SOUNDROTATION'S BEST OF 2025

Duane E. Powell
17 hours ago
3 min read

With all of the ups, downs and topsy turviness of 2025, the year seemingly came and went with the blink of an eye. I mean flew by. And with all the dramatic turns, from governmental madness to the loss of icons and loved ones, it seemed no time to truly savor in any great moments. Sometimes it seemed like there were none worth celebrating at all. On a personal level, I dealt with so much transition both metaphysically and literally that I didn't seem to have time for much else. I definitely shed more tears than I have in a while. I'll admit, because of this, I didn't find much time to keep up musically and have spent much of the last few months playing catch up on some of the good music that was released in 2025. I was even embarrassed to discover that a few of my absolute favorite artists of the 21st Century released some amazing music last year. Nevertheless, here are over 100 soulful and / or jazzy albums and eps from all over the globe that are in my rotation from 2025. Click on the album artwork to be taken to the listening and downloading platforms. Also, PLEASE leave comments below about which titles you're digging or looking forward to checking out. Happy New Year! Happy Listening!