Both/And with Jay Michaelson

Both/And with Jay Michaelson

Reviews

My Favorite Music, Film, and TV of 2025

Including a playlist of refuge and transcendence

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Jay Michaelson
Dec 23, 2025
∙ Paid

It’s the end of the year — and for me personally and for the country I live in, it’s been yet another uniquely challenging one. The background hum of the meta-crisis haunts my annual list of the music, films, and live events that I most loved over the past twelve months. There are the works of art that moved me the most, that made me feel alive or joyful or sad or ecstatic. But this year, they also brought experiences like comfort, illumination, articulation, escape, and consolation.

All that being said, I love making the list, there’s some truly wonderful art on it, and I’m happy to share it with you. So here it is!

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