OK Computer by Radiohead
And why not the best ever album on besteveralbums.com. It's not my best ever album and it is even preceded by The Bends but it's by far the best album of the year and remains firmly at that rank. The main reason that it contains 5 of the best songs ever made: Paranoid Android, Let Down, No Surprises, Lucky and especially Karma Police. The thing preventing it from being in my overall top 10 are a few minor tracks like Climbing Up The Wall and of course especially Fitter Happier. But a classic it is.
And an album from my wishlist:
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Long Days Ride Till Tomorrow by Eric's Trip
There's nothing new about this band (Sonic Youth and other guitar fuzz bands are clearly the references) but I start to like it more and more. This is an album of outtakes, B sides, live performances and so on and there is a fair amount of clutter and songs with awful sound quality here. But the album contains 27 tracks so there are some true marvels to be found here like Come With Me and Lost. The album comes in at rank 21.
A Thousand Leaves by Sonic Youth
This is a more atmospheric album (including rather long tracks) from one of my favorite bands. An atmospheric album except for one track, Sunday, one of their best hard hitting tracks. The best long track is the 9 minutes Wild Flower Soul and the somewhat shorter French Tickler. But overall this is a very satisfying SY album which even moves up from the 30th to the 6th rank of the year.
And an album from my wishlist:
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Shrink by The Notwist
An album I already owned in fact but it dropped off my year chart, probably because I didn't like it any more. But after listening to it again I certainly do like it: from the bubbly synths to plain out jazz to good more guitar based songs, they have it all. Not always with big success but overall it certainly deserves to be in my year chart at the 53rd rank.
Supergrass by Supergrass
Not their best album but Pumping On Your Stereo and especially Faraway are good examples of what they are capable of and the rest of the album is just ok. And the album moves up from the 54th to the 47th rank.
Then an album from my wishlist:
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Hello June Fool by Madder Rose
I more and more start to have a sweet spot for this band. At first their albums don't immediately catch on but after a few tracks they really suck you in the Madder Rose atmosphere. The highlight of the album is Should've Know (and also Talking To Myself) but as I said, it's the general atmosphere which makes most of their albums work. The album enters at the 49th rank.
Just as an aside: I went to see a Belgian cover band of AC/DC yesterday (the are called High Voltage) and really enjoyed it: AC/DC is already a bit over the top and that's just what these guys did, recreating that sound in the best way and they did it in a very good way. They played all the hits, were great musicians and had studied all the moves so what more could one ask from a (great) cover band.
Just as an aside: I went to see a Belgian cover band of AC/DC yesterday (the are called High Voltage) and really enjoyed it: AC/DC is already a bit over the top and that's just what these guys did, recreating that sound in the best way and they did it in a very good way. They played all the hits, were great musicians and had studied all the moves so what more could one ask from a (great) cover band.
Nice! Sounds like a blast.
I really dig, I think, Madder Rose's debut so I'll have to check out more! 😁
Only an album I already own/know (there aren't any more on my wishlist from this year):
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Lost Souls by Doves (UK)
There are a few albums that are really good from this band. Their latest album of 2025 was a bit of a mixed bag. And tbh this album is one of their minor efforts. It just misses focus in my opinion. There's only one track which resembles their better work: Catch The Sun; and in the other tracks they don't really succeed in creating something new and captivation. So just good enough to remain in my year chart but the album nevertheless goes from the 66th to the 53rd rank.
Hello June Fool by Madder Rose
I more and more start to have a sweet spot for this band. At first their albums don't immediately catch on but after a few tracks they really suck you in the Madder Rose atmosphere. The highlight of the album is Should've Know (and also Talking To Myself) but as I said, it's the general atmosphere which makes most of their albums work. The album enters at the 49th rank.
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Hmmmm.... sounds like they've been listening to A LOT of Massive Attack & Portishead. Not sure what I think since I remember them as more of a shoegaze band.
Amnesiac by Radiohead
And why not after OK Computer this Amnesiac. To me OK Computer and The Bends are their great masterpieces and this album doesn't give any convincing evidence on the contrary. I cannot for the world imagine how I would be able to like tracks like Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors, Hunting Bears or Like Spinning Plates. But of course there are some great tracks as well like Lie In A Glass House, Morning Bell, Pyramid Song and of course Knives Out. So a good album but certainly not a masterpiece and it climbs from the 39th to the 37th rank.
And an album from my wishlist:
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Here Be Monsters by Ed Harcourt
This album will turn out to be a grower I think. I find many references here: Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, Elliot Smith but it's clear that this is very original music with something special (also instrument wise) in nearly every song. Beneath The Heart Of Darkness is very special/beautiful with its chaotic middle section but the greatest track is the very quiet piano song Wind Through The Trees which is one of those tracks which can really move me. Also Apple Of My Eyes, She Fell Into My Arms, Shanghai ab Like Lovers Can are great tracks. So good that it immediately enters my year chart at the 24th rank (and could still grow).
Dreamland by Robert Plant
Mainly a covers album and with a number of them I can't really relate to. But Hey Joe by itself is so special and so different from the original that this cover alone would make this a good album. But other good ones are Morning Dew, Song To The Siren and Skip's Song. And the album goes from the 42nd to the 33th rank.
And an album from my wishlist:
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Grit by Madrugada
Many Madrugada fans will tell you that this is their worst album. I don't agree. It's a bit heavier than most of their albums but I think they do heavy as well as their more relaxed stuff and btw one of the best tracks on the album, Majesty, belongs in that last category. Only the last long track (because it contains a hidden track is not really top). So a good Madrugada which enters my 2002 year chart at the 31st rank.
The Smell Of Our Own by The Hidden Cameras
Continuously described as comparable to Belle And Sebastian, but to much more lightweight especially on this album. This is not a bad album and I will certainly try to listen to the later ones of which some of them seem more mature. And it moves up slightly from the 26th to the 23rd rank.
And an album from my wishlist:
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The Good Times Are Killing Me by Dear Leader
I'm gonna see that other band of Aaron Perrino, The Sheila Divine, in May, but this is the first album Dear Leader and to me an OK album but not a really great one. It enters my year chart at the 33rd rank.
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