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Thank you so much for supporting us this month! Now's that magical time when you hit us with your HOT TAKES, UNPOPULAR OPINIONS, and TOUGH QUESTIONS, but i think it'd be a nice change of pace seeing as we're at the midpoint of the year to go over what you guys think are the best and worst albums of the year thus far. Hopefully that's cool? Drop your picks and thoughts (please try to give a reason or two why you love / don't love it) down in the comments and we'll look through them in the next couple of weeks. Let's go!

Also if you want to submit one of each, maybe do them as separate comments please (unless you're somehow tying together the albums lol). For the record, you're always free to submit more than one take every month as long as you're not getting spammy w/ it.

In case you missed June's episode: https://www.patreon.com/posts/lets-argue-in-133493247

Comments

BlueZones

The best is easily REVENGESEEKERZ imo. Maybe the best hyperpop album ever made after Oil of Every Person’s Un-Insides. Some of the most texturally dense bangers/ragers I’ve ever heard. Haven’t been listening to a ton of music this year so I don’t think I’ve come across a ā€œbadā€ album, but ā€œEvangelical Girl Is a Gunā€ was super disappointing. Especially since her previous two records are some of my favorites of the decade.

Justin

best: Edward Skeletrix - Museum Music

Noah Hoke

caroline 2 is a topper, imo

Herbieguy

I barely follow modern music anymore so I'm not sure I can really give a 'best', but if you wanna know the most interesting, Dr. Pepper released an ambient album called "Sounds of Succulence" that was made using sound effects from the drink. That's not a joke, it's on SoundCloud as we speak. And it also got a limited edition 1000 copy vinyl pressing https://www.discogs.com/release/34198498-Dr-Pepper-Sounds-Of-Succulence-

vvo

best, McKinley Dixon - Magic, Alive! and worst, Lil Wayne- Tha Carter VI

It’s Not Melee

honestly, best album for me this year is Dead Channel Sky from clipping. Such an incredible listen front to back. The lyrics and beats are unhinged and very detailed, really going into themes of disillusion and escapism in a growing digital society.

Ian Kim

Hurry Up Tomorrow is imo Abel’s best demonstrations on why he’s one of the greatest artists working today. Not only does he pull numbers but he’s an artist that deliberately puts concepts and cinematic qualities to his albums (not his film/tv contributions though). Not only do the pop tunes pay great homage to the works of legends like MJ/Quincy, the overall narrative was super emotional for me knowing this is the narrative where he battles to kill of his persona as The Weeknd despite temptations that push him to continue the destructive lifestyle he’s portrayed for over a decade!

bressig

In terms of songcraft and soundplay, I gotta give AOTY so far to Caroline; I've truly heard nothing else like their combination of post-rock, folk, emo, and baroque pop. The touches of autotune here and there mixed with the organic instrumentation and almost free form song structures and playing style is simultaneously groundbreaking and accessible, experimental but human.

Herbieguy

For worst I think I'm gonna give it to that Kyle M. album. Painfully unfunny, terrible cheap instrumentals, and a horrible singer. One of the worst things about music communities is how every now and again they'll latch onto some intentionally low-quality / ironic shitpost album and act like it's the greatest thing to ever touch music history. It's so annoying. I hated that shit with Lil B and Pink Guy and I still hate it now.

bressig

The worst of this year has to be Sleep Token, it still boggles my mind the gulf that exists between their popularity and their musical quality. Every song is just gray, no dynamics, no topography, no energy: each one just limps along for 5-6 minutes at a time

theneedledrop

lmao we did not hear abt that; might be content thx

EasyBakeCoven

Deafheaven’s Lonely People with Power is a jaw-dropping culmination and enhancement of nearly every sound and style they’ve worked with up to this point. Their black metal roots at the forefront are at the most ferocious point they’ve sounded since the Black Brick single they put out several years ago. The shoegaze and post rock embellishments that they’ve become well known for are incorporated with a level of finesse that vindicates their attempts to fully embrace it on their past few releases. Best of all however, is that Deafheaven go about all of this without evoking the sense that they needed to rewind back to Sunbather. It feels less like a crowd-pleaser and more like a full realization. Handily the front-runner of the year for me thus far.

