Vic Galloway: A Festive Fifty – My Favourite Albums of 2025

So many great records were released in 2025, and you can see from my list that well over half of mine were made by Scottish artists. As ever, I’ve bought, collected, downloaded and streamed hundreds over the year and put my Top 50 into this annual post. Thanks for the music, folks! I hope you find something you like…

Albums of the year

Turnstile – Never Enough (Roadrunner) https://www.turnstilehardcore.uk

It is difficult singling out one specific album from an entire year, but something I kept going back to was ‘Never Enough’ by Turnstile. Having grown up listening to punk/hardcore, I always have a soft spot for the genre as it evolves and mutates. I saw them LIVE years ago when they were releasing their ‘Time & Space’ record and saw the potential. They were a great band then, but little did I know what they would become. ‘Never Enough’ builds on the success of previous album ‘Glow On’, which saw the band break the mould and breakthrough to a more mainstream audience, as they incorporated elements of shoegaze, electronics, R’n’B and 80s pop into their sound. The new album continues that trajectory and shows they have an armoury of great songs, riffs and choruses at their disposal. The energy, exuberance, positivity and rush of youth pours out of ‘Never Enough’ and their LIVE show at the Glasgow Academy was also off the scale. If you’re looking for a modern rock record, this is irresistible!

Then in alphabetical order:

Admiral Fallow - First of the Birds (Chemikal Underground) https://chemikal.co.uk/live/admiral-fallow-first-of-the-birds
Adrian Sherwood – The Collapse of Everything (On-U Sound) https://store.on-usound.com/release/517309-adrian-sherwood-the-collapse-of-everything
Auntie Flo – Birds of Paradise (A State of Flo) https://www.astateofflo.com/p/birds-of-paradise-out-now
Avalanche Party – Der Traum Uber Alles (Kartel) https://avalancheparty.bandcamp.com/album/der-traum-uber-alles
Baxter Dury - Allbarone (Heavenly) https://heavenlyrecordings.com/release/allbarone
Benefits – Constant Noise (Invada) https://benefitstheband.bandcamp.com/album/constant-noise
Black Country New Road – Forever Howlong (Ninja Tune) https://ninjatune.net/release/black-country-new-road/forever-howlong
Brighde Chaimbeul – Sunwise (tak:til) https://brighdechaimbeul.bandcamp.com/album/sunwise
Brogeal – Tuesday Paper Club (PIAS) https://brogeal.ochre.store
Brooke Combe – Dancing at the Edge of the World (Modern Sky) https://brookecombe.os.fan
C Duncan – It’s Only a Love Song (Bella Union) https://bellaunion.com/products/c-duncan-its-only-a-love-song
Cardiacs – LSD (The Alphabet Business Concern) https://alphabet-business-concern.bandcamp.com/album/lsd
Cid Rim – SPRINT (Lucky Me) https://shop.luckyme.net/release/507200-cid-rim-sprint
Cloth – Pink Silence (Rock Action) https://cloth-music.bandcamp.com/album/pink-silence
Constant Follower – The Smile You Send Out Returns to You (Last Night From Glasgow) https://constantfollower.bandcamp.com/album/the-smile-you-send-out-returns-to-you
Edwyn Collins – Nation Shall Speak Unto Nation (AED) https://www.aedrecords.com/collections/nation-shall-speak-unto-nation
Emma Pollock – Begging the Night to Take Hold (Chemikal Underground) https://emmapollock.bandcamp.com/album/begging-the-night-to-take-hold
Faith Elliot – Dryas (Lost Map) https://www.lostmap.com/products/faith-eliott-dryas
F.O. Machete – Mother of a Thousand (Last Night From Glasgow) https://fomachete1.bandcamp.com
Franz Ferdinand – The Human Fear (Domino) https://franzferdinand.bandcamp.com/album/the-human-fear
Gates of Light – Gates of Light II (Last Night From Glasgow) https://shop.lastnightfromglasgow.com/products/gates-of-light-vinyl-edition
Geese – Getting Killed (Partisan) https://store.partisanrecords.com/release/514667-geese-getting-killed
Gulp – Beneath Strawberry Moons (ELK) https://gulp1.bandcamp.com/album/beneath-strawberry-moons
Hollie Cook – Shy Girl (Mr Bongo) https://holliecook.bandcamp.com/album/shy-girl
Idlewild – Self Titled (V2 Benelux) https://store.idlewild.co.uk/product/idlewild-vinyl
Iona Zajac – Bang (Post Electric) https://ionazajac.bandcamp.com/album/bang-2
Jacob Alon – In Limerance (Island) https://www.jacobalon.scot
James Yorkston & Friends – Songs for Nina & Johanna (Domino) https://jamesyorkston.bandcamp.com/album/songs-for-nina-and-johanna
Kai Reesu – Kompromat vol.i (Self Released) https://kaireesu.bandcamp.com/album/kompromat-vol-i
Kathryn Joseph – WE WERE MADE PREY. (Rock Action) https://kathrynjoseph.bandcamp.com/album/we-were-made-prey
Kling Klang – Half Life (Wrong Speed) https://klingklang.bandcamp.com/album/half-life
Mogwai – The Bad Fire (Rock Action) https://rockaction.scot/products/mogwai-the-bad-fire-pre-order
OSEES – Abomination Revealed at Last (Deathgod) https://ohsees.bandcamp.com/album/abomination-revealed-at-last
Panda Bear – Sinister Grift (Domino) https://pandabearmusic.bandcamp.com/album/sinister-grift
Preston Pfanz & The Seaton Sands – Return to Burnt Island (Spinout Nuggets) https://spinoutnuggets.bandcamp.com/album/return-to-burnt-island
Pulp – More (Rough Trade) https://www.roughtrade.com/product/pulp/more
Rebecca Vasmant – Who We Are, Becoming (Women in Jazz x New Soil) https://rebeccavasmantartist.bandcamp.com/album/who-we-are-becoming
Rudi Zygadlo – Auto Fiction (Chien Bleu) https://zygadlo.bandcamp.com/album/auto-fiction
Sacred Paws – Jump Into Life (Rock Action) https://sacredpaws.bandcamp.com/album/jump-into-life
Siobhan Wilson – Thaw (Sufrecs) https://siobhanwilson.bandcamp.com
Stereolab – Instant Holograms on Metal Film (Warp) https://stereolab.bandcamp.com/album/instant-holograms-on-metal-film
Swim School – Self Titled (Lab) https://labrecords.bandcamp.com/album/swim-school
Tame Impala – Deadbeat (Columbia) https://storeuk.tameimpala.com/products/deadbeat-vinyl
The Joshua Hotel – Rapture Party (Last Night from Glasgow) https://shop.lastnightfromglasgow.com/products/the-joshua-hotel-rapture-party-lp-cd-dl-pre-order
The Liminanas – Faded (Because) https://theliminanas.bandcamp.com/album/faded
TVOD – Party Time (Mothland) https://televisionoverdose.bandcamp.com/album/party-time
Viagra Boys - Viagr Aboys (Shrimptech Enterprises) https://www.vboysstockholm.com
Water Machine – God Park (Fatcat) https://www.fatcat.online/post/water-machine-god-park
Wet Leg – Moisturizer (Domino) https://wetleg.bandcamp.com/album/moisturizer

And yes, I know YOUR list might be different and I’ve probably left out a few of your favourites… But, ‘Music isn’t a competition’ as we all know! This is only MY own personal list… So why not drop me a line one week when I’m on air and tell me some of your choices from 2025? Anyway, have a listen to this lot. Some you’ll know, some you might not… All of them deserve your ears!