My 2025 favourites

A collage featuring me (a person with long red hair and a green cardigan) surrounded by posters from some of my favourite pop culture of the year.

Warning: this is a long read. Feel free to skip to the bits you're interested in, or otherwise I recommend sourcing a snack and settling in.

It is very satisfying to log all of the media you consume, and I've been doing so for the last three years. Books, movies, TV, music - it's all recorded (and occasionally rated/reviewed, if I'm so inclined). It has allowed me to learn more about my taste, and in turn make better choices about the media I do consume. It has also helped me to be more intentional about my choices (a topic I touched on in 'Let's buy DVDs again') and explore genres, cultural perspectives, and themes that are new to me. To some people, this might be too clinical an approach to a hobby of theirs, but I truly love thinking about and reflecting on the stories I've enjoyed in this way.

Now, I don't claim to have 'good' taste. Sometimes my taste is very mainstream and unoriginal because mainstream stuff is fun! It appeals to the masses, and what am I but a sheep in the herd! I make no apologies for that. My taste is mine and I like it. If our tastes are similar, I'd love to hear your recommendations.

Onwards!

Music

This is definitely the heftiest category. I think because the emotion in music is more pure (to me), so tends to resonate more. I'm going to share:

  • my favourite album (it's actually two albums tied for first place)
  • my top albums of the year
  • some honourable mentions.

My (joint) favourite album of 2025

Mother's Milk - Clean Cut Kid

My brother introduced me to Clean Cut Kid via the song 'Suffering' which is as painful (yet beautiful) as it sounds. I listened to the song 'Numb' non-stop this year (I'm fine). I love Mike Halls' soft vocals and the beautiful narrative lyrics. Wall-to-wall devastating bops.

A Crisis of Faith at the Death of a Loved One - Clean Cut Kid

If you thought the bops were devastating on the last album, wait till you hear 'What We Wouldn't Give'. More complex and wacky than Mother's Milk but still not short of melodies that'll get stuck in your head. The opening of 'Black Suit' will always stop me in my tracks.

Big year for me and Clean Cut Kid!

The rest of my top albums of 2025

Forever is a Feeling - Lucy Dacus

Lucy 'religious trauma' Dacus doing a love album was not something I would have predicted before the Julien Baker hard-launch! This was a slow burn for me, because it was so much softer and sweeter than past albums. She manages to describe love in a way that feels optimistic and still not perfect or clear-cut. 'Best Guess (wedding version)' made me wish I'd postponed my wedding a year so it could've been my first dance song (kidding, mostly). This was also my most-played album of the year!

(Sorry for the pre-transition album photo, I like it more).

Lux - Rosalía

A very late addition but shot to the top of my favourites this year. What can I say about this beautiful, incisive, innovative album that hasn't already been said? I have listened most to 'Mio Cristo Piange Diamante'. Listening to Rosalía's voice on this song feels like drinking 'night water' (what my friend Georgia calls very cold and crisp water, specifically drunk when very thirsty). I'm sure it'll only become more of a favourite the more I listen.

Straight Line is a Lie - The Beths

One of my top 2 bands of all time (tied with Pinegrove, always). 'Mother, Pray for Me' is surely going to be in my most played songs of the year (update from editing Soph: it was!). It's such a beautiful exploration of a difficult relationship and exposes the raw vulnerability of trying to open up to someone who has hurt you. I often played 'No Joy' right after Clean Cut Kid's song 'Numb' - a stunning combo (I'm really fine!)

Blush - There's a Tuesday

This album is so atmospheric, and the vocals just hook you in. Plus, it's queer excellence. 'Billie' and 'Margo' are probably my most-played, but it's a no-skip album for me.

Virgin - Lorde

'Virgin' shifted my perception of Lorde, which is impressive seeing as I've loved her music since 'The Love Club' EP. At first I found it embarrassing to hear her sing about sex, maybe because I perceive her still to be an angsty teenager in some way. Once I got over myself, I really loved this evolution of Lorde's music style. 'Clearblue' is a compact piece of art that was completely absorbing on first listen. The gender and power dynamic reflections resonated with me throughout this album.

Cartoon Darkness - Amyl and the Sniffers

More! Women! Shouting! In! Songs! I loved 'Big Dreams', and then loved the fred again remix just as much. 'Jerkin'' is hilarious and a good mood booster. Overall just a very punchy and interesting album.

Music (honourable mentions)

No One Was Driving the Car - La Dispute

My favourite song of the year is on this album - 'I Dreamt of a Room With All My Friends I Could Not Get In'. The first time I heard it I had to listen another 3-4 times straight away.

I dreamt about a room
Standing in the light
And everyone was there but you
And honestly?
I love you but it felt so good
Everyone was laughing
Everyone at least passed through
Everyone we know
And not a single one remembered you
Anymore
Or any time before and members of your family too
Everyone you loved forgot or never met you

It's hard to articulate what this song made me feel. It was like this song reached a past version of me that was feeling something inexplicable and made that feeling make sense. I like a lot of the other songs on this album, but this one still stands out.

Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party - Hayley Williams

Listening to this album reminded me of how much I loved Paramore as a teenager. It's a cool album, very much mid-30s depression energy, but also has plenty of humour ('Mirtazapine' is a particular vibe). It hasn't quite made it into my favourites of the year but is a great, fun, interesting listen.

Drop Cherries - Billie Marten

I love this album, a lot. I'm going to Sydney to see Billie Marten in 2026! I think the only reason it hasn't made my favourites list is because I've also been listening to her new album, and they've slightly blended into one in my mind. I used to adore Laura Marling and Billie Marten feels like a musical child of Laura Marling. 'This is How We Move' is a particular favourite, but all of the songs are beautiful. I can imagine it'll become an all-time favourite when I've had more time with it.

Te Whare Tīwekaweka - Marlon Williams

If you ever need a mood boost, pop on 'Kōrero Māori' and sing along. Marlon's voice and the poetic lyrics on this album are just lovely. I also particularly loved 'Kāhore He Manu E' with Lorde, and keep getting the phrase 'Haehaea te marama, maringi toto miraka' stuck in my head because it's so satisfying to say. I feel like I need to listen to this a few more times with the translated lyrics in front of me in order to really love the songs, but it's undeniably an incredible album.

Movies

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

How did I, a queer person, make it to 2025 without seeing this film? I always had an inkling that I'd like it, but sometimes procrastinate watching things that I think will make me feel too many feelings (a very normal, healthy approach). I have nothing new to say about this film; it's the incredibly beautiful depiction of queer longing and love and kinship that you would hope it to be.

Human Traffic

I did not expect to enjoy this film because Josh and Jon picked it (sorry guys). I do have a soft spot for John Simm from my Doctor Who days, and an even bigger soft spot for national treasure Danny Dyer which definitely helped. This is an over-the-top, in-your-face, unselfconscious depiction of 90s rave culture in all its glory. I was totally hooked from start to finish, and can imagine this becoming a comfort movie in future.

A.I. Artificial Intelligence

This is one of 3 movies on this list that I thought would be shit because Josh wanted to watch it. I'm sorry Josh! Love of my life! I just don't tend to expect much from movies by and about men. This movie is an informal collaboration between Stanley Kubrick and Steven Spielberg, and you can tell. It's like a kids' movie is the filling in a dystopian movie sandwich. You're entertained and scared and have no idea where it's going to go next. I thought at first that this movie was goofy and not to be taken seriously, but by the last third I thought it could be one of the best movies I've ever seen. Go in with no expectations and you might love it.

2001: A Space Odyssey 

Duh, it's a classic for a reason. It's incredible. HAL's pleas to Bowman are haunting, and only bested as most memorable moment of the movie by the final sequence inside the monolith. It's visually stunning and so human that it feels like if we had to pick one movie to represent cinema on Earth, it could be this one.

In the Mood for Love

This movie hurts! I was suffering emotionally the whole time! The colour was so beautiful and once you got on board with the dream-like nature of the narrative, it was so interesting to follow. The two lead actors were incredible.

Practical Magic

As a long-time lover of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this feels adjacent enough that I should've watched it years ago. It's whimsical, girly, gothy, funny and draws you into this beautiful visual world that is understandably plastered all over Pinterest. It's sister witches, and a beautiful seaside village! It's girlhood and sisterhood and true love! A gorgeous movie, I want to rewatch it with friends next winter.

Honourable mention movie:

An Angel at My Table

This movie felt super long and sometimes hit too close to home, but it's very loving and raw portrayal of the life of one of Aotearoa's greats, Janet Frame. The injustices she faces make you want to scream, and seeing her find her way through the world as a writer is so satisfying. I'm very glad this movie exists.

TV shows

Traitors UK

An unexpectedly HUGE hit for me this year. I'm pretty disconnected from what's popular in the UK nowadays, but Traitors managed to break through. I watched all three seasons, plus the Celebrities season, and it was the most compelling reality TV I've ever watched. It has a similar energy to Celebrity Treasure Island Aotearoa, another favourite of mine. The friendships that form between unexpected people; the campy horror of the tasks; the increasing paranoia and chaos; Claudia Winkleman. It's incredible. I know there's allegedly a US version but I won't be watching because Americans aren't interesting to me.

Adolescence

I loved this for the same reason everyone else loved it: it was obviously brilliantly acted, and the fact that each episode is one continuous shot is extremely impressive, as well as a very engaging way to watch a story unfold. It unpacks the outward ripples of extreme misogyny so effectively. Plus, I now have a soft spot for Stephen Graham.

Dept Q

I love Scotland. More Scottish TV please! This cast of characters were very weird and lovable, and the mystery was totally gripping. I felt genuinely stressed during the last few episodes. I believe they're making a second season, and I can't wait to watch it.

Grey's Anatomy

Breaking my own rules about my media-tracking to include a re-watch. I am 17 seasons into my mega re-watch of Grey's and I have been loving it. I wrote a whole piece about the friendships in the show, but I also really admire how it addresses mental health and the different forms of therapy available. I was where I first learnt about EMDR. It certainly has its flaws, but Grey's is always trying to tell new stories, to push forward the conversations about race, gender, and inequality in America. It's one of my favourite shows of all time.

