Let’s face it, 2025 has, for lack of better words, been kinda ass. With the political divide feeling wider than ever, and the news once again filled with a certain tangerine fascist, it has been a wild ride. This weird energy permeated pop culture, and maybe most of all music. 2025 musically feels a bit like a hangover from pop music in 2024. The year started off sluggish with only a handful of significant releases. This only worsened as the internet hunted for the song of the summer, only to find that there wasn’t really one. At least not one to the same ubiquity as last year’s Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter. Eventually, as the summer wound down and autumn came around everyone realised they had albums to release. Throw in a rogue Taylor Swift release and suddenly upwards of 4 big releases were dropping every Friday throughout late August and September. From fasting to feasting, musically it has been quite eventful.
Last year we took on the unenviable task of ranking the albums released by all the main pop girls. This year, we have taken up the mantle again, determined to cover more types of music and more artists. Given the sheer volume of releases, it was hard for each to have its moment, leading to this list having quite a few hidden gems that deserved more time in the spotlight. As with last year’s ranking, this is all opinion based. With a mammoth 34 releases ranked, so many placements boiled down to splitting hairs, and nothing this year was anywhere near as bad as Katy Perry’s 143 from last year. Not all music can resonate the same for everyone, if you disagree with our ranking comment on this article and let us know your personal faves from 2025.
34. Alter Ego – Lisa
Kicking off our countdown is Lisa, whose album was unfortunately a whole lot of nothing. The writing is incredibly shallow, the production feels dated, and in general, it feels very low effort. I went into the album hoping to like it, and walked away feeling like it had zero substance.
Best Songs: New Woman (with Rosalía), Born Again (with Doja Cat and Raye)
33. So Close To What? – Tate McRae
This album had the unenviable position of being the first major drop of the year, and sadly it fumbled that position. McRae feels like she’s not sure of who she is on this project, with production that feels too evocative of others, lyrics that feel fake-deep and a lackluster vocal. All this said, McRae has an adamant fan base so perhaps she deserves further consideration?
Best Songs: Sports Car, Revolving Door, Purple Lace Bra
32. Something Beautiful – Miley Cyrus
For an accomplished musician like Cyrus, this was a bit of a let down. While the album is well made, it feels unfocused and underbaked. Miley sounds great and there are a few good songs on here, its just not that engaging of a listen.
Best Songs: End of the World, Something Beautiful
31. I Said I Love You First – Selena Gomez (and Benny Blanco)
I was pleasantly shocked by this album, expecting to walk away from it hating it. I didn’t. I did find it lacking, but can appreciate that there were ambitious choices made that sometimes pay off. This doesn’t negate that Sunset Blvd is the worst song I’ve heard all year.
Best Songs: Ojos Tristes, Bluest Flame
30. I’m Only Fucking Myself – Lola Young
One thing about Lola Young, she has a specific POV that she makes music through. I find this makes her work feel fully realised, but doesn’t connect to me personally. This album sits solidly in the C tier of 2025 releases.
Best Songs: Walk All Over You, Not Like That Anymore
29. I Quit – Haim
Continuing the stretch of C tier releases is Haim’s latest. While I liked this album I felt it was a pretty safe release from the trio of sisters. I Quit is perfectly nice listening, but I’d be shocked if anyone came away from it feeling particularly moved or excited by it.
Best Songs: Relationships, The farm
28. Eusexua – FKA Twiggs
Probably the hottest take on this list, Eusexua just didn’t connect for me. I can appreciate that Twiggs had a concept in mind that she nailed, but it just didn’t resonate. The North West feature also felt clout-chasey and cringe, knocking this down a few spots on the list.
Best Songs: Perfect Stranger, Room of Fools
27. Bite Me – Renee Rapp
Rapp is a very interesting artist who has a very dedicated and well cultivated fan base. Personally I connected with her earlier material more, but I have a natural leaning toward sadgirl songs. Bite Me is full of attitude that is needed in the pop landscape, giving us a little bit of an update of 2004 Avril Lavigne.
Best Songs: Mad, You’d Like That Wouldn’t You, Leave Me Alone
26. Here For It All – Mariah Carey
As a true legend of the industry, a new Mariah release was never going to rank too poorly on our list. On Here For It All Carey isn’t at her best, but by no means at her worst. There are moments with excellent vocals and some interesting choices made sonically.
Best Songs: Here For It All, Play This Song
25. Vie – Doja Cat
Few artists are as divisive as Doja Cat, on her latest album it would seem she has failed to capture magic of the past. Vie has good production but something just feels lacking. While it is by no means a bad release, it for sure got lost in the sauce of other projects that released in the autum of 2025.
Best Songs: Jealous Type, Gorgeous, Take Me Dancing
26. Midnight Sun – Zara Larsson
Now firmly in the bracket of releases I enjoyed is Zara Larsson’s Midnight Sun. I was so shocked by this album, it feels well rounded and has some certified bangers on it. Larsson has never really hit a chord with me but this release proved her case well.
