The 15th Annual Expert Witness Poll: Results

The right to say it's my country

With 2025 being 2025, it may not surprise you that the 62 voters (60 for albums, 40 for singles) in this year’s Expert Witness poll primarily opted for familiar forms, country foremost among them. Tyler Childers’s Snipe Hunter became, quite comfortably, the first country album to win the poll, while most of the indie rockers in the top ten borrow from Americana to varying degrees, to say nothing of Euro-Country. Meanwhile “The Giver”, generally overshadowed by “The Subway” in year-end accountings, handily won singles. Margaret Glaspy’s move towards singer-songwriterdom (this time without the songwriting) beat Nashville excommunicate Kalie Shorr in EPs, while Adrianne Lenker, basically a folkie now, won the special poll for current favorite singer. As someone who writes an (increasingly ill-defined) annual Countrypop Life column, I of course welcome these developments.

The cost, however, has been a rough time for Black artists in the upper echelons of our charts. While the Mahotella Queens nabbed a shocking silver medal in albums, even those (like me) who think they deserved to be one spot higher can hardly claim they’re representative of anything. Danny Brown and PinkPantheress held their own, but that’s it for the top twenty-five; the second rap album doesn’t turn up until the high thirties. The singles list is boosted by high-achieving Black British women, but no African-American appears until (checks notes) one PlaqueBoyMax. I am a noted Tate McRae defender, but surely we could’ve found some English-language rap song we thought was at least as good as “Sports Car” (though I don’t think there was one as good as “Sabado”.) Then again, I spent much of 2025 promoting it as the Year of BunnaB and didn’t end up voting for her in any category, so I’m part of the problem.

What would’ve been most demographically shocking when I started doing these polls a decade ago is that of the top 24 singles, only one is by a male artist; nowadays, nobody raises an eyebrow. The sole interloper is the Philippines’ DJ Danz (if you can name the three voters for “Sugdan Na Ang Pag Budots” without looking it up, then congratulations, you retain the right to not use the word “poptimist” for the rest of the year.) The top 10 of the albums list features artists from five countries, including for the first time—better extremely late than never—two albums not in English. In addition to the Queens, there’s Rosalía’s Lux, which despite being notoriously disliked by the pollrunner, deserves its spot—it got the highest points per vote out of anything with multiple votes, showing genuine love for the record. You can tell I don’t rig the poll because it would’ve been easy to shift two points to Los Thuthanaka, which I would’ve much preferred to be the second not-in-English top tenner. But I didn’t, and what more can you ask of me?

ALBUMS

Tiebreakers are points per vote, then points with highest score dropped.

