50 Cleveland Music Releases We Loved in 2025

Aka & Co, Miscellanea
A collective of musicians, led by artist akaFayaven, combines a diverse range of voices and genres in its debut EP. Across six funky, addictive songs, dip into hip-hop, indie-rock, rap and R&B. facebook.com/akaandcoband

The Battle, Movement: Part 1
Three lengthy songs make up nearly 24 minutes of music from this soaring instrumental outfit. Atmospheric arrangements build up big-time through “Drones,” and into the more assertive “Aliasing” before landing in the blissful rock of “Murmuration.” thebattle.us

Ben Gage, Roads I Missed
The Akron singer-songwriter put out a delightfully twangy album that shows off his guitar and harmonica playing — a showcase of Rust Belt folk. bengagemusic.com

Bent String, Bent String
Complete with a washboard, accordion, violin, bass and guitar, Bent String plays the most classic of swing and Americana songs, along with vibey original releases, all featured on its self-titled album. bentstringmusic.com

Bethany Joy, Slow Burn
Heartfelt indie songs with a groovy, bluesy edge: Bethany Svoboda’s latest album continues to develop her unique voice found on 2022 debut Planet. bethanyjoymusic.net

Big Hoke, This Right Now
The 10-piece band led by Justin Gorski put out an album of emotion-ranging bluesy rock and New Orleans jazz, popping off gritty, seething songs like “Going Down” and “Angry Two Step” — while turning to a softer side on “Beach House” and “Dreamer.” bighoke.com

Bill Fox, Resonance
Known for his iconic ‘80s Cleveland power-pop group The Mice, these days the somewhat reclusive Bill Fox has shifted in a more folky direction — as heard in the full-length Resonance released this spring. The project, layered in harmonica wails, steady guitar riffs and heartfelt lyrics, won acclaim upon its release. eleventhhourrc.bandcamp.com

Brent Kirby, On + On + On
Recorded in a haunted Oberlin farmhouse, Brent Kirby’s fourth album travels through the grieving process, reflecting on loss and love. “It wasn’t the album I was seeking to make at the time, but it was the one I needed to make,” Kirby says in a news release. The gentle, touching project was recorded by just Kirby and collaborator and producer Don Dixon. brentkirby.com

Brian Straw, Hidden Years (2000-2007)
Early works from an established Cleveland singer-songwriter make up this retrospective, providing a sneak peek into a blooming creative process. “This collection showcases my younger self finding his way,” Straw writes in the album’s release page on Wax Mage Records’ website. brianstraw.org

Cellophane Jane, A Party of Cranes
A big, anthemic sound reverberates through the wild guitar solos on “Holy Water,” singer Lex Moda’s wailing vocals on “Glimmer” and psychedelic echoes on “House By The Ocean.” The three-piece Cleveland glam-rock band goes all-out. cellophanejane.com

Charlie Mosbrook, What Are We Waiting For? It’s Time
The local singer-guitarist got tender on an honest album of gentle, from-the-heart acoustic folk songs. charliemosbrook.com

Chayla Hope, Mess of a Woman
Chayla Hope lets loose on her simmering pop album, building on her powerful debut Damn, Feelings. The polished project (the title of which responds to a hate comment online that called her a “tattooed mess of a woman”) arrived with a unique vinyl release on the local Wax Mage label and a beer collaboration with Saucy Brew Works. chaylahope.com

Cory Grinder, And More…
The country band returns with more original, brand-new yet classic-sounding tunes, anchored by Grinder’s old-school ethos. theplayboyscouts.com

Cruelster, Make Them Wonder Why
Only a couple of songs on Cruelster’s album surpass two minutes in length, but the fast-paced tracks pack a punch with slamming drums, ripping guitar and some of the funniest, most biting lyrics you’ll find in the punk scene today. “Corkscrew” reimagines the Cedar Point roller coaster as a neck-breaking death trap, where “Nuclear Word” is an adventurous tale about WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange holding nuclear codes. instagram.com/creulster

Da Land Brass Band, Unnatural History
Da Land Brass Band has quickly gained a following for its original, boisterous brass music, bringing a taste of New Orleans street performances to Cleveland — with four fun new songs this year, on its Unnatural History EP. instagram.com/dalandbrassband

DJ $crilla, The Impact
The accomplished Mayhem Music producer shows off his chops in this chameleonic album, expertly traversing boisterous old-school hip-hop (“The Impact”), gritty pop-rock (“Sick And Tired”), yearning soul-infused rap (“How It Goes”) and funky pop (“Up In Here”). instagram.com/djscrilla

