Our theme for Volume 16 is “Best of Last Year” – the records that defined our most recent year of collecting and listening. Whether they were brand new releases or long-sought-after finds finally added to the shelves, these are the albums that soundtracked our 2025. The ones we couldn’t stop spinning, the ones that surprised us, and the ones that quietly became essential. What rose to the top of your collection this past year? Let’s count them down!
Discord Thread: here
AZBellTree’s Top 5
- Wetleg, Moisturizer
- Rosalia, Lux
- Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly
- Beach House, Once Twice Melody
- Pavement, Wowee Zowee
Zedzooco’s Top 5
- Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan / Public Works and Utilities / 2025
- Susumu Yokota / Sakura / 2025
- Jessica Moss / Unfolding / 2025
- Pink Floyd / Pink Floyd At Pompeii MCMLXXII / 2025
- Swans/ Birthing / 2025
Brian’s Top 5
- Andy Shauf / The Party / 2016
- Puss and Boots / No Fools no Fun / 2014
- Lou Reed / New York / 1989
- Radioactive Sago Project – Urban Gulaman (2025?)
- Jeffrey Lewis – It’s the Ones Who’ve Cracked That the Light Shines Through (2002)
Gary’s Top 5
- Bill Evans: Sunday At The Village Vanguard.
- Chet Baker: Late Night Jazz
- Nina Simone: I Put A Spell On You
- John Lee Hooker: Boom Boom
- Junior Wells Chicago Blues Band: Hoodoo Man Blues
Enjoying these Top Five lists?
What you’re seeing here is just the surface — inside the Tokyo Record Style Community, each pick comes with personal stories, deeper discussion, and daily conversations about music and more. Members get early access to videos, exclusive livestreams, and full entry into the Discord where these lists come to life.
If you’d like to be part of it, consider joining via YouTube Membership or Patreon or reach our via email to discuss more ways to join — we’d love to have you with us! Music makes the world smaller!