Wilson Dawson

For me it is Sinister Grift (despite Revengeseekerz and Cancionera being close behind) it is my favorite Panda Bear solo project by far and 50mg is my favorite song of the year so far. (IM AN ACTOR IN A FANTASYYYYYYYYYYY) The rest of the album is still amazing even though it sounds different than 50mg (besides fairy lady which also leans in a reggae direction. My other favorite songs from the album are Ends Meet, Praise and Elegy for Noah Lou. (edit I like the Clipse album better but it wasn't out when I posted this) For me the worst album has to be Even in Arcadia. It is just bland pop rock that is being hyped up as if its 'the new big metal thing' and 'metal that the public can get behind' but to me it's just Imagine Dragons with like 2 or 3 screams. Which aren't even that good.

Dustro5000

I enjoyed Babe Rainbow's Slipper Imp and Shakaerator

It’s Not Melee

worst album for me has to me the latest Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR collab. so painfully boring to sit through and even by Drake standards it’s incredibly lazy with some terrible lyrics and ideas all around. I don’t even think Nokia saves this album from being at the very bottom of my list

Josh Miles

I think we can universally agree Tha Carter VI is the worst album this year… But in my opinion, Deafheaven’s Lonely People With Power is pretty handily in the lead right now for my album of the year. Every track hits hard af, the vocals are manic, the aggression and the visceral performances are incredible, and it’s safe to say it’s their best album since Sunbather. And it does so without having to make a replica of Sunbather. It honestly is just straight up black metal ferocity from start to finish. It’s not revolutionary or the first of its kind, but it does what it is going for at the highest level, and for that, Lonely People With Power is my album of the year thus far Much love to The Weeknd and Mac Miller as well, wouldn’t argue with those two either

Colin Devereaux

Best: Natural Pleasure - Broncho. I don't imagine this getting as much love from the group/channel, but it's my favorite listen so far. There's an atmosphere to the instrumentation and vocal delivery that's irresistible. It evokes the feeling of a late night on a friend's patio shooting the shit & reminiscing -- Just a Great Hang album overall.

Valdyr the Hyena

Hey a familiar face! I came here to say the exact same thing

Frankie P

Best is Cameron Winter - Heavy Metal (even tho it came out in the latter end of 24) GOD IS REAL

Piers Ward

Didn’t think my favourite album of the year so far would end up being a soundtrack, but the 28 Years soundtrack is honestly incredible. Causeway is such a beautiful track. I’ve always been a fan of Young Fathers, but this might be my favourite thing they’ve done.

Chris

It may not be my number one but for me, it’s a personal favorite and it has to be the new tropical fuck storm. I’m in a place of just relating to the album like so much of the place this record comes from especially the closing track hit hard also has some of the most beautiful moments of 2025 with tracks like bye bye snake eyes.

Maximof_

Worst album so far of the year is without a doubt that Will Smith Comeback album, nothing can trully be said other then that its just not good. Best album of the year for me is a close call between RevengeSeekerz by Jane Remover or Kali Uchi's Sincerly.

carter

Birthing by Swans is 100% the best album this year and the best album they’ve done post reunion. You severely underrated it in your review.

Alec Moore

Viagr Aboys is my AOTY atm. It was my introduction to the band, and holy crap I really wish I had checked them out earlier. Immediately after listening to it I checked out Cave World and was blown away again. Not only do I thoroughly enjoy the music but Sebastian's exaggerated delivery and absurd lyrics made me laugh out loud a few times, especially the opening track. 9/10 record, Cave World might be a 10.

Cashew

I expected my AOTY so far to be Viagra Boys or Jane Remover . I like those albums but I don't really find myself wanting to come back to them since their release. The only album that's been on steady repeat for me this year is Goldstar by Imperial Triumphant. Never been a huge fan of the genre overall but something about that album does it for me.

Jessssssse

Best album of the year is Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory, but Anthony compared its most haunting track, Afterlife, to Cold War Kids: Hang Me Up to Dry, just because they both use octave based riffs over an I–vi progression. It's like saying Her and You’ve Got Mail are the same film because they're about lonely dudes and technology. Yet... I cannot unhear it now. Also, both good songs, and both good films!

EZGames69

Artists complain about Record Labels all the time, but then break off to start their own and restart the cycle every time. Seems like it's completely unavoidable to not have Record Labels exist in the first place.

