where I’m going” and “I’m a pro / Don’t treat me like an amateur”! 

While the final track, “When Winter Comes,” brings the energy down and turns the mood more serious, its momentum remains swift enough for the pacing of the first three songs to not take too jarring of a plunge. And while Somewhere Out There would feel complete if it only had three songs, “When Winter Comes” justifies its presence by practicing what the group preaches about being willing to take unexpected detours!

#70: ATEEZ, GOLDEN HOUR : Part.3
Note: The repackaged version of this album, released in July, DEFINITELY boosted this album’s ranking; it will be much higher on the year-end list!

Frankly, ATEEZ’s best eras are their most high-energy and stadium-ready ones, like “WONDERLAND” and “Fireworks (I’m The One).” That being said, this laid-back comeback is worth appreciating, both for its lead single and the true-to-ATEEZ B-sides. The group’s go-tos that remain include MINGI’s “Fix on!” catch phrase, a tone-shifting outro, and genre-blending that balances chill vibes with higher-energy ones (a mix best reflected in the R&B/hip-hop “Lemon Drop”). 

After “Lemon Drop,” deeper and richer flavors emerge in “Masterpiece,” on which all eight members harmonize about life being a beautiful and never-ending art project; “Castle,” an imaginative take on the search for solace; the aforementioned conclusion, “Bridge : The Edge of Reality;” and the best of the bunch, “Now this house ain’t a home.” Read more here! 

#69: FIVE NEW OLD, FiNO is
FiNO is is enjoyable on its face. There is no doubt as to what they mean when they say things like “You know I’m feeling so good” (“Takes Two”), “Because I love you more” (“Moment”), “Know I’ll be there for you” (“Light Of Hope”), and “I am falling in love” (“Happy Sad”)! They reinforce their genuine enthusiasm particularly well in the bass-lined “Perfect Vacation” and the clap-along-ready “Takes Two.” Besides all of the likeable new tracks, FiNO is serves as a good band introduction for new fans because of its inclusion of many re-recordings. They are smartly spread out, keeping the listening experience new for fans of all levels of catalog familiarity. The lack of lyrical intrigue is compensated for not just with palpable enthusiasm, but with the editing of instrumental formulas. The spacing-out of guitars before their presence grows more reliable (like in “Happy Sad” and “Summertime”), impressive high-register moments (like in “Hallelujah”), the melodic ways they sing certain syllables (like the “ee”s in “Gotta belieeeeeve” in “Light Of Hope” and the “oooohs” in “Don’t Be Someone Else”)... It all contributes to a clear and convincing picture of FIVE NEW OLD as a band worthy of this opportunity to gain a new wave of recognition. 

#68: BOYNEXTDOOR, No Genre
As the album title suggests, this BOYNEXTDOOR era is defined by its disinterest in coming across in any particular way. It is not about thinking or doing as much as just being. As they put it in “I Feel Good,” “Meaning? Theme? Who needs stuff like that?”! They don’t overthink anything, for better and for worse! They do not choose their words carefully: “Get the hell outside, bruh!,” they yell in “I Feel Good;” “We just hate being lonely,” they admit as to why they won’t call a relationship off in “Next Mistake.” In addition to lacking tact, this group represents the “BOY” in “BOYNEXTDOOR” with the immature disposition that deep introspection is not ideal. Rather than look for life lessons to take from bad times, they would rather just grumble, as they do on the jealousy-focused “Is That True?” And rather than reflect on the deeper reason for a crush, their answer in “123-78” is simply, “I just like everything about her.” Their impatience is thematically appropriate, as is the fickleness of their genre leanings. 

None of this is to say that BOYNEXTDOOR sound like insolent nuisances! The prickliness is amusing, the songs stay mostly upbeat, and it is commendable for a group with a baked-in concept (given the band name) to stay surprising. Read more here!

#67: An Shinae, Dear LIFE 
Dear LIFE is an uplifting ode to free-spiritedness. An Shinae frames her biggest “flaws” as her biggest charms. In “Unconditional,” her being single makes her realize how much she enjoys her own company: “I used to wander, in search of someone new / But being friends with myself feels so good;” “As long as I live, you won’t ever flee / Love that always fell short now complete.” In “South to the West,” she describes fully embracing the “power” of her individuality and her roots in multiple places as the “elixir” that creates her power (“Born in Seoul but raised in nature / It’s a good mixture, my elixir”). The “South to the West” music video shows her living it up in a range of roles; her love of life is unconditional.

