The Top 10 Pop Albums of 2025

 

Pop does not have to be a bad word. Sadly the music industry takes it down a deeper hole of vapid capitalism, by pumping out products rather than music with anything to say.  Unlike their more mainstream counterparts, these albums were not rolled from the same assembly line and did not need the teams of songwriters and producers to create for them, they generally did this themselves.  Here are albums that stand shoulder to shoulder with other genres, proving pop does not have to be trash, despite being that more often than not these days. 

 After I sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 10 albums of 2025 The very fact these bands made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are, so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album, there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more. After all, we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, you look forward to listening to it again. Perhaps you can find your next favorite on this list; and have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out the audio on these guys. Anyway here are the top 10 Pop albums of 2025

10-Jane Remover- "Revengeseekerz" 

What the kids are calling digicore. The auto-tuned vocals are not unlike those heard from more mainstream trap rappers, such as Future. Lyrically, aside from being presented chaotically, with typically vapid radio friendly lyrics that are  more tolerable when presented in this fashion. At times dub-step at others harsher barrage of noise the beats keep things moving.  

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/09/jane-remover-revengeseekerz.html

9-yeule- "Evangelic Girl is a Gun" 

This weird little singer from Singapore was a new find for me,. Her fourth album at times embraces an almost trip-hop sound that features some subtle guitar elements as it progresses. In other moments, there is more of a 90s alternative feel, bringing to mind bands like Elastica or Lush. The pop grooves put her on a sonic footing closer to  Grimes or early Charli XCX, which balance out the glitchy atmosphere in the periphery.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/yeule-evangelic-girl-is-gun.html

 

8-President -"King of Terrors" 

Anonymity creates quite a buzz, as they had a huge online presence despite only having one single out and a Download performance under their belt. It is the songs from that performance that are given the studio treatment, with the first single opening the EP. Sonically similar in many ways to Sleep Token, they blend djenty metal guitars with technical drumming and multiple layers of soulfully harmonized vocals. If AI was told to create a band in the vein of Sleep Token and Bad Omens, the results would be similar, though the pop hooks here make it endearing. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/09/president-king-of-terrors.html

7-The Beaches - "No, Hard Feelings" 

 This band's last album, "Blame My Ex" found them taking the number two spot in our Top 10 Pop Albums of 2023. They have raised the bar for themselves. They move in a marginally more indie rock direction for this album, while e trying to still dish out a comparable level of hooky choruses. The  more pop stabs reflects back on what worked on the last album, though perhaps not as hard-hitting, but still highly effective. Working well enough to earn the number 7 spot.  

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-beaches-no-hard-feelings.html

6-Miley Cyrus- "Something Beautiful" 

Miley's 9th album is pretty ambitious. It's framed with preludes and interludes to create a more immersive experience than your average pop album. Ranging from soulful lounge ballads to oddly experimental bursts of sound.  Her voice sounds great, this seems to blend her pop sheen with the more rock-inflected moments of albums like "Plastic Hearts". She claims this album is inspired by "The Wall", the saxophone wailing in the background brings a "Diamond Dogs" styled chaos to the fringes of its sound. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/miley-cyrus-something-beautiful.html

5-Wu- Tang Clan - "Black Samson , the Bastard Swordsman" 

The legendary New York rap collective dropped this album for a limited vinyl release on Record Store Day, and now it's receiving a wider release. This is the first full-length release since the 2017 compilation "The Saga Continues," which was released as simply Wu-Tang due to the absence of U-God. It's also the first album since 2015's "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin" to feature all 9 living members of the group. This album is a collaboration with producer Mathematics, who effectively captures the feel of the group's classic work, proving why they are one of the only hip-hop acts that matter.  

