No skips: The albums that snapped in summer 2025

September officially marks the end of summer — when the sun dips below the horizon earlier in the day, and a slight chill whispers on the back of your neck, reminding you that the warmth of summer is now a memory. Although the season fades, the diverse music that was released from the months of May to August remains. 

Fans of all genres of music can find enjoyment in the wave of albums released in the past few months. From hardcore punk to hip-hop, music enthusiasts can appreciate the energy and intention poured into these projects by the musicians who expanded their discographies this year. 

In no particular order, these are a handful of the must-listen albums released in the summer of 2025. Whether the instrumentation is mixed perfectly or the lyricism just hits home emotionally, these are, in my opinion, some of the most memorable albums of the year so far. 

“NEVER ENOUGH” by TURNSTILE

Marking the band’s first release since 2021, “NEVER ENOUGH” checks every single box describing what a punk album should look like: loud, explosive and absolutely in your face. There is never a dull moment in the 45-minute runtime, with standout tracks being “LIGHT DESIGN,” “LOOK OUT FOR ME” and “SEEIN’ STARS.” The former song in particular has a hauntingly catchy chorus, with a simple yet ghostly guitar riff to carry the momentum of the piece. This album is an absolute must-listen if you enjoyed the band’s previous work in “GLOW ON,” with much more development in their songwriting abilities, showing their increasingly complex lyrics and evolving chord progressions. 

“Essex Honey” by Blood Orange

Taking a large step down from the intensity of TURNSTILE’s hardcore album, Blood Orange takes the listener on a journey through grief and the pains of growing up. The mind behind the album, Dev Hynes, dives into the minutiae of growing up in the United Kingdom and articulates the difficulties associated with his upbringing. 

“Mind Loaded” perfectly executes the inner discourse that happens in a person’s head, where Blood Orange mourns about his brokenness and how occupied his mind is in the moment. This song is also accompanied by beautiful vocal performances from Caroline Polachek and Lorde, where they utilize this call-and-response technique to achieve a conversation-like vocalization. 

“AIN’T NO D*** WAY!” by KAYTRANADA

Grab your friends and head to the dancefloor — KAYTRA is back with another timeless electronic album. “AIN’T NO D*** WAY!” showcases fast drums and killer bass, full of intoxicating dance songs that will keep your body moving for the entire 34-minute album. Songs like “TARGET JOINT” and “SHINE YOUR LIGHT FOR WE” evoke scenes of dancing barefoot in the kitchen into the early hours of the morning. This album just exudes fun and provides a great change compared to the other albums on this list by being purely instrumental with only a few having vocals. 

“Virgin” by Lorde

Instead of dancing to your heart’s content with KAYTRANDA, Lorde brings the mood down (in the best way) with her R&B album, “Virgin.” In her fourth studio album, Lorde focuses on the idea of rebirth, following a major breakup in her life and reclaiming her identity. 

Dramatic and impactful, “Man of the Year” dives into the ego death, or loss of an old identity,  of Lorde and she breaks away from the traditional idea of femininity in pursuit of who she truly thinks she is. Each song is jam-packed with heartbreaking lyrics, describing the uncomfortable nature of Lorde’s psyche, yet she beautifully illustrates her internal conflicts with empowering instrumentation to support her vocals. From “David,” lyrics that are especially gut-wrenching include “But I don’t belong to anyone / Am I ever gon’ love again?” 

“The Passionate Ones” by Nourished by Time

With production emphasizing the use of synthesizers and keyboards, Marcus Brown delivers an honest, cohesive album about protecting one’s passions from critical societal judgment. Lyrics from “Tossed Away” dive into the feelings of being left behind by people who do not fully understand Brown’s goals and aspirations, where he knows that he’s “been let down.” 

The third song on the album, “Max Potential,” is my personal favorite due to his use of an interpolation from London activist and singer, Labi Siffre. Nourished by Time’s song begins with the mantra-like statement of “Maximize your potential,” pushing the listener to remember that life may be pressing at times, but purpose remains abundant. This is further backed by the sample from Siffre’s song “Saved,” describing the societal struggle many people face when chasing after a better future.