The 50 Best Australian Albums of 2025

Australia’s unofficial poet laureate keeps on going.

Seventy is one of Paul Kelly’s strongest collections of storytelling this century, a remarkable achievement at the age of 70. —Conor Lochrie

On Moonrise, Pierce Brothers channel the chaos of the past few years into cartharsis. The album builds on their signature, foot-stomping folk-rock — bold rhythms, harmonica, and surging acoustic energy — while leaning into more reflective terrain, shaped by mid-life realities, family, loss and the grind of constant touring.

There’s maturity in the songwriting without any loss of urgency, with open-hearted stories delivered through powerful vocals and lush, dynamic arrangements. —Jade Kennedy

Snowy Band’s Audio Commentary was one of the best (and most underrated) Australian albums of the early COVID years, and Liam Halliwell’s songwriting vehicle is still motoring on five years later.

The Apartment features everything that makes Halliwell such a special indie musician: honest experimentation, intentionally slow rhythms, and vulnerable lyricism. —Conor Lochrie

SoSo’s debut album, So Much for Second Chances, feels like a victory lap earned the hard way. Soundtracking the Sydney band’s journey from underdogs to chart contenders, the record reflects on childhood nostalgia, growing pains, and the messy web of relationships that shape who you become.

Pop-punk and alt-rock form the backbone, but the band aren’t afraid to stretch out, folding in melodic pop hooks, synths and heavier production with the help of producer Stevie Knight. —Jade Kennedy

Worm Girlz arrive fully formed on their self-titled debut, delivering a sharp, funny, and deeply sincere alternative rock record that feels made for right now.

Across fourteen tracks, the Brisbane quintet pull from indie, ’90s rock, and pop, pairing conversational vocals and rich harmonies with tracks that hit hard emotionally without losing their sense of play.

There’s bite, there’s heart, and there’s a clear point of view, with the band using wit as a vehicle for connection and resistance. —Jade Kennedy

The last member of 5SOS to release a solo record, Michael Clifford’s SIDEQUEST was well worth the wait.

Much like his bandmates, he wanted to create something that fans wouldn’t ordinarily expect, he told us upon the album’s release. Featuring collaborations with the likes of Porter Robinson and Waterparks, the record is a vivid showcase of Clifford’s diverse musical interests and creativity.

There’s a playful curiosity running through the album, even when it veers into darker or more introspective territory. Clifford was quick to frame SIDEQUEST exactly as its title suggests — a creative detour, not a departure — with 5SOS still very much the main focus. —Lauren McNamara

A debut album of some note, A Profound Non-Event is a confident way for Daily Toll to announce their arrival in Australian music.

The Sydney-based three-piece sharpened their skillset on the live scene for a few years before unloading their debut, and the time has served them well.

Forged out of deep connection and collaboration, this taut collection of post-punk owes a debt of gratitude to the darker side of classic Flying Nun bands. —Conor Lochrie

Like Love shows Ball Park Music exploring a more tender, introspective sound than previous releases. While the Brisbane band – who supported Oasis on their Australian reunion tour this year –  have built a dedicated fanbase after eight acclaimed albums and consistent triple j Hottest 100 appearances, Like Love was their first album to reach No. 1 on the ARIA Charts. It was also the first homemade album to lead the charts this year.

The album’s softness is its strength, finding depth in being understated, rather than doing grand gestures. Like Love shows Ball Park Music are still evolving, and doing it entirely on their own terms. —Lauren McNamara

Across 12 tracks, the Brisbane quartet bottle five years of community, change and catharsis, blending garage-rock energy with soft-edged indie-pop and a hazy sense of nostalgia.

Written from both memory and instinct, the tracks drift through sticky summer heat, cicada hums, and the ache of wanting to push beyond what you know, with singer-guitarist Bridget Brandolini’s reflections grounding the record in something deeply human. Recorded with Antonia Gauci and mixed by Ball Park Music’s Sam Cromack, it’s a confident debut. —Jade Kennedy

If That Makes Sense, Spacey Jane’s third full-length studio album, is their first LP not tainted by the pandemic, providing a reset for a band cruelly denied their chance at storming the music world. It marked a return after a touring hibernation in 2024 that felt like an “identity crisis,” according to frontman Caleb Harper.

And boy, did they bounce back. If That Makes Sense debuted at No. 2 on the ARIA Charts, reinforcing their momentum at home. The songwriting beautifully carries Harper’s voice, with the lyrics sounding sharper and more reflective than ever before. —Lauren McNamara

An enthralling debut solo project by Body Type’s Annabel Blackman.