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/wu-tang-clan-black-samson-bastard.html

4-Deathbyromy-"Hollywood Forever" 

Pop music marketed to the "vvitches" of Tiktok, who are the new generation of Hot Topic kids. Her image contrasts with the otherwise upbeat grooves that open the new album. Her voice is what you expect from a pop singer in 2025. At the end of the day, the strong songwriting won me over. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/09/deathbyromy-hollywood-forever.html

 

3-Sleep Token- "Even in Arcadia" 

I like pop music; this album is a great pop album. I don't feel so guilty about liking it.  If he just came out, life would be so much easier, but denial has become a part of his identity. There was maybe 20 seconds of nu-metal guitar, and a scream that needed every bit of post-production effects on it in the first three songs. The beats and hooks that would make Sam Smith jealous, this is the kind of music Justin Timberlake wishes he was making. Justin Bieber, rinse off the baby oil and get these guys to write your next album. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/sleep-token.html

  2-Pixel Grip-  "Perceptide the Death of Reality" 

 This interesting electronic band was circling my radar to glad for the chance to check them out. They open things with an atmospheric pop song that simmers in introspection. The alluring vocals of Rita Lukea, give everything a sex dripping sheen, as they jump into dark 90s techno. The darkest album on this list which gives it the edge over Sleep Token. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/pixel-grip-perceptide-death-of-reality.html

 

1-Taylor Swift- "the Life of a Showgirl" 

At the end of the day, she can whip out songs that sit effortlessly next to the other classics in her discography with no effort. Even Tay Tay dialing it in is better than what most can do with two dozen producers and a co-writers This album grew on me, and makes it clear she is the dominant force in not just pop music, but songwriting. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/taylor-swift-life-of-showgirl.html

Thanks for reading. Please "like" and share on social media to give music a voice 

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Check out our Podcast here ... https://www.youtube.com/@abysmalhymns666

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Raekwon : "the Emperor's New Clothes"

 

After being so impressed by the last Wu-Tang album, I figured it would be safe to check out Raekwon's solo album. The opening track is hooky and works as a song rather than just sounds and rhymes. "Pornogranite" finds him continuing to groove, while not relying on nostalgia, while it is not unlike what the Wu-Tang does, it's not totally in debt to that sound. Inspectah Deck does appear on the second song, which is not a surprise; in fact, it would be more surprising if there were no Wu-Tang cameos. 

Benny the Butcher shows up for " Wild Corsicans." It has a sufficent groove, but not sure if it feels as urgent as the first two songs.  "1 Life" works thanks to backing off with the more aggressive hip-hop approach and blending in some pop hooks. There are some skits in between songs, but I am skipping over those for the purpose of this review and just focusing on the music. Tommy Nova does not help with the form and function of "Open Doors," which feels more like random chanting than a song. 

"600 School" features both Method Man and Ghostface Killah, so needless to say, it feels more like a Wu-Tang song. Swizz Beats also contributes to the production. This is where this album deviates from a Wu-Tang album, as there are more varied producers, whereas Wu-Tang albums tend to have a more singular vibe. "Da Heavies" has a more jazz-inflected sound. This reminds me of 90s New York hipster rap. Speaking of that era, Nas appears on "The Omerta". It also occupies a more 90s mood, though without getting too mired down in nostalgia.  

"Get Outta Here" lays back into the more smooth 90s grooves, which allows him more time to spit about more impressive bits of vocabulary.  Ghostace Killah returns for this one as well and adds a little more aggression. This is the biggest difference in his solo work vs Wu-Tang is that it is less aggressive.  Marsha Ambrosius lends her voice to "Debra Night Wine' which leans too far into R&B. The last song finds Ghostface back, and it makes me think perhaps these songs are leftovers from the Wu album. I will give this one a 9, as it's well done, and if I listened to hip-hop more often, it might have more replay value for m,e but when I am in the mood for this sort of things, I will listen to Wu-Tang's new one instead as it had a more vibrant energy to it. Not to take away from the fact that this album is better than most commercial hip-hop today. 

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The Top 10 Pop Albums of 2025... so far

 That time of year again. These lists serve as a decent snapshot of where the year is heading in terms of music. I have already received promos for albums dropping as far out as August in my inbox, so they are really going to need to bring it to compete with the top five albums on this list. When it comes to pop what you are not going to see much of are big mainstream radio artists that are part of the music industry machine that spits bullshit out on an assembly line with two dozen producers and even more songwriters making a product for the sheep to consume. Only two artists on this list come from that machine, and both have risen above it, unlike the bulk of their peers. 

What I want from my pop is catchy songs that have actual instruments being played, rather than just empty calories being pumped into my ears. My people refer to this sort of thing as their guilty pleasures, and I do not use that term as anyone on this list is better than vapid shit kids on Tik Tok are dancing to. Hip Hop has pretty much been garbage this year; only two artists have managed to rise from that trash pile to form music with depth.  There are links to full reviews if you want to check these out, and with all that said, here are the top 10 pop albums of 2024 so far. 

