It’s been a big year for music, with artists across genres delivering albums that feel deeply personal, boldly experimental, and everything in between. But with so many standout releases, figuring out where to start or what’s worth revisiting can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re craving something fresh, meaningful, and lasting.
That’s where a thoughtfully chosen album can make all the difference. Whether you’re shopping for a lifelong music lover or hoping to discover something new for yourself, these 10 albums stand out for their ability to resonate long after the final track. From tender explorations of love and heartache to groove-heavy records built for movement and joy, these are the albums worth adding to your life this holiday season.
Lily Allen, “West End Girl”
Listening to “West End Girl” feels less like pressing play on an album and more like settling in for an hour-long voice memo from a close friend who finally decided to tell you everything. The divorce, the disappointment, the anger, the self-reflection, the moments of humor that sneak in when the pain gets too heavy. Lily Allen has always had a gift for brutal honesty, but here it lands with a new kind of intimacy. You’re not just hearing the story. You’re getting the tea, the receipts, and the quiet moments in between when the dust is still settling. What makes “West End Girl” so affecting is how deeply relatable it is, especially for women who have had to rebuild themselves after betrayal. Allen doesn’t sugarcoat the messiness of heartbreak, but she also doesn’t wallow in it. Instead, she turns vulnerability into connection, weaving sharp observations with emotional clarity and self-awareness. There’s comfort in how plainly she speaks, in the way she admits confusion, anger, grief, and growth all at once. It’s an album that reminds you that surviving heartbreak doesn’t require perfection.
— Holly Alvarado
Bad Bunny, “Debí Tirar Mas Fotós”
Even though this album was released at the beginning of this year, in January, “Debí Tirar Mas Fotós” remains as prevalent as it was when it debuted. Bad Bunny’s sixth studio album draws on Puerto Rico’s iconic musical contributions, spanning plena, bomba, and ‘70s salsa, with elements of música jíbara, bachata, and dembow, to create something sure to get your hips shaking, whether you speak Spanish or not. Bad Bunny combines these cornerstones of culture to tell a political and personal story of watching his home island slip away, as in “Lo Que Le Pasó A Hawaii,” which expresses fear of gentrification and a shrinking native population at the hands of corporate interests. The music in this album is a mantra for boricuas everywhere and has inspired other Latino fans to stand proud of their heritage in the face of adversity—all while celebrating generations of music that hold firm in the present. The album debuted at number 1 in January, and followed up with a summer’s blockbuster residency in Puerto Rico that bolstered the island’s economy and followed with a world tour, which didn’t include any American stops, that is, until it was announced he would headline Super Bowl LX.
— Charlie Vargas
SEE ALSO: Latin superstar Bad Bunny will headline the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show
Olivia Dean, “The Art of Loving”
Olivia Dean’s “The Art of Loving” is the kind of tender record that feels like a deep exhale, made for the sensitive souls who love hard and feel everything. She traces the stories of love in full color, not just the sweet moments, but the inner turbulence too: the spirals of “am i too much?” and “why do i feel not enough?” and the quiet work of coming back to yourself. What makes this album land is how gently it guides you toward the truth that love is an ebb and flow, and that in the end, you are your own home. For young women moving through heartbreak, letting go, and trusting there’s something better on the horizon, this one meets you right where you are and leaves you a little steadier.
— Holly Alvarado
Lady Gaga, “Mayhem”
Lady Gaga‘s sixth solo album finds her returning to the dance-pop that launched her stardom with the release of her 2008 debut “The Fame.” Songs such as “Disease,” “Abracadabra,” and “Garden of Eden,” which open the record, layer soaring vocals of dance rhythms. “Zombieboy” is Lady in her signature weirdo mode, while “Vanish Into You” is Gaga the power balladeer. Give it to anyone who wants to dance to songs more than vibes.
— Peter Larsen
SEE ALSO: Coachella 2025: Lady Gaga delivers a dazzling Coachella performance for the ages
Geese, “Getting Killed”
Not much out there sounded like Geese in 2025. The New York City quartet fronted by singer-guitarist Cameron Winter creates a glorious racket with oddball arrangements that slide from Winter’s crooning warble into an end-of-the-world clash and clamor on opener “Trinidad” to gentler balladry on “Cobra” and “Au Pay du Cocaine.” It’s aggressive, beautiful, artful, raw. It’s the rock and roll for the times we live in. Perfect for anyone whose ears are open to experimental beauties.
— Peter Larsen
SEE ALSO: The 30 best Southern California concerts and festival sets of 2025
Rosalía, “Lux”
There are a few people in my life who appreciate classical and operatic music, but I often feel they miss out on much contemporary music by listening only to composers from the past. Rosalía’s “Lux” is the perfect bridge to the traditional and modern-day genre experimentation. I wouldn’t say this album doesn’t sound anything like her past work, because she’s hinted at her vocal range in past albums, but this one fully embraces it. She sings in 14 different languages and delivers personal songs with operatic tones that will give you goosebumps. She also blends genres such as waltz with Música Mexicana, in collaboration with Yahritza y su Esencia. Other collaborations include Björk and Yves Tumor. The album is a snapshot of Rosalía’s spiritual transformation as both an artist and a person. It’s vulnerable and resembles the tradition of opera, in which stories are told through emotional experiences of love, tragedy, and power struggles, in a heightened reality.
— Charlie Vargas
SEE ALSO: Rosalía announces 2026 LUX Tour with Inglewood stop at the Kia Forum
Mavis Staples, “Sad and Beautiful World”
God bless and protect Mavis Staples, whose powerful R&B and soul vocals and impeccable song interpretations deliver a whole lot of love and humanity on “Sad and Beautiful World.” Now 86, the former lead singer in the Staples Singers will still take you there with songs that include covers of songs including Tom Waits’ “Chicago,” Gillian Welch and David Rawlings’ “Hard Times,” Frank Ocean’s “Godspeed,” and Leonard Cohen’s “Anthem.” Best of all might be “Human Mind,” an original song written for her by Hozier and Allison Russell, which perfectly captures the love and hope she’s embodied in 70 years of music. Do you have a heart and need a little hope in hard times? This one’s for you.
— Peter Larsen
Turnstile, “Never Enough”
When it comes to hardcore music, fans and musicians can sometimes get caught up in all the technicalities of what makes an album sound hardcore. Every so often, a band comes along that just doesn’t care and ventures out to let music come naturally, and in this case, Turnstile delivered with “Never Enough.” If you have the pleasure of attending a Turnstile show, you will likely run into people from all walks of life, reflecting the broad appeal this album has achieved since its release. Turnstile has never been shy about experimenting with different music and instrumentation, whether that means Latin or African-inspired beats between breakdowns. “Never Enough” is a vibrant and melodic evolution of their hardcore sound, blending dream-pop, New Wave, and rock. This is an album for the people who still hang on to their ‘80s punk bands with one hand and keep the other hand open for the possibilities of what can be built from those traditions.
— Charlie Vargas
(Photo courtesy of Columbia Records)
Tyler, The Creator, “Don’t Tap The Glass”
“Don’t Tap The Glass” finds Tyler, The Creator fully leaning into movement, rhythm, and nostalgia, drawing on ’80s and ’90s dance, funk, house, and early club music to create something playful and alive. The record favors feeling over overthinking, built on pulsing synths, bass-heavy grooves, and an energy that asks you to get up, not scroll. It’s a reminder that music doesn’t always need to be dissected. Sometimes it just needs to be felt, making this a perfect pick for listeners who love retro influences, dance floors, and letting go for a moment.
— Holly Alvarado
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Wednesday, “Bleeds”
The North Carolina alternative rock delivers a Southern gothic classic on “Bleeds” with songs that conjure the feeling of real lives unfolding in the fields, hollers, and small towns of their home state. “Townies” captures the boredom, joy and regrets of teenagers in the wild. “Elderberry Wine” is a gorgeous heartbreaker of wanting more, getting less, and it’s all fine. “Gary’s II” delivers a complete Southern noir in 2 minutes and 35 seconds, the tale of how Gary ended up with dentures at 33 – just listen, you’ll get it. This one works great for anyone who reads Southern lit to the accompaniment of lap steel and indie rock guitars moaning and groaning.
— Peter Larsen