2025 Music Discovery Award!!!

[dualazmak]

As I shared here....
Even though it happened quite belated, in February 2025, I "discovered" Kimiko Ishizaka's "The Open Goldberg Variations (J.S. Bach BWV 988)" project, Open Archive direct download.
You can also hear it on YouTube; really stunning performance and amazing recording quality. Download of the original tracks from her site is highly recommended.

 

[WilliamfromParis]

Sorry to dampen the mood a bit, but even in the case where the title would be very good, I stopped in 97 with the appearance of Autotune. There are indeed rare exceptions, but when we know that today about 18% of the titles released come from AI, I find it very sad. I still have the exploration of the decade that for me surpasses everything, I want to talk about the seventies here. Happy New Year to all.

 

[mr_prez]

This young band really deserves recognition. Their song “Never Alone” has a lot of emotion and strong feelings, and it really brings something new and fresh to the music in 2025

 

[diddley]

hey I did put it in last year already

Can you see what a strong song and perfomance it is. I discovered her this year but don't worry. I am not up for competition.

 

[gsp1971]

to make it difficult for you Amir;

the power that music has to move you.
at moments like that, who cares about intermodulation distortion?
keep focusing on the music, people.

 

[gsp1971]

Also, it is good to see that young Emma Kok is still pursuing her dream to become a singer. Kok joined André Rieu on his world tour beginning in January 2024. In October 2024, Kok was confirmed to be joining André Rieu on his forthcoming tour in 2025.

Homepage - Emma Kok

emmakok.com

 

[billou5767]

 

[suur13]

 

[Artsfols]

Sorry to dampen the mood a bit, but even in the case where the title would be very good, I stopped in 97 with the appearance of Autotune. There are indeed rare exceptions, but when we know that today about 18% of the titles released come from AI, I find it very sad. I still have the exploration of the decade that for me surpasses everything, I want to talk about the seventies here. Happy New Year to all.

There is just so much music out there that still requires the10,000 requisite hours of practice in order to excel. I don't know what genre you prefer, but a good entry point are the "Tiny Desk Concerts" on NPR. The quality of these are uneven, but ... hmmm ... how about this.

https://www.vulture.com/article/npr-tiny-desk-concerts-best-ranking.html

From this list, I would recommend: 40. Natalia Lafourcade, 37. Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires, 30. Weird Al, 22. The xx. Half of this top 50, I have never heard. But also Lizzy McAlpine, Tedeschi-Trucks Band, River Whyless, Phoebe Bridgers have good Tiny Desk concerts.

If you like prodigious instrumental prowess, sorry, the electric-guitar-hero-era is mostly over. Jeff Beck is no longer with us. Keep watching the Crossroads concerts. But there are some great young performers like Julian Lage, Molly Tuttle, John Butler and John Smith.

If you liked big band and jazz singers or pre-rock era groups like the Andrews Sisters, or just great vocal chops in general, there are young bands and singers like Lawrence, Couch, Melt, Trousdale, Billie Eilish, Katie Pruitt, London Grammar, Wolf Alice, Raye, Sammy Rae and friends, Gregory Porter.

Subscribe to music publishers on Youtube. My favourites are: BBC Music, BBC Radio 1, Salt Lick Sessions, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Western AF, Austin City Limits, The Current. I would no longer recommend once great publishers, KEXP, Mahogany or Paste Studios simply because they flood their channels with mediocre material.

I'm just scratching the surface. Start turning over some rocks. Download or mark albums on a streaming service and take note of what else it gives you that you like when it takes over the stream. Think of the streaming services like AM radio, back in the day. It's not your best listening, just a source for new music or for background lazy listening.

Unless you're a 70s prog rock guy, and that's all you like. In that case, dig up everything that Steven Wilson has done, solo and with Porcupine Tree, as well as numerous offshoots.

 

[Artsfols]

I freaking love Lord Huron, good one mate! This last album of theirs is still growing on me but it is good, yes!

I somehow missed that Lord Huron had a new release this year. The previous album, "Long Lost", is a masterpiece, and I don't know anything in recent years quite like it.
I always think that album sounds a lot like a couple of tunes from the 50s bandleader, Billy Vaughan. Listen to the old track, "The Shifting Whispering Sands", part 1 and part 2. Sounds a lot like "Long Lost", especially the narration on that album. Perhaps it's just the 50s' western throwback mood of the Lord Huron album more than the music, per se.

