This is the sound of public radio in 2025. Our list was curated by more than 60 writers and DJs across the NPR Music Network, and runs the gamut of sounds, scenes and styles.. Read the full list.

2024 was a momentous year for music. All genres – even those that have been reshaped or melded together – saw a stacked slate of releases ranging from studio debuts, long-awaited returns and even some ...

“This is my award, but it’s a rich, deep narrative, and involves so many people, and so much sacrifice, and so much time, and so much collective love,” Hill said after receiving the news. The top 10 ...

Below the surface of the mainstream, music had a wonderful year—making the task of whittling down 2025’s best albums to a top ...

What a year it’s been for great music — as opposed to, say, everything else. But we’re almost halfway into 2025, and it’s already crowded with new albums that deliver what we need in terms of ...

Rosé and Bruno Mars’ “APT.” has topped Apple Music’s global song chart in 2025. The giant music streamer released year-end ...

Pitchfork’s editors are already sorting, compiling, and straining to remember all the music that’s been released this year. So we’re spotlighting some of 2025’s most outstanding records to date by ...