Shepard Samuel is the host of Reggae Roots & Branches, our long-running reggae show, currently alternating Mondays from 8-10pm. He was also a longtime music director for WTUL, and his year-end lists demonstrate his wide tastes.
Read more: Shepard's Best New Albums of 2025 in No Particular Order
Hi, I'm Hunter. When I'm not DJing Storm Surge of Reverb (the surf show) Mondays 4-6pm, I'm consuming media! Especially music! I round up my favorite surf records as The Gremmy Awards over at stormsurgeofreverb.com but here are my favorite records from 2025 that weren't surf music. In no particular order.
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Deadline to submit is Friday, December 12th!
1. Blood Orange - Essex Honey [Domino]
2. Stereolab - Instant Holograms on Metal Film [Duophonic]
3. Lisbon Girls - Te Love You / Favores [Strange Daisy]
4. Frankie And The Witch Fingers - Trash Classic [Greenway]
5. The Convenience - Like Cartoon Vampires [Winspear]
6. Hot 8 Brass Band - Big Tuba [Tru Thoughts]
7. Geese - Getting Killed [Partisan]
8. My Neptune - Despina [Grassy Hills]
9. Loucey - Participation Trophy Wife [Strange Daisy]
10. Lael Neale - Altogether Stranger [Sub Pop]
1. The Convenience - Like Cartoon Vampires [Winspear]
2. People Museum - Live From Marigny Opera House [Future New Orleans]
3. La Femme - Rock Machine [Disque Pointu]
4. Lisbon Girls - Te Love You / Favores [Strange Daisy]
5. Nail Club - Prima Facie [Optik Muzak]
6. Horsegirl - Phonetics On and On [Matador]
7. Nonlethal Weapons - All The Universities Have Been Destroyed [Deathrage]
8. Los Güiros - Alma de Cumbia EP [Self-Released]
9. BAMBII - Infinity Club II [Because]
10. Zamilska - United Kingdom Of Anxiety [NoPaper / K7!]