Dear LIFE does have its more vulnerable moments, but a message of self-worth stays the strongest one, thanks to reinforcement. “South to the West” alludes to not always being so confident, but she reassures herself that she can quickly regain the pep in her step if she “Work[s] hard and recharge[s].” And in “Unconditional,” she spends a lot of time listing things she loves about herself, drilling down on the helpful reminder that feeling inadequate ought to be temporary.

#66: Aimer, SCOPE 
In “SCOPE,” Aimer wonders how to decipher truths from imaginings, and the time spent “breaking apart empty theories” and “seiz[ing] the truth” are separated via an instrumental interlude. “yasashii butoukai” describes a scene that resides between those periods of discarding mirages and finding the actual truth: a moonlit ball with a moment of clarity that pierces through illusory veils (“Suddenly / In the melody of silence / The secret of the starry night / Softly rises to the surface”). In the powerful ballad “Utsukushii Sekai,” Aimer yearns to relive her Cinderella-esque recollection and return to that place where clarity and harmony is somehow found between fiction and nonfiction (“I sang over and over, my voice growing hoarse / For there is a dream I can never forget;” “I am still awake / Wanting to stay close to my dreams”). Another mid-song instrumental break stretches out this story, giving listeners time to process what Aimer is also still processing. SCOPE tells a deep and reality-bending tale in constructive, smartly-paced ways. 

#65: Ryokuoushoku Shakai, Channel U 
Channel U is akin to a collection of motivational speeches, encouraging people to harness the power to change and brighten their own thoughts. … This album is not solely about seizing the day and living loud. “Magic Hour” compares loving partners to fireworks and the water’s surface; the water is ready to reflect the best of the fireworks, and the two sometimes appear as if “Flickering together [into] the same shape.” “Ienai” talks about a “monochrome” world that is present after a loved one leaves it. “Be a flower” describes people as beautiful simply as they are, so there is no point in acquiring “prettily garnished vases” or other cosmetic changes. Even when not at their most exuberant, Ryokuoushoku Shakai offer novel ideas for seeing things in new lights. Read more here!

#64: Nana Mizuki, CONTEMPORARY EMOTION
This album has appeal for fans of both pop music overall and enthusiasts of specific pop sub-genres. Rather than say Nana Mizuki covers a spectrum from “bubblegum and highly-digitized pop” to “in-your-face pop-rock,” it makes more sense to say she mixes and matches those extremes, both with each other and with everything in between. Her album is best represented by a slider, not a pendulum; sonic switches do not take the form of jarring big swings, yet they still feel momentous. The always-shifting, colorful kaleidoscope that is this album could be an easily adaptable soundtrack for everything from a kitschy computer game to an action-packed anime. Beyond bringing to mind various media that it would be a great fit for, CONTEMPORARY EMOTION is admirable for its stimulating soundscapes. While fan favorites likely vary widely - and likely change often, as listeners replay these full and fast-paced tracks and pick up on new details while doing so - the songs deserving of the most love include “Moment of Truth” and (the aptly-titled!) “ADRENALIZED.”

#63: STU48, Chiheisen wo Miteiruka? Special Edition
This J-pop album has perpetual liveliness and orchestral flair in spades. “Chiheisen wo Miteiruka?” is a case study in orchestral pop done right, and it has thought-provoking framing of its messages about perseverance and chasing dreams. The B-sides have similar strengths: relatable messages for younger generations accompanied by big, bold soundscapes. As they sing about wanting to make their mark on the world, their music does just that. Besides the title track, the best song is the one that offers the most fun time and the most personality, “Mafuyu no Pool”!

#62: LE SSERAFIM, HOT
Besides the parallels between HOT and EASY and HOT and CRAZY, some can be drawn among all three, most notably the theme of “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” The EASY era is all about making the most of the “good bones” life has given LE SSERAFIM, and their “Swan Song” includes the line “Even if I doubt, it blooms with flame[s].” The CRAZY era’s main track has lyrics like “We know we will go blind, but we still give the sun a kiss.” And HOT is about letting their inner flames burn brighter and brighter, even to the point of becoming “mounds of ash.” They describe themselves as phoenixes in “HOT,” and they sing in “Ash,” “The more I hurt, the more I feel alive.” ... In addition to many through-lines, the HOT era shows a brand new side of LE SSERAFIM, especially thanks to “Come Over.” Read more here!