Books

This was not a good reading year for me! I have this superstition that my first read of the year has to be a five stars, or I'll have a bad reading year - that has proven true for 2025. I read 70 books last year, and I think this year I'll hit 50 at best; I've not read a lot that I've loved, and that's slowed down my reading.

I did notice patterns in what I enjoyed this year; as always it's queer stories, and things that break my heart at least a little bit.

Love in Exile by Shon Faye

My favourite book of the year! I suspected it would be - I enjoyed Shon's previous book, The Transgender Issue, and this was a clear evolution of her thinking and approach to writing. It's a fascinating exploration of romantic love, sobriety and queerness.

The Exploding Frangipani, edited by Cathie Dunsford & Susan Hawthorne

A New Zealand and Australian collection of lesbian writers, published in the 90s. I found this in Hard to Find Books, and there were so many beautiful pieces. It's hard to find much information online about any of these writers - I think more people should pick this up, it deserves a bigger readership!

Sunburn by Chloe Michelle Haworth

Maximum yearning. This book reminded me a lot of myself as a young adult, so made for a painful but powerful reading experience. The ending was so different from what I expected, it redeemed some of the slower parts for me.

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

Haunting and surreal. I was unsettled the whole time I was reading, but loved how the story unfolded. I particularly enjoyed the portion of the story at the mother's house.

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

I hope more of her work is translated so that I can read it. The world felt so rich, even though it was technically very sparse. It's a heartbreaking story, but beautiful too.

Miscellaneous

This is a new section for me! It includes a few podcasts and articles, and a bunch of YouTube videos. I decided to include this section because I do watch a LOT of YouTube, and it made sense to consider that as part of the media universe that informs the way I see the world.

It's only right that these two elusive, intellectual gay musicians should meet and have a conversation like this. The obvious highlight is when Janelle Monae claims to have travelled in time, with completely earnest conviction.

I love watching people talk about the things they're passionate about! Plus you get a bunch of mini-covers as Cynthia sings along. Her riffing on 'Thong Song' is truly iconic.

These videos are epics. Mike's Mic makes these very long, detailed, Easter-egg-laden videos about Lost, a show which utterly deserves this level of enthusiasm. It takes about a year between each video, so one when drops in my subscription box me and Josh drop everything to watch them.

In a weird move, I only really started watching Dan and Phil's videos a few years back. I'd come across them plenty of times Back In The Day but never been that intrigued. I still wouldn't consider myself a true Phannie (sorry Phannies but I do hate this word) but I was SO pleased that they finally felt comfortable enough to share their relationship with the world. It also featured a really interesting conversation about coming to terms with your fans being both your biggest supporters and also the source of most of your distress. Their videos since 'coming out' as together have been extra silly and joyful and free.

I loved all six episodes in this series; Bryn and Ku travel around Aotearoa finding different ways to date and meet new people. The final episode is particularly poignant, as Bryn decides to freeze her eggs and Ku supports her through recovery. It's a lovely exploration of friendship, being in your 30s, and dealing with the social pressures around love.

TALENTED BRILLIANT INCREDIBLE AMAZING SHOWSTOPPING SPECTACULAR NEVER THE SAME TOTALLY UNIQUE COMPLETELY NOT EVER BEEN DON-

Kayla is one of the few BookTubers I still watch, and her series where she shops and reads with her mum this year has been so adorable.

My lovely friend Saniah appears in this series where Muslim and Māori people connect over their shared passions. Saniah and Miriama are both artists, and generously share their art with one another. It's beautiful to watch.

Listen. LISTEN. I can explain. This year I got obsessed with watching ItalianBach, Arthur Frederick, Arthur Hill, George Clarkey & ChrisMD. I could've included all the Platform Roulette videos on this list, but instead I included this one Soccer Saturday video where they all go up North and get absolutely pissed and nearly fight a Minion. I don't know why my taste in entertainment includes watching British lad drinking culture but it does. I've rewatched this video several times already.

This feature-length video essay has informed a lot of my thinking around the rise of fascism in America, and is a really valuable watch for any leftist.

Give Lucy the opportunity to talk to another gay person and she will thrive. This was a fun and silly chat about songwriting and queerness.

I don't generally engage with Sabrina Carpenter's songs as rich texts, but this music video was packed with lore and incredible photography. There is always more to see! Definitely the best music video I saw this year.

If I Speak podcast episode: "Help, I can't stop hating men!"

If you can relate to the premise, it's definitely worth a listen. It reckons with how we build community with people that hold societal power over us; something I think about and struggle with often.

BBC's The Reunion podcast episode: 1995 Pride and Prejudice

So much fun, and I learnt heaps about the context of telling this story in 1995, and how the people making it wanted it to be received. Just delightful to hear the cast and crew reconnect and reminisce over something so beloved.

You might notice there's a lot of New Zealand, Australian and British media in here. I am actively aiming to consume less American media, and more local-to-me media! Pop culture has long been dominated by American creatives and it's getting tired. Consider it an informal, half-assed boycott on my part. I'd also like to engage more with media from the rest of the world - a 2026 goal!