Paring a year’s worth of standout music releases down to a neat Top 10 turned out to be a fool’s errand, so this year’s list expands to a Baker’s Dozen—thirteen new and reissue albums that genuinely earned repeat listening in 2025. Presented in no particular order, each selection links directly to my original in-depth review for full context and evaluation. Consider this a curated snapshot of the recordings that mattered most over the past year. Wishing everyone a safe, relaxing, and music-filled holiday season.
The Best of 2025
Vince Guaraldi: You’re A Good Sport Charlie Brown
A genuine new release, this first-time soundtrack to a mid-1970s Charlie Brown / Peanuts TV special sounds excellent, pairing Vince Guaraldi’s familiar melodic warmth with then-new synthesizers and subtly funkier rhythms. I suspect the black “Eco Vinyl” edition now available at Amazon will sound even better than the Zoetrope edition I reviewed—and yes, one is firmly on my near-term shopping list.
Read full story | $52.49 at Amazon
Chet Baker: Late Night Jazz
I’ve long had a deep appreciation for Chet Baker’s later work, and this beautiful 1988 Paris studio recording captures him at his most soulful and introspective. Backed by a sympathetic, understated band—including the under-appreciated guitarist Philippe Catherine—the performance is intimate, mournful, and deeply affecting. The vinyl pressings are excellent, with sound quality that fully does justice to the music.
Read full story | $39.99 at Amazon
Hermeto Pascoal/Airto, Quarteto Novo
Two mid-’60s Bossa Jazz fusion “holy grail” vinyl rarities are celebrated in excellent, unexpected reissues. Quarteto Novo, a 1967 proto-super group featuring music legends Hermeto Pascoal (Miles Davis’ Live Evil) and Airto (Weather Report, Return To Forever) plots future directions for Brazilian and progressive jazz music. An earlier album with Pascoal and Airto released in 1965 — Em Som Maior by Sambrasa Trio — has also been reissued to great effect. Joy and wonder, expansive improvisation plus compelling compositions makes this music sounds timeless.
Read full story | $68.98 at Amazon
Brandi Carlile & Elton John: Who Believes In Angels?
The Pure Audio Blu-ray edition of Who Believes In Angels? may be my favorite way to hear Brandi Carlile and Elton John’s new album. The Dolby Atmos mix strikes an excellent balance between natural room ambience and tasteful, discreet multi-speaker activity—immersive without turning gimmicky. With only 2,000 copies reportedly pressed, this one already feels like a sleeper collectible.
Read full story | $37.99 at Amazon
Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto’s Getz/Gilberto
This fascinating instant demo disc contains two versions of the revered Getz/Gilberto album: Bernie Grundman’s 1STEP analog tape master-to-DSD version and a pristine new restoration from Plangent Processes. The latter corrects anomalies while maintaining original sonic integrity. The Plangent version improves tempo, sounding less wobbly and more realistic.
Read full story | $39.99 at Amazon
Guided By Voices, Thick Rich And Delicious
Fans of indie-rock power pop (myself included) can be thankful for the life force known as Guided By Voices—a band that seems to replenish our musical reserves with reliable new releases every six months. Their latest, aptly titled Thick Rich And Delicious, lives up to its promise, serving up punchy, hook-filled songs that echo everything from Sell Out-era Who to Green-era R.E.M.
Read full story | $25.28 at Amazon
Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle by Reverend Peyton is exactly what the title promises. Gospel-fueled, devil-riddled, gut-stirring front-porch blues—finger-picked, open-tuned, slide-driven, and steaming with intent. Recorded live to a single microphone in a four-hour, all-analog session, it somehow sounds both vintage and strikingly modern. Loaded with fire and brimstone, the vinyl is currently available at Amazon for just $16—which feels almost sinful given how good it sounds.
Read full story | $18.98 at Amazon
The Julian Shore Trio, Sub Rosa
Sub Rosa by the Julian Shore Trio delivers exceptional jazz steeped in the hushed, late-1950s aesthetic—while still adding its own quiet secret sauce. Their mesmerizing, Bill Evans–inspired interpretation of Brian Wilson’s aching “Don’t Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)” from 1966’s Pet Sounds is jaw-droppingly beautiful, as are many of Shore’s original compositions. Sub Rosa is available via Bandcamp on vinyl for $30 and CD for $15, and it’s worth every cent.
Read full story | Check Bandcamp
Grateful Dead, Blues For Allah
Ascending to surround-sound nirvana, this mid-’70s Grateful Dead progressive classic enjoys newfound clarity thanks to Plangent Processes tape restoration and newly immersive Blu-ray Disc mixes.
Treated with genuine care and restraint, the project was remixed by England’s progressive-rock surround specialist Steven Wilson, who transforms the material into a truly revelatory listening experience. The Dolby Atmos mix sounds fuller, rounder, richer, and more enveloping than even the excellent DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix—raising an already ambitious album to a new dimensional plane.
Read full story | $24.98 at Amazon
Frank Zappa, One Size Fits All 50th Anniversary
The 50th Anniversary edition of One Size Fits All offers an epic journey into the making of a progressive rock classic. Chockfull of alternate versions, outtakes and live rarities, the centerpiece is a fantastic Blu-ray Disc with many mixes including Dolby Atmos. Very immersive, this three-dimensional presentation of the music is not gimmicky yet takes full advantage of Zappa’s rich, multi-layered production.
Read full story | $65.98 at Amazon
John Coltrane, A Love Supreme: Mono Edition
Widely acknowledged as a masterwork, some consider it among the greatest recordings ever made in any genre. Many fans prefer the rare original mono mix as the definitive way to hear John Coltrane’s 1965 boundary-expanding spiritually-inspired jazz epic. I am now a believer. A Love Supreme: Mono Edition sounds better than my stereo original, a much more impactful listen having his saxophone front and center (instead of over to one side/speaker).
Read full story | $39.98 at Amazon
Bill Evans, Haunted Heart: The Legendary Riverside Studio Recordings
Featuring Bill Evans’ highly revered 1959-61 trio with Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian, this five-LP set offers a deeply rewarding listening experience. Plangent Processes’ restoration is revelatory, bringing greater resonance, clarity, and realism to these recordings. Pressing quality is excellent throughout, with quiet surfaces and well-centered vinyl that lets the music speak without distraction.
Read full story | $149.99 at Amazon
Mark Smotroff is a deep music enthusiast / collector who has also worked in entertainment oriented marketing communications for decades supporting the likes of DTS, Sega and many others. He reviews vinyl for Analog Planet and has written for Audiophile Review, Sound+Vision, Mix, EQ, etc. You can learn more about him at LinkedIn.
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