Following one of the most prolific and exciting years in music in recent memory, 2025 had an uphill battle from the start. The previous year saw major releases from some of pop's biggest names including Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, and more, and created some of the most viral smash songs we've seen this decade so far. The musical moments were so dominating, in fact, that the Billboard Hot 100 remained stagnant with 2024 releases for the entirety of 2025 (to the point where Billboard...

Here we are at the end of another year, and it's time to dive into the albums that influenced and defined my 2024. This year was one of...