The best albums of 2025 so far

This year may be looked back on as the year that a number of our favorite musicians made a radical return to form.

From Lady Gaga, who released her long-awaited dark pop-revival record Mayhem, to Bad Bunny, who embraced traditional Puerto Rican rhythms on Debí Tirar Más Fotos, pop stars began to bet on themselves—and their most cherished inspirations—in a bigger way. This year has also seen a mighty return of the deluxe album, with artists like Sabrina Carpenter, SZA, and even Ariana Grande revitalizing their most recent successful records for fans.

While we’re only a quarter of the way into 2025, we already know which musical projects are going to stand the test of time. Ahead, Harper’s Bazaar editors share our favorite albums so far. Watch this space for more additions as we venture further into the year.

Debí Tirar Más Fotos, by Bad Bunny

If I could inject this album directly into my veins, I would. Debí Tirar Más Fotos by Bad Bunny is indisputably an instant classic—which is saying a lot since we essentially said the same thing for Un Verano Sin Ti, his 2022 Grammy-winning album. The record honors the sounds and rhythms that are indigenous to Puerto Rico and a celebration of true Boricua identity. From start to finish and through the realms of bomba, salsa, reggaeton, and more, the album is a musical exploration of what it means to live and love in Puerto Rico, and it truly hits home for anyone of the Caribbean diaspora. —Bianca Betancourt, digital culture editor

Mayhem, by Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga has never been more back. One of music’s last true auteurs solidifies her status as one of pop’s most innovative artists with Mayhem, her latest studio album, which celebrates a sound that encapsulates the singer’s past, present, and future. While fans have spotted musical references that seem to nod toward ’80s greats like David Bowie, Blondie, and Michael Jackson, the album’s singular melodies and audacious production are inherently Gaga. All genres exist within her and within Mayhem. — B.B.

SOS Deluxe: Lana, by SZA

The deluxe version of SZA’s acclaimed SOS, a.k.a. Lana, might as well have been a standalone project. SZA adds 15 brand-new songs to the original SOS track list, tapping into her signature wit and humor in order to document her ongoing journey to closure, healing, and empowerment. If SOS turned the singer-songwriter’s labyrinthine complex of insecurities into genre-bending weapons of vengeance, then Lana warps those same insecurities into a sonic playground. The roles we play, oscillating constantly between victim and perpetrator of toxic behavior, are still evergreen themes that persist throughout SZA’s entire discography. Yet in Lana, SZA cuts herself some slack and learns how to have fun with the mess too. —Chelsey Sanchez, editor

Eusexua, by FKA Twigs

Twigs brought the dance party with Eusexua, which makes sense, considering the album was inspired in part by the techno music she heard during an extended stay in Prague. Some tracks go harder than others, so don’t let the dance music of it all scare you away if you’re not typically into those types of beats. I can’t stop listening (and moving) to it—and have a feeling its corresponding tour will be a wild time. —Ariana Marsh, senior features editor

Hurry Up Tomorrow, by the Weeknd

If Abel Tesfaye really is planning to say goodbye to his musical moniker of the Weeknd, then Hurry Up Tomorrow is a fitting farewell. What other modern-day artist could get away with sampling “Thriller” and make it work? The singer’s sixth studio album is another classic addition to his robust catalogue that’s been evolving since his early Soundcloud days—a proven mastery of what modern R&B and soulful dark pop can look and sound like. —B.B.

Short ’n Sweet: Deluxe, by Sabrina Carpenter

Sabrina Carpenter and Dolly Parton—need we say more? The reigning Princess of Pop is stretching her success well into 2025 with the continuation of her Short ’n Sweet Tour and the deluxe release of her breakout album of the same name. With five new sultry ear worms for fans, the project is guaranteed to make you blush. —B.B.

Close to What, by Tate McRae

The pop-star podium was already getting pretty full, but Tate McRae found a way to squeeze in this past February when she released her third studio album, So Close to What. Accompanied by slick beats, viral dance moves, and a set of videos that harkened back to the playful visuals of the early 2000s, McRae proved she’s not trying to be Britney or Billie or anybody else—she’s just being herself, and my attention is certainly rapt. — Joel Calfee, assistant editor

Eternal Sunshine Deluxe: Brighter Days Ahead, by Ariana Grande

Not since Thank U, Next has Ariana Grande spoken about love with such heartbreaking precision and hope. While many deluxe releases tend to rely on filler as a way to boost sales, Brighter Days Ahead further builds upon the beautiful world created in Eternal Sunshine. Grande gets candid about her divorce in tracks like “Hampstead” and “Twilight Zone” while crafting charming love letters to her current beau in songs like “Warm.” With this release, Grande proves that even when she’s pivoting to acting, her music is still some of the best in the game. —J.C.

For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women), by Japanese Breakfast

While it couldn’t sound more different from the band’s bright and fizzy breakout album, 2021’s Jubilee, Japanese Breakfast’s latest album has completely captivated me with its somber narrative songs and haunting string arrangements. I love how frontwoman Michelle Zauner drew inspiration from the literature of the Brontë sisters and Mary Shelley, as well as from paintings by masters like Degas and Caspar Friedrich, when putting together the album’s lyrics and coordinating visuals. (The video for “Orlando in Love” is a must-watch!) —A.M.

Forever Is a Feeling, by Lucy Dacus

Lucy Dacus is no stranger to breaking hearts through her music. I first encountered her sound through “Night Shift,” a cinematic breakup ballad about reconfiguring the building blocks of your life after romantic devastation. The evocative and unpredictable lyricism that brought “Night Shift” to life is present in Forever Is a Feeling—her first solo album in four years—but, this time, Dacus wields that talent to distill how it feels to fall in love. Saccharine lines like “You make me homesick for places I’ve never been before / How’d you do that?” pulse tenderly and tentatively, the warmth of her voice blooming against delicate string arrangements. —C.S.

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