By my count, this is the 21st time that I have made this list. Regular readers know what it’s about, newer visitors might not. These are my favorite pieces of media that I’ve experienced over the course of the year. Not all of them came out in 2025, but a fair amount of them did. They’re in no order despite being numbered. Ultimately, I make this is for my own amusement, but I’ve had readers tell me that it has helped them discover things to check out. If that includes you, then I’m glad. Enjoy, and I’ll see you next year for the 22nd one.
Books
1. The Queen of the Ring by Jeff Leen – Leen chronicles the story of one of the first female superstars of professional wrestling, Mildred Burke. It’s thoroughly researched, with many references to interviews with the primary subjects. Burke’s life and career was extraordinary, featuring many instances where she needed to be her own advocate.
2. Hillsborough Voices by Kevin Sampson – In April of 1989, 97 Liverpool fans lost their lives due to mismanagement of overcrowded pens at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, England. This book is an oral history told by survivors, family members, reporters, and other officials. It’s a well-reported account on an important and tragic piece of Liverpool history.
3. The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig – Years after losing a friend in a strange turn of events, the four survivors are drawn back together to figure out what happened. This leads to a winding journey through a nightmarish world. This latest story from one of my favorite horror novelists has many of his hallmarks, in terms of originality and humor.
4. Circle of Hope by Eliza Griswold – Griswold is a reporter who ends up chronicling the dissolution of an innovative collective of congregations in Philadelphia and New Jersey. The issues aren’t necessarily unique: divides over cultural issues, the continued involvement of the retired founders, and personality clashes between the pastors. It was fascinating and heartbreaking to see how these factors intertwined to cause the organization’s downfall.
5. Follow Your Bliss and Other Lies About Calling by Bonnie J. Miller-McLemore – Miller-McLemore explores the often-neglected nuances of how many conceptualize “calling.” She reflects on calls we give up, calls that didn’t work out, calls we opted not to take, and so on. This was a refreshing read that has caused me a lot of reflection at this stage of my life and career.
Honorable Mention: None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
Movies
1. Conclave – Ralph Fiennes plays a Catholic cardinal charged with overseeing the election of a new Pope. There is plenty of politicking and debate involved, but there is also intrigue and mystery creeping around the edges that inch closer to the center. A strong cast anchors a story that comes to a surprising conclusion.
2. The Substance – Demi Moore plays a fitness instructor on the downswing of her career, seeking to reignite her appeal. She discovers a mysterious organization that provides her the means to spawn a younger version of herself. Initial success leads to a lot of dark humor, body horror, and exploration of the fickleness of show business that causes increased desperation by those seeking to hold onto fame.
3. Thunderbolts*/*The New Avengers – A group of secondary villains from previous Marvel projects are all lured into the same place and discover a plot not only to eliminate them but also a conspiracy to create new superpowered beings. Their decision to uncover what’s happening leads to hijinks and the trademark MCU humor. More importantly, they prevail by facing their own failures and feelings of inadequacy. And it unexpectedly also provides a big setup for next year’s Avengers team-up.
4. Sinners – Michael B. Jordan plays twins Smoke and Stack, who return to their home in 1930s Mississippi to start a juke joint. They assemble a cast of characters for the effort, but ultimately run into threats both human and supernatural. Not only is it an amazing horror story, but as horror often does, it provides social commentary for both past and present that I can only listen to other voices to hope to understand.
5. Superman (2025) – I did not expect to enjoy this newest iteration as much as I did. James Gunn does a magnificent job balancing humor and heart as he explores Superman’s identity as a foreign figure coming to grips with his parents’ intentions for him, and the public’s increased hostility toward him. A fantastic supporting cast brings several other heroes and friends to life, and for me personally it was fun to spot Cleveland landmarks as I watched.
Honorable Mention: Sketch
TV Shows
1. Severance – The second season of this surreal show has the main character re-integrating his mind, arguing with himself, and now torn between his innie and outie lives. We finally get to learn more about the strange company at which everyone works. As much as I enjoyed the first season, this one ramped up the absurdity, the humor, and the general stakes.