Eliy Orcko, Death of a Love
The chill beats on Death of a Love’s three songs complement Eliy Orcko’s versatile vocals in this laid-back, velvety addition to the Northeast Ohio hip-hop artist’s catalog. instagram.com/eliyorcko

Fox Ears, Donatello
Fox Ears deftly melds elements of funk, soul and R&B in a full-band format, shaping its buttery smooth jams on its new album, which explores a theme of shifting identities and egos. foxearsmusic.com

Guice Mann, Recliner
Artist and rapper Guice Mann shares his experimental stream-of-consciousness flow, shouting out the state of politics, his favorite foods, mental health, seeking life’s meaning and, of course, chilling in his reclining chair. guicemann.com

Guy Snowdon & The Citizens, Three
Anthemic rock ‘n’ roll with flair from across the pond lands in Cleveland, courtesy of Birmingham, United Kingdom, native Guy Snowdon, who brings Britpop and English metal influences into his band’s latest rocking release. guyandthecitizens.com

Heart Attack Man, Joyride the Pale Horse
The hardcore punk band put out its fourth heavy-hitting album this year. Lurking behind all the aggression and guitar shredding are some of the band’s most introspective, vulnerable songs yet, exploring stories of grief and death. heartattackman.com

Jesse Jukebox, Jesse Jukebox Sells Out
Kids are rockstars, too — and Jesse Friedberg is on a mission to give them a soundtrack of their own, on his album Jesse Jukebox Sells Out. The project includes humorous skits along with a range of catchy, occasionally educational earworms for a whole family to enjoy. (Plus a song about farting on the bus, because why the heck not?) jessejukebox.com

Kahrin, Pasture Girl
Written in Cleveland and recorded in Columbus with Caamp bassist Matt Vinson, Kahrin Spear’s latest full-length album is the musical equivalent of a folky hike on an Ohio trail — full of sun-kissed strumming and heartfelt singing. kahrinspear.com

King Kalim, Shadow Work
Positive messages and personal life stories fill King Kalim’s EP. Here, find catchy affirmations on “Reframing” and vulnerable stories about healthcare inequity in “Wound Mapping.” instagram.com/kingkalim.music

Kipp Stone, I Ain’t Want Nothing
One of Cleveland’s rising hip-hop talents continues to flex his lyrical skills, paired with a set of lowkey beats in his latest full-length. kippstone.com

Kramies, Goodbye Dreampop Troubador
Singer-songwriter Kramies tapped David Bowie producer Mario McNulty to produce his theatrical album of expansive, haunting songs, which draw on decades of work and success in the music industry. kramies.com

Matthew Alec and The Soul Electric, A Bad Rep in the Rubber City
Jazz is infused with hip-hop, soul and funk in this Akron group’s inventive twists on classics, which feature plenty of vibrant solos by masterful saxophonist and bandleader, Matthew Alec. matthewalec.com/thesoulelectric

Midnight, Steel, Rust & Disgust
Metal musician and composer Athenar cranked out his latest album this year, kicking off the project with a heavy ode to his hometown, “Cleveland Metal.” The 12 tracks rage with vicious intensity, growling vocals and tons of killer shredding, making it yet another rock-solid installment in the Midnight discography. midnightviolators.com

Model Martel, A Thousand Couple Times
Model Martel combines plenty of rock experience into a fresh musical group, with band members pulling from past roles in local acts like Worship This, Echoes of Harpers Ferry, Sleeper Horse, Kater Mass and Seafair. It’s a winning combination, heard on this driving, punky debut album. instagram.com/modelmartelcle

Mourning [A] BLKstar, Flowers For The Living
The experimental Afrofuturist collective pushed forward in its 10th year with its latest full-length album, featuring 10 soothing tracks centered around vulnerability and love. The album’s title track gently asserts both the miracle of existence and life’s impermanence. “We should tell ourselves ‘I love you,’” singer LaToya Kent delivers. “The flesh is weak among us.” mourningablkstar.com

Myron, The Overture
Local R&B singer and producer Myron Davis shares his dreamy, soulful compositions in a polished album that’s packed with lush arrangements, belted-out vocals and catchy lyrics on songs like “Daisy” and “Your Black is Beautiful.” instagram.com/themyrondavis

People In The Daytime, We Can Give You Special Powers
The indie band put out eight tracks of idiosyncratic grooves, with far-out sonic power resonating on songs like “How Dare You, Boy!” and “Auditual Ritual.” peopleinthedaytime.com

