Bad Bunny, Taylor Swift, Lily Allen, Biffy Clyro… whatever genre of music you listen to, there was an incredible new album of music in 2025.
The year began with Bad Bunny dropping his now Grammy-nominated sixth studio album before British folk band Mumford and Sons returned with their first album in seven years. The summer was for the pop girlies with Addison Rae and Lady Gaga giving us earworms that wouldn't leave us alone, before Taylor returned to dominate the fall with her 12th album, which saw her reunite with Max Martin and Shellback for the first time in almost a decade.
But it was perhaps Lily Allen who shocked the industry when she released West End Girl, a stunning reflection on the breakdown of her marriage to David Harbour that offered explicit insight into the inner workings of their relationship.
To wrap up the last 12 months, HELLO!'s staff have come together to pick their favorite albums of the year. Take a look – and let us know what you think….
© Mert Alas & Marcus PiggottTaylor Swift — The Life of a Showgirl
It's an objective fact that Taylor Swift is the biggest pop star in the world, and so her 12th studio album The Life of a Showgirl came with a lot of external pressure.
Yet in this succinct 12 track record, Taylor sheds the weight of expectations as she sings about being saved from a life of melancholy by a man who finally understands her, ("The Fate of Ophelia," an ode to her now-fiance Travis Kelce), finding a love she has been describing in her lyrics for years (Wi$h Li$t," an ode to building a life with now-fiance Travis Kelce), and breaking free of the superstitions she believed in ("Wood," an ode to her now-fiance Travis Kelce's genitalia).
The album may have been divisive with critics and fans, but it stands as a cornerstone for the end of an era for the pop star, and I can't wait to see where she goes next.
— Rebecca Lewis, US Correspondent
Bad Bunny — DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS
Bad Bunny's new album DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS has been on repeat on my Spotify since the moment it dropped, and I genuinely love every track.
From start to finish, the album feels fun and replay-worthy. I listen to it at any time of day. When he was announced as the Super Bowl halftime performer, it just felt right. He's at the top of his game. And with his tour selling out next year? I already can't wait.
— Andrea Caamano, Website Editor
Lady Gaga — Mayhem
Lady Gaga's sixth studio album, Mayhem, might seem like just that to an outsider or a non-fan at first glance: a bit of chaos.
But the genius of it is in its controlled chaos, its ability to bring together a disparate variety of sounds and genres, from electro-dance on "Killah" to ballads like "Die With a Smile," and somehow make it the most seamless of packages.
From the moment she dropped "Abracadabra" at the Grammys this February, the Little Monsters knew we were in for a treat, and we received the most Gaga album since Born This Way…and every minute has been glorious.
— Ahad Sanwari, Assistant Editor
Mumford and Sons — Rushmere
Seven years after their last album, and after bouts of solo work and the departure of guitarist and banjoist Winston Marshall in 2021, Mumford and Sons returned in 2025 with Rushmere, an album we needed in a year of upheaval and global unrest.
Enveloping listeners in the confessional folk sounds reminiscent of their earlier work, the album was full of rousing, foot-stomping choruses and faithful optimism, reminding us why we fell in love with them in the first place.
— Rebecca Lewis, US correspondent
Hayley Williams — Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party
Hayley Williams raised a generation as the frontwoman of iconic pop-rock group, Paramore - but when she started releasing solo music in 2020, she experimented with sounds and styles fans of the band could never have expected.
Her third solo album, Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party, is a whopping 20 songs long, and sees her tap into a raw depth of sadness and rage like never before. It's the perfect album to scream along to in those long car rides, and on every listen, you’ll have a new favourite.
— Josh Osman, Junior Lifestyle Writer
Addison Rae — Addison
After her pop star debut with "Obsessed" in 2021, I had no real hope or faith in Addison Rae as a singer, to put it bluntly.
But never have I done a 180 as hard as I did when I heard "Diet Pepsi," what I like to call "Lana Del Rey, but good."
That gave us the singular masterpiece that was then Addison, a meticulous self-titled album that brought a lot of her TikTok sensibilities that I usually despise, the extra-ness, the danceable staccato, but mixed in a lot of her own experiences (and a lot of helpful synths) to make them personable, enjoyable, an Addison I can get behind and stan.
— Ahad Sanwari, Assistant Editor
Little Simz — Lotus
Experimental rapper Little Simz returned with her sixth album in 2025, and its blend of hip-hop, jazz, punk, and funk not only showcased her evolving talents and style but was also a clear response to the financial dispute she found herself in with former longtime collaborator Inflo.
Little Simz sued the producer for over $2million of loans he allegedly owed her, and although not a romantic break-up, the personal and at times uncomfortable lyrics cycled through grief, pressure, and faith, dissecting the end of a partnership in a way that felt authentic, personal, and yet also relevant to listeners.
— Rebecca Lewis, US Correspondent
Lily Allen — West End Girl
Lily Allen went silent on the music front for years, seemingly living a peaceful life in her idyllic New York townhouse. And when she returned, she came back with a bang.
West End Girl is a rage-filled, witty, and cathartic deconstruction of the downfall of her relationship with Stranger Things star David Harbour, that sees her try out everything from drum and bass to country and ballads.
It rightfully attracted a lot of attention for her typically direct lyricism and her venturing into exciting new sounds. But most importantly, it left us all asking the same question — who the [expletive] is Madeline?
— Josh Osman, Junior Lifestyle Writer
Biffy Clyro — Futique
Scottish band Biffy Clyro described their 10th studio album as "an exploration of ideas, objects or relationships that exist across time," traversing the band's own history across an introspective 11 tracks.
Sonically, it was classic Biff, with guitar riffs, lighter-waving rock ballads, and Bowie-esque melodies, delivering one of the band's most personal albums ever as they look towards the next 20 years.
— Rebecca Lewis, US Correspondent