1. Tyler Childers: Snipe Hunter (377 points/25 votes/highest points given 25)
2. Mahotella Queens: Buya Buya: Come Back (252/21/22)
3. Wednesday: Bleeds (215/17/20)
4. CMAT: Euro-Country (166/15/25)
5. Craig Finn: Always Been (134/12/24)
6. Lily Allen: West End Girl (120/12/20)
7. Geese: Getting Killed (108/7/20)
8. Big Thief: Double Infinity (92/9/20)
9. The Delines: Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom (86/7/20)
10. Rosalía: Lux (78/4/30)
11. PinkPantheress: Fancy That (78/8/21)
12. Danny Brown: Stardust (78/11/10)
13. Los Thuthanaka: Los Thuthanaka (77/5/20)
14. Margo Price: Hard Headed Woman (73/7/15)
15. Hüsker Dü: 1985: The Miracle Year (64/5/20)
16. Mekons: Horror (62/6/12)
17. Mary Halvorson: About Ghosts (59/6/10)
18. Patterson Hood: Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams (58/5/20)
19. Haim: I Quit (58/7/15)
20. Jeffrey Lewis: The Even More Freewheelin’ Jeffrey Lewis (54/5/12)
21. Wet Leg: Moisturizer (54/6/18)
22. Buck 65: Keep Moving (52/7/10)
23. Maria Muldaur: One Hour Mama: The Blues of Victoria Spivey (51/5/16)
24. Steve Lehman Trio + Mark Turner: The Music of Anthony Braxton (48/5/14)
25. James McMurtry: The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy (45/5/10)
26. The Beths: Straight Line Was a Lie (45/6/10)
27. Various artists: Edna Martinez Presents Picó: Sound System Culture from the Colombian Caribbean (43/4/15)
28. Sudan Archives: The BPM (43/5/20)
29. Jazzwrld & Thukuthela: The Most Wanted (42/5/12)
30. The Kasambwe Brothers: The Kasambwe Brothers (41/3/20)
31. Corook: Committed to a Bit (41/5/14)
32. Isaiah Collier, William Hooker, William Parker: The Ancients (37/4/10)
33. Bad Bunny: Debi Tirar Más Fotos (37/4/11)
34. Saint Etienne: International (35/2/25)
35. Hailey Whitters: Corn Queen (35/3/15)
36. Erika de Casier: Lifetime (35/3/20)
37=. Little Simz: Lotus (35/4/10)
37=. Stereolab: Instant Holograms on Metal Film (35/4/10)
39. Billy Woods: Golliwog (34/4/11)
40. ALT BLK ERA: Rave Immortal (33/3/12)
41. Moonchild Sanelly: Full Moon (31/3/14)
42. Adrianne Lenker: Live at Revolution Hall (31/4/10)
43. Lucrecia Dalt: A Danger to Ourselves (30/2/20)
44. Marshall Allen: New Dawn (29/3/14)
45. Fieldwork: Thereupon (27/3/10)
46=. Hayley Williams: Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party (26/3/10)
46=. Titanic: Hagen (26/3/10)
48=. Cate Le Bon: Michelangelo Dying (25/2/15)
48=. Juana Rozas: Tanya (25/2/15)
50=. Jason Isbell: Foxes in the Snow (25/3/10)
50=. Willi Carlisle: Winged Victory (25/3/10)
52. Annahstasia: Tether (23/2/13)
53. Jim Legxacy: Black British Music (2025) (23/2/15)
54. Dlala Thukzin: 031 Studio Camp 2.0 (22/3/10)
55. Jane Remover: Revengeseekerz (21/2/11)
56=. Ale Hop & Titi Bakorta: Mapambazuko (20/2/10)
56=. Blood Orange: Essex Honey (20/2/10)
56=. Christer Bothén 3: L’Invisible (20/2/10)
56=. James Brandon Lewis: Apple Cores (20/2/10)
56=. Jeff Tweedy: Twilight Override (20/2/10)
56=. Oklou: Choke Enough (20/2/10)
56=. Robert Forster: Strawberries (20/2/10)
63. Mavis Staples: Sad and Beautiful World (20/3/10)
64. Pulp: More (19/2/10)
65. Bill Scorzari: Sidereal Days (Day 1) (19/2/14)
66=. Ashley Monroe: Tennessee Lightning (18/2/10)
66=. Oneohtrix Point Never: Tranquilizer (18/2/10)
68. Water from Your Eyes: It’s a Beautiful Place (18/2/13)
69. Ninajirachi: I Love My Computer (18/3/8)
70=. Dijon: Baby (17/2/9)
70=. The Beaches: No Hard Feelings (17/2/9)
72. Lil Wayne: Tha Carter VI (17/2/10)
73. Jade: That’s Showbiz, Baby! (17/2/12)
74. Saba & No ID: From the Private Collection of Saba & No ID (16/2/9)
75. MC BF & DJ Yuzak: Bebeto e Romário (16/2/10)
76. Public Enemy: Black Sky Over the Projects: Apartment 2025 (16/3/6)
77=. DJ Love, DJ Danz, DJ Ericnem: Budots World: 3-Hit Combo! (15/2/10)
77=. Horsegirl: Phonetics On and On (15/2/10)
77=. James Brandon Lewis Quartet: Abstraction Is Deliverance (15/2/10)
77=. Nourished by Time: The Passionate Ones (15/2/10)
77=. Rhett Miller: A Lifetime of Riding by Night (15/2/10)
77=. Sabrina Carpenter: Man’s Best Friend (15/2/10)
77=. The Hives: The Hives Forever Forever the Hives (15/2/10)
77=. [ahmed]: Sama’a [Audition] (15/2/10)
85. Lambrini Girls: Who Let the Dogs Out (15/3/5)
86. Jupiter & Okwess: Ekoya (13/2/9)
87. Karol G: Tropicoqueta (11/2/6)
88=. Addison Rae: Addison (10/2/5)
88=. Amanda Shires: Nobody’s Girl (10/2/5)
88=. Hayes Carll: We’re Only Human (10/2/5)
88=. Lucy Dacus: Forever Is a Feeling (10/2/5)
88=. Wolf Alice: The Clearing (10/2/5)

Albums that got one vote are listed here.

