Melissa Kacar

"What Was That" by Lorde Lorde summer is officially here! The lead single from her forthcoming album, "What Was That", feels like a true rebirth for Lorde as an artist. Collaborating with Jim-E Stack and Dan Nigro for the first time, she's brought a fresh yet deeply emotional energy with this new song, and I couldn’t be happier that she's back. Listening to this gave me the same joy and euphoria I felt when I first heard Melodrama at 17 years old. It's hard to put into words right now, but this is such an exciting time for pop music and Lorde is one of the key voices that are really shaping this transformative and exciting new era for the culture.  "Egg" by Djo An early contender for my favorite album of the year is absolutely The Crux by Djo . Every song is incredible, and I can't recommend checking out the entire album enough, but one that really struck me is "Egg". It is such a profound and thought-provoking exploration of ide...

2025 was yet another incredible year for new music! I narrowed it down to 30 of my favorite albums, spanning a wide range of artists and genres. Many of them are first‑time additions to my annual year‑end favorites list, which feels like a testament to how much I prioritized discovering and supporting new artists this year. Of course, there are some long‑time favorites sprinkled throughout, as well. Ultimately, this list reflects a little bit of everything I loved this year! This is always my favorite post to write and curate each year. It is loosely ranked, but every single one of these albums was truly the soundtrack of my year for one reason or another. I have covered many of them in depth too, so if you are interested in reading more about any of these, be sure to check out the links throughout the post and at the end. Enjoy! 💓 The Crux by Djo At its core, The Crux by Djo is a heartfelt ode to the people that have shaped him, along with his family and friends that have suppor...