Okayplayer's Top Artists of 2025

2025 was a year of change, but not in the feel-good and optimistic way many of us felt on Jan. 20, 2009. Instead, things have felt very dark, wildly unstable, and calamitous, with seemingly no end in sight for the foreseeable future. However, despite the never-ending rain, several musicians provided us with moments worth remembering long after the storm clears, those bursts of light that somehow make the weather feel irrelevant. 

One of the world’s biggest artists continued a monumental run that will be punctuated by his highly anticipated Super Bowl halftime show, while a queen’s pivot to country music literally prompted the GRAMMYs to change its rules. A pair of brothers reunited for the first time in almost two decades, while several living legends gave us instant vintage moments. The hardest-working producer in hip-hop has been in a full-on renaissance throughout 2025, while its newest upstart saw his “Sexy Drill” sound creep into the mainstream.

Continuing with our end-of-year coverage, following our Top 25 of 2025, Okayplayer shares our top artists of the year. From chart-topping releases to sold-out world tours, pristine album rollouts to groundbreaking award wins and everything in between, these were the artists that gave us some of the brightest moments during a rather gloomy year.

Bad Bunny

It’s safe to say Bad Bunny raised the bar for himself in 2025. And aside from reminding us he’s not just a global artist, he made sure we understood he is, in fact, the moment. From a massive album cycle with the release of DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, to billions of streams across every platform, plus a run of undeniable singles, Benito continues to show fans — old and new — just how expansive his cultural reach is.

And if that wasn’t enough, the announcement that he’ll headline the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show — what could be the first-ever fully Spanish set — further proves how much Latino culture is pushing mainstream music forward.

This was absolutely a Bunny year, and he’s only upping the score, positioning himself as a legacy artist stepping confidently into his imperial phase. — A.W.

Beyoncé

King Bey didn’t release a formal album in 2025, yet she enjoyed one of the most historically successful years for any musician. Her eighth album, Cowboy Carter, earned 11 GRAMMY nominations and three awards including Best Country Album and Album Of The Year, the former of which led the NARAS to both “rename” the existing category as Best Contemporary Country Album and introduce the Best Traditional Country Album category in the wake of her win, and the latter of which had previously eluded her throughout her entire career to that point. 

Meanwhile, her Cowboy Carter Tour became the highest-grossing country tour in history, grossed almost half a billion dollars, set numerous records, and had everybody in the hood rocking ten-gallon hats and attending rodeos. And she was named as co-chair for the 2026 Met Gala.

If that isn’t legendary, I don’t know what is. — M.U.

Cardi B

Cardi B set the bar high with Invasion of Privacy in 2018, then left fans parched for years with only a few singles to sip on. But in 2025, she flooded the drought. Am I the Drama? arrived right in the middle of her personal sandstorm, but none of the noise overshadowed the fact that she delivered one of the strongest rollouts of the year. Her long-awaited sophomore album pulled up loud and confident, like a freshly washed foreign whip arriving at the let out.

Bardi gave us bars, vulnerability, pain, disses and growth, all while pregnant. She took full control of her album rollout with subway takeovers, clever brand collabs and a level of creativity that reminded everyone that she still has a hunger for more. Only Cardi could juggle top-tier album marketing, motherhood, a baby bump, marital drama, a blossoming love story, and make it look like casual multitasking. — A.W.

Cash Cobain

We watched Cash Cobain’s ascent in real time this year. Not only did he handcraft hits, but his production style officially cemented itself as one of the new sonic signatures of New York’s next generation, placing his autograph across playlists everywhere. He stacked major placements, leveled up with Drake and Cardi B collaborations, and shaped a sound already influencing his peers and the Slizzy Gang collective.

There’s something special about watching an artist evolve from “new favorite” to a defining voice, and Cash is doing it with ease. He’s stepped into that rare lane where a producer isn’t just a sonic architect, he’s the interior designer, too, curating the entire feel. Cash’s wave isn’t subtle, and he’s more than equipped to command it. — A.W.

Clipse

Prior to 2025, the last time Clipse dropped an album, Santonio Holmes was in the NFL, Glee was still on television, a gallon of gas was between $1.79 and $2.40, and Avatar was the highest-grossing film of the year. Things have drastically changed since then, but when Malice and Pusha T returned with Let God Sort Em Out, it felt like old times.

The album was a critically-acclaimed return to form, landing atop several “Best Of” lists (including, ahem, ours). More noteworthy was its rollout, as it was as meticulous as it was intentional: they partnered with the likes of Denim Tears, Verdy, Billionaire Boys Club, Adidas and Louis Vuitton, among others. They would even make history by being the first rappers to ever perform at the Vatican City.

The end result? One of the top-selling independent albums of the year, a Top 2 placement on the Billboard 200, five nominations at the 2026 GRAMMY Awards, including nods for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album, and — perhaps most importantly — a spot on this list. —M.U.

De La Soul

Of all the releases from Mass Appeal's "Legend Has It..." series, De La Soul’s Cabin In The Sky is perhaps its most complete album and one of the standouts. It’s also the group’s most melancholy, as it serves as both a eulogy for and a celebration of the late David Jolicoeur. De La Soul has endured through numerous trials and tribulations throughout their entire career, yet they have remained one of the most vital cogs in hip-hop. Their ninth album may be one of the last-minute drops of 2025, but it is undoubtedly one of the best hip-hop releases of the year. Thank you, Dave. — M.U.

