My Favorite Albums of Last Season, after the break!
Greetings!
Welcome to The Listened List! Our first ever album "review" (not really) series!
These forthcoming blurbs will be acting as a quarterly checkpoint throughout 2026 & beyond. Last year, I utilized the social media app Musicboard to give star ratings to everything I played. It was kind of fun at first. Then the whole process became quite lame because I felt I should've been featuring all those personal feelings in a blog post. That's how we got here.
I've never enjoyed critiquing art because I know how subjective pieces (whether film, TV, gaming, or music) can be for an individual. What you love, might not hit the same for me. And vice versa. Our popular Favorite Albums Series has been the only window to my musical sense for decades. And it tends to be widespread in terms of genre and vibes. For this listener literally listens to everything! Even though most mid-range to apex artists tend to build a strong foundation on my yearly soundtracks... other buzzworthy bands have made quite the impact since showcasing our email requests in 2017. Just wish I had the time to experience the entire musical ocean. Always feels deep and unending.
Sometimes I wished I was a one-trick listener, but not really. When an album hits, it usually KOs me with chills. That's the gauge for everything.
Anyway... here's all the last year albums that remained in queue on my Apple Music upon completing my Favorite Albums of 2025 list (in case you were wondering)!
2025 Projects I Didn't Finish Before Dec. 31st
- 'art Pop * pop Art' by zayALLCAPS
- 'BITE ME' by Renee Rapp
- 'Noises! Noises! Noises!' by The Halophones
- 'A fine time to talk about nothing' by Origami Ghosts
- 'Taylor Momsen's Pretty Reckless Christmas' by The Pretty Reckless
- 'Through The Wall' by Rochelle Jordan
- 'Lifetime' by Erika de Casier
- 'The BPM' by Sudan Archives
- 'Lonely at the Top' by Joey Bada$$
- 'Multidirectional' by Billy Hart
- 'The Sword & The Soaring' by Navy Blue
- 'trompe l'oeil' by untiljapan
- 'Step Brothers Four & a Half' by Don Trip & Starlito
- 'Cadet' by Twin Shadow
- 'I'm a stranger Here Myself - Wainwright Does Well' by Rufus Wainwright & Pacific Jazz Orchestra
- 's h i n e' by Tobias Jesso Jr
- 'In Case You Were Napping' by Puscifer
- 'Homixide Lifestyle 2' by Homixide Gang
- 'Music for the Soul' by Sam Barber
- 'Salt' by Maya Beiser
- 'Raspberry Moon' by Hotline TNT
- 'Willoughby Tucker, I'll Always Love You' by Ethel Cain
- 'Don't Tease Me With A Good Time' by Jessie J
- 'Love Is A Kingdom' by Tems
- 'The Grief Case - EP' by Lexii Raine
- 'Magic, Alive!' by McKinley Dixon
- 'Lotus' by Little Simz
- 'Cosmopolis' by Miami Nights 1984
- 'I Love My Computer' by Ninajirachi
- 'Flip Phone Shorty - Strictly for Da Streetz Vol. 1' by A$AP Ferg
- 'DJ Green Lantern: Nas, DJ Green Lantern...' by DJ Green Lantern
- 'Love & Fear' by Zac Brown Band
- 'Blood of the Bull' by Upon a Burning Body
- 'Can't Lose My (Soul)' by Annie & Caldwells
- 'Young Fire, Old Flame' by Wretch 32 & Avelino
- 'WHAT HAPPENED TO THE STREETS?' by 21 Savage
- 'USB' by Fred again...
- 'You Can't Kill God With Bullets' by Conway The Machine
- 'Mirror Touch' by Volumes
- 'Resurrection (Original Soundtrack) by M83
- 'Caitlin and Brent' by Caitlin and Brent
Yep, expect full transparency from this listener moving forward. Keeping an on-hand record of everything throughout 2026.
I usually begin my music year in a stupor. Bouncing around playlists and classics to clean my palate before consuming all the new stuff. This curator starts to build future unseen features as I continue to talk myself down from adding more throwback series (despite how wonderful they might make as a podcast episode / series, you know?) So it does take me a few weeks to care about the new music state.
