NPR Music's classical critic shares his favorite records of the year, spanning a wide range of genres, from experimental folk to operatic pop to recordings featuring harp and pipe organ.

The All Songs Considered host had his mind blown by Rosalía's LUX and his heart broken by Patrick Watson's uh oh, and was taken for a wild ride by Geese.

The editorial director of WRTI in Philadelphia shares his favorite albums of the year, including a "thinking person's thrill ride" of a jazz guitar album.

The NPR Music editor and All Songs Considered contributor shares her favorite albums of the year, including one that feels like a survival guide to the apocalypse.

If you're searching for music off the beaten path, here's the list for you. NPR Music's Tiny Desk editor and resident Viking scours the corners of the music world to find his favorite records of 2025.

The Alt.Latino and El Tiny host shares his favorite records of the year, including jazz musicians from across Latin America as well as vocalists inspired by folk, rock and pop whose work defies genre.

The NPR Music critic and All Songs Considered contributor's favorite records of the year include the best of British rap, whimsical and melancholy electronic experiments and spellbinding dreampop.

In our time, it's easy to shut your mind, driven by fear or misinformation. This year, NPR Music's pop critic found the antidote in music that encouraged exploring.

In a year when hip-hop was frequently absent from the pop charts, NPR's music critic found that looking in darker corners revealed a genre that was flourishing.

This may have been a year when Latin music exploded globally, but the Alt.Latino and El Tiny host also sensed a desire among musicians for softness and stillness.