Best Songs: Eurosummer, Hot & Sexy, Midnight Sun
23. Perrie – Perrie
The first of two former Little Mix debuts on our list, Perrie’s self titled album displays her vocal talent at its best. The downside is that, while a fun album, it feels safe and afraid to push Perrie artistically. I think her best work is ahead of her.
Best Songs: Forget About Us, Sand Dancer, Goodbye My Friend
22. . (Period) – Kesha
Calling your album period sets quite an expectation. I feel like she lived up to it for about half of this album. Kesha has moments on this album that feel exciting, mature, and ahead of the curve with pop music. She also has moments that feel like they were attempts to chase some of the trends in the most generic pop music around. With that ambivalent experience, I can only rank this album in the middle of the pack.
Best songs: Joyride, Boy Crazy (With Jade), Love Forever
21. It’s Not That Deep – Demi Lovato
A genuine surprise, Demi’s latest effort showed real promise. With a few gems on the tracklist this album feels like a refreshingly simplified approach from Lovato that is purely fun. Ultimately some of the songs feel a little dated and it lacks some of the direction of albums ranked higher. This album is certainly worth some attention.
Best songs: Fast, Kiss, Ghost
20. Am I The Drama? – Cardi B
After 7 years since her debut (and only) album, Cardi had a lot to prove. While this album suffers from the same issues as many other rap releases by being simply far too long, Cardi mostly asserts her position in the genre. Particularly important is that this album feels like a look into Cardi’s complex life. The album is, in places, bold and confessional. It was a pleasantly considered record that exceeded my expectations.
Best Songs: Imaginary Players, Pretty & Petty, Bodega Baddie
19. Fancy That – PinkPantheress
PinkPantheress is one of the most interesting artists in the industry right now. Her latest project is self realised and engaging, mostly falling short only on account of its short length and how short most of the songs are. Boiling down mostly to personal taste, this is a dynamic album that I can see connecting with many people.
Best songs: Illegal, Tonight, Romeo
18. Addison – Addison Rae
I can’t act like I didn’t have a prejudiced introduction to this album. Rae is the first influencer who is launching a serious music career in the pop girl space that is actually crossing into a mainstream pop space. With that pressure the skeptics, myself included, listened to this album ready to wield pens like scalpels and write harsh reviews. Miss Addison proved me wrong, this album is doing something pretty interesting. She shows promise and I am very curious to see where she goes from here.
Best songs: Aquamarine, Diet Pepsi, Times Like These
17. Everybody Scream – Florence and the Machine
Released on Halloween, Everybody Scream is jam packed with witchy vibes that are some of the best in Florence’s career. An enjoyable listen, this will connect hard for any Etsy witch or TikTok tarot girlie.
Best songs: Everybody Scream, Old Religion
16. The Life of a Showgirl – Taylor Swift
I can’t lie, The Life of a Showgirl is a lowpoint in Taylor’s discography. While it isn’t an inherently bad album, given its higher placement on our ranking, it is just not as concrete as her past releases. It represents a transitional phase in Swift’s career, and while it facilitated a refreshing sonic shift, it has uneven lyricism – something inevitable given topics on this album often feel recycled from past projects.
Best Songs: The Fate of Ophelia, Opalite, The Life of a Showgirl
15. West End Girl – Lily Allen
If you told me that a Lily Allen album would make the noise this did in 2025 I would have had doubts. Using a brutally honest approach to lyricism, Allen details the breakdown of her marriage in gory detail set to a background of different genres. It is a very engaging listen that only starts to fall short in the final third. Allen has her characteristic tongue and cheek style, reclaiming the energy of her first two albums.
Best songs: Tennis, Madeline, Pussy Palace
14. Sincerely, – Kali Uchis
This album felt like a much more lowkey project than last year’s Orquideas. While this album was a very classically Uchis dreamy listen, I found myself not connecting to it as much as I have with past work from her. I truly see the vision and think it is a lovely listen, but maybe one I’ll need to revisit down the line.
Best songs: All I Can Say, It’s Just Us, Sunshine & Rain…
13. Heroina – Sevdaliza
Sevdaliza has had runaway success on the back of her 2024 single Alibi. Armed with a string of high profile collaborators from around the world, her latest album is a collection of tracks largely inspired by globalist feminism and sisterhood.
Best songs: Alibi, Heroina, No Me Cansaré
12. Willoughby Tucker, I Will Always Love You – Ethel Cain
Heartbreak is horror. This album teaches us that. Earlier in the year Ethel released her album Perverts, which is honestly more of a horror film score than it is a conventional album. With this context Cain digs deeper into the minutiae of the story she told on Preacher’s Daughter to create an expansive yet bleak listen that somehow feels like an analogy for the Nihilism I’ve felt in 2025.