Doechii

With Kendrick Lamar departing to found pgLang alongside Dave Free, and SZA having an on-again-off-again relationship with the label, Top Dawg Entertainment had somewhat of a void to fill. Enter Doechii, an eclectic self-proclaimed swamp princess from Tampa. Following her debut EP with the imprint, she / her / black b***h, in 2002, she dropped her second mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal 2 years later to widespread acclaim, and she’s been on an upward trajectory since.

The project won Best Rap Album at the 67th GRAMMY Awards, making her the third female artist to win in the category behind Lauryn Hill and Cardi B. “DENIAL IS A RIVER” would peak at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100, while “Anxiety” — originally released in 2019 — would hit No. 9. A viral NPR Tiny Desk Concert here, a string of sold-out tour dates there, and several eye-catching Fashion Week moments there, and the former “TikTok rapper” has become a fully realized powerhouse. We can’t wait to see what she does next. — M.U.

Drake

Some artists try to reinvent the wheel. Drake just hops in a new whip and somehow makes the world watch him take it for a spin. This year, he reminded everyone of his staying power even without dropping a solo album. Instead, he kicked off Valentine’s Day with $ome $exy $ongs 4 U alongside PartyNextDoor, a smooth, energetic reset that had fans in their R&B bag almost immediately. 

Then he dropped the Iceman series, which was equal parts comedy and confessionals mixed with a little bit of confusion. Either way, he gained more equity on our timelines. And without releasing a formal project, he still closed out the year doing what Aubrey does best: giving the internet Instagram captions to save in their Notes app, new memes courtesy of his millennial-posing selfies and bars to overthink in the group chat. — A.W. 

Kehlani

Kehlani summed up 2025 in one word: “Folded.” The inescapable track became the anthem we didn’t know we needed, carrying its own emotional universe, ultimately becoming the biggest record of her career. It spent 25 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 — thus far — peaking at No. 7, and never once loosened its grip on the culture.

When she dropped the Folded Homage Pack, featuring vocal powerhouses like Toni Braxton, Brandy, JoJo, Tank, Mario and more, it only confirmed what fans already felt: this song hit a collective nerve in the best way possible.

This is Kehlani at her strongest: honest, storytelling, vocal finesse and that signature pen that turns raw emotions into perfectly written truth. A defining moment not just for her, but for R&B in 2025. And if you’ve somehow been sleeping on Kehlani all this time, go grab a Café Bustelo because it’s time to wake up. — A.W.

Nas

Nas had already been on an enviable run for the past five years, linking with producer Hit-Boy for a stretch of six straight albums and winning his first-ever GRAMMY for 2020’s King’s Disease. But his renaissance hit another level in 2025, when — following a feature on Clipse’s "Let God Sort Em Out/Chandeliers" — his Mass Appeal Records announced their “Legend Has It…” series that dropped projects from Slick Rick, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Mobb Deep, Big L, and De La Soul. Alongside guesting and showing out on each release, he punctuated things with the release of his long-awaited collaborative effort with fellow living legend DJ Premier, Light-Years.

High school me hasn’t been this excited for anything in years. — M.U.

The Alchemist

I’ve somewhat found it a bit amusing that, for almost 30 years, one of the biggest purveyors of New York-based street rap has been a white guy from Beverly Hills who got his start in a rap group with the white guy who fake-arrested Nas on Hawaii 5-0 that one time. Yet The Alchemist has become both an elder statesman and North Star for older curmudgeons like this writer, reimagining what underground hip-hop music can sound like and ushering in the boneless boom bap era. What makes him more special is his willingness to work with both the grey hair and the Similac generations, truly bridging the gap between the two.

Al spent the year joining forces with Larry June and 2 Chainz for Life Is Beautiful, delivering a superb Alfredo sequel with Freddie Gibbs, teasing a joint project with Erykah Badu (where is that, by the way?), reuniting with Mobb Deep, connecting with indie mavens billy woods and Fly Anakin, and closing things out with Armand Hammer. All the while, he served as a source of inspiration for several rappers and producers alike. The fascinating thing is, I don’t even think he’s reached his final form yet.

But, seriously, where is that Erykah Badu project? — M.U.

Tyler, the Creator

Tyler, the Creator walks the unbeaten path, operating in his own dimension, and 2025 felt like another expansion. After closing out 2024 with Chromakopia, he carried that moment straight into a landmark year: a huge world tour, a mid-tour album with Don’t Tap the Glass and another Camp Flog Gnaw that doubled as both a flex and a must-see event.

His output was relentless, yet intentional, with each effort feeling like a new chapter in his uniquely crafted ecosystem. Tyler’s otherworldly visuals, merch capsules, performances and sonic pivots all intersected into one of his most solid artistic runs yet. And with a Josh Safdie film on the horizon and five new Grammy nominations — Album of the Year and Best Rap Album for Chromakopia, Best Rap Song for “Sticky”, Best Rap Performance for “Darling, I” and Best Alternative Music Album for Don’t Tap the Glass — to close out the year, 2025 wasn’t just a win for Tyler, it was proof that we’re watching him navigate a road he paved himself, moving at a speed only he can maintain, through a lens only he can imagine. — A.W.