2025 started really strong. Following last year, which was stacked with great releases seemingly every week, the beginning of this year picked up right where we left off.
While the year is young, I am breaking down the best and biggest releases of 2025 thus far.
Beginning in January, the first month of the year delivered some fantastic projects from already well-established artists. Not only that, but it features some great singles that excite me for albums releasing later this year.
I think of all the albums that dropped in January, one stood out the most, and that was Mac Miller’s Balloonerism. This being his second posthumous project, it’s full of the things that are always great about a Mac Miller album.
I think since it is another project that was released after his death, people expected it to be something different than what we’re used to, similar to how Circles, his first posthumous project, was abstract compared to the rest of his discography. However, Balloonerism is an album that features all of the fantastic traits that are present in his prior works.
Vocally, lyrically, and instrumentally, the album has a sense of nostalgia for me because it reminds me of his older works, which is likely because the album was recorded in 2013 and 2014. That sense of nostalgia is what makes this album great; in a way, it’s like he never left. Our lives have gone on since his passing, but this time capsule of an album that was released only last month feels like it’s been here forever.
As far as the songs go, my personal favorites are “5 Dollar Pony Rides,” “Funny Papers,” and “Rick’s Piano.” Miller’s best songs are his most human songs. When his character shines through, it always makes for a great song. These songs specifically are fantastic not only in terms of actual quality, but Mac’s personality shows out.
Overall, Balloonerism doesn’t do anything revolutionarily different from Mac Miller’s earlier projects, but its creativity and fantastic performances are what make it already feel like a classic album. Thank you, Mac.
The biggest artist in the world also dropped in January, and what a statement he made. The Weeknd’s Hurry Up Tomorrow is quite long, near the hour and a half mark to be exact, but to say that it’s too long is not true.
This album benefits from being long, as it goes through many stages. The energetic intro “Wake Me Up” featuring electronic band Justice is an instant classic, and it kicks off a twenty-two-song album that is already the most streamed album of 2025 thus far.
Hurry Up Tomorrow is somewhat different from The Weeknd’s past works. While it isn’t necessarily experimental, he uses a lot of different sounds and vibes. No two songs sound the same, and the further you trek into the album, the more creativity and abstraction you come across.
The Weeknd may retire with this album, but if he does, it’s a fantastic way to end for one of the modern-day’s biggest artists.
What is so far the best pop album of the year is FKA Twigs’ EUSEXUA. FKA Twigs isn’t as famous as some of her peers, but when she drops new music, it is always received well. Her previous works, LP1 and Magdalene, to me, are slightly overrated, but there’s still great material in both.
Twigs’ music doesn’t sound like it came from Earth, and EUSEXUA is no different. The album opens with the title track, “Eusexua,” and it’s one of the best songs of the year. While the intro is the best song in my opinion, the album, in my opinion, is very cohesive and the replay value is still very high.
Of all the great things about this album, Twigs’ vocals are definitely the best. She is an incredible singer who would sound great over any beat or instrumental. While I think some of the beats are overblown or not amazingly mixed, Twigs still sound very solid.
When FKA Twigs has new music it’s always a big deal, and to see her get instant success for this great body of work is very nice to see. She’s already had a big year and she can potentially make much more noise later on.
Finally, Maruja’s new EP, Tir na Nog is in my opinion, the best release of the year so far. Maruja is a post-punk band from Britain, and while they haven’t released a full album yet, they’ve dropped a few EPs in the last few years, all of them being amazing.
Starting with Knocknarea in 2023 and Connla’s Well in 2024, Maruja kicked off the year with yet another instant classic EP. Instead of their usual chaotic and rage-filled anthems of the past, this new project is essentially one twenty-two-minute song, filled with somber and melancholy chords with incredible atmospheric drums.
The wailing in the background of this EP makes the song feel otherworldly. While it may make for an uncomfortable and personal listen, Tir na Nog is gushing with beauty, and it is surely a masterpiece to be remembered for years to come.
With the band just announcing that they are finally working on their debut album, it is without a doubt my most anticipated release of this year. Maruja has been working hard for years now, putting out fantastic drop after fantastic drop, and now that it’s finally culminating in an LP, it’s a fantastic feeling that excites all who have heard their music.
As I said, 2025 has been off to a fantastic start, and these releases are just the best of the bunch so far. I can not wait to share my other favorites of the year when they release, and with so many exciting albums on the way, we are all undoubtedly set for another fantastic year.
