laut.de Author Charts 2024: Page 33/49

berlin,December 29,2025

The Year in Music: A Disorganized Descent Into the Best of 2025

A look at the albums that resonated,frustrated,adn ultimately defined the musical landscape of the past year.

• The yearS releases proved difficult to categorize and rank with precision.
• Helmuth’s “The frist completely symmetrical human” is highlighted as a standout German rap album.
• The list spans genres, from hip-hop to indie and beyond, reflecting a diverse musical palate.
• The struggle to keep pace with album releases is a recurring theme.

It’s a familiar struggle: how does one meaningfully process the sheer volume of music released each year? The albums that truly connect, plus a few unexpected gems, demand careful consideration, meticulousness, and a level of seriousness that often feels… unattainable. The question of how to both hear everything and then sort it all is a yearly challenge.

This year, the pressure mounted in October, as late June releases still occupied headspace, and the looming deadline for year-end charts created a sense of frantic catch-up. But despite the chaos, one thing remains clear: the objectively best German rap release of 2025 was Helmuth’s “The first completely symmetrical human,” and its absence from the album charts is, frankly, infuriating.

Hear’s a rundown of albums that stood out, in no particular order (because, let’s be honest, a definitive ranking felt unfeasible):

1. Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out
2. Mobb Deep – Infinite
3. Redman – Muddy Waters Too
4. Helmuth – The first completely symmetrical human
5. Turnstile – Never Enough
6. Larry june, 2 Chainz & The Alchemist – Life Is Gorgeous
7. Shindy – I <3 My People
8. 070 Shake – Petrichor
9. Joseph steinschleuder – “Emoji Mixtape” (doesn’t have a real name)
10. Nilüfer Yanya – My Method Actor
11. Freddie Gibbs, The Alchemist – Alfredo 2
12. Key Glock – Glockaveli
13. Evidence – Unlearning Vol. 2
14. Landmvrks – The Darkest Place I’ve Ever Been
15. Gianni Suave – I fall in peace
16. Lloyd Banks – HHVI – The Six of Swords
17. Robanzee – Energy
18. Kool Savas – Lan Juks

What makes a year-end list truly representative of the music landscape? It’s a question that plagues anyone attempting to distill a year’s worth of creativity into a concise selection.

The process is messy, imperfect, and ultimately, a reflection of personal taste filtered through the lens of a constantly evolving musical world. But even in the midst of the chaos, certain albums rise to the surface, demanding attention and leaving a lasting impression.