Rad Antonov

Obongjayar kicks Panda’s butt with Paradise Now. How come he didn’t make the list?

ToadMan101

My personal pick for the best album of 2025 thus far is McKinley Dixon's Magic, Alive! He really gave it all here with some of the most beautifully produced tracks I've ever heard in quite a bit. Truly his magnum opus with bangers upon bangers that make your soul want to ascend from your body.

ToadMan101

Worst album of 2025 so far definitely has to go to Will Smith's Based on a True Story. It's Will Smith putting out a new album in the Year of Our Lord 2025 after not having released one in 20 years and with zero justification as to why this even exists at all. The further you go into this album, the more the emperor's clothes on Will are stripped away and you truly see just how embarrassing of a person he really is. Bonus dishonorable shoutout to "Pretty Girls" (divorced dad core) and his... uh... freestyle, if you could call it that.

Jude Clarke

I think betcover’s new album has been my favourite other contenders are simz and backxwash then worst I’ve heard probably music or so close to what

Trevor Young

As a massive King Gizzard fan, it bums me out to say that Phantom Island is one of the worst for me. It felt extremely phoned in, repetitive, and lacking in any creativity. The strings felt tacked on and the songwriting was lifeless. Monumental disappointment.

Gone

No hot takes here, really. ā€œOnly Dust Remainsā€ narrowly edges out ā€œRevengeseekerzā€ for me as best of the year, with the new Deafheaven album in a comfortable number three spot.

Josh Brown

Too many great albums I’ve loved so far to just pick one, so I’ll go with the absolute worst one instead. Idols by YUNGBLOOD is the most uninspired, derivative and obnoxious ā€œrockā€ album I’ve heard so far. The instrumentals sound like if Meatloaf wrote songs for U2 during the early 2000’s but made it sound as cheap as possible. Lyrics are vague and overused emo cliches about mental health and self love that pretend to be deep when they really say nothing at all. Vocals are the most grating and melodramatic I’ve heard on one of his albums. Used to think YUNGBLOOD would be bright spot in the current pop-punk wave but this project was way too much and too little all at once.

Tuck

AOTY for me has gotta be Sinister Grift. Just can’t get enough of those songs. Most overrated for me has gotta be Revenge Seekerz, I’ve tried at least 5 times and I can only get a couple songs in before I turn it off. Most underrated might be the new Cheekface or Jeffrey Lewis album. Worst album? Probably that Sleep Token or Lil Wayne

patrick

GOLLIWOG by Billy Woods is more unsettling than any horrorcore project I ever heard and I honestly wouldn’t even classify it as such

K

LƩa Sen (who featured on Sampha's Lahai) dropped her debut, Levels and I've been blown away by the vocals and the production

Stuart Galloway

Too many good albums to choose one but got to give Rico her flowers for the performance on Tiny Desk. Hopefully we get an album with a full band in the future going down that pop punk/hardcore route

NukeBunny

Ray Vaughn's "The good, The bad The dollar menu" has no business being as good as it. Top tier storytelling, great variety of tracks from bumpy ( look@god) to absolutely heartbreaking (flat shasta). Way too thematically cohesive to be just a mixtape. Has shades of GKMC without sounding derivative.

Kyle Cahill

OK, so I originally said the new Billy Woods album but this clip has been on loop ever since it came out on my birthday. Best birthday present I’ve gotten since a trip to Disney World.

Chris

Clipse is my fav tho

Chris

Have not been able to put down the new clipse record

Verdana

BEST album: viagr aboys - Fantastic production and songwriting, genuinely no skips. Also a rare example of an album than can have comedy in its lyrics without becoming cringe. WORST album: Based on a True Story - Will Smith - Godawful cringe in every sense. Awful hooks and lyrics. Will Smith’s attempt at lyrical miracle Eminem styled bullshit to salvage his reputation. The album literally opens with the lines ā€œWILL SMITH IS CANCELLEDā€. That pretty much sums it up.

Pedro paramo

It may sound too much of a fanboy but the new BCNR album is simply great, they have managed to make another new sound despite the loss of their lead vocalist and frontman. And it turns out that the new sound is as good as the previous one in terms of quality