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.
Penny Peach Jr. draws the Mission Creek Underground series to a close with a dynamic, angst-filled performance that has no problem filling an empty theatre.
Mission Creek Festival Underground, a virtual experience, kicks off with a bewitching performance from Iowa City darling Elizabeth Moen.
Grace Waccholz reviews the surprisingly muscular Summer Salt concert at Gabe’s on 3/9.
Descriptions of Noura Mint Seymali’s music show its incredible diversity and visionary blend of Moorish psychedelic rock, Saharan funk, and future pop. There is no better way of describing their music than to simply hear and feel it. (image via caramba.fr)
Upholding a cheerful bohemian style, rock band The Artisanals gave a psychedelic performance at Gabe’s on Thursday, March 28th. (Featured image via Billboard)
“Backlit by panels of frenetic lines and spinning vortexes, inverted skies and hypnotic suns, Mitski took center stage like a phantom in the sickly yellow light.” (Image via: author)
Read about Here Lies Man’s performance at Gabe’s on the first night of Witching Hour here. (Image via: loudersound.com)
The first thing I noticed about Julie Byrne was how much she smiles. Listening to her music, one would assume the singer and guitar player would be as downcast as her ballads. However, watching her bound up onto the stage with a giant smile over her face, I realized that was not the case. Julie Byrne’s show exuded joy and was a wonderful experience. Opening with one of her most popular songs, “Sleepwalker”, Byrne’s show helped me find the joy in her music. Each of her songs seemed livelier and genuinely happier live, as she exuded a calming euphoria. She … Continued
Squirrel Flower takes the stage at The Mill for Witching Hour 2018. (Image via Little Village Magazine)
Read about Wye Oak’s performance at the Englert for Mission Creek here. (image via buzzbands.la)