2. Daredevil: Born Again – I was so excited to have these characters, played by these actors, back. Much of the spirit of the Netflix show remains, and I thought the MCU elements integrated things without being intrusive. These episodes did much to explore and establish the symbiotic relationship of Murdock and Fisk, and the cliffhanger has me eager for the next season.
3. Andor – Season 2 continues to show the growing rebellion against the Galactic Empire taking steps forward but suffering setbacks as well. People’s acts of resistance as at times mundane, at times bold, and at times ruthless. Meanwhile, we also see the Empire sacrificing its loyal soldiers who think they’ll be rewarded. This show did so well at depicting the everyday, unheroic, and thankless work involved in making a better world.
4. Doctor Who – The latest (and sadly last) season of Ncuti Gatwa’s tenure featured some excellent stories, with Russell T. Davies helping the show recapture its connection to the larger Whoniverse and its stranger elements. “Lux,” “The Well,” and “The Story of the Engine” were especially good additions to the wonderful and weird Who canon.
5. Landman – I’d seen so many clips of this show on social media that I finally sat down to watch, and I wasn’t disappointed. Billy Bob Thornton plays a long-suffering crisis fixer of an oil company who has to juggle his work with his family. The entire cast does well at balancing the dramatic and humorous beats of the show.
Honorable Mention: A Man on the Inside
Albums
1. Poppy, Negative Spaces – I’ve been enjoying Poppy’s melodic metal sound ever since I first heard her. This album has been a regular companion for my commutes all year. Favorites include “the cost of giving up,” “they’re all around us,” and “push go.”
2. Sleep Token, Even In Arcadia – This band blends so many musical elements that result in something that is at times meditative, haunting, and heavy. There’s so much to unpack in every song both lyrically and musically. Favorites include “Caramel,” “Emergence,” and “Damocles.”
3. BABYMETAL, METAL FORTH – This trio of Japanese metal singers teams up with Poppy, Electric Callboy, Spiritbox, Tom Morello, and many others. The songs bring all of the guests’ unique styles to the album, but the ladies’ signature energy ties everything together. Favorites include “from me to u,” “My Queen,” and “METAL!!”
4. The Pretty Wild, zero.point.genesis – As soon as I came across this sister duo earlier this year, I was hooked on their brand of metal, alternative, and nu-metal. Their debut full album only just came out in November, and I’ve had it on constant rotation since. Favorites include “priestess,” “OMENS,” and “persephone.”
5. Brandi Carlile, Returning to Myself – This is as personal and vulnerable as she’s ever been, with songs touching on love, her admiration for artists who have inspired her, and reflections on mortality. Favorites include “Human,” “A War With Time,” and “No One Knows Us.”
Honorable Mention: Garbage, Let All That We Imagine Be The Light
My 2025 Playlist (listen here):
Benicio Gray, Ariana Nichole, “When I Misbehave”
Ally Nicholas, “Seventeen”
Taylor Felt, “MIRROR MIRROR”
Anastasia Elliot, “London”
DAMAG3, “BOOM”
Ruby Ibarra, “Bakunawa”
Ashnikko, “Paint the Town Blue”
Royal & the Serpent, “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?”
