Judged by the Cover - Best of 2025

Every year on Judged by the Cover, we take an episode to look back at the music, design, and physical releases that stood out most. The Best of 2025 episode was all about reflection — not just on great albums, but on the artwork, packaging, and cultural shifts that shaped the year in music.

Is the “Song of the Summer”… Gone?

We started the episode with a question that felt weirdly heavy: Did 2025 even have a true “song of the summer”? There used to be one song every year that you couldn’t escape. It didn’t matter if you listened to pop, rock, or country — you heard it at the grocery store, at the pool, in commercials, on the radio, everywhere. This year? Not so much.

Billboard officially named “Ordinary” by Alex Warren as the Song of the Summer, and sure, we’d heard it before. But it didn’t feel like a shared cultural moment. It felt more like, “Oh yeah… that song.”

We kept coming back to the same thought:Streaming and social media have put all of us in our own little music bubbles. Algorithms feed us what we already like, and as a result, we don’t have as many of those big, collective music moments anymore. It’s cool that everyone gets a personalized soundtrack. But yeah… we kind of miss the days when one song ruled the world for a few months.

Our Favorite Album Covers of 2025

Phil’s Pick: Buddy Guy — Ain’t Done With the Blues

You don’t expect someone pushing 90 years old to drop one of the boldest-looking covers of the year, but Buddy Guy did exactly that.

The cover is simple, but it hits hard:

• A blazing red background

• A dramatic, almost silhouetted portrait

• Deep shadows and rich contrast

It feels confident. Timeless. Unapologetic. There’s no over-designing, no trendy gimmicks — just a powerful image of a legend who clearly still has something to say. The design matches the spirit of the music perfectly.

Josh’s Picks

I had a harder time picking just one this year, so I cheated a little.

Mammoth — The End

This one is loud in the best way.

Bright yellow background. A figure engulfed in flames. Gritty textures that make the whole thing feel chaotic and intense. It leans into that apocalyptic tone the album title suggests, and it absolutely jumps out at you in a sea of tiny digital thumbnails.

Mammoth’s previous covers leaned more into fine-art territory, so this one feels like a shift — but it’s still bold, memorable, and unmistakably rock.

Andy Mineo — The And

Completely different energy here — minimal, conceptual, and layered with meaning.

At first glance, it’s mostly white space with repeated text variations of “The End?” scattered across the cover. But once you listen to the album, it clicks. The project came after a long gap and a big career transition, and the cover reflects that uncertainty and questioning.

It’s a great example of design that doesn’t scream for attention, but rewards you when you slow down and connect the dots.

Best Physical Packaging of 2025

If you think physical music is dying, 2025 had some releases that would change your mind real quick.

Phil’s Pick: Fine Young Cannibals – 40th Anniversary Reissue

This packaging is just fun.

The whole thing is designed like an elevator:

• Brushed metal-style exterior

• Track listing laid out like elevator buttons

• Interior artwork that looks like elevator doors opening

It’s clever without feeling cheesy, and it turns the album into more than just something you listen to — it becomes an object you explore. That kind of thought and creativity is exactly what makes physical releases worth owning.

Josh’s Pick: Sleep Token — Even in Arcadia

Sleep Token already has this mysterious, almost mythic vibe as a band, and this packaging leans all the way into it.

The vinyl artwork is dark, cinematic, and surreal — deep pinks, heavy blacks, and this haunting landscape that feels more like a movie still than an album insert. When you open it up, the full-spread artwork feels like something you could frame.

It’s moody, beautiful, and totally in line with the band’s identity.

What Stood Out to You?

Those were our picks, but we know we only scratched the surface. What album cover blew you away this year? What physical release made you actually want to buy music again?What artist did you discover out of nowhere?

We’re always looking for new music and great design to talk about, and your recommendations often lead to our favorite finds. And if you’re an artist thinking about your next release — remember, the visuals matter just as much as the sound. A strong cover and thoughtful packaging can turn a good project into an unforgettable one.