SINGLES

Star votes are an extra half a point. Farruggia tiebreaking rules apply.

1. Chappell Roan: The Giver (11 votes/2 star votes)
2. Corook: They! (7/2)
3. Sabrina Carpenter: Manchild (6/1)
4. CMAT: The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station (5/2)
5. Margo Price: Don’t Let the Bastards Get You Down (5/1)
6=. Lola Young: Messy (4/1)
6=. Snow Tha Product: Sabado (4/1)
8. S.G. Goodman: Snapping Turtle (3/2)
9. Raye: Where Is My Husband! (4)
10=. Olivia Dean: Man I Need (4)
10=. Tate McRae: Sports Car (4)
12. Wednesday: Townies (4)
13=. DJ Danz: Sugdan Na Ang Pag Budots (3/1)
13=. NMIXX: Blue Valentine (3/1)
15. Rosalía: Reliquia (3/1)
16. Kate Nash: GERM (2/2)
17=. Huntr/x: Golden (3)
17=. Miya Folick: Fist (3)
19. Lady Gaga: Abracadabra (3)
20. Haim: Relationships (3)
21. The Beths: Straight Line Was a Lie (3)
22. Wet Leg: Mangetout (3)
23. Lily Allen: Pussy Palace (3)
24. NMIXX: High Horse (2/1)
25. Robert Forster: Breakfast on the Train (2/1)
26. Rosalía: Divinize (2/1)
27=. Alex G: Afterlife (2)
27=. Fred Again, Skepta, Plaqueboymax: Victory Lap (2)
27=. Jamie xx, Erykah Badu: F.U. (2)
27=. Justin Bieber: Daisies (2)
27=. Momma: I Want You (Fever) (2)
32=. Taylor Swift: The Fate of Ophelia (2)
32=. Taylor Swift: Ruin the Friendship (2)
34. Sabrina Carpenter: Tears (2)
35. Rosé, Bruno Mars: Apt. (2)
36. Willi Carlisle: Big Butt Billy (2)
37. ALT BLK ERA: Run Rabbit (2)
38. The Beths: Metal (2)
39. Mekons: The Western Design (2)
40. PinkPantheress: Illegal (2)
41. Big Thief: Los Angeles (2)
42. Geese: 100 Horses (2)
43. Lily Allen: West End Girl (2)
44. Craig Finn: Luke & Leanna (2)
45. CMAT: Take a Sexy Picture of Me (2)
46=. Tyler Childers: Bitin’ List (2)
46=. Tyler Childers: Eatin’ Big Time (2)

Also receiving star votes:

Ben Kweller, MJ Lenderman: Oh Dorian
Bruce Springsteen: Chimes of Freedom (live)
Clutter: Superstar
Dijon: Yamaha
Dlala Thukzin, Simmy, Sino Msolo: Ekhaya
Doechii: Denial Is a River
Jenny Hval: To Be a Rose
Kiesza: Stays in Bed
Moliy, Silent Addy, Skillibeng, Shenseea: Shake It to the Max (Fly)
Natural Information Society: Perseverance Flow
Peter Holsapple: That Kind of Guy
RXKNephew: John Fetterman
Raveena: Sun Don’t Leave Me
Ribbon Skirt: Wrong Planet
Robyn: Dopamine
Skrillex, Wuki, Dj Smokey: Biggy Bap
Tyler, the Creator: Ring Ring Ring
Vicky: Aufwachen Blaumachen
Wednesday: Bitter Everyday
Zheani: Naked

Almost everything that got a vote is on the playlist above, with the following exceptions (most of which are, not coincidentally, on Frank Kogan’s playlist):