 

[fricc]

With the year coming to an end, time is to nominate a track that was released in 2025 that captured your heart more than any other.
...

This is awesome, on this site we hail electronics that are way beyond lab grade, and then we swap music on YouTube, not exactly HD.
When I was a kid I'd gather with my friends and listen to LPs, we would each bring our favorite one. Not saying that YouTube swap is not good, but there is some irony somewhere in this.

 

[fricc]

This amateur recording might not be for everyone, but this voice definitively does it for me:

 

[Artsfols]

This amateur recording might not be for everyone, but this voice definitively does it for me:

I feel like a band is playing in her head as she sings this, especially given the pauses between lines. The heading states that this is a cover; do you have the original?

 

[Karmacoma]

Sorry to dampen the mood a bit, but even in the case where the title would be very good, I stopped in 97 with the appearance of Autotune. There are indeed rare exceptions, but when we know that today about 18% of the titles released come from AI, I find it very sad. I still have the exploration of the decade that for me surpasses everything, I want to talk about the seventies here. Happy New Year to all.

You obviously didn't give a listen to the music in this thread. Many great artists, your loss.
And about the 70's music, I think you're unaware of the survivor bias, but you're a pure example of it, the music that was bad has just disapeared in 2025, that's the reason when you check 70's tunes the level is higher.
SInce you're a french fellow, listen to this tune and tell me these lyrics are not great poetry, and tell me you see no emotion, if you don't you're as good as dead.

 

[Artsfols]

You obviously didn't give a listen to the music in this thread. Many great artists, your loss.
And about the 70's music, I think you're unaware of the survivor bias, but you're a pure example of it, the music that was bad has just disapeared in 2025, that's the reason when you check 70's tunes the level is higher.
SInce you're a french fellow, listen to this tune and tell me these lyrics are not great poetry, and tell me you see no emotion, if you don't you're as good as dead.

I give 'WilliamfromParis' a lot more respect than that for his opinion. I don't wish to turn this into a back and forth argument. I see William's opinion expressed very often with people of my age. I hope William does like your selection. I know I do, and I can't even speak French. However, taste being what it is, he may not.
What might make the conversation more productive is for those disaffected by the music of 2025 to indicate what genre's/performers they do like, so specific recommendations to their taste could be made.
If someone said to me, I like Gene Autry, Marty Robbins and the Sons of the Pioneers, I would say, listen to Charlie Crockett, Lord Huron and Asleep at the Wheel (yes, still going strong). There literally is something for everyone out there somewhere.

 

[Blockader]

 

[Hipster Doofus]

 

[sqrl]

I'm not sure if there is any audio science behind Cosmic Ears, but there's definitely a Don Cherry influence.

 

[Karu]

Not sure if there’s an official video

 

[Jimi Floyd]

Sorry to dampen the mood a bit, but even in the case where the title would be very good, I stopped in 97 with the appearance of Autotune. There are indeed rare exceptions, but when we know that today about 18% of the titles released come from AI, I find it very sad. I still have the exploration of the decade that for me surpasses everything, I want to talk about the seventies here. Happy New Year to all.

I am with you, brother. If we were polling 1973 here and not 2025, we would have had listed:

Allman Brothers Band - Jessica
Allman Brothers Band - Ramblin' Man
David Bowie - Life on Mars
CAN - Moonshake
Billy Cobham - Quadrant 4
The Doobie Brothers - Long Train Runnin'
Emerson, Lake and Plmer - Karn Evil 9
Faust - Krautrock
Genesis - Firth of Fifth
Gong - Flying Teapot
Herbie Hancock - Watermelon Man
King Crimson - Exiles
John Lennon - Mind Games
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Free Bird
Bob Marley & the Wailers - Concrete Jungle
Steve Miller Band - The Joker
Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells
Pink Floyd - Money
The Rolling Stones - Angie
Stevie Wonder - Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing
ZZ Top - La Grange

and many others I am skipping. Now, nothwistanding all the sympathy I can have for all the artists competing in this poll, the best of them are miles behind any entry of the 1973 list. And I could choose any other year in the 70s...