It’s once again the start of a new year and the time to reflect on the last 12 months.
While I felt like I didn’t listen to that much music my last.fm stats reveal that I did in fact listen to more than last year (an average of 24 tracks a day vs. 18 in 2024) which I’m pretty happy about about, as I tried to make a conscious effort to seek out and listen to more music last year.
In honour of my 19th anniversary on last.fm, here’s a look at what I enjoyed in 2025.
A L B U M S
A mixed bag last year. Overall I liked individual tracks more than full albums, that said there were some excellent albums released in ’25. Topping the list are 3 artists I have known and enjoyed for years though there were a few new discoveries among my broader favourites.
My top pick, Viagra Boys – viagr aboys stood out for me as the most consistent album of the year (and the most consistent from the band to date), with a bunch of standout tracks but also a great flow and vibe which made it highly repeatable.
Following in second and third place are two hip hop albums on somewhat opposite ends of the spectrum: Aesop Rock – Black Hole Superette and Clipping. – Dead Sky Channel. The former I enjoyed mainly because of a number of standout tracks and the latter I enjoyed more as a whole for its overall mood.
Favourite albums:
Others I enjoyed, in no particular order:
- Markus Krunegård – Bastard
- Turnstile – NEVER ENOUGH
- Audrey Hobert – Who’s the Clown?
- ROSALÍA – LUX
- twenty one pilots – Breach
- Wednesday – Bleeds
- The Horrors – Night Life
Albums I missed/overlooked in the past and really enjoyed last year:
- Allie X – Girl with No Face (2024)
- Käärijä – People’s Champion (2024)
- Strand of Oaks – Miracle Focus (2024)
- Ally Evenson – BLUE SUPER LOVE (2024)
T R A C K S
Favourite track:
Others I enjoyed, in no particular order:
- ROSALÍA – Divinize
- Aesop Rock – So Be It
- Portugal. The Man – V.I.S.
- Preoccupations – PONR
- Twenty One Pilots – City Walls
- Markus Krunegård – Cha Cha Shake
- The Horrors – The Silence That Remains
- Cannibal Ox – Wisdom Eons Ago
- Audrey Hobert – Sue me
- clipping. – Welcome Home Warrior
- FKA Twigs – The Dare
Tracks I missed in previous years and really enjoyed last year:
- HUGORM – HIMMELJUICE
- Ally Evenson – One Trick Pony
- HEALTH – DSM-V
- Turnstile – BLACKOUT
- Allie X – Bon Voyage
- Käärijä – Autiomaa
- Epo-555 – Le Beat’s On Fire
- Momma – Ohio All The Time
- Robert Palmer – Know By Now
- Peter Sommer – Begge Veje
- Why? – Marigold
L I V E
While I made an effort to listen to more music in 2025, I feel on reflection that I saw/shot less of it. That said, I was still lucky to attend some great gigs throughout the year, including a bunch of interesting international acts in the first quarter. The year kicked off with the returning Calabash festival at the DHL Stadium (featuring Robbie Williams, Goodluck, Matthew Mole and Lee Cole on day 1 and Green Day, The Offspring and Fokofpolisiekar on day 2), Cigarettes After Sex at Grandwest and Goo Goo Dolls at Kirstenbosch (always a magical venue).
Texx and the City reprised 2 successful event series in the dreary winter months: the Band or Bust battle of the bands at House of Machine and After Dark at the Two Oceans Aquarium.
District once again had a great lineup of shows throughout the year, including the triumphant return of Kidofdoom and probably my favourite live discovery of the year, Lefokolodi, who put on a really memorable show at the end of May (read my show review for TATC over here).
M Y W O R K : A L B U M A R T
I didn’t complete any video work in 2025 but I did another 2 original paintings as album art for my dad’s band McCully/Mackay and their single ‘Where are your heroes now?‘ and EP ‘The Quest‘.
E U R O V I S I O N
Political tensions continued to affect Eurovision in 2025 (and it’ll be interesting to see what happens in 2026) but outside of that the show was entertaining as ever with some great entries. First place went to the arty, operatic number from Austria, Wasted Love by JJ.
Continuing the tradition of recent years, the people’s choice was very much the spiritual successor to 2024’s Baby Lasagna and 2023’s Käärijä. Estonia‘s Tommy Cash and his earworm Espresso Macchiato topped the public vote and the iconic performance was an instant classic.
Shoutout to Sweden for sending the first Swedish language entry in yeeeears, and ironically, it was a Swedish dialect courtesy of 3 Finns. KAJ were charming, hilarious and such a breath of fresh air from a country notorious for sending safe, cookie-cutter entries. I thought Bara Bada Bastu deserved to finish way higher, though in hindsight the prechorus, which counts 1, 2, 3, 4 Sauna actually predicted their 5th place score.
I also really enjoyed Albania‘s Shkodra Elektronike – Zjerm, Latvia’s Tautumeitas – Bur Man Laimi, Lithuania’s Katarsis – Tavo Akys, and the hilariously oversexed Finnish entry, Erika Vikman with Ich Komme. Finland always delivers.
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I always enjoy looking back like this, it reminds me how much I love music and how much music shapes my life. As always I look forward to many exciting new musical discoveries in 2026.
Happy new year and happy listening!
