New Albums

HEELS – We Look Happy Here

Memphis punk-folk band HEELS had a banner year in 2025, welcoming a new bassist into their lineup and releasing the gritty, roots-infused We Look Happy Here, an album that sharpened their sound without losing its raw, communal edge.

Joe Restivo – A Beautiful Friendship

Jazz guitarist Joe Restivo’s A Beautiful Friendship is a lovingly precise homage to classic 1950s and ’60s guitar records, channeling deep Memphis friendships, working-class swing, and the easy joy of musicians playing purely for the love of it.

Lukah – A Lost Language Found

Memphis rapper Lukah continued his remarkable ascent in 2025 with yet another standout release, reinforcing his reputation as one of the city’s most intellectually fearless voices and an artist clearly poised for a broader mainstream breakthrough.

Lawrence Matthews – Between Mortal Reach & Posthumous Grip

Fans patiently awaiting new music from multi-hyphenate Lawrence Matthews (formerly Don Lifted) were rewarded with Between Mortal Reach & Posthumous Grip, his most ambitious project to date and a bold statement from one of Memphis’s most compelling creative forces.

Above Jupiter – Abscission

Still in high school, Memphis art-rock band Above Jupiter leveled up with Abscission, a concept-driven, analog-recorded album that deepened their beat-forward, guitar-and-synth sound with striking maturity.

Dead Soldiers – CivilWarLand

On their third album, CivilWarLand, Memphis Americana band Dead Soldiers confronted the lingering effects of the Civil War amid a volatile moment in American history, earning apt comparisons to Southern rock icons like The Band.

Frank McLallen – Extra Eyes

After years helping power Memphis rock outfits such as The Sheiks and Ex-Cult, Frank McLallen stepped into the spotlight with Extra Eyes, a lush, psych-tinged solo debut shaped by loss, healing, and rediscovery.

KIRBY – Miss Black America

After four years away, KIRBY returned triumphantly with Miss Black America, a deeply personal love letter to the rural South that blends blues, soul, and gospel to vividly evoke the Mississippi Delta.

Southern Avenue – Family

The Grammy-nominated soul and blues powerhouse Southern Avenue released Family, a genre-spanning celebration of roots and resilience that quickly became one of Memphis’s most acclaimed local albums of the year.

Key Glock – Glockaveli

Memphis rap star Key Glock further cemented his dominance with Glockaveli, a hard-hitting, trