What we listened to in 2025

If streaming companies’ year-in-review campaigns have proven us something, it’s that we’ve spent a staggering period of time drowning out the hum of on a regular basis life with music, podcasts and audio collection. And with some unimaginable new releases this 12 months, we had been actually eatin’ good. Listed here are a number of the Engadget group’s favourite issues we listened to in 2025.

Spiritbox – Tsunami Sea

I grew to become conscious of Spiritbox in late 2024 shortly earlier than the band dropped its newest album, Tsunami Sea. On the time, I used to be in a deep Sleep Token section, and I don’t bear in mind how I stumbled upon Spiritbox, however I’m certain glad I did. Not realizing something concerning the band, I initially thought it had two singers: one for clear vocals and one other for the cruel, guttural screams.

Properly, I used to be improper. Vocalist Courtney LaPlante handles all of it, and she or he is a drive of nature. After studying of a brand new band, I do what any self-respecting music nerd does: I appeared up reside movies of them on YouTube. The best way LaPlante seamlessly transitions from ethereal, ambient singing to a number of the greatest growls you’ll hear in metallic music is easy. And after seeing Spiritbox reside in particular person earlier in December, I can attest to her means to persistently nail each vocal types for the whole lot of an hour-long set.

My infatuation with Spiritbox isn’t simply with the vocalist although. Guitarist Mike Stringer, LaPlante’s husband, additionally has loads of distinctive skills to supply. Stringer’s use of noise and whammy results in his riffs create a signature model, to not point out his mixture of nu-metal, djent and metalcore sensibilities. He additionally has a number of the thickest guitar tones I’ve ever heard reside, and I used to be mesmerized for the total set. Stringer’s guitar work on Tsunami Sea is a major instance of a  distinctive musician on the peak of his powers.

Tsunami Sea takes you on a trip. The primary two tracks are all-out ragers, and after a slight respite in “Excellent Soul” and “Hold Candy,” the album’s greatest tune comes fifth. I’ve heard LaPlante dedicate it to “all of the folks I like to fucking hate,” and it’s clearly written about her enemies. It’s additionally the right instance of what this band is able to. It’s three minutes of LaPlante’s screams interlaced with loads of Stringer’s trademark guitar work.

The remainder of the album showcases the band’s means to mix dynamics, with “No Loss, No Love” and “Journey The Wave” offering the highlights on the again half of the file. The album’s title monitor is a good car for LaPlante’s clear vocals, serving because the introduction to the album’s second act. Should you’ve been enamored with Sleep Token this 12 months like I’ve, give Spiritbox a go — you received’t be sorry you probably did. — Billy Steele, Deputy Editor, Critiques

Bandsplain

I didn’t uncover Bandsplain in 2025, however I undoubtedly listened to it greater than another podcast when it comes to whole time spent. Positive, that’s as a result of most episodes are over three hours lengthy, however I digress. Host Yasi Salek does a deep dive on “cult bands and iconic artists” to… ahem, bandsplain why folks love them. There’s a deep catalog of again episodes, so there’s certain to be an in-depth evaluation of a band you’re acquainted with. However even should you suppose you understand an artist, I’m keen to guess Salek will expose components of the story you weren’t conscious of.

Jimmy Eat World’s Readability is a prime 5 all-timer for me, and Salek had loads to supply concerning the narrative round that album I didn’t know. Her grunge collection from 2024 was a historical past lesson I want I’d had in center faculty once I first found Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and the remainder of the lot. An older episode about 9 Inch Nails served because the primer for me seeing the band reside for the primary time in September. And that’s the factor concerning the present: the again catalog holds up. Should you’re ready for the subsequent installment to drop, there’s actually one thing within the archives you’ll take pleasure in.

No shade to Salek’s colleagues at The Ringer, however the most effective episodes of Bandsplain are when the visitor is a musician. Thursday entrance man Geoff Rickly was glorious on that 9 Inch Nails episode, and Demise Cab for Cutie singer Ben Gibbard had me on the sting of my seat when he was on to debate The La’s — a band I’d by no means heard of earlier than. I’d additionally extremely suggest the episodes on Oasis and the newer one on Alanis Morissette. However, actually, you may’t go improper ranging from anyplace on the episode listing. — B.S.

Lucy Dacus – Without end is a Feeling

I bear in mind being a young person and listening to from an grownup that they didn’t religiously hunt down, analysis, consider and introduce new bands and songs into their lives as if all existence would stop with out the life-sustaining power of recent music. I used to be confused, involved and rattling certain that wouldn’t occur to me.

You understand the place this story goes: Job. Child. Home. Partner. Pets that may die if I don’t feed, stroll, play with and/or medicate them. I enable the algorithm to feed me new songs however not often does one thing stick, so I find yourself listening to tracks I bonded with in my teenagers and twenties.

This 12 months, Blossom & Bones, a three-day music pageant in Ghost Ranch, New Mexico, managed to push by means of the churn and lodge new music into my mind. Together with my child and a few pals, I camped amongst a number of the most lovely landscapes conceivable and ambled over to the stage every night for performances by Santigold, Ani DiFranco and a couple of dozen extra.

Lucy Dacus, one third of the indie group Boygenius, did a one-hour set with loads of songs from her newest album Without end is a Feeling. Listening to the songs for the primary time, I felt like I’d been listening to them for years. Lilting harmonies and layered strings create a stunning backdrop for Dacus’s velvet voice, however there’s a sharpness to her observations about relationships, rejection and intercourse. I’ve been looping the album ever since. — Amy Skorheim, Senior Reporter, Shopping for Recommendation

Blanco White – “So Sure” (single)

Early on the final live performance of the day at that very same pageant, Blanco White took the stage. Individuals had been aimlessly milling about and the solar hadn’t but set. Youngsters had been enjoying on the garden and the odor from the meals vans was intense, however I used to be enrapt by the 4 folks on stage. The unhappy violin and strummy guitars floated with the hand-beat drum out into the crimson hills. The music seemed like I felt: rooted and wrapped within the harsh fantastic thing about the desert and I used to be actually glad to take that residence with me. — A.S.

Martian Revolution 

Should you’re as large a nerd as I’m, you may know that Leo Tolstoy did not take into account Battle and Peace to be a novel. The story is what most individuals learn for, however within the writer’s thoughts, all of the drama was a parable for instance his grand concept of historical past.

Over the past 12 months, historical past podcaster Mike Duncan has achieved an identical feat utilizing a medium Tolstoy by no means imagined. Duncan’s Revolutions podcast has coated ten totally different revolutionary upheavals throughout historical past, beginning with the English Civil Battle and ending with the Russian Revolution. After wrapping up the Bolsheviks, Duncan took just a few episodes to recommend a grand concept of how revolutions unfold. For some time, it appeared like that was all we might get. Then, in the midst of 2024, he began posting unique sci-fi — with none indication that this story, which adopted future Martians revolting in opposition to their company overlords on Earth, was in any method totally different from the earlier ten seasons.

A part of what makes the Martian Revolution so glorious is Duncan’s deadpan supply. He by no means as soon as breaks character. He rattles off lists of fictional sources, apologizes for inaccuracies in prior episodes, and introduces made-up historic figures with the identical gravity he as soon as used to say George Washington or Simon Bolivar. Should you’re a fan of Revolutions, you may have a blast recognizing character archetypes. (Mabel Dore is the Liberal Noble! Timothy Werner is the Man of Blood!)

However the podcast is nice even should you’ve by no means listened to an episode of Revolutions. It has a wonderful grasp of character and a way of inevitable tragedy, however with moments of pleasure leavened all through. I actually hope we do not wind up within the megacorp-ruled way forward for the podcast, but when we do, it will be an incredible comfort if it will definitely seems the best way Duncan imagines. — Sam Chapman, Senior Author

Ron Gallo – Checkmate

My favourite artists are ones that shock me, and Ron Gallo is a grasp of reinvention. He is dabbled in absurdist punk, psychedelia, storage rock, Beatles-tinged pop and, now, stripped-down acoustic music. This isn’t a style I’m sometimes a fan of, Elliott Smith withstanding, however Checkmate is one thing particular. His lyrical prowess is off the charts right here, buying and selling his typical wordplay for easy and emotionally-gutting truisms about life, love and, effectively, the tip of the world.

In fact, the lyrics would not work if the songs weren’t good. The songs are superb. The title monitor is simply concerning the excellent love tune, with a major hook that will get misplaced in your head for weeks. Different tracks supply hints of Mac DeMarco, Dan Fogelberg, Kevin Morby and nearly everybody else who has crafted nice songs on an acoustic guitar. It is becoming that Gallo has discovered a house on the label Kill Rock Stars, which launched a lot of Elliott Smith’s work again within the day. As an apart, Gallo often posts songs about present occasions on TikTok and different social media platforms, that are price trying out should you like stuff like Jesse Welles. — Lawrence Bonk, Contributing Reporter

De La Soul – Cabin within the Sky

There have been hip-hop albums that explored the finality and tragedy of loss of life, however not many that really tackled spirituality and long-term grief. De La Soul has finished simply that, following the passing of founding member Trugoy the Dove. This album serves as a ultimate testomony of types for Trugoy, as he is closely featured all through. In that method, Cabin within the Sky is harking back to A Tribe Known as Quest’s 2016 masterpiece We Received It from Right here… Thank You 4 Your Service, which adopted the loss of life of rapper Phife Dawg.

Like Tribe’s trendy traditional, Cabin within the Sky is crammed with absolute bangers. It options standout beats by DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Trugoy, Jake One and others. The rhymes are nice and all three major De La members are given time to shine. Visitor rappers like Widespread and Nas bought the memo, delivering a few of their most memorable verses in years. Heck, even Giancarlo Esposito is on board because the narrator. Some reviewers have dinged this album for being too lengthy however, come on, that is like complaining there’s an excessive amount of pizza. It is De La Soul. — L.B.

FKA twigs – Eusexua

This was a very good 12 months for brand spanking new music IMO, a lot that I have been discovering it fairly troublesome to suppose again and choose my favourite releases. However, FKA twigs’ Eusexua undeniably did some heavy lifting for me, just about carrying me by means of the primary six or so months of the 12 months with out a lot competitors, and I’ve circled proper again to it because the 12 months closes. It is an album that by some means appears to fulfill each vibe. It’s going to have you ever in membership mode and prepared for an evening of sweaty, filthy dancing in below three minutes, or feeling shiny and upbeat like a noon stroll on the primary day of spring — but it nonetheless hits whenever you’re having an excellent ol’ automobile cry.

“Woman Feels Good” is for certain considered one of my most-played songs of the 12 months, adopted intently by “Eusexua,” “Excellent Stranger,” “Hold It, Maintain It” and “Striptease.” If ever I am unable to determine what I am within the temper to take heed to, I throw this album on and it would not disappoint. — Cheyenne MacDonald, Weekend Editor

Faetooth – Labyrinthine

Faetooth’s sophomore album, Labyrinthine, is face-melting, melancholic perfection. The band describes its sound as “fairy doom,” however do not let that first phrase idiot you into pondering it is not heavy as hell. Labyrinthine goes unbelievably arduous, and could have you feeling such as you’re eternally wandering a cursed bathroom, surrounded by the wailing of the unlucky souls who got here earlier than you. Do not imagine me? Placed on “White Noise.” That is actually an album that ought to be loved in its entirety, although, and I am unable to individually title half the songs on it as a result of I have a tendency to simply hold the entire thing enjoying on rotation. — C.M. 

Orville Peck – Appaloosa

This EP is actually a testomony to my means to run my obsessions into the bottom, as a result of it solely got here out in mid-November and by some means landed on my most-listened wrapup for the tip of the 12 months… which was launched some two weeks later. It is front-loaded with its strongest songs, a robust and type of haunting trio that simply flows fantastically from one into the opposite: “Dreaded Sunset,” to “Drift Away” into “Atchafalaya” (ft. Noah Cyrus). As a fan of musicals, I additionally liked the inclusion of “Perhaps This Time,” a canopy from Cabaret, particularly since I used to be fairly bummed to have missed Peck’s stint because the Emcee in Cabaret on Broadway this summer season. — C.M.

