Ranking Our Favorite Records of 2025

Summary In this episode, Craig and Andrew reflect on their favorite music from the past year, discussing various albums and ranking them using a tier list. They explore the criteria for what makes an album stand out, share personal favorites, and engage in lively debates about different artists and their latest releases. The conversation highlights the diversity of music and the subjective nature of musical appreciation, making for an engaging and insightful discussion. In this episode, Andrew Schnitkey and Craig Lyndall dive deep into their thoughts on various album releases from the year, exploring genres like pop punk, hardcore, and singer-songwriter vibes. They discuss the evolution of artists like Danny Brown and the maturity of bands like Deftones, while also celebrating the sense of community found in hardcore music. The conversation touches on the challenges of ranking albums, the impact of anticipation, and the resurgence of emo music. With a mix of personal favorites and new discoveries, the hosts provide a comprehensive overview of the music landscape for the year. Chapters 00:00 Year in Music Overview 05:41 Exploring Emo and Indie Albums 11:53 Emerging Artists and Surprises 17:23 Rap and Hip-Hop Insights 25:19 Final Thoughts and Recommendations 29:54 Disappointments and Surprises in Music 33:53 Exploring New Sounds: Fust and Beyond 39:03 Greet Death: A Career-Defining Album 43:03 Cloakroom: A Mixed Bag 43:49 Blood Brothers and Combust: Hardcore Highlights 45:55 Danny Brown: A Party Album 48:42 Deftones: Maturity in Music 49:39 Drain: The Most Reliable Hardcore Band 51:01 Fleshwater: A Divisive Album 51:59 Froglord: A Solid Listen 52:43 Geese: Glad We Heard It 53:47 Runner: An Album of Record 54:59 Glitterer: A Recent Discovery 55:32 Higher Power: Solid Hooks 56:37 Home is Where: Good but Not Great 56:54 Hotline TNT: A Forgotten Gem 59:03 Exploring MS Paint and Noctambulist 01:00:18 Deafheaven and Restraining Order: A Deep Dive 01:01:38 Taylor Swift and The Armed: Ranking the Albums 01:03:08 Shoegaze and Emo: The Sounds of 2023 01:05:33 New Discoveries: Ben Quad and Turnstile 01:07:32 Anticipated Releases: Sam Fender and Dyspitz 01:09:29 Emo Files: Kerosene Heights and The Low Blow