tiLLie, “Christian With a Gun”
Flower Face, “Biblical Love”
nobodi, “The Method”
In the Middle., “Good Guy Bad Guy”
Kalandra, “The State of the World”
The Pharcyde, “Passin’ Me By”
CHINCHILLA, Isobel Waller-Bridge, “Do You See Me Now”
Transviolet, “No Hate Like Christian Love”
CLOVES, “Care”
Envy of None, “You’ll Be Sorry”
Tommee Profitt, “Numb”
The Yagas, “The Crying Room”
Tender Misfit, “Ghost”
Alexa Dark, “Villain”
Honeychurch, “Roach”
So Impartial, “Fell From Grace”
DJ Suede the Remix God, “Argue (I Can’t Argue With You)”
The Pretty Wild, “sLeepwALker”
A.Vi, “MAKE YOU WISH”
Tawnted, “Big Man Baby Girl (back in to me)”
Noga Erez, “A+”
Natalie Claro, “Reasons I Can’t Sleep”
Spiritbox, “Circle With Me”
Vince Cox, “Crawling”
Legends of Runterra, “Unstoppable”
VOKOVI, “MERCY KILL”
Electric Callboy, “Elevator Operator”
Jag Arreola, “Know Me”
Citizen Soldier, “Heavy”
DEZI, “rage”
Mike Scibilia, “More to This”
Bad Omens, Corey Taylor, “Dust in the Wind”
The Pretty Wild, “Button Eyes”
atmosphere.eric, “the sun is dark”
Hugo De La Lune, “Messiah”
Sleep Token, “Emergence”
Ren, Kit, “Slaughter House”
Bloodywood, “Nu Delhi”
The Pretty Wild, “Roswell”
Elba Rose, “No Note, No Telephone”
Transviolet, “All My Sins”
ill Factor, Katie Garfield, “Weight of Everything”
BABYMETAL, Poppy, “from me to u”
Evanescence, “Afterlife”
Nova Twins, “KMB”
Sneaker Pimps, “Lightning Field”
Annaca, “Hold Me”
Brice Wilson, “Redemption”
Ashley Johnson, “Through the Valley”
Craig Wedren, Anna Waronker, “Sleepwalking”
Power-Haus, “This Is Where It Begins”
Hailee Steinfeld, “Dangerous”
Fiona Apple, “Heart of Gold”
xtra bacon, “Royalty – Sped Up”
A Perfect Circle, “Judith”
Madilyn Mei, “What’s Going On?!”
Ruelle, “Where Is My Mind”
Kerli, “Blossom”
BE/HOLD, “These Woods Are Haunted”
tiLLie, “flip a switch”
Carlyn, “DOG”
MAIASAURA, “GIRLS JUST WANNA”
Syncatto, “Blossom”
Siiickbrain, Maggie Lindemann, “Dopamine”
Father of Peace, “Enemy”
Crystal Crave, “F*CK YOU”
SkyDxddy, “BATTLEFIELD”
Josie Edwards, “good girls”
Heroes for Ghosts, “Rot”
Kami Kehoe, “DOPAMINE”
Electric Callboy, “Revery”
Katerina Lomis, “The Ladies of the Opera”
Yung Gravy, “Mr. Clean”
Sabaton, “Soldier of Heaven”
Wa Kil, El Da God, “Last Pick”
Sevdaliza, “Hubris”
Wet Leg, “catch these fists”
The Joy Formidable, “Whirring”
Muse, “Unraveling”
Lola Young, “Messy”
Evanescence, K. Flay, “Fight Like a Girl”
BABYMETAL, Spiritbox, “My Queen”
Kalandra, “Are You Ready?”
Rachel Hardy, Garrett Weyenberg, “Guns for Hire”
Poppy, Amy Lee, Courtney LaPlante, “End of You”
Sophie Hunter, “Mic Check”
Phantogram, “In My Head”
Sonique, “It Feels So Good 12″ Breakbeat Remix””
Bilmuri, “EMPTYHANDED”
Enrose, “GLAD IT HAPPENED”
Bad Omens, “Specter”
KatzPascale, “SPILL YOUR TIME”
slowme, “children”
DAKOTA, “Are the Memories Fading?”
The Last Slice, “Feed the Fire”
BANKS, “Beggin for Thread”
Akira Yamaoka, “Alone in the Town”
In the Middle., “Player 1 Player 2”
Bad Omens, ERRA, “ANYTHING > HUMAN”
Saint Mesa, Nome Naku, “WAR”
Besomorph, “The Serpent”
Flyleaf, “What’s This”
WARGASM, “Do It So Good”
Electric Callboy, “TANZNEID”
Keith Wallen, Haley Roughton, “Teeth Marks”
DON BROCO, “Gumshield”
Frayle, “Summertime Sadness”
Town of Trees, “Selfish”
tiLLie, “superhero”
MOTHICA, “Evergreen Misery”
The Bardic DM, “Banshee’s Lament”
Ellie Dixon, “Knight Shift”
SOFIA ISELLA, “Above the Neck”
The Living Tombstone, “It’s Been So Long”
Kato, Jon, “Turn the Lights Off (Radio Edit)”
Joey Valence & Brae, “PUNK TACTICS”
K-Pop Demon Hunters Cast, “Golden”
Jeffrey A. Nelson 