#61: MARK, The Firstfruit 
While The Firstfruit is split into four chapters, each one telling a part of MARK’s life story based in a different city, it can also be seen as a three-part story. Part one reflects on MARK’s early years in Toronto, part two covers his elementary years in New York City, part three is about his subsequent time in Vancouver, and part four is about his move to Seoul to become a K-pop star. But during the “New York City” chapter and continuing into the “Vancouver” one, MARK veers away from being autobiographical. He explores his memories through others’ shoes, as TV and movie characters. … MARK seems to be of the mind that “If I’m going to tell my life story, I’d better tell it with the most vivid details possible,” and comparisons to fictional stories help him do that. At the same time, the purpose of his recollections is self-serving - which is not a bad thing! He comes across as less interested in being relatable to the masses and more interested in re-familiarizing himself with the specific things, people, and places that have shaped him. Read more here!

#60: ALL(H)OURS, Smoke Point
Smoke Point is a fittingly fiery project! “GIMME GIMME” is a contagious adrenaline rush, with an unrelenting sense of urgency. One of the lyrics is “WE GOTTA GO,” and the other songs respond accordingly; they waste no time transitioning from one style to the next. “Kings & Queens” throws R&B, hip-hop, and more at the wall and gets them all to somehow stick. That mega genre hybrid is followed by the glitchy, noisy “Freaky Fresh.” The two other tracks, “Smoke Point” and “Graffiti,” are funky in their own ways; the former builds on a New Jack Swing foundation, and the latter takes inspiration from 90’s techno. Smoke Point is proof that ALL(H)OURS are ready and willing to mix things up without any sense of obligation to pace themselves while doing so. 

#59: 20th Century Boy’z, DEBUT
This DEBUT is no soft landing and is better off for it! The underrated duo’s mission seems to be “Introduce ourselves to the world in a no-holds-barred way,” and the electronic-laced pop/rock jams nail it. “JUMP OFF” immediately fires on all cylinders, and the “ready to rage” attitude stays up until the disarmingly gentle finale (“ONLY U”). Before that, the music stays explosive. Screaming along is especially in order during “HYSTERIA 444,” although it’s hard to match their stamina! The best song is “MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS.” Its intensity unexpectedly declines for a delicate moment, but after resuming rousing rock, the next verse has added rawness, as if needing to overcompensate for the moment of fragility! 

#58: Kai Band, Noir Midnight
This rock album stays ambitiously on-the-move. It confounds and compels by conjuring images of specific times and places that are never the anticipated ones. An extra guitar layer here, an extra vocal layer there, pitch changes, disarming sound/lyric contrasts (like in the upbeat “Blood in the Street”!)... It all adds up to an elusive yet explicit equation, a musical presence that has certainty and feigned spontaneity. The main takeaway after listening to this album is that Kai Band know what they can do and do it not just well, but while being down to add new elements to it in real time. Adding to the awe are the ways they tend to produce the most easily stuck-in-your-head aspects of songs through sounds, as opposed to through lyrics or onomatopoeia. 

#57: Jin, Echo
Soft reverb, live instruments, and melodies on which Jin’s voice effortlessly glides are just a few of the many highlights throughout Echo. The songs are well-crafted and make up for simplistic lyricism with detailed instrumentals. Jin gets right to the point, crooning through the self-explanatory “Don’t Say You Love Me” and “Nothing Without Your Love.” Two other similarly straightforward songs: “To Me, Today,” a self-reminder to live in the here and now, and a song about feeling relegated to a “Background” actor in a loved one’s life. Jin has the necessary voice for taking these songs to the next level, but the real can’t-miss gems are the ones that play it less safe. “Loser” is a head-turning glam-metal twist for both Jin and collaborator YENA, and they fully get into character as a couple having a heated argument! “Rope It” is another admirable toss in the dark for Jin; it’s his first time trying country-rock. The third new-to-Jin song is “With the Clouds,” with an atypical structure in terms of both tempo and formatting. Echo has many flavors and hopefully encourages Jin to keep exploring his vast musical tastes. 

