Daily Newsletter, December 14, 2025

If we needed any more proof that the album isn't dead, 2025 was it. On this episode, Stephen Thompson is joined by Ann Powers and Daoud Tyler-Ameen to run through 12 dazzling albums that stuck with the NPR Music team this year. And for an even deeper exploration, check out the full lists of our critics' best albums of 2025 here.Artists and albums featured on this episode:- Rosalía, 'LUX'- Wednesday, 'Bleeds'- Nourished by Time, 'The Passionate Ones'- Daniel Caesar, 'Son of Spergy'- Dave, 'The Boy Who Played the Harp'- Clarice Jensen, 'In holiday clothing, out of the great darkness'- Gwenifer Raymond, 'Last Night I Heard the Dog Star Bark'- Kal Banx, 'RHODA'- Mary Halvorson, 'About Ghosts'- Annie DiRusso, 'Super Pedestrian'- Queralt Lahoz, '9:30 PM'- Patrick Watson, 'Uh Oh'Enjoy the show? Share it with a friend and leave us a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

From hardcore to emo to shoegaze, these are the standouts of the year.

Our end of year list is here

From Arm's Length to Algernon Cadwallader to Drain to Pool Kids to End It to First Day Back, here are the 50 best punk albums of 2025.

With AI on his mind and joyous sound in his ears, Daryl Worthington dives into his 20 favourite cassettes of 2025

By Ljubinko Zivcovic, Rock At Night Amsterdam Review: Sharp Pins – Balloon Balloon Balloon – Release date: November 21, 2025 The adventures of Chicago’s Kai Slater and his Sharp Pins continue, as they have come [...]

By Ljubinko Zivkovic, Rock At Night Amsterdam Review: The Motherz – Sweat – Release date: December 12, 2025 Well, Friday is a set for new releases, and it might have been a wish of The [...]

Radio X Classic Rock looks back at the year of Golden Brown, Abracadabra, Centrefold, Run To The Hills and Eye Of The Tiger.

We often cite The Beatles as being pioneers, but where does that really come into effect? Read here for five songs that sounded way ahead of their time.

At one point Harrison considered offering the song to Frank Sinatra

Everyone has an off day. Or even just a strange day. Here are the strange tracks that stick out like a sore thumb in the catalogues of the rock demigods

New York’s lower east side club CBGB became legendary for growing the city's punk rock scene, is now getting a 4-CD box set.

Our guide to the year’s crucial jazz LPs.

Sundance Film Festival’s 2026 edition (first without Robert Redford) will continue showcasing promising music-themed films.

From a "richly atmospheric" novella to a "virtuosic" debut – this is the very best fiction of the year, as chosen by BBC journalists.