Music

music that was important to me in twenty-twenty-five

I quit Spotify in March of this year. I've always loved listening to albums start to finish, I find it hard to get into an artist that releases singles alone. I noticed my relationship to music was changing, I was finding hard to find a deep connection with new music and artists, for the most part I found the Spotify algorithm sucked. I was sick of getting paid pennies as a musician for tens of thousands of streams, how streaming model was contributing to the enshittification and devaluation of music, and their Swedish founder using my money to invest in arms companies was the final straw for me.

Since March I listen to music on my modified iPod gen. 5 classic which I got from Player Mods. I get music from new artists on bandcamp or otherwise Soulseek. If for whatever reason I can't use my iPod I have YouTube music but tbh its rare I use it.

The battery lasts days, I don't need internet to use it, I don't get autoplayed songs I don't care about, I will never be forced to listen to AI music!!! I have to be much more intentional about adding music, rather than being suggested music by a computer it forces me to have a focused music discovery session mostly based on suggestions from my peers, intentional searches and chance encounters.

Here's the music that was important to me this year. Some released in 2025, most not. I'm high key too lazy to link/add photos or album art to every entry you got search engines.

Song of the Year

Welcome To My Blue Sky - Momma

"I stopped to talk like we always do /
But something's off, swear it's me, not you /
It's not your fault 'cause I always knew /
This blue sky won't bring me back to you

I stopped to talk, yeah, I'm doing fine /
You're paying the cost of my new life /
When I hang up, it's our last goodnight /
Don't try to find me in my blue sky"

Albums of the Year

Welcome To My Blue Sky - Momma
Bleeds - Wednesday
2000: In Search of The Endless Sky - Fleshwater

Also best live show I saw all year and one of the best bands to ever do it. Post hardcore forever and Marisa is not playing with them vocals and I can confirm the mic is on live.

Yarin Yoksa - Derya Yildirim & Grup Simsek
Tuff Times Never Last - KOKOROKO
Fancy That - PinkPantheress
Luster - Maria Somerville

Spring Beginnings

Twin Plagues - Wednesday

one week in the spring I had a "no reading" week. No reading, social media, news, books, podcasts, talk radio. One night I just lay in bed like when I was a teen just listening to music. I listened to Twin Plagues and felt a lot of things. Probably one of the best weeks of the year.

Habibi Funk 015: An eclectic selection of music from the Arab world, part 2

Put on while making your Saturday morning coffee to have the best time of your life.

Black Phonemics - Steve Coleman
Return to the Seventh Galaxy - Return To Forever
Romantic Warrior - Return To Forever
Visions of The Emerald Beyond - Mahavishnu Orchestra
Mothership connection - Parliament/Funkadelic
Chocolate City - Parliament/Funkadelic
The Clones of Dr Funkenstein - Parliament/Funkadelic
Chick Corea - Where Have I Known You Before

Sounds of the Summer

Welcome To My Blue Sky - Momma
Disaster Trick - Horse Jumper of Love
Billboard Heart - Deep Sea Diver

Normally not an indie/pop lover but I was really impressed by a live video of them posted on YouTube by KEXP and pretty sure I have the same guitar as their guitarist, and the guitar sound and playing was phenomenal to me at the height of taking my guitar lessons.

Songs About You Specifically - MICHELLE
Louder Now - Taking Back Sunday
What Chaos is Imaginary - Girlpool
Powerplant - Girlpool

Revisiting Girlpool's Work reminds me they are probably among the best songwriters of the 2010's - Faultline from their last album is perfect.

Saturday Night Wrist - Deftones
Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Silence - Glassjaw
Yarin Yoksa - Derya Yildirim & Grup Simsek
Tuff Times Never Last - KOKOROKO

Fall Forever

Bleeds - Wednesday
2000: In Search of The Endless Sky - Fleshwater

Graduation - Kanye West
College Dropout - Kanye West

I know I KNOW but we could have had it all he kind of want the goat AAGHH All Falls Down?? Jesus Walks??? Flashing Lights????? Come onnnn

Reflection of Another Self - Milena Casado
Luster - Maria Somerville
Roy Ayers - Virgin Ubiquity I and II
Rejuvenation - The Meters
Fancy That - PinkPantheress

Tender Winter

On Letting Go - Circa Survive
Busy Body - Luther Vandross

The Night I Fell In Love - Luther Vandross
Dreams To Remember - Otis Redding
Love Deluxe - Sade
One In A Million - Aaliyah
Lonesome Crowded West - Modest Mouse
Paramore - Full Discography plus B Sides and deep cuts (O Star, Stop This Song, I Caught Myself, Decoy...)

Music is my life xxx

ahouseofmyown@proton.me