The Indiependent’s Albums Of The Year 2025
Where the last twelve months have offered a plethora of impressive new releases from the best acts to emerge from the 21st century, The Indiependent’s contributors put forth their nominations for Album Of The Year for 2025.
moisturizer / Wet Leg
Released 11.07.25 via Domino Records
Lana Williams
★★★★⯪
Wet Leg’s sophomore record isn’t just a triumphant return for the polymaths – they’re not wiping the slate clean; they’re tearing down the wallpaper and shredding the upholstery. Gone are the whimsical prairie girls of their eponymous record; no longer are they getting high in the supermarket, or shovelling Mayonnaise at parties – with Moisurizer they’re boldly claiming their space.
The Clearing / Wolf Alice
Released 22.08.25 via Columbia Records
Amy Britton
★★★★★
Wolf Alice has brought something special to the table with The Clearing. The explorations of womanhood in many of the tracks, where Ellie Rowsell belts about accepting her complex emotions, make The Clearing a source of comfort to many young women trying to make their way in a confusing world.
Read our review here.
Addison / Addison Rae
Released 11.07.25 via Columbia Records
Thomas Stanier
★★★★☆
Addison Rae’s debut is a sonic collage that’s anything but superficial. Beneath its glossy exterior, Addison is a reflective pop record that pays homage to the rhythms that shaped her. From the escapist anthem ‘Headphones On’ to the intoxicating ‘Summer Forever’, it’s a distinctive launch pad for an alt-pop sensation.
People Watching / Sam Fender
Released 21.02.25 via Polydor Records
Zahra Hanif
★★★★★
Geordie legend Sam Fender returned this year with People Watching. The album flows seamlessly from anthemic tune to nostalgic touches, a truly versatile triumph from North England’s answer to Bruce Springsteen. It’s a bold, heartfelt blockbuster of a record that captures modern life and love with a striking sincerity.
Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party / Hayley Williams
Released 07.11.25 via Post Atlantic
Stephen Ong
★★★★★
Despite its release as a disparate collection of songs, Ego Death weaves a cohesive story—in true ‘Miss Paramore’ style—of lovesickness, depression, and anger. Hayley Williams takes sonic influence from Phoenix to the Bloodhound Gang to SZA, wrapping her melancholy in a golden shimmer perfect for wistful summer days.
EURO-COUNTRY / CMAT
Released 29.08.25 via CMATBABY
★★★★★
Ben Oxley
Though it’s December, I’m still doing “the butcher, the baker, the home, and the family maker”. CMAT’s third studio album, EURO-COUNTRY, masterfully blends traditional Celtic instruments and swirling indie bangers. The political and poignant record is one of the runaway hits of the year, especially following a vivacious Glastonbury Pyramid Stage performance.
Everybody Scream / Florence + The Machine
Released 31.10.2025 via Polydor and Republic Records
Andrew Butcher
★★★★⯪
Florence + The Machine’s Everybody Scream turns Welch’s ectopic pregnancy trauma into her most powerful work. Fusing their early alt-rock sound with Dance Fever’s accessibility, Aaron Dessner’s layered acoustics add depth. Womanhood is laid bare—defiant, exhausted but unbroken. In every scream and whisper, you hear the echo of every woman ever told to be silent.
Read our review of Everybody Scream here.
Songs For The Spine / The Royston Club
Released 08.08.25 via Run On Records
★★★★★
Evie Johnson
Riddled with emotional lyricism and high-energy guitars, any ‘indie landfill’ accusations have been shrugged aside throughout the Wrexham quartet’s second record. Most could only dream of writing such a creative masterpiece. The Royston Club’s Songs For The Spine affirmed one thing: they have the potential to be among the best of our generation.
The Life of a Showgirl / Taylor Swift
Released 03.10.25 via Republic Records
C. Sharmishtha
★★★★☆
Taylor Swift celebrates her independence on her 12th album, radiating pure, unadulterated joy. Unburdened by past troubles, it delivers soaring pop anthems with sharp production. It might not have the songwriting levels of The Tortured Poets Department, but it’s a celebration of her life, and a clear result of simply creating brilliant music.
Read our review of The Life of a Showgirl here.
Man’s Best Friend / Sabrina Carpenter
Released 29/08/25 via Island Records
★★★★⯪
Sophia McHardy
A retro-infused pop record sparkling with confidence and sass, Man’s Best Friend cements Sabrina Carpenter’s status as a global icon. It’s the ultimate soundtrack for girlhood: bright hooks, playful satire, and an empowering embrace of female sexuality—all delivered with Carpenter’s signature wit and fearless commentary on modern misogyny.
Read our feature on Man’s Best Friend here.
Compiled by Lana Williams
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