Earlier this month, a group of distinguished oomfs was once again summoned to participate in the annual oomf magazine Album of the Year selection committee. After a rigorous nomination and ranking process, the group faced an unexpected challenge: the submissions this year were unusually personal, wildly varied, and impossible to flatten into a neat consensus. It was clear that a Top 40 wouldnโt do the year justice.
Thatโs why we expanded the list to a Top 50. Consider this less a consensus and more of a snapshot of how expansive music felt in 2025.