Interior Delirium bewitches with playful synths, alluring pop vocals, and self-aware explorations of messy feelings such as “awkwardness” and “lustful stewing.” The hypnotically cool “Venus” is the standout, one of the best songs in Australian music this year.

A new album from Body Type would be most welcome, but here’s hoping Blackman keeps the solo project going too. —Conor Lochrie

An ensemble in the vein of Black Country, New Road or Caroline, nine-member Melbourne band Mouseatouille are going places.

They effortlessly flit between delicate indie-folk and chaotic noise-rock on DJ Set, throwing a number of instruments into the mixture, including violin, clarinet, synths, and guitars. —Conor Lochrie

A beautiful album of songwriting craft by one of Melbourne’s best songwriters.

Hachiku, the project of Australian-German musician Anika Ostendorf, was a Milk! Records favourite, and fans of the likes of Courtney Barnett and Jen Cloher will find plenty to admire on The Joys of Being Pure at Heart.

Hachiku’s latest is more playful and positive than previous efforts, marked by an inviting openness to the outside world. —Conor Lochrie

CLAMM create another almighty racket on Serious Acts.

There’s plenty of substance beneath the noise, though, with the Melbourne punk trio contending with the difficulties of leading an authentic life in an increasingly turbulent world. CLAMM are so skilled at making punk music with a clear purpose. —Conor Lochrie

The duo of Helen Franzmann and Mick Turner (Dirty Three) have never sounded better together.

Their third album in less than five years as Mess Esque moves at its own pace, revelling in heightened atmospherics and enhanced depth. —Conor Lochrie

From the opening moments of “Lights, Camera”, which could be a Caroline cut, filled with the sound of musicians and their instruments warming up for what’s to come, everything on Eggy’s latest album is more expansive and more cinematic; From Time to Time often comes across as the soundtrack to a meandering indie film.

The album finds the Melbourne five-piece evolving their sound in fascinating ways, prioritising experimentation in order to avoid complacency. —Conor Lochrie

Arriving as the shadow twin to their ARIA No. 1 The Moon (The Light Side), Bliss n Eso’s The Moon (The Dark Side) pushes deeper into the trio’s expansive world.

Bigger, bolder, and more emotionally charged, the album balances moments of uplift with introspection, wrapped in a rich, layered production that shows just how far they’ve evolved without losing their core.

Charting even higher than its predecessor, with a top three showing on both the overall and vinyl charts, The Moon (The Dark Side) stands as both a companion piece and a statement of enduring creative fire. —Jade Kennedy

Did I Stutter? is a fearless debut from Djanaba, bursting with bold electropop and the kind of self-belief that feels hard-earned rather than performative.

Fierce, funny and unapologetically confident, the proud Bundjalung artist stakes her claim on her own terms, pairing lucid production with sharp, deeply personal songwriting.

Beneath her high-gloss hooks is a record about growth: working through doubt, finding your voice, and coming out the other side lighter. —Jade Kennedy

On Mentalized, Skeleten leans into warmth as both a feeling and a framework, grounding his second album’s wide-ranging sonic palette in genuine affection for the music that shaped him.

Trip-hop, house, electronica, and indie-pop blur together with ease, creating tracks that are as hypnotic as they are inviting.

Where Under Utopia chased hope and beauty, Mentalized sits in the messier in-between, exploring the mental and emotional friction that comes before clarity. —Jade Kennedy

Floodlights’ third album, Underneath feels like a band turning inward without losing sight of the world around them. Written across long stretches of touring, the record captures the strange push and pull of life on the road: big rooms and fleeting cities giving way to quiet moments of reflection.

Expansive alternative rock arrangements carry poetic, image-rich storytelling, moving between societal observation and deeply personal reckonings with grief, memory, and identity. —Jade Kennedy

DEFIANT is exactly what its title promises: a hard-won album from a man who’s survived more than his fair share and refuses to go quietly.

Recorded between Nashville and Sydney, the record crackles with grit, heart and classic rock muscle, from the Springsteen-meets-Stones punch of opener “That’s What You Do for Love” to the soul-soaked closer “Sea of Love”. At 69, with nothing left to prove, he somehow delivers one of the strongest albums of his career. —Jade Kennedy

Press Club’s fourth album, To All the Ones That I Love, finds the Melbourne punks easing off the throttle without losing any of their emotional punch.

Recorded in their Footscray studio, the self-released record leans into introspection and growth, trading some of their trademark urgency for space, restraint, and hard-earned clarity.

It’s a subtle shift rather than a sharp turn, and one that pays off: the tracks unfold slowly, revealing depth and warmth with repeat listens. —Jade Kennedy

One of the leading artists in our new Up-And-Coming Australian Artists series for a reason.

