So many major artists released albums in 2025, most notably, Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny and The Weeknd. Although these artists dominated streaming platforms and music charts, students here at Hickman have their own favorites – albums that closer connect them to their tastes, moods and emotions.
For sophomore Jayson Faulkner, the atmosphere and overall vibe of the album is important for his listening experience. Jayson’s favorite album from 2025 is EverythingIsWorseAtNight By BONES. BONES is a smaller, cloud rapper known for his unique dark rap blend of music.
“I just like the flows, and BONES is super versatile, super cool vibes,” Jayson said.
This preference has led Jayson to question the authenticity of the large, mainstream artists.
“The super big [artists] are just industry plants, and they only make music for the money,” Jayson said. “They’re also just not relatable.”
Jayson’s skepticism towards larger artists also shapes how he feels about BONES’ upcoming success.
“[BONES] definitely does deserve more recognition, he doesn’t have that many monthly listeners. But, at the same time, I kind of hope he doesn’t start to get bigger and then switch up,” Jayson said.
However, another student feels differently, favoring a more known album.
A more popular choice by sophomore Ellery Furrer was The Art of Loving by Olivia Dean. Olivia Dean has recently gained popularity with her soulful vocals, specifically in the track “Man I need.” Her music has a strong emphasis on emotional vulnerability and personal connection between her and listeners.
“My favorite song from [the album] is ‘Lady Lady’. I think Olivia Dean is just really expressive through her music. And I think there’s justa lot of emotion in her albums,” Ellery said.
Sophmore Molly Servey has similar expectations when it comes to music – focusing on the emotions evoked from lyrics. Her favorite album of 2025 is Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You, by Ethel Cain, an alternative artist, most known for her experimental albums and narrative-driven storytelling lyrics.
“It makes me feel good and it pumps me up, and I’m like, ready to fight anything that kills me…how profound the lyrics are separates it from other albums,” Molly said.
While Molly’s favorite album may be lyrically strong and less popular, she still recognizes the importance big artists have on the music landscape and their listeners – no matter what kind of music they make.
“I think it’s cool, I think it’s nice. There’s something good about popular big artists that a lot of different people can connect on and talk about. And it’s just a common ground, you know, it’s pretty awesome…Even if I don’t personally like to listen to [the big artists], I think it’s nice that so many people can connect and bond over music,” Molly said.
Whether artists are underground, indie, or mainstream, Hickman students are passionate about finding music that connects them to the artists and their music – holding emphasis on finding what’s right for them, rather than what song is number one on the charts.
