Staff Picks: Best of 2025
At The Summit FM, we spend a lot of time listening — digging through new releases, falling in love with unexpected songs, and chasing that feeling you only get when a record hits just right. As 2025 comes to a close, we asked our staff to share the music and moments that stood out to them most over the past year.
From the songs that stayed on repeat to the albums that soundtracked our days — and the live shows we’re still thinking about — these lists offer a behind-the-scenes look at what inspired us in 2025. Think of it as a mixtape from the people who help shape The Summit FM.
Andrew James
Operations Director / On-Air Host
Top Five Songs of 2025
- The Head and the Heart – “Arrow”
- Leif Vollebekk – “Peace of Mind”
- Mumford & Sons – “Caroline”
- My Morning Jacket – “Time Waited”
- Tano Jones Revelry – “What About Me”
Top Five Albums of 2025
- Dream Theater – Parasomnia
- Florence + the Machine – Everybody Scream
- Mumford & Sons – Rushmere
- Southern Avenue – Family
- Will Hoge – Sweet Misery
Favorite Concert: Mumford & Sons – Blossom Music Center – Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Favorite Summit Discoveries of 2025: Imogen Clark, The Happy Fits, Barr Brothers
Brad Savage
Program Director / On-Air Host
Top Five Albums of 2025
- Brandi Carlile – Returning to Myself
- Southern Avenue – Family
- The Shootouts – Switchback
- twenty one pilots – Breach
- Turnstile – Never Enough
Top Five Songs of 2025
- Everything Is Recorded feat. Sampha & Florence Welch – “Never Felt Better”
- Lola Young – “Messy”
- Maribou State – “All I Need”
- My Morning Jacket – “Time Waited”
- Steve Forbert – “Ebenezer’s Back in Town”
Favorite Concert: Sleep Token – Rocket Arena – Cleveland, OH
Favorite Summit Discovery of 2025: D.K. Harrell
Chad Miller
Music Director / On-Air Host
Top Five Songs of 2025
- Deep Sea Diver – “Shovel”
- Hamilton Leithauser – “Knockin’ Heart”
- Jack White – “Archbishop Harold Holmes”
- Jeff Tweedy – “Enough”
- Matt Berninger – “Bonnet of Pins”
Top Five Albums of 2025
- Bon Iver – SABLE, fABLE
- Deep Sea Diver – Billboard Heart
- Lord Huron – The Cosmic Selector, Vol. 1
- My Morning Jacket – Is
- Wet Leg – Moisturizer
Favorite Concert: Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – May 2 – Palace Theatre, Columbus, OH
Favorite Summit Discovery of 2025: Girl Tones
Dave Swanson
Revolt Into Style Host
Top Five Songs of 2025
- The Darkness – “The Longest Kiss”
- The Len Price 3 – “Gypsy Magick”
- Panic Shack – “Tit School”
- Pulp – “Got to Have Love”
- Sharp Pins – “Popafangout”
Top Five Albums of 2025
- The Darkness – Dreams on Toast
- The Divine Comedy – Rainy Sunday Afternoon
- The Len Price 3 – Medway Magick
- Pulp – More
- Sharp Pins – Balloon Balloon Balloon
Favorite Concert: Sparks – September 15 – Agora Theatre – Cleveland, OH
Laura Smiley
Development Director
Top Five Songs of 2025
- Doechii – “Anxiety”
- Lola Young – “Messy”
- Momma – “I Want You”
- Turnstile – “Never Enough”
- Wet Leg – “Catch These Fists”
Top Albums of 2025 (no particular order)
- Lola Young – I’m Only F**king Myself
- Mavis Staples – Sad and Beautiful World
- Momma – Welcome to My Blue Sky
- Tyler Childers – Snipe Hunter
Favorite Show: Daniel Donato
Favorite Summit Discovery of 2025: D.K. Harrell
Lori Dalley
On-Air Host
Top Five Songs of 2025
- The Black Keys – “Man on a Mission”
- Maggie Rose & Grace Potter – “Poison in My Well”
- Mumford & Sons – “Truth”
- St. Paul & the Broken Bones – “Sushi & Coca-Cola”
- Will Hoge – “Keeping My Windows”
Top Albums of 2025
- Ben Gage – Roads I Missed
- The Black Keys – No Rain, No Flowers
- Mumford & Sons – Rushmere
- The Trews – The Bloody Light
- Will Hoge – Sweet Misery
Bonus Album:
- Taylor Swift – The Life of a Showgirl
Favorite Concert: Mumford & Sons – Blossom Music Center - Cuyahoga Falls, OH (in the storm!)
Favorite Summit Discovery of 2025: The Trews
Matt Anthony
Digital Media Producer / On-Air Host
Top Five Albums of 2025
- Molly Tuttle – So Long Little Miss Sunshine
- Momma – Welcome to My Blue Sky
- Rocket – R Is for Rocket
- Sleep Token – Even in Arcadia
- Turnstile – Never Enough
Top Five Songs of 2025
- Amanda Shires – “Piece of Mind”
- Coast Arcade – “Acetone”
- Ecca Vandal – “Cruising to Self-Soothe”
- Girl Tones – “Blame”
- Rocket – “Take Your Aim”
Favorite Concert: Turnpike Troubadours – Wolstein Center – Cleveland, OH
Favorite Summit Discovery of 2025: Presley Haile
Ryan Humbert
Marketing, Design & Events
Host of The Americana Roundup
Top Five Albums of 2025
- Brandi Carlile – Returning to Myself
- Brandi Carlile & Elton John – Who Believes in Angels?
- Rodney Crowell – Airline Highway
- Vince Gill – 50 Years from Home (EPs 1 & 2)
- Waylon Jennings – Songbird
Top Five Songs of 2025
- Brandi Carlile – “A War with Time”
- Maggie Rose & Grace Potter – “Poison in My Well”
- Marfa – “Daisy”
- Nitty Gritty Dirt Band feat. Matraca Berg – “Nashville Skyline”
- Rodney Crowell – “Twenty-One Song Salute”
Favorite Concert: Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – May 2 – Palace Theatre, Columbus, OH
Favorite Summit Discovery of 2025: Young Gun Silver Fox
Sarah Swirsky
Wellness Coordinator
Top Five Songs of 2025
- Allison Russell feat. Annie Lennox – “Superlover”
- Jon Batiste – “BIG MONEY”
- Jessie Welles feat. Joan Baez – “No Kings”
- Larkin Poe – “If God Is a Woman”
- Southern Avenue – “Family”
Top Five Albums of 2025
- Jon Batiste – The New American Collection
- Jesse Welles – Devil’s Den
- Larkin Poe – Bloom
- Rhiannon Giddens & Justin Robinson – What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow
- Sierra Ferrell – Trail of Flowers (Deluxe Edition)
Favorite Concert: Apostle Jones – Rialto Theater - Akron, OH
Favorite Summit Discovery of 2025: Anya Marina
Tommy Bruno
General Manager
Top Five Songs of 2025
- Fontaines D.C. – “It’s Amazing to Be Young”
- My Morning Jacket – “Time Waited”
- St. Paul & the Broken Bones – “Sushi & Coca-Cola”
- Turnstile – “Never Enough”
- Young Gun Silver Fox – “Stevie & Sly”
Top Five Albums of 2025
- Dijon – Baby
- Jesse Welles – Horses
- Kathleen Edwards – Billionaire
- Royel Otis – Hickey
- Tame Impala – Dracula
Favorite Concert: Thievery Corporation – House of Blues - Cleveland, OH
Favorite Summit Discovery of 2025: Lola Young