This year has been a standout for Australian music, with a mix of debut albums, confident second records, a surprise supergroup, and big-name returns. Critics have selected the 16 best albums of 2025, featuring a diverse range of sounds from Folk Bitch Trio's mellow nostalgia to the energised beats of Baker Boy and Ninajirachi, and melancholic offerings from Stella Donnelly and Tame Impala.
Folk Bitch Trio, despite their spiky name, deliver sumptuous harmonies over gentle folk backing, evoking a 1960s sound. The Melburnians' long-awaited debut album showcases timeless music with a subtle bite, featuring wise, cryptic lyrics that read like Gen Z poetry. Remarkably, all three members are in their early 20s, hinting at a promising future.
Ninajirachi, the project of 26-year-old producer Nina Wilson, debuted with a three-time ARIA-winning album that blends EDM, brostep, and trance. The record reflects a life lived between reality and the online world, with tracks like 'iPod Touch' and 'Sing Good' fondly recalling old music software, while 'Infohazard' confronts darker internet experiences.
Tame Impala's fifth album, while divisive, offers melancholic beats and lyrics about fame's loneliness, with Kevin Parker referencing 'fucking Pablo Escobar' and missing his children. Stella Donnelly's third album balances the pain of losing a friend with sugar-sweet vocals and sonic experimentation, from angular guitars to ambient soundscapes.
The supergroup Bleak Squad, featuring Adalita, Mick Harvey, Mick Turner, and Marty Brown, released their debut 'Strange Love', sounding as if they've played together for years. Thatboykwame, now 28, self-produced his second album 'In a Matter of Time', a concise seven-track exploration of heartbreak.