#56: Mei Semones, Animaru 
Animaru is relentlessly quirky. Each song is associated with an animal, and one of them is a fictional, multi-colored creature that can best be described as an avant-garde mouse! The animal theme lends itself to imaginative lyrics, and while there are some of those, Mei Semones often speaks plainly instead, while keeping the sound anything but. … The best overall arrangement is in “Donguri,” but the most impactful song is the final one, “Sasayaku Sakebu.” Its title translates to “Whisper Shout,” which matches the personality-related distance between its choruses and verses. Some of her last words are “I will yell, this is my melody / It means something / It’s all I have.” It is a blunt yet thought-provoking note to end on, a matter-of-fact statement that concludes an unpredictable sonic journey. Read more here!

#55: CLOSE YOUR EYES, ETERNALT
ETERNALT is the soundtrack for a lucid landscape to which one can always mentally retreat. When it does not conjure up an image of peacefully napping in a field, it conjures up the sensation of smiling and clapping through a campfire sing-along with friends. Unison, angelic videos and instruments lull and keep listeners in a state of contentment, and romantic lyrics and moments of voices growing faint add to the dreamy atmosphere. The songs offer the experience of gently awakening, as a good dream slips out of one’s memory to the point where its details become fuzzy, but one thing stays clear: It was indeed a good dream! A debut teaser trailer describes this group’s essence well: Their music is for “the end of a youthful journey” where a “moment fades” but “Eternity never sleeps.” That simultaneous certainty in the fleeting nature of the present and in its essence lingering suitably summarizes the group name “CLOSE YOUR EYES”!

#54: Julia Peng, Incompletely Fully Grown
Julia Peng treats her voice like the adaptable instrument it is. It reverberates, gets amplified, retreats, changes keys, and plays ping-pong with instruments throughout this album. There is variety in instruments besides her voice, too, and piano ballads (“Unfairness,” “Attachment,” “When I Fall in Love,” “Every Way of Love”) come before and after livelier offerings (like “I’m Lucky Enough” and “Hide and Seek”). All the while, she assesses her past with good-faith efforts and good-natured self-deprecation. Read more here!  

#53: f5ve, SEQUENCE 01
SEQUENCE 01 is a glitchy, hyper-pop whirlwind with corresponding bite-size music videos. But while f5ve adhere to current trends, they also stay true to their roots. “Underground” sounds straight out of the 80’s/90’s Japanese dance music scene. “UFO” has punny lyrics about gachapon, a Japanese toy, and its music video location is one that is considered the J-pop idol scene’s original turf. The Japanese “Rika-chan” fashion doll is referenced in “Television.” And the J-pop sonic influences in “Real Girl” and “Jump” are evident. The videos pair nostalgia with newness, too… Read more here! 

#52: COOING, DREAMER
In DREAMER, reality checks and anecdotes from dreams commingle, as COOING sings mellifluously about someone she would be better off leaving in the past. “Even knowing it’s a lie, I fall for it again and again,” she admits in “half-moon,” a song about being blinded by the moon’s bright light and therefore not seeing a relationship clearly. Now that she is single again, she can see better but feels like a piece of her is gone. She sings about the same mix of relief and grief post-breakup in “PSYCHO,” admitting she “just call[ed] it ‘love’ to ease [her] mind.” She further recognizes that she has been “living the lies” in “Masquerade,” which is about her “entire life [having been] lost” behind veils of deception. The “PSYCHO” music video speaks to her ambivalence... Read more here!

#51: THE BACK HORN, Shinainaruanatahe
The ethos of Shinainaruanatahe is summed up right away on the first and main track: “I’ll put my overflowing feelings into music / And make the roar of life resonate now.” Indeed, each song screams its message, metaphorically, whether that is frustration at feeling like a cog in a machine on the job (“Junk Worker”) or relief at the dawn of a new day (“Hikari to Synergy”). While the songs have a commonality in their “unflinching venting session” nature, they run a wide gamut sonically. “Shuraba” has the most personality, with an inflection that changes as the song does. “Toumei Ningen” stands out for the rising-action feeling in its guitar-playing. “Mayday” is memorable for its joyful chanting; rousing drums define “Sun Goes Down;” “Tsuki No Blues” is a piano-focused song apt for chill days at home; and the album has a two-part conclusion that returns to boisterousness, with “Timelapse” and “Asu Sekai Ga Owarutoshitemo.” The other song is “Saigoni Nokorumono,” which has the overall highest-quality production and greatest likelihood of getting stuck in listeners’ heads.

Stay tuned for the rest of the countdown!

View the Substack version of this piece here!