Her self-titled debut album dropped in August, signalling the arrival in Australian music of a young indie rock singer-songwriter of supreme talent, assured spirit, and encyclopaedic musical knowledge. —Conor Lochrie

Debt is Harvey Sutherland’s first full-length album since his 2022 debut, Boy.

The new record looks at the cost of making music in the online era and condenses his disco-influenced style into ten tracks of microhouse and funk. Sutherland leans into groove, patience, and texture, rewarding close listening.

Debt debuted on the ARIA Dance Albums Chart and landed on the ARIA Independent Albums Chart, reaffirming his status as one of Australia’s most quietly influential electronic producers. —Lauren McNamara

Tame Impala’s Deadbeat glimmers like a sun-soaked afternoon you never want to end.

Kevin Parker leans into his signature kaleidoscopic psychedelia, layering lush synths and textures over beats that feel alive and summer-ready. Some critics questioned its cohesion and commercial leanings, but that doesn’t dull its hypnotic pull.

Deadbeat thrives in its own warm, woozy universe, a record best absorbed in full and at your own pace. It’s summer captured on record: messy, bright, and intoxicating, with Parker at his most immersive yet. —Matt Slocum

HighSchool’s long-awaited self-titled debut distils everything the Melbourne duo have been circling since their early EPs: jittery post-punk urgency wrapped in a grungy, gothic haze that feels both familiar and their own.

Across 12 tightly wound tracks, they soundtrack longing and disconnection with grainy vocals, driving basslines, and hooks that hit hard without overstaying their welcome. —Jade Kennedy

The Belair Lip Bombs successfully build on their well-received 2023 debut album, Lush Life.

Led by talented vocalist Maisie Everett, the Melbourne four-piece are on fine form on Again, combining soaring melodies and earnest songwriting to excellent effect. —Conor Lochrie

Superb finds Melbourne instrumental outfit Surprise Chef loosening their grip on precision and leaning into experimentation.

Known for their cinematic jazz-funk and soul-informed grooves, the band stretche out across warmer, freer terrain here, folding in electronic textures, psych-folk touches, and unexpected twists without losing their signature feel.

Confident, curious, and deeply groovy, Superb is the sound of a band comfortable enough with their identity to start experimenting with it. —Jade Kennedy

Sarah Mary Chadwick has always been a challenging singer-songwriter, using stark piano-led songs to explore the rawest of emotions, and it’s no different on her latest album.

There’s not much here but Chadwick’s tinkled piano and her aching voice, but it’s more than enough. The musician got sober immediately after finishing this record, and one can hear this moment of realisation and change coming in her pained reflections. “I can hear,” even Chadwick admitted. “The desolate desire for change, the goodbyes, the fading romance, the memories.” For any listener who’s battled substance issues, these tracks will cut deep — but they will be a cathartic listen. —Conor Lochrie

The long-awaited debut album from Western Sydney drill outfit ONEFOUR, Look At Me Now, was released following years of controversy, viral moments, and platinum singles.

Gritty and unflinching, the record delivers hard-hitting street narratives from J Emz, Celly, Lekks, and Spenny, with flashes of experimentation along the way.

Debuting at No. 2 on the ARIA Charts and earning major award nominations, it’s a statement of survival, ambition, and belief — a debut built for those who refuse to be written off. —Jade Kennedy

hi, it’s nice to meet me is the long-awaited and quietly stunning debut album from Melbourne singer-songwriter Mia Wray. Written as a kind of self-introduction, the album captures an artist finally meeting herself after years of promise and patience.

Confident, emotionally open, and rich with classic pop-soul instincts, it’s a statement shaped by clarity of vision — the same certainty that once impressed Michael Gudinski. With international touring and major award nominations following close behind, Wray’s introduction feels both overdue and perfectly timed. —Jade Kennedy

BOY SODA’s debut album was hotly anticipated — and he certainly delivered. SOULSTAR, which includes the ARIA-winning track “Lil’ Obsession” sees the Sydney artist stake his claim in the new wave of soul and R&B in Australia.

Each track showcases a different facet of intimacy and emotion, serving their own purposes and living in different moments of the day. “I cried so much recording [some of them]. I believe different tracks find us in the moments they’re supposed to,” he told us upon the album’s release. This emotional openness is matched by a beautifully polished sound. —Lauren McNamara

Produced by London-based Grammy Award-winning Catherine Marks, Glory is an album Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers say is “completely us.”

Ushering in a new era, they describe it as the sound of getting the bus home after a night out, mascara smeared and phone battery at 1%. It captures chaos with clarity, distilling self-doubt and adrenaline into sharp songwriting.