DJ EJ: “APT Thailand (Apateye) (DJ EJ Remix)”
DJ Joecel: “Aray Ko Budots Dance (DJ Joecel Remix)”
DJ Joecel: “Sumayaw Ka (Budots Dance)”
DJ TH MPC, MC Magrinho, MC Bob Anne: “MTG - Toma Leitada”
DJ Ws da Igrejinha, DJ Hugo CS, MC Xangai, MC Marlon PH, MC TH Da Serra, MC Fabinho da Osk: “MTG Carnaval em BH”
Ion Alexakis: “We Go”
RXKNephew: “John Fetterman” (boo, DistroKid)
Steve White & the Protest Family: “You & Me vs. the Billionaires”

EPs/mini-albums

1. Margaret Glaspy: The Golden Heart Protector (15 points/6 votes)
2. Kalie Shorr: My Type (12/6)
3. Bruce Springsteen: Land of Hope and Dreams (12/5)
4. Elizabeth Nichols: Tough Love (9/4)
5. DJ Joecel: New Tiktok Disco Remix 2025 Vol 1 (8/2)
6. PinkPantheress: Fancy That (7/4)
7. Doseone & Height Keech: Wood Teeth (7/2)
8. Skrillex: Hit Me Where It Hurts X (6/3)
9. Avalon Emerson: Perpetual Emotion Machine (6/2)
10. Jeff Evans Porkestra: When Pigs Dance (5/4)
11. Bb Trickz: 80’z (5/2)
12=. Adéla: The Provocateur (4/2)
12=. Bright Eyes: Kids Table (4/2)
12=. Burial: Comafields/Imaginary Festival (4/2)
12=. Sofia Kourtesis: Volver (4/2)
12=. Vī: Pink (4/2)
17=. DJ Joecel: Best of Tiktok: Party Bomb Remix 2025 (3/2)
17=. Rachel Chinouriri: Little House (3/2)

SINGERS

As a special category this year, I asked the electorate for their current favorite singers (up to five), leaving the definition of this up to the voters.

First place (seven votes):

Adrianne Lenker

Tied for second (6 votes each):

CMAT
Tyler Childers

Fourth place (5 votes):

Katie Crutchfield

Tied for 5th (4 votes each):

Chappell Roan
Olivia Rodrigo
Rosalía

3 votes each:

Beyoncé
Billie Eilish
Hilda Tloubatla/Mahotella Queens
Sabrina Carpenter
Willie Nelson

2 votes each:

Alynda Segarra
Annahstasia
Cameron Winter
Lady Gaga
Maria Muldaur
Miranda Lambert
Raye
Youssou Ndour
Zee Nxumalo

One vote: 070 Shake, Addison Rae, Al Green, Aluna, Amber Mark, Amy Boone, Anelis Assumpção, Ari Falcão, Ariana Grande, Avril Lavigne, Bobby Vylan, Cardi B, Catherine Russell, Chad Matheny, Chino Moreno, Corin Tucker, Danielle Haim, Danny Brown, Demi Lovato Doechii, Dolly Parton, Dominique Durand, Elizabeth Nelson, Ezra Koenig, Francis Tobolsky, Jade, Jamila Woods, Jenny Lewis, Jim Legxacy, Juana Rozas, Justin Bieber, Kali Uchis, Karly Hartzman, Kassi Ashton, Lewis Capaldi, Lido Pimienta, Lisa Walker, Lola Young, Lorde, MC Xangai, Margaret Glaspy, Margo Price, Maria Arnal, Marina Satti, Marisa Dabice, Marisa Monte, Mavis Staples, Megan Moroney, Miley Cyrus, Mimi SanDoe, Moonchild Sanelly, N’Yaira, Nick Cave, Niczos/Nika Jurczuk, Oumou Sangaré, Phoebe Lunny, Ravyn Lenae, Rebecca Kilgore, Rhett Miller, Rhian Teasdale, Rosali, Sally Timms, Sarah Cracknell, Sharon Van Etten, Sheila Jordan, Silvy Kumalasari, SZA, Talibah Safiya, Tyler, the Creator, Valerie June, Van Morrison, Willow, Zinoleesky.

All public ballots are in the comments here.

Past poll results are here.