This has been, a year. We’ve been inundated with an insurmountable amount of news flashes, media blitzes, and simple but inflammatory rhetoric, and there’s no end in sight. Normally, we’d take things in stride, but 2025 has been exhausting, and to quote Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka, “…There’s no sign of slowing down!!!!” But that’s fine too, as we head quickly out of this year, facing forward to seeing what else can smack us right across the face. It’s unfortunate how things have unraveled, as we’ll soon see the cannabis industry head into a downward spiral. How will we ever manage? Well, we’ll be taking it back to the streets!

Honestly, everyone is worn out, consumed with uncertainty about what 2026 will bring. I know many are hopeful, but we’re all treading precariously, and no one is holding their breath. Frequent contributors Kane Adams, Tim Anderl, and Diego Flores have added their 2 cents to this listing for this year’s top honors. One thing you’ll note is that there are no charming little blurbs to go along with them. But the list still stands, and everyone here also stands behind the picks. Rock, Hip-Hop, Funk, Soul, R&B, Experimental, Indie, Punk; it’s all here. If you don’t like something, you’re wrong. Have a great new year, now put on your earbuds. – Eddie Ugarte

SHAME – CUTTHROAT (DEAD OCEANS)

PRAYER GROUP – STRAWBERRY

BLUEPRINT – VESSEL (WEIGHTLESS)

DEAD TOOTH – S/T (TRASH CASUAL)

KNOX – GOING, GOING, GONE

LORDE – S/T

N8NOFACE – AS OF RIGHT NOW (STONES THROW)

JOHNNY BURGOS – A LONG SHORT STORY (LRK RECORDS)

BAD TRIPS – NOTHING BUT TROUBLE

THAIONE DAVIS – THOU SHALL NOT FRET (CULTURE POWER45)

GUIDED BY VOICES – THICK RICH AND DELICIOUS (GBV RECORDS)

MYKA 9 & BLU – GOD TAKES CARE OF BABIES & FOOLS (NATURE SOUNDS)

GRANDBROTHERS – ELSEWHERE

KENNY HOOPLA – CONDITIONS OF AN ORPHAN (_and_others)

DURAND JONES & THE INDICATIONS – FLOWERS (DEAD OCEANS)

JAY SOM – BELONG (POLYVINYL)

FLYCATCHER – WRENCH (MEMORY MUSIC)

THE RAGING NATHANS – ROOM FOR ONE MORE (RAD GIRLFRIEND/BRASSNECK RECORDS)

ALIEN BOY – YOU WANNA FADE? (GET BETTER RECORDS)

WEDNESDAY – BLEEDS (DEAD OCEANS)

NICHOLAS NAIOTI – ADULTS

N. JUSTICE – BLACK PROMETHEUS

CLIPSE – LET GOD SORT EM OUT

HAIM – I QUIT

STEREOLAB – INSTANT HOLOGRAMS ON METAL FILM (WARP RECORDS)

DOESONE & STEEL TIPPED DOVE – ALL PORTAIT, NO CHORUS (BACKWOODZSTUDIOZ)

AJ SUEDE – THROWN AWAY

TROPICAL FUCK STORM – FAIRYLAND CODEX (FIRE RECORDS)

PIXEL GRIP – PERCEPTICIDE: THE DEATH OF REALITY

CASUAL HEX – ZIG ZAG LADY ILLUSION II

CYPRESS HILL & LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA – BLACK SUNDAY LIVE AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL

BLACK MOTH SUPER RAINBOW – SOFT NEW MAGIC DREAM (RAD CULT)

THE STARTING LINE – ETERNAL YOUTH (LINEAGE RECORDINGS)

PUBLIC ENEMY – BLACK SKY OVER THE PROJECTS: APARTMENT 2025 (ENEMY RECORDS/ FLAVOR FLAV RECORDS)

ACCEPTANCE – PHANTOMS/TWENTY (EQUAL VISION RECORDS)

TY SEGALL – POSSESSION (DRAG CITY)

DOSEONE & HEIGHT KEECH – WOOD TEETH

SLEIGH BELLS – BUNKY BECKY BIRTHDAY BOY (MOM + POP)