Teen Jesus have been on a sharp rise since their 2022 debut EP Pretty Good for a Girl Band, earning J Awards, APRA Awards, Rolling Stone Australia Awards, and AIR Awards along the way. —Lauren McNamara

Like the other 5 Seconds of Summer members, Hood’s solo work is a complete step away from the sounds that made the Sydney quartet a global sensation.

ORDER chaos ORDER, his solo debut, finds inspiration from ’00s European bands like Phoenix, M83, and Teddybears, as well as alternative rock icons such as Bloc Party, Radiohead, and Interpol.

The result is a raw insight into his life, revealing a side of himself he admitted he could never explore with 5SOS. There’s a restless quality to the album, driven by pulsing bass lines and emotionally exposed lyricism. —Lauren McNamara

Named after Baker Boy’s grandmother and a Yolŋu spiritual figure, DJANDJAY blends ancestral influences with sharp-edged global production, folding in Yolŋu Matha, English, and Burarra across a dynamic soundscape that spans hip-hop, punk, gospel, and electronic textures.

It’s his most expansive and emotionally resonant work yet, balancing this cultural pride with a sharpened political edge. DJANDJAY showcases Baker Boy stepping fully into his power.

Across 15 tracks, heavyweights including Briggs, Haiku Hands, Thelma Plum, Emma Donovan, and Kee’ahn also feature. —Lauren McNamara

That every new King Gizzard album has something to keep a listener enveloped speaks to their enduring quality.

Phantom Island, a stirring companion album to 2024’s Flight b741, melds classic King Gizzard psych-rock energy with stunning orchestral arrangements. —Conor Lochrie

Dream Ride is G Flip’s third album, an ’80s-inspired, Butch Springsteen fantasy built from neon highways, Hollywood haze, and unfiltered diary entries. Distilled from more than a hundred songs into ten cinematic tracks, the record captures G at their most expansive and self-assured.

Featuring early singles “Big Ol’ Hammer” and “Disco Cowgirl”, Dream Ride plays like a soft-focus road movie, soundtracked by grit, heart, and widescreen nostalgia. —Jade Kennedy

Chrome Dipped is CIVIC’s third album and their sharpest statement yet, following on from 2023’s Taken by Force. Produced by Kirin J. Callinan, the record barrels through 11 tightly wound tracks that fuse punk and post-punk with a distinctly Australian edge.

Lean, loud, and rule-bending, it earned an ARIA nomination for Best Hard Rock or Heavy Metal Album and confirms CIVIC’s knack for putting a fresh twist on classic rock archetypes. —Jade Kennedy

Mallrat’s second album finds Grace Shaw in full evolution mode, trading wide-eyed beginnings for a sharper, more sophisticated sound. Light hit my face like a straight right plays like a sonic laboratory,  synthetic yet human, bolstered by collaborators including Tim Nelson, Styalz Fuego, Buddy Ross, and Alice Ivy. 

Beneath the auto-tune polish, Shaw’s songwriting and quietly devastating vocals land with precision, closing with the aching “Horses”. —Jade Kennedy

Delivery sharpen their primal guitar-punk on their second album.

Fear not, though: these tracks aren’t overly polished, retaining the raw energy that made the Melbourne five-piece such a wicked delight in the first place.

Highlights abound, from the chugging “Deadlines” to the wry “Operating at a Loss”, with the entire collection sounding taut and precise. —Conor Lochrie

BODIES is Thornhill’s third studio album and a sharp left turn from the meticulously constructed world of Heroine.

Thriving on spontaneity and freedom, the record leans into raw vulnerability and some of the band’s heaviest moments yet, capturing the immediacy of Thornhill as they are right now.

It’s unfiltered, explosive, and intentionally alive — a lightning-bolt album built to be felt first and analysed later. —Jade Kennedy

Six years after The Great Expanse, Hilltop Hoods returned with album number nine — and a sixth consecutive No. 1 debut — driven by the friendship and mutual respect that’s long anchored the trio. 

Fall From The Light moves between big, cinematic moments, and quieter reflection, featuring special guests like Nyassa and SIX60, with the Hoods’ unmistakable bars flowing throughout. —Jade Kennedy

Translated from Noongar as “Land Where the Sunsets”, Kanana is an album grounded in connection: to Country, community, and lineage. Returning to Noongar Boodja Country, Bumpy deepens her family’s language journey, honouring her Elders and her late Nan, Rose Whitehurst, who authored the first Noongar dictionary.

It’s a record shaped by care, cultural responsibility, and the quiet power of making music that nourishes those around you. —Jade Kennedy