The rumors are true, KRUI likes music! 2025 was a crazy year all around, and even crazier, we here at KRUI actually listened to lots of albums this year. We’ve picked out eleven of our favorite albums from this year to share, and explore together.
It’s December 29, 2025, and if you can believe it, we here at KRUI actually listened to music throughout the whole year! From pop superstars, to indie legends, to the fresh Bandcamp up-and-comers, we’ve picked out nine of our favorite songs released this past year to share and explore together.
Cursive and a duo AJJ regale us with the pride, waste, and consuming everything until the very end, finishing out their 2025 tour at The Raccoon Motel in Davenport.
Spanning 7 venues across 7 days, Transitions, the New Years Eve celebration by AURIS PRESENTS, in downtown Chicago has cultivated a lineup of the biggest names spinning records and electronica today. From December 26 – January 1st, Chicagoland will be ablaze as it welcomes the likes of 70 artists and a 21-hour marathon to ring in the new year at Outset. Here are the highlights coming this week to Chicago.
An overtime thriller, a stadium on edge, and a Bears team pushed to its limit. From the moment the clock hit zero to the final snap in OT, this one had everything. And it might say more about this team than just a win.
Stockholm cloud rap sensation Bladee performed in Minneapolis for the first time ever on November 10th, 2025. During his set, he played many of his own beloved songs and collaborations he’s made with members of his rap collective, Drain Gang.
Fancy a ride on a time machine? Let’s go back to 1970s Japan through its music. Image via Amazon.
A Goodbye and Hello, as Tokyo’s fish market faces a long-awaited transition. (Image via: Hindustan Times)
Read about (part of) a grand finale to the 2018 Witching Hour Festival. Image via Witching Hour
Dan Bascaljon hosts an awesome and rather enlightening workshop on the utilization of space in our creative work, as part of the Witching Hour Festival. (Image via Witching Hour)
Thinking about studying abroad?
Image via Wikimedia Commons
Just a couple Japanese athletes that you might want to know about. (Image via Sports Illustrated)
One of the great things to do in Tokyo.
Image via myself
“A lovely spring night suddenly vanished while we viewed cherry blossoms” –Matsuo Basho, translated by Haiku Guy
Photo Credit: author
Ghosts, Goblins, and an Eyeball Man
Image Via Rakuten Books
A look at Japan from the proverbial magnifying glass–because the little things can make the biggest difference (Image via Illusion 360)!
Here’s another awesome event to look forward to for the 2018 Mission Creek Festival.
Image via Blarb