10-Aesop Rock- "Black Hole Superette" 

The 10th album from New York's best rapper finds the rhymes flowing like malt liquor. Ten albums into your career, you are going to know how to write a song. He is quick to spit a collage of clever metaphors. You noticed we do not cover a great deal of hip-hop here. That's not because it's just not our thing; it's because the bar is held very high due to rappers like this. So, why accept inferior products being rolled off the assembly line of record labels looking to sedate people whose musical tastes reflect their low vibrational state? 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/aesop-rock-black-hole-superette.html

 

9-yeule- "Evangelic Girl is a Gun" 

This weird little singer from Singapore is a new find for me, though this is her fourth album. Asian post-pop is just not a sub-genre I have delved far enough into. It opens with an almost trip-hop sound that features some subtle guitar elements as it progresses. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/yeule-evangelic-girl-is-gun.html

8-Skunk Anansie-"The Painful Truth" 

 One of my favorite bands from the 90s, who in America were always a best-kept British secret. In my mind, they will always have to measure up against their 1999 album 'Post Orgasmic Chill". Skin's vocals are still on point, and things have mellowed into a shimmering pop pulse, with electronic elements becoming hard to decipher from where guitars are plugged into amps, and the end result is a song so good it does not matter much to me how they got here.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/skunk-anansie-painful-truth.html

 

7-Sleep Token - "Even in Arcadia" 

This has some slapping beats and hooks that would make Sam Smith jealous. This is the kind of music Justin Timberlake wishes he were making. Justin Bieber, rinse off the baby oil and get these guys to write your next album. At times I am not convince it is not Joji under the mask singing. Great moody pop music. 
 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/sleep-token.html

6-Bon Iver-"SABLE fABLE " 

This double album is really his EP "SABLE' last year, which was only three songs, and then the nine new songs, which are the kind of lush experimental pop songs that made his 4th album such a stellar creative success. His falsetto vocal work there magic, as there is also plenty of evidence that shows his time spent collaborating with Taylor Swift has influenced him. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/bon-iver-sable-fable.html

 

 

5-HAIM- "I quit" 

This album works best when the sisters are focused on their brand of cleverness to engage both the lyrics and the music. There is a more 90s pop rock at times that reminds me of Sheryl Crow, with some Zeppelin punches thrown in here and there. The indie rock jangle that runs through this album seeks to get their footing back into their indie roots, more than trying to follow Taylor Swift's footsteps.

 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/haim-i-quit.html

 

      

4-Turnstile - "Never Enough"

  

One of the year's most anticipated albums. Even Charli XCX was declaring it would be Turnstile summer at Coachella. They have a hooky chorus and often energetic takes on pop punk, which are not as explosive as their old, more hardcore direction. But the kids at Coachella don't know the difference. They ended up making a pop record that is fun, and their is nothing wrong with that.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/turnstile-never-enough.html

 

3-Pixel Grip -"Perceptide the Death of Reality" 

 This interesting electronic band circle my radar for a minute, their brand of  dark atmospheric pop simmers in introspection. The alluring vocals of Rita Lukea give everything a sex dripping sheen, as they jump into dark 90s techno for the second song. She grinds her hips into the dance floor. 
 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/pixel-grip-perceptide-death-of-reality.html

2-Wu-Tang Clan - "Black Samson the Bastard Swordsman" 

Legendary New York rap collective dropped this album for a more limited vinyl release for Record Store Day, and now it's receiving a wider release. This is the first full-length release since the 2017 compilation "The Saga Continues," which was released as simply Wu-Tang due to the absence of U-God. It's also the first album since 2015's "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin" to feature all 9 living members of the group. This album is a collaboration with producer Mathematics, who effectively captures the feel of the group's classic work. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/wu-tang-clan-black-samson-bastard.html

1-Miley Cyrus - "Something Beautiful" 

Miley's 9th album is pretty ambitious. It's framed with preludes and interludes to create a more immersive experience than your average pop. Its ambition is what makes it take the top spot, as she has the production value and execution to back it up. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/miley-cyrus-something-beautiful.html

