Best Albums of May 2025
The highest-rated albums released in May 2025, ranked by critical consensus from professional music critics.
Best Albums of May 2025 arrive with surprising range and bite: from the introspective lyricism of Wretch 32 to the singular wordplay of billy woods, critics found May's releases both daring and consoling. This month's album releases threaded modern rap, veteran songcraft and experimental art-pop into a compact, striking slate.
Standout releases included HOME? by Wretch 32, which led the pack with a 90/100 consensus from 2 professional reviews, and GOLLIWOG by billy woods, holding an 87.62 average across 13 reviews. Equally notable were Strawberries by Robert Forster (84.8 from 5 reviews) and risk-taking entries from Swans and Jenny Hval, reflecting a critical consensus that prized both craft and experimentation. Review counts show a mix of focused praise and broader critical conversation, signaling some breakout consensus alongside niche acclaim.
May's top albums reveal a trend toward veteran artists refining signature sounds while younger producers push textures and form. Expect the ranked list below to map how those critical scores - and varied review totals - translated into this month's top-rated records and the conversations they sparked.
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GOLLIWOG
billy woods
May 9, 2025
Strawberries
Robert Forster
May 23, 2025
Room On The Porch
Taj Mahal & Keb' Mo'
May 23, 2025
caroline 2
caroline
May 30, 2025
Birthing
Swans
May 30, 2025
Animaru
Mei Semones
May 2, 2025
Iris Silver Mist
Jenny Hval
May 2, 2025
Lifetime
Erika de Casier
May 8, 2025
Big city life
Smerz
May 23, 2025
![Fancy That [Mixtape] by PinkPantheress](https://assets.chorus.reviews/cdn-cgi/image/width=400,quality=85,format=webp,fit=scale-down/images/pinkpantheress/fancy-that-mixtape/84781021-b21d-5696-b645-4c979a66f5a3.jpg)
Fancy That [Mixtape]
PinkPantheress
May 9, 2025
Instant Holograms On Metal Film
Stereolab
May 23, 2025
In Limerence
Jacob Alon
May 30, 2025
Pirouette
Model/Actriz
May 2, 2025
Sincerely,
Kali Uchis
May 9, 2025
the world is still here and so are we
Mclusky
May 9, 2025
Evangelic Girl Is A Gun
yeule
May 30, 2025
With Trampled By Turtles
Alan Sparhawk
May 30, 2025
Crooked Wing
These New Puritans
May 23, 2025
MAD!
Sparks
May 23, 2025
Let All That We Imagine Be The Light
Garbage
May 30, 2025
If You Asked For A Picture
Blondshell
May 2, 2025
Boys These Days
Sports Team
May 23, 2025
Rivers of Nihil
Rivers of Nihil
May 30, 2025
Caveman Wakes Up
Friendship
May 16, 2025
The Scholars
Car Seat Headrest
May 2, 2025
Tall Tales
Mark Pritchard & Thom Yorke
May 9, 2025
Who Will Look After The Dogs?
PUP
May 2, 2025
Possession
Ty Segall
May 30, 2025
Lethal
Rico Nasty
May 16, 2025
Something Beautiful
Miley Cyrus
May 30, 2025
Black Hole Superette
Aesop Rock
May 30, 2025
Get Sunk
Matt Berninger
May 30, 2025
2
Foxwarren
May 30, 2025
Metalhorse
Billy Nomates
May 16, 2025
I Got Too Sad For My Friends
Shura
May 30, 2025
Strike Up The Band
Little Feat
May 9, 2025
![7 piano sketches [EP] by André 3000](https://assets.chorus.reviews/cdn-cgi/image/width=400,quality=85,format=webp,fit=scale-down/images/andré-3000/7-piano-sketches-ep/9cceb260-71ce-51db-a750-ee107655b620.jpg)
7 piano sketches [EP]
André 3000
May 5, 2025
Even In Arcadia
Sleep Token
May 9, 2025
Pink Elephant
Arcade Fire
May 9, 2025