Sixteen Most‑Spun Records of 2025

The albums that lived on my turntable this year.

These aren’t necessarily discoveries, or even records I haven’t already worn out; they’re the ones I kept returning to, again and again for one reason or another. Some were Saturday or Sunday morning staples. Some were go-to dinner party soundtracks. Some helped me relax. Some made me laugh. All are excellent and worth a spin!

The Staple Singers, Amen!
Despite not being religious, we play gospel every Sunday morning in our hoouse, a ritual that started back when we lived in NYC and Sunday meant “Amazing Grace” on WKCR followed a stream of Mike McGonigal’s “Buked & Scorned.” The Staple Singers might be my favorite band of all time, and this is the one that gets the most spins. Majorly uplifting.

Blossom Dearie, Blossom Time
This one saw a ton of play thanks to the black‑humor gem “The Shape of Things” and the downright hilarious “I’m Hip” (“I even call my girlfriend ‘man’ I’m so hip!”). Any Blossom is perfect anytime, but her Fontana stuff (which I just learned there is a new box set of) is the stuff I keep coming back for.

Chico Hamilton Quintet, Chico Hamilton Quintet Featuring Buddy Collette
I’m a chamber‑jazz junkie, and this is one of the genre’s best offerings. Restrained, inventive, intimate, swinging, and, obviously, groovy.

Shelly Manne & His Friends, Bells Are Ringing
An underrated gem from an underrated trio that I found in a $3 bin. (“Previns” is actually a term Tim Davis invented to to refer to an undervalued currency, as in, “How many Previns could you get for trading in that Cecil Taylor?”) Unsurprisingly given the lineup, it swings like crazy. So much fun! And like every Roy DuNann/Contemporary record, it sounds ridiculously good.

Jimmy Giuffre 3, Music for People, Birds, Butterflies & Mosquitoes
See my Giuffre love letter for more about this album / ceremony. Pay no attention to the ridiculous review on the Wikipedia page: this is a fantastic album.

Bud Shank Featuring Bob Brookmeyer, Strings & Trombone
I picked this up at Cheapo Records in Cambridge on a hunch. And what a payoff! A warm, beautifully recorded Saturday‑morning staple around here.

Iron Maiden, Live After Death
Maiden was my childhood obsession, and revisiting this live record of the band at their absolute pinnacle reminded me why. Note‑for‑note faithful to the originals, but played somehow faster and with more energy and passion. Everyone on it is outdoing themselves. Mostly played late at night, after imbibing, and out of earshot of friends and family.

Art Farmer, To Sweden with Love
I found this at Shangri‑La Records in Memphis (for a great price!) shortly after Joe Hagan spun a track at a listening session. It’s super mellow, tuneful, and featuring Jim Hall. What’s not to love? Works just as well in the background as it does under close inspection.

Buddy Collette, Man of Many Parts
Mostly here because of endless replays of “Jungle Pipe,” whose liner‑note story alone should make you cue it up immediately. (“The flute is supposed to represent a pipe that was found in the jungle about 200 years ago by some explorers. When they tried to smoke it, it played this theme.”) If that doesn’t intrigue you, you might be on the wrong Substack.

George Barnes and Carl Kress, Guitars Anyone?
Don’t let the cornball cover fool you: this album is HIP. Carl Kress, former banjo player with wild Bb‑F‑C‑G‑A‑D tuning, steals the show with some otherworldy comping. Thanks to Tim Davis for the introduction to Kress, not through this record, but through the even better Two Guitars and a Horn with Bud Freeman, which is only not on this list because I wore it out last year (and which I’m sure one of us will be writing about soon).

Jimmy Giuffre, The Four Brothers Sound
Just plain heavenly. Lush, full, and harmonically rich, this is Giuffre at his most sonically generous, layering overdubbed reeds into a velvety, atmospheric sound bath that washes away whatever bullshit the day brought with it. It’s as calming as meditation, and more effective than medication. The textures are somehow both intricate and effortless, with Giuffre blending cool jazz clarity and choral warmth in a way that feels truly ahead of its time. Also: Jim Hall is on this, and he’s delightful as ever: understated, lyrical, and perfectly in sync.

Duke Ellington, Piano Reflections
My most‑played record, period. Joe Hagan introduced it to me; he’s been known to buy copies in bulk just to give them away. It’s perfection. It rewards close listening, but it’s also our go-to dinner‑party soundtrack.

The Paul Desmond Quartet, Live
I found this for a good price at Last Vestige Music Shop in Albany. I love puling it out and telling people that no, really, this silly-looking record in which Desmond is dressed up as Larry King for Halloween is Paul Desmond’s best.

Frank Sinatra, Watertown
I’m not a big Sinatra guy, but I’m a huge Watertown guy. There’s not much left to say about this record (especially after the “Dazed and Confused” episode on Andrew Hickey’s podcast). It’s just one of the most quietly devastating pop albums ever made.

Caetano Veloso, Caetano Veloso
Inherited from Pete Seeger’s nephew as part of the “Seeger Collection,” which deserves its own post someday. A dinner‑party‑friendly album that also rewards deep listening. Stay for the bizarre and brilliant “Billie Jean” / “Nega Maluca” / “Eleanor Rigby” medley.

Johnny Smith, Kaleidoscope
The most‑played album by maybe the most‑played artist in our home this year.