2025 was a big year in pop music. I chose some of the most streamed albums in 2025 on Spotify to listen to and give my honest opinion. I rated the albums based on how much I personally enjoyed them, which is influenced by my personal taste. The Grammys also happened on February 1. Many of these artists had nominations and a few wins!
Album review
“The Life of a Show Girl” album cover. Photo courtesy of Mert Alaz & Marcus Piggott/TAS Rights Management
“The Life of a Showgirl”- Taylor Swift
This studio album by Taylor Swift had an overwhelming amount of mixed reviews. Prior to the release of “ The Life of a Showgirl,” Swift released 16 other albums, including her “Taylor’s Version” albums. Since Swift is famous for her “eras” in music, I think everyone has a specific era that is their favorite. Personally, this era isn’t my favorite. I thought the lyrics were not very thought out, almost like she put them together at the last minute. My favorite albums/eras from Swift are “folklore” and “evermore.” These albums have more of a dark and ambient mood as well as more slow songs. I think these albums are some of Swift's best work. Despite not liking the whole album, I did really like the song “The Fate of Ophelia” because the vibe of the song is addicting. Overall I would rate this album a 4/10.
“Mans Best Friend” album cover. Photo courtesy of Island Records.
"Man's Best Friend"- Sabrina Carpenter
As someone who has been listening to Sabrina Carpenter's music for years, it’s weird to see how much she has grown as a singer and the changes between her old and new music. “Man’s Best Friend” is Carpenter’s 7th studio album. Others may be surprised to hear this, since she very recently rose to fame in the past couple of years. I think this album is not the best compared to her other albums. Her new music seems to be more mainstream, which is why I don’t like it as much in comparison to her older music. I think her old music was more unique. This seems to be a trend in newer pop artists. She also had 6 Grammy nominations, one specifically being for her song “Manchild.” My favorite song off of the album is “Goodbye” because I love the play on words and upbeat music tied in with it. I would rate this album a 5/10.
“So Close to What” album cover. Photo courtesy of RCA records.
"So Close To What"- Tate McRae
Tate McRae is another artist I listened to before her music got big. I would say her music has shifted from more songs that are sad and slow to the complete opposite. “you broke me first” was one of McRae's first hits, and it has more of a melancholy vibe. If you look at this song compared to one of her new songs, you can see how much her vibe has changed. “So Close To What” is energetic and vibrant. It’s the kind of music that makes you want to get up and dance. Out of the whole album, I loved the song “Sports car” because it’s so catchy and every time I listen to it, I want to replay it. I enjoy this album a lot, and would give it a 7/10. For the Grammys she was nominated for Best Dance Pop Recording for her song "Just Keep Watching" from the movie F1. I give it this rating because even though it’s a really good album, I have to be in a specific mood to want to listen to it.
“MAYHEM” album cover. Photo courtesy of Frank Lebon from DoBeDo Represents.
"MAYHEM"-Lady Gaga
As someone who grew up listening to Lady Gaga’s “The Fame Monster,” “MAYHEM” reminded me a lot of her older music, which is why I really liked it. This album was extremely upbeat and fun. It felt nostalgic and made me want to keep listening, even after just the first song. I also really liked this album because of the feature with Bruno Mars. I listened to both of these artists when I was little, so it was like living through my childhood again. My favorite song has to be “Die With A Smile” because of the Bruno Mars feature, or "Abracadabra" because it reminded me of songs off of “The Fame Monster,” my favorite Lady Gaga Album. She was nominated for 7 Grammys, and won Best Pop Vocal Album for “Mayhem” and Best Dance Pop Recording for “Abracadabra.” Overall, I’d give this album a 7/10
“You’ll Be Alright, Kid” album cover. Photo courtesy of Atlantic records.
"You’ll Be Alright, Kid"- Alex Warren
This was probably my least favorite album out of the 5 I listened to. There can be different genres of pop, some that I really like, others not so much. Out of all of these artists, Warren is the one I was least familiar with. So, I have little knowledge of his previous music. The album just felt basic and like it was made for little kids. Not my cup of tea, but if I had to pick a favorite song from the album I would pick “You’ll Be Alright, Kid” because it has an important message. I care a lot about the meanings of songs, so even if the song isn’t the best I still think about the overall message to decide if I like the song or not. He was nominated for best new artist at the Grammys. I’d give this album a 4/10.