Case 63 

I bought into an audio collection kick this 12 months, and dove into exhibits like Unicorn Woman, Stalked! and extra. However not one of the dramatized fiction I listened to in 2025 had me hooked like Case 63. Setting apart that it’s voice-acted by A-listers Julianne Moore and Oscar Isaac, which is an exceptional pairing that received me over on star energy alone. The very best factor about Case 63 is its storytelling.

Moore stars as a psychologist, assembly Isaac for the primary time in a jail interview. Isaac has been claiming to be a traveler of types, and thru recorded classes and voice notes, we hear his aspect of the story, in addition to her reactions and supreme involvement within the adventures. Each step of the best way, significantly to start with, there may be clear clarification as to why the change is being recorded. It isn’t mandatory, but it surely’s useful in my shopping for into the realism of the story.

It isn’t simply the strategy and technical facets of the storytelling, in fact. Narratively, Case 63 is a gripping trip, and because of its quick episodes, it’s simple to binge actually rapidly. There may be actually a beneficiant use of cliffhangers to assist pace issues alongside, however I discovered myself desperate to devour all the collection in a single commute. The story continued to linger in my thoughts days after I completed each current seasons, and I’m hoping the brand new one drops quickly. Should you’re in search of a fast and straightforward sci-fi audio collection, don’t miss Case 63. — Cherlynn Low, Managing Editor

Safe Love 

I spent loads of time this 12 months attempting to be taught extra about my attachment model and the way it exhibits up in all of the relationships in my life. Between Stephanie Rigg’s On Attachment podcast, the TV present {Couples} Remedy and all of the books on the subject of attachment types, trauma and extra, I’ve consumed all of them. And whereas they’ve all been useful in several methods, one podcast caught out to me this 12 months. It’s hosted by Julie Menanno, MA, LMFT, LCPC, creator of the @TheSecureRelationship account on Instagram and the writer of Secure Love: Create a relationship that lasts a lifetime.

You’ll be able to most likely inform from that introduction what Menanno’s work is all about. Relationships, from the lens of attachment types. The Secure Love Podcast doesn’t simply re-deliver the identical data we’ve seen revealed throughout varied media and platforms, although. Every season of the podcast (it’s partway by means of the second as of this writing) sees Menanno work with one couple by means of their damaging cycles, utilizing somatic practices to assist every companion perceive their feelings, triggers and reactions. As a result of we’re listening to actual folks discuss real-life happenings, it’s not solely simple to narrate, however listeners usually see themselves in these situations. At first of every episode, too, Menanno reads out or performs notes from the viewers, and you’ll see how fellow listeners have reacted.

This season, for instance, my good friend and another listeners appeared to actually dislike Brian, the anxious male companion on this season’s pair. Whereas I’ve actually discovered a few of Brian’s methods of talking borderline offensive, I had much more sympathy for him as I began seeing his traits in my family members. I additionally began to determine together with his companion Bethany, who Menanno typed as having an avoidant attachment model.

As I listened to Bethany and Brian describe the explanations they bought into fights and clarify the place they had been coming from, immediately it felt just like the world made sense. I noticed related patterns and reasonings in my very own relationship, in addition to these of my dad and mom, kinfolk and pals.

It’s barely voyeuristic to take heed to one thing so intimate, in fact, however Menanno makes all of it academic relatively than simply entertaining. She gently interrupts components of every episode to inform the viewers why she asks sure questions or what she’s trying to realize by asking Brian or Bethany to sit down with their troublesome emotions.

I discovered her technique acquainted, as I just lately began working with a somatic coach whose method is just like Menanno’s, which is rooted in emotion-focused remedy (EFT). Staying with uncomfortable emotions makes me wish to soar out of my pores and skin, however having the ability to endure them, query why they come up after which perceive the place they arrive from is essential to serving to uncover the pondering that causes them. Generally they’re the results of flawed logic, catastrophic pondering or a easy lack of context, however usually they’re very cheap reactions.

Should you’re seeking to perceive your self and your feelings a bit higher, or simply wish to get an concept of what EFT or {couples} remedy seems like, I can’t suggest The Safe Love Podcast extremely sufficient. — C.L.