The essential albums of the year, according to New Statesman staff.
Virgin, Lorde
A return to form for the high priestess of histrionics, Virgin is the rawest and most vulnerable release of the year. Yet she does not sacrifice melodic catchiness for emotional depth – Lorde’s strength has always been in marrying the two.
EURO-COUNTRY, CMAT
Viscerally personal and deeply political, EURO-COUNTRY is a darkly comic masterpiece. Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson’s third album wrestles with identity – what it means to be Irish, a woman, a popstar – and bursts with catchy country-pop. Featuring shoutouts to Jamie Oliver, Kerry Katona and the humble Nintendo, it perfectly skewers the Zillennial experience.
Man’s Best Friend, Sabrina Carpenter
All eyes were on sugar-rush songstress Sabrina Carpenter as she chased the bawdy-brainy smash Short and Sweet. Though a little stingy with the big notes, Man’s Best Friend was nonetheless an irresistible 42 minutes of wit and wile.
Getting Killed, Geese
You know you’ve made it when music critics start comparing you to Radiohead. This year, Geese – hailed as “Gen Z’s first great rock band” – released their fourth studio album, the art-rock odyssey Getting Killed. “Au Pays du Cocaine” is an agonising plea for a lover not to leave, even though it drifts by like a lullaby. “100 Horses” is a drum-heavy denunciation of American imperialism. The final track, “Long Island City Here I Come,” arrives as nothing less than an anthem for the apocalypse. Getting Killed is absurd, electric, taut – and not to be missed.
The Life of a Showgirl, Taylor Swift
How could it not be on the list? This is not instant-classic Swift territory, and it may be her most critically panned album yet. But Swift at her worst is equivalent to many of the pop girls at their best. This is bubblegum, glitter-gel-pen, wedding music – with Swift finally trading all that plodding melancholy for a boyfriend.
West End Girl, Lily Allen
If an acerbic voice note from your boundary-less best friend were turned into a brilliant pop album, it would be West End Girl. Chronicling her very public split from David Harbour, it is equal parts vulnerable, savage and funny – “Pussy Palace” has to be one of the best song titles of the century. Nearly 20 years after releasing her debut, Allen remains as fresh, current and surprising as ever.
People Watching, Sam Fender
Sam Fender’s distinctive lyrical blend of searing social commentary and anxious romance is fully realised in his third studio album, People Watching. The Newcastle-born singer leans shyly into emotional authenticity while maintaining his unique brand of scathing societal analysis. This album is Fender at his best – it is no surprise that People Watching won the Mercury Prize earlier this year.
GNX, Kendrick Lamar
It wouldn’t be a stretch to call Kendrick Lamar a professional hater. His record-breaking diss track, “Not Like Us,” aimed at Drake, was nominated for and won five Grammy Awards last year. But his latest genre-blending album, the first produced under his own label, shows that there are lessons to be learned from those we dislike. Lamar’s amped-up beats make you feel “a god even when they say you ain’t.”
AR, Addison Rae
Whatever it is, Addison Rae has it in abundance. This is her debut EP, and it shows: there are moments of undeniable unevenness. Yet somewhere within it is a young artist who is the very definition of star power. “Diet Pepsi” may just be the coolest track of the year.
DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, Bad Bunny
Bad Bunny has spent four of his six-year career as the top-streamed artist on Spotify. DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS (“I Should Have Taken More Photos”) is a victory lap for one of this decade’s most successful performers. The Puerto Rican star returns to his roots, blending modern reggaeton with traditional Latin music to blistering effect. While frequently joyous musically, the record is tinged with nostalgic laments for a lost past – a blend perfectly suited to the sonic embrace of past and present.
[Further reading: Books of the year 2025]
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