Definitely don't feel like that right now. All I want is the new stuff with dabs of classics. The amount of plays Daughtry & Paramore have had regularly these past few months have been unhealthy. I blame this early discovery period immensely when in reality they have been giving me good luck on work days. Other albums have had adverse effects. So having that gigantic roster above to conquer helped more than you know. Gave us focus and breaks in chaotic times. I needed to clear them, otherwise they would've been a great bother.
The graphics featured below with a GOLD MARK were those amazing projects for me during this listening block. How does that translate in a star rating? Easy. Four Stars (****) and above! Everything else didn't quite make it. However, time treats art better than the initial moments so something not heralded below might creep back into the rotation before my next Favorite Albums entry hits in a few months. There were a lot of 2026 albums like that. Especially some EPs. Just sitting on the edge right now.
As for all the 2025 projects, most would've made my honorable mentions list for sure. Well... except for Joey Bada$$'s 'Lonely at the Top'. Really wished I could've added that album to my final 25 of 25. Absolutely loved what I heard. Luckily, we're almost to another Favorite Albums of the Decade and a second chance to make a list!
Speaking of lists, here are the standouts...
My Favorite Albums of Winter '25 / '26 (as of March 20th)
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| 'Lifetime' by Erika de Casier (2025) |
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| 'LONELY AT THE TOP' by Joey Bada$$ (2025) |
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| 'Don't Be Dumb' by A$AP Rocky (2026) |
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| 'Lotus' by Little Simz (2025) |
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| 'Resurrection (Original Soundtrack)' by M83 (2025) |
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| 'I Love My Computer' by Ninajirachi (2025) |
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| 'Odyssey' by ILLENIUM (2026) |
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| 'e.t.d.s. A Mixtape' by .idk (2026) |
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| 'C.U.T - EP' by yama (2026) |
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| 'The Fall-Off' by J.Cole (2026) |
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| 'Scott Pilgrim EX (Original Soundtrack)' by Anamanaguchi (2026) |
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| 'Love Is a Kingdom EP' by Tems (2025) |
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| 'With Heaven on Top (Acoustic)' by Zach Bryan (2026) |
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| 'Kamakura' by Youth Novels (2026) |
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| 'Absolum (Original Game Soundtrack)' by Gareth Coker (2025) |
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| 'Before I Forget' by The Kid LAROI (2026) |
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| 'Live in Europe' by The Last Internationale (2026) |
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| 'Ca$ino' by Baby Keem (2026) |
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| 'better late than not at all - EP' by Chelsea Jordan (2026) |
I really dug The Kid LAROI cliché R&B heartbreak. #SorryNotSorry!
Zach Bryan, J.Cole, and Baby Keem have dominated my current Replay '26 as they continue to have huge value on this year's soundtrack.
'The Fall-Off' is hitting much like The Weeknd's 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' last year where the songs I love are beloved and the rest are just fine. I absolutely adore the second half of Disc 1. Still, this listener remains quite confident that Zach Bryan's 'With Heaven on Top (+ Acoustic)' would probably be my Number #1 pick if I built the countdown solely off these entries. It was the first album that absorbed me fully in 2026. Always give me an Acoustic B-Side. It's my favorite addition.
Everything else was okay, but not memorable for me. One listen felt like plenty. There's a only a few albums like Mumford & Sons, Harry Styles, Maro, MikeWillMadeIt, & Bruno Mars that might make me come back later because I should've loved them & didn't. We'll see! All it takes is one moment to change your tune.
