The Guitar’s Enduring Legacy: A 2025 Retrospective
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The guitar remains a vibrant and evolving force in music, as evidenced by a remarkable year of innovation and artistry. On the final episode of NPR’s All Songs Considered for 2025, host Robin Hilton explored an exceptional landscape of guitar music, showcasing the instrument’s remarkable diversity. From the intricate fingerstyle of Gwenifer Raymond to the experimental sounds of Jorge Espinal, 2025 proved to be a banner year for six strings.
The Flourishing of Fingerstyle
Fingerstyle, solo guitar, and American Primitive – whatever the label, this folk- and blues-based tradition experienced a beautiful resurgence in 2025. Quietly, yet powerfully, the genre dug deep into its roots while simultaneously expanding its boundaries.
Gwenifer Raymond’s Last Night I Heard the Dog Star Bark stands out as a particularly striking example. The Cardiff-born, Brighton-based guitarist, who dubs her music “Welsh Primitive,” has long been influenced by the work of John Fahey. However, on this record, Raymond truly comes into her own, drawing upon the mythology and folk horror tales of her homeland to create a haunting and hypnotic sound. As one reviewer noted, her ferocious fingerstyle and percussive physicality create the impression of a “one-woman speed metal band.”
Other notable fingerstyle releases included Hayden Pedigo’s I’ll Be Waving As You Drive Away, praised for its delicate yet demonstrative touch and cinematic arrangements. Liam Grant’s Prodigal Son offered “blown-out blues ragas,” while Nathan Salsburg’s Ipsa Corpora presented sparse, resonant figures evocative of the films of Terence Malick. Further exploration in this realm can be found in the work of Ofir Ganon, Dylan Aycock, Buck Curran, Cameron Knowler, and James Blackshaw.
The Power of the Trio
The classic power trio format – guitar, bass (sometimes violin), and drums – continued to yield compelling results in 2025. Think of the energy of Rush or the complexity of King Crimson, but with a modern, experimental edge.
TAKAAT’s Is Noise, Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 delivered raw, revved-up desert rock, showcasing the impressive guitar work of Ahmoudou Madassane. Orcutt Shelley Miller, a collaboration between avant-shredder Bill Orcutt, Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley, and Comet on Fire’s Ethan Miller, produced a “spangly, yet somehow groovy” improv session. And Bezoar’s self-titled album offered a dose of pedal board pyrotechnics with atmospheric heft. Additional artists to watch in this category include Editrix, Toru, and Ava Mendoza, Gabby Fluke-Mogul, and Carolina Pérez.
Restrung Repertoire: Reimagining Tradition
Several albums released in 2025 demonstrated a willingness to reimagine established musical traditions. Whether rooted in jazz, classical, or folk, these artists approached their source material with a fresh perspective.
Rafael Toral’s Traveling Light stretched the Great American Songbook beyond recognition, transforming familiar standards into slow-paced drones. Laura Snowden’s This Changing Sky, a remarkably assured debut, showcased her intricate and daring approach to classic guitar, building on the legacy of Julian Bream. And Mamer’s Awlaⱪta / Afar 离, recorded during a residency in Shenzhen, offered a tender and intimate take on the songs that shaped his youth. Listeners seeking further exploration might enjoy the work of Walter Zanetti, João Luiz, and Chuck Roth.
Space for Meditation and Relaxation
A number of albums released in 2025 encouraged listeners to slow down and find moments of peace. Reflecting on a quote from Shabazz Palaces, one analyst noted the need to “clear some space out, so we can space out.”
William Tyler’s Time Indefinite draped hypnotic hymns in an ambient landscape, while Madala Kunene & Sibusile Xaba’s kwaNTU offered earthy, genteel music rooted in Zulu guitar traditions. Golden Brown’s Whisker Fatigue provided a dank and psychedelic soundscape, and Fabiano do Nascimento’s Cavejaz offered a similarly immersive experience. Steve Gunn and Tashi Dorji also contributed to this trend with their respective releases.
Shred, Groove, and Experiment
For those seeking more energetic sounds, 2025 delivered in spades. Vernon Reid’s Hoodoo Telemetry showcased his signature blend of jazz fusion, hip-hop, and ecstatic shredding, building on the energy of his recent Tiny Desk performance with Living Colour. Eli Winter’s A Trick of the Light offered a sky bleeding exhaust fumes, while Willie Lane’s Bobcat Turnaround provided a laid-back, cosmic groove. Cyrus Pireh’s Thank You, Guitar delivered frenetic invention, and artists like Ahmed Ag Kaedy & Will Guthrie and Emily Robb pushed the boundaries of guitar-based music.
Blurring the Lines: Experimental Approaches
Finally, a handful of artists challenged the very definition of what a guitar could be. Jorge Espinal’s Bombos y Cencerros featured a playful and noisy approach, treating the instrument like a cartoon character’s oversized mallet. Jules Reidy’s Ghost Spirit crafted experimental pop songs with alien textures, while Daniel Bachman’s Moving Through Light created drones, glitches, and shrieks that defied conventional expectations. Mat Ball’s work also falls into this category.
The year 2025 was a testament to the guitar’s enduring power and versatility. As the instrument continues to evolve, one thing remains certain: the guitar is far from dead.