Radderall and Muzzy Fossa, The Club Is Open
Two psychedelic-pop artists team up on a dreamy concept album: a conceptual journey to find the titular, mythical “Club.” On that journey, find yourself in a lava lamp of vintage synth, woozy vocals and far-out soundscapes. bighassle.com/radderall-and-muzzy-fossa

Red Devil Riders, Is It Love?
Thirteen rip-roaring power-pop tunes arrived from the Cleveland rock band, marking a shift in direction following the spicy, country-leaning Pour Me Another One (2020) and self-titled (2019) albums. reddevilryders.bandcamp.com

Reverend Lee, Rovers
This outfit released some of Northeast Ohio’s best music of the year with its four-song EP of catchy, old-timey country-rock that carries a gritty tradition into the current scene. reverendleemusic.com

Sabon, They Call Me
Ska music continues to thrive beyond the ‘90s, and the young female-fronted group Sabon carries a spunky torch forward for the genre with its debut album. instagram.com/sabonband

The Shootouts, Switchback
This Akron band has become nationally known for its “Rust Belt Country” sound, which is further solidified on its fourth full-length album with a set of new songs that feel as well-worn as any twangy classic. shootoutsmusic.com

Sianah, Memoirs of My Heart 2
Whether providing a hype-up track (“Gimme That”) or a sultry romantic ode (“R&B Kinda Love”), Sianah provides a soundtrack to the many facets of love in her album. instagram.com/sianahsworld

Sierra Delaine and Substance, Loop Session
Musician Sierra Delaine and performance poet Substance offer a rare glimpse of a creative process in their textured, improvised looped recording. The album includes interviews, along with raw, spur-of-the-moment performances by the two friends and artists. deepdaisy.com

Signals Midwest, Layovers
B-sides, rarities and other unreleased treasures make up the Signals Midwest’s latest album, compiling nearly two decades of indie-punk from one of the region’s most accomplished acts. facebook.com/signalsmidwest

Sound on Tape, Price
Featuring collaborations with vocalists Kyle Kidd, Lady Bri and Sierra Delaine, Marcus Alan Ward’s latest project compiles politically charged club tracks. It’s worth catching the DJ’s energizing sets live in town. soundontape.live

Theron Brown, Mr. Magnetic
Audiophiles will dig Akron pianist Theron Browns’ gospel-tinged album both for its solid jazz classics, and also for the tech behind it: The project was recorded in a Dolby Atmos-certified studio, creating an immersive listening experience. theron.live

Trav Hen, Most Likely to Succeed
This EP cover sports a photo of the hip-hop artist holding trophies, awards and a bouquet of roses — all fitting awards for the project of cool, easygoing flow and inventive beats. instagram.com/itstravhen

Truss, Fluorescence
Truss has enjoyed an expanding fanbase in Northeast Ohio, which clamors for its high-energy shows and melodic hard rock music. You’ll hear the heart of the group’s grungey punk roots on its latest album. trussband.com

Two Mile Moon, Ego Death Metal
The Cleveland band released a concept album’s worth of peppy indie-rock, featuring quirky highlights like “New to Drugs,” “Ego Death Metal” and “Don’t Blame the Midwest.” twomilemoon.com

Westside Lo, Alignment
Looking to align and visualize a good, positive future, Westside Lo shares a moving musical and spiritual journey on Alignment. instagram.com/westsidelo_3_

Whatever, Into Darker Days
Reuniting after a 25-year hiatus, Whatever has returned to Cleveland’s punk scene with zippy, high-octane jams, suited for local mosh pits. whateverpunk.com

Who Saved Who, All You Thought You Could Do
An EP of five songs’ worth of catchy hooks and tight performances arrived from Who Saved Who, marking another solid release by the Cleveland indie-rock outfit. whosavedwho.band

Xanny Stars, Adaptor
Spirited punk rock kept flowing from this busy Cleveland band this year — plus a super-fun music video for its rocker “Mega Convenient,” which channeled the group’s eccentric vibe. xannystars.bandcamp.com

You’re Among Friends, As Normalcy Slips Away
You’re Among Friends shared its bluesy, funky takes on original rock songs with its latest album. The project marked the final release of the band’s most recent drummer Mike Janowitz, who died late this year. youreamongfriends.wordpress.com

Find More Year-End Reviews in Our 2025 CLE Wrapped Feature

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