QUICKLY, QUICKLY – I HEARD THAT NOISE (GHOSTLY INTERNATIONAL)

DEV LEMONS – SURFACE TENSION

YEULE – EVANGELIC GIRL IS A GUN (NINJA TUNE)

WOMBO – DANGER IN FIVES (FIRE TALK)

MOMMA – WELCOME TO MY BLUE SKY (POLYVINYL)

BUDOS BAND – VII (DIAMOND WEST RECORDS)

HAYWARDxDÄLEK – S/T (RELAPSE)

EZRA FURMAN – GOODBYE SMALL HEAD (BELLA UNION)

PREOCCUPATIONS – ILL AT EASE (BORN LOSERS RECORDS)

SEXTILE – YES, PLEASE. (SACRED BONES)

MICKEY AVALON X ROVE – POSTCARDS FROM HELL

BROTHER ALI – SATISFIED SOUL (MELLO MUSIC GROUP)

INFINITY KNIVES X BRIAN ENNALS – A CITY DROWNED IN GOD’S BLACK TEARS (PHANTOM LIMB)

VIDEO DAVE – OLD CHICAGO STADIUM

OPEN MIKE EAGLE – NEIGHBOURHOOD GODS UNLIMITED (AUTO REVERSE RECORDS)

BUCK 65 – KEEP MOVING (5343608 RECORDS DK)

DEERHOOF – NOBLE AND GODLIKE IN RUIN (JOYFUL NOISE RECORDINGS)

TOILET RATS – SYNTH REDUX VOL. 1

ERSATZ SPLINTER – SO IT GOES

TUNDE ADEBIMPE – THEE BLACK BOLTZ (SUB POP)

CLIPPING. – DEAD CHANNEL SKY (SUB POP)

BATHS – GUT (BASEMENT’S BASEMENT)

HOMEBOY SANDMAN – RICH 2.5

SADISTIK & NOWHERE2RURN – THE VACANTS

DARKO THE SUPER – BEAUTY KNOW NO PAIN

LALIVE – QUIETISM (THREE DOLLAR PISTOL MUSIC)

YOUNG WIDOWS – POWER SUCKER (TEMPORARY RESIDENCE LTD.)

BAR ITALIA – SOME LIKE IT HOT (MATADOR)

SORRY – COSPLAY (DOMINO)

JESSE THE TREE – WORM IN HEAVEN (STRANGE FAMOUS RECORDS)

MAX MOON – THE GRAND HOWL

KABOOM x DIRTY SAMPLE – 2 CENTS

SLEEPING DOGS – DOGSTEOVSKY (THREE DOLLAR PISTOL MUSIC)

BOB MOULD – HERE WE GO CRAZY

DAMON LOCKS – LIST OF DEMANDS (INTERNATIONAL ANTHEM)

EUGENIUS – FINAL FORM

DENISON WITMER – ANYTHING AT ALL (ASTHMATIC KITTY)

MOGWAI – THE BAD FIRE (TEMPORARY RESIDENCE LTD)

THE EXPERT – VIVID VISIONS (RUCKSACK RECORDS)

JEFF TWEEDY – TWILIGHT OVERRIDE

THE BETHS – STRAIGHT LINE WAS A LIE (ANTI-)

NAH REALLY – SECRET PANCAKE (MUTOMBO RECORDS

ANDREW – WARM WEAPONS IN EASY REACH (FUSED ARROW RECORDS)

HOMEBOY SANDMAN – TEARS OF JOY

NATION OF LANGUAGE – DANCE CALLED MEMORY (SUB POP)

NANCY AND THE JAM FANCY’S – SWAN SONGS

DEFCEE X PARALLEL THOUGHT – OTHER BLUES

COOL CALM PETE – DEMOLITION (BUBBLE WIFE RECORDS)

RICH JONES – COMENOS (THREE DOLLAR PISTOL MUSIC)

ANTI-LILLY X PHONIKS – ALL GOOD THINGS (DON’T SLEEP RECORDS)

CAITLIN & BRENT – S/T (RODEO CORP LTD)

FACTOR CHANDELIER – AS DARK AS TODAY (FAKE FOUR, INC.)

SPOKEN NERD & JUAN COSBY – FRUITS OF LEISURE