The 100 Best Recordings of 2025 (Part 2 of 2)

Music discovery without boundaries—all genres, all styles, all regions

Here is the second (and final) installment of my survey of the 100 best recordings of the year. For part one, click here.

As always, I cover all genres, all styles, and all regions.

Most of these artists will be unfamiliar names. (There’s only one certified gold album on my list this year.) But their music is fresh and exciting and will reward your attention.

So I encourage you to click on the links (in the album titles) to sample the work of these deserving musicians.

Happy listening!

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The 100 Best Recordings of 2025 (Part 2 of 2)

In alphabetical order

Ashley Maher
Tree to Tree
Canadian Singer-Songwriter Records in Dakar, Senegal with a Large Border-Crossing Groove Ensemble

Mabanua
Minds & Colors
Hip-Hop with Funky Hyperpop

Maro (with Nasaya)
Lifeline
Portuguese Singer Collaborates with Madagascar Producer on Neo-Sade-ish Chillout Dance Music

Branford Marsalis (with Joey Calderazzo, Eric Revis & Justin Faulkner)
Belonging
Contemporary Tribute to Keith Jarrett’s Belonging Album from 1974

Malcolm Martineau (and Nine Singers)
The Complete Songs of Ravel
French Impressionist Art Songs

Brad Mehldau
Ride into the Sun
Folk Jazz Tribute to Songwriter and Guitarist Elliott Smith

Anders Lauge Meldgaard with Halvcirkel
Spirit
Chamber Music Combining Strings and Electronics from Copenhagen

Joni Mitchell
Joni’s Jazz
Four Hour Survey of Joni Mitchell’s Jazz-Inflected Work (with Rare and Previously Unissued Tracks)

Monkey House
Crashbox
Pop with a Steely Dan-ish Vibe

John Moreland
John Moreland Live AF
Country without Frills