Thanks for reading, please "like" and share on social media to give music a voice 

https://www.facebook.com/abysmalhymns

Check out our Podcast below 

https://www.youtube.com/@abysmalhymns666

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June's Top 10 Albums

It's time for June's top 10 albums. Staying abreast of the month's highlights might help casual readers see what they missed and check these artists out. I am not writing little blurbs on them; I am just linking the reviews. Inclusion here does not mean that these albums have been released this month, but it is a list of new or upcoming albums I have enjoyed the most. I have albums in my inbox that are not coming out til August, so I am normally way ahead of the curve in this regard. They are ranked in order of what I have listened to the most. This month, there tends to be a dominant theme of new wave, pop, and death metal,  so you may find your new favorite among them. Here are the Top 10 albums of June 

10-Bootblacks - "Paradise" 

New-Wave

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/bootblacks-paradise.html

9-Love is Noise-"To Live a Different Way" 

nu-gaze

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/love-is-noise-to-live-different-way.html

8-Ossuary- "Abhorrent Worship" 

Death Metal 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/death-is-june-ossuary-abhorrent-worship.html

7-Disembodiment- "Spiral Crypts" 

Death Metal 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/death-is-june-disembodiment-spiral.html

6-Hollow Leg -"Dust & Echoes"

 

Sludge

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/hollow-leg-dust-echoes.html

5-HAIM- "I quit" 

Indie-pop

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/haim-i-quit.html

4-Turnstile-"Never Enough" 

Pop punk

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/turnstile-never-enough.html

3-Deadguy- "Near-Death Travel Services" 

Hard-core

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/deadguy-near-death-travel-services.html

2-Miley Cyrus - "Something Beautiful" 

Pop

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/miley-cyrus-something-beautiful.html

1-Wu-tang Clan- "Black Samson the Bastard Swordsman 

Hip-hop

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/wu-tang-clan-black-samson-bastard.html

Thanks for reading, please "like" and share on social media to give music a voice 

https://www.facebook.com/abysmalhymns

Check out our Podcast below 

https://www.youtube.com/@abysmalhymns666

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Wu- Tang Clan : "Black Samson , the Bastard Swordsman"

 

Legendary New York rap collective dropped this album for a more limited vinyl release for Record Store Day, and now it's receiving a wider release. This is the first full-length release since the 2017 compilation "The Saga Continues," which was released as simply Wu-Tang due to the absence of U-God. It's also the first album since 2015's "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin" to feature all 9 living members of the group. This album is a collaboration with producer Mathematics, who effectively captures the feel of the group's classic work. 

These songs highlight the lyrical superiority these 9 MCs bring to the vocal booth. The first proper song "Mandingo" features Raekwon, Cappadonna, Inspectah Deck and Method Man, so the four horsemen of the groups post-Ol' Dirty era. U God and the Rza control the mic for "Lion's Roar," which delves into the gangster circles of New York's boroughs. There is more realism in the lyrics here that gives the song weight, new hip-hop artists can't even imitate. The most notable aspect of their lyrics is the lack of elevating bling or wealth, and it is about the gritty aspects of where they have come from. 

"Claudine" finds Ghostface Killah paying tribute to his deceased mother. The vocal hook contributed by Nicole Bus adds a great deal of soul to things. Blaxploitation and Kung Fu movies are the primary backdrop for these songs.  Inspectah Deck's aggressive bobbing and weaving of his vocal phrasing gives "Shaolin vs Lama" more groove. The fact that they have framed their classic sound in this modern production can be heard in how their vocals ride the bass line that owes more to classic funk than the hip-hop heard on the radio today, which is basically pop tracks being rapped over rather than sung. 

The Gza gets serious calling out the feminization of P. Diddy aligned rappers who are wearing dresses for the "devil," which is not Lucifer in this context, but the Hollywood aligned industry. "Cleopatra Jones" has a more retro groove and deliberate lyrical flow. Benny the Butcher joins Method Man for the gangsta drama of "Warriors Two Cooley High" . RZA leads the charge on "Let's Do It Again," which finds its lyrics standing shoulder to shoulder with even "36 Chambers" era songs. 

Overall, they have succeeded in making the best rap album I have heard so far this year, and based on the quality of what is out there, it would take Dr. Dre at the top of his game or an Outkast reunion to dethrone what they have done here. Other artists might not make music like they used to, but the Wu proves they are still very capable. This album deserves a 10. 

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