Hold on to your headphones, music lovers! BBC Radio 6 Music just dropped a bombshell: their Albums of the Year 2025 list is here, and it’s packed with surprises. But are your favorite artists on the list? And more importantly, do you agree with their choices? Let’s dive in!
BBC Radio 6 Music, boasting a massive 2.7 million listeners (according to RAJAR, Q3 2025, making it the UK’s undisputed champion of digital-only radio stations), has officially unveiled its highly anticipated Albums of the Year 2025. This isn’t just a list; it’s a carefully curated selection representing the diverse and groundbreaking sounds that define the station’s unique identity. This list is more than just a compilation of great music; it’s a statement about the direction music is heading!
Over the next five weeks, each chosen album will receive the spotlight in special editions of Matt Everitt’s New Album Fix show. For those new to the show, it’s a weekly deep dive into the freshest sounds, dropping every Friday morning on BBC Sounds. These special episodes won’t just play the music; they’ll dissect it, offering insights from 6 Music’s own presenters about why these albums resonated with them so deeply. Think of it as a guided tour through the sonic landscapes of 2025, led by passionate experts.
Cam Pia, 6 Music’s Music Editor, perfectly encapsulates the excitement: “I love hearing what our presenters have picked for 6 Music’s annual Albums of the Year celebration – and 2025’s list yet again showcases the incredible depth and breadth of music we play across the network as well as championing some truly outstanding bodies of work from some of our favourite artists. Over the next five weeks, we’ll be digging into these picks via special programming as well as adding tracks from each album to our weekly new music playlist.”
Here’s a breakdown of the albums selected, week by week, within the New Music Fix: Albums of the Year series:
New Music Fix: Albums of the Year – Episode 1 (Available on BBC Sounds from Friday 21 November)
- EURO-COUNTRY by CMAT (selected by Chris Hawkins)
- Glory by Perfume Genius (selected by Huw Stephens)
- Lifetime by Erika de Casier (selected by SHERELLE)
- LSD by Cardiacs (selected by Marc Riley)
- Warsaw 480km by pôt-pot (selected by Deb Grant)
New Music Fix: Albums of the Year – Episode 2 (Available on BBC Sounds from Friday 28 November)
- Canticle Hardposte by Proc Fiskal (selected by AFRODEUTSCHE)
- Devotion & The Black Divine by anaiis (selected by Zakia)
- In Limerence by Jacob Alon (selected by Guy Garvey)
- Private Music by Deftones (selected by Huey Morgan)
- viagr aboys by Viagra Boys (selected by Nathan Shepherd)
New Music Fix: Albums of the Year – Episode 3 (Available on BBC Sounds from Friday 5 December)
- Last Night I Heard The Dog Star Bark by Gwenifer Raymond (selected by Gideon Coe)
- Joseph, What Have You Done? by Rainy Miller (selected by Mary Anne Hobbs)
- People Watching by Sam Fender (selected by Stuart Maconie)
- Teeth of Time by Joshua Burnside (selected by Emily Pilbeam)
- The Bad Fire by Mogwai (selected by Iggy Pop)
New Music Fix: Albums of the Year – Episode 4 (Available on BBC Sounds from Friday 12 December)
- Crooked Wing by These New Puritans (selected by Mark Radcliffe)
- LUX by Rosalía (selected by Nick Grimshaw)
- Map of a Blue City by Marc Ribot (selected by Cerys Matthews)
- Tether by Annahstasia (selected by Jamz Supernova)
- we’re having a barn dance by lavender (selected by Don Letts)
New Music Fix: Albums of the Year – Episode 5 (Available on BBC Sounds from Friday 19 December)
- A Complicated Woman by Self Esteem (selected by Steve Lamacq)
- A.O.E.I.U. by Florence Adooni (selected by Gilles Peterson)
- Getting Killed by Geese (selected by Lauren Laverne)
- Sad and Beautiful World by Mavis Staples (selected by Beth Ditto)
- Teal Dreams by Yazmin Lacey (selected by Craig Charles)
- Who Let the Dogs Out by Lambrini Girls (selected by Amy Lamé)
But here’s the exciting part: starting Monday, November 17th, and continuing until Sunday, December 21st, 6 Music will be adding one track from each of these albums to their regular playlist for a week. This means you’ll get a chance to hear these selections interspersed with the station’s usual eclectic mix. It’s a great way to discover new artists and potentially find your next favorite album.
For those unfamiliar, BBC Radio 6 Music prides itself on delivering a diverse range of music and culture that ventures beyond the mainstream. They cater to music lovers with a curious spirit, blending today’s cutting-edge sounds with iconic, groundbreaking music from the past 50 years. Their impressive roster of presenters includes a who’s who of music tastemakers and passionate personalities, including AFRODEUTSCHE, Amy Lamé, Beth Ditto, Cerys Matthews, Chris Hawkins, Craig Charles, Deb Grant, Don Letts, Emily Pilbeam, Femi Koleoso, Gideon Coe, Gilles Peterson, Guy Garvey, Huw Stephens, Huey Morgan, Iggy Pop, Jamz Supernova, Lauren Laverne, Marc Riley, Mark Radcliffe, Mary Anne Hobbs, Matt Everitt, Nathan Shepherd, Nick Grimshaw, SHERELLE, Steve Lamacq, Stuart Maconie and Zakia. These are the voices shaping the musical landscape, and their album selections are definitely worth exploring.
So, what do you think of the list? Are there any glaring omissions? Are there any picks that you think are completely off the mark? Do you agree with the claim that 6 Music is the UK’s leading digital radio station? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! We’re eager to hear your opinions and spark a lively discussion about the best music of 2025. After all, music is subjective, and the best conversations are the ones where we challenge each other’s perspectives.