My Winter 2025 Missed List (In Order):
- 'Christmas in Paris' by Christina Aguilera
- 'Taylor Momsen's Pretty Reckless Christmas' by The Pretty Reckless
- 'Black British Music (2025)' by Jim Legxacy
- Marshmallow Megamix 2025 (Apple Exclusive)
- 'Raspberry Moon' by Hotline TNT
- 'In Case You Were Napping' by Puscifer
- 'Homixicde Lifestyle 2' by Homixicde Gang
- 'Music for the Soul' by Sam Barber
- 'Salt' by Maya Beiser
- 'Art Pop * Pop Art' by Zayallcaps
- 'Bite Me' by Renee Rapp
- 'Noises Noises Noises' by the Halophones
- 'Son of Dad (Deluxe)' by Stephen Wilson Jr
- 'Cosmopolios' by Miami Nights 1984
- 'Light-Years' by Nas & DJ Premier
- 'Love & Fear' by Zac Brown Band
- 'The BPM' by Sudan Archives
- 'Young Fire, Old Flame' by Wretch 32 & Avelino (mixtape reissued)
- 'The Universe Smiles Upon You ii' by Khruangbin
- 'WHAT HAPPENED TO THE STREETS' by 21 Savage
- 'Step Brothers Four & a Half' by Don Trip & Starlito
- 'A Fine Time To Talk About Nothing' by Origami Ghosts
- "No Heavy Goodbyes EP" by Scarlet Rae
- 'Through The Wall' by Rochelle Jordan
- 'Multidirectional' by Billy Hart
- 'New Years Face' by Nick & June
- "Haiiro EP" by Moderns
- 'The Sword & Soaring' by Navy Blue
- 'Trompe I'oeil' by untiljapan
- 'Cadet' by Twin Shadow
- 'I'm a Stranger Here Myself' by Rufus Wainwright
- 'Shine' by Tobias Jesso Jr
- 'Shock the System Part 2' by Daughtry
- 'Willoughby Tucker, I'll Always Love You' by Ethel Cain
- "Can't Lose My Soul" by Annie & Caldwell
- 'Caitlin & Brent' by Caitlin & Brent
- 'The Grief Case EP' by Lexxi Raine
- 'Don't Tease Me With a Good Time' by Jessie J
- 'Magic alive' by McKinley Dixon
- 'Flip Phone Shorty' by ASAP Ferg
- 'You Can't Kill God With Bullets' by Conway the Machine
- 'Blood of the Bull' by Upon a Burning Body
- 'Half Man, Half Anazing' by DJ Green Lantern, Nas, and Premier
- 'The Weight of this Heart' by Hollyy
- 'African Skies' by Kelan Phil Cohran & Legacy
- 'Horsepower EP' by Horsepower
- 'Usb' by Fred Again
My Winter 2026 First Listens List (In Order):
- 'Chapter 1' by Sault
- 'A Panic You Can't Sweat Out 20th' by Panic! at the Disco
- "NSFW EP" by The Paradox
- 'The Gemini' by Elijah Blake
- 'Be More Grateful' by DaBaby
- 'So much has changed' by Maro
- "Black Sheep EP" by Brittney Carter
- "Turning up the heat again ep" by Sondre Lerche
- 'Wuthering Heights' by Charli XCX
- 'Spiral Staircase' by Larry June, Alchemist, Currensy
- 'The Romantic' by Bruno Mars
- 'The Mountain' by Gorillaz
- 'Future Quiet' by Moby
- 'Prizefighter' by Mumford & Sons
- 'HANA' BY Hana
- 'Kiss All The Time...' by Harry Styles
- 'Girl Music' by Ty Dolla Sign
- 'The Tide EP' by Jade Olivia
- 'Awake (25th)' by Godsmack
- 'When Legends Rise' by Godsmack
- 'Monica' by Jack Harlow
- 'Cut EP' by Yama
- 'Reset' by MikeWillMadeIt
- 'The Way I Am' by Luke Combs
- 'Scoomsday' by MAF Taeski
- 'Mirror Touch' by Volumes
- 'Usb' by Fred Again (ongoing)
Oh! One last thing!
During the early days of 2026, as I organizing my father's recently found CD collection, I got the itch to explore unheard or forgotten albums. These were the standouts that all felt like the first time.
First Listens (in a long while):
- 'Midnight Cleaners' by The Cleaners from Venus
- 'The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961' by Bill Evans
- 'Stereotype' by Cole Swindell
- 'Shades of Blue' by Madlib
- 'Diamond Life' by Sade
- 'Promise' by Sade
- 'Stronger Than Pride' by Sade
- 'Love Deluxe' by Sade
- 'Aurora Arc' by Bump of Chicken
- 'Bocanada' by Gustavo Cerati
Even though I have always loved Sade's discography this recent replay gave life to those lovely lost anthems. 'Promise' still hits the hardest for me. Such an amazing album. They all are!
So how did we do? Might need to add more thoughts on why some records didn't get my golden recommendation this time. So look forward to another 2026 checkpoint in June! I'm already off to a crazy pace. More tunes next Monday as we wrap up March 2026 in playlist form!