Best Songs: Nettles, Fuck Me Eyes, Dust Bowl
11. Princess of Power – Marina
This is the most underrated release of the year and it deserved more attention. Marina made a sharp, summery soundscape that is equal parts whimsy and wisdom. Princess of Power was a huge part of my summer soundtrack. I do feel like this album was maybe just a little behind the closer to my top spots but is absolutely a polished and compelling body of work.
Best songs: Cuntissimo, Cupid’s Girl, Digital Fantasy
10. Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party – Hayley Williams
Hayley Williams dropping a solo project in 2025 was not on my bingo card, how glad I am that she did. The sentiment in these songs is raw, fun, political, and feels so authentically Hayley. I found myself repeatedly playing these songs for weeks with not tiring even a little.
Best songs: Dream Girl in Shibuya, True Believer, Hard
9. Salvation – Rebecca Black
Salvation is a 20 minute injection of pure unadulterated cunt. Rebecca Black is rapidly becoming one of the most influential and exciting artists in the hyperpop space. I won’t lie, I’d been watching her rise from afar for a while before I came to this album and my expectations were high, she exceeded them with ease. All I can say is we need more, more, more.
Best songs: TRUST!, Twist The Knife, American Doll
8. Man’s Best Friend – Sabrina Carpenter
Now let’s not talk too much about THAT album cover… I won’t lie I was expecting a drop in quality from Short n Sweet, unsure of what direction this album would go in. I found myself so gleefully wrong in my thinking. This album is just pure fun. An album for your inner hottie and honestly the best hornypop that I’ve heard in years. Also ‘Arrivaderci, Au Revoir / Excuse my French but fuck you ta ta!’ is the lyric of the year.
Best songs: Goodbye, We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night, Go Go Juice
7. Mayhem – Lady Gaga
Gaga is a true master of pop music. This album is a dark pop trip that is so infectiously fun and feels so authentically Lady Gaga that it demands your full attention. Mayhem utilises cohesive spooky imagery in its lyrics and visual content that it begs to become a Halloween classic. Lady Gaga at her very best, her most free, and most authentic.
Best songs: Zombieboy, Disease, Perfect Celebrit
6. From The Pyre – The Last Dinner Party
The Last Dinner Party are one of the most engaging acts in the British music scene at the moment. Their latest album, From The Pyre mythologises womanhood through a production which is rich and complex. It is an excellent project that builds on the acclaim and artistic development established with their debut album two years ago. Their unique position as a mainstream all women rock band only furthers the messaging on this album.
Best songs: The Scythe, I Hold Your Anger, Woman is a Tree
5. The Art of Loving – Olivia Dean
Olivia Dean’s second album, The Art of Loving, is one of the runaway success stories of this year. A truly excellent album, it is a beautiful study into the multifaceted nature of love set to some of the very best vocals of all the releases on this list. Dean is a master of her craft and one of the most authentic artists on 2025.
Best Songs: Loud, Lady Lady, I’ve Seen It
4. Tropicoqueta – Karol G
There is a truth in the fable of the tortoise and the hare. This album is the living proof of that. Gradually over the months since its release it has become the runaway album of the year for me. Karol propelled herself in a distinct direction with Tropicoqueta, expressing Latinidad at a time when the Latin community are experiencing acute discrimination in the US. Plus this album WAS the album of the summer of 2025.
Best Songs: Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido, Viajando Por El Mundo, Bandida Entrenada
3. Virgin – Lorde
Virgin is the most politically cognizant album released this whole year. Lorde creates a brutalist sonic space that backdrops gripping lyrics that dissect the politics of the body. The commentary on this album doesn’t detract however from the fact it is stacked with bangers and some of the most innovative pop music since last year’s Brat.
Best Songs: David, Broken Glass, Current Affairs
2. That’s Showbiz Baby – Jade
Debuting a second time as a soloist is the unenviable task that all girl group members face at some point. Jade used hers to create an album that is on all levels an iconic sonic acid trip that will reign as a pop bible for the ages. That’s Showbiz Baby has a distinct point of view, has things to say, and doesn’t mince its words. This album is so bold and experimental, showing us an artist who knows not only who she is, but how fucking iconic she is.
Best songs: Before You Break My Heart, Headache, Angel of my Dreams (but this whole album has zero skips)
1. Lux – Rosalía
Rounding out our list in the top spot is Rosalía’s masterpiece, Lux. An album that pushes the very limitations of pop music, she has created a body of work that is bold, introspective, and fiercely authentic. Inspired by hagiographies of women saints, sung in 13 languages, and scored by the London Symphony Orchestra, Lux is the most engaging album of the year. Truly Rosalía has created an album that is a generational masterpiece.
Best songs: Mio Cristo Piange Diamanti, Memória, La Yugular, Reliquia (this album is flawless, literally every song is excellent)
There you have it, 34 of the biggest albums by women of 2025, all ranked. If you think we have missed anything or disagree with our takes, comment and let us know.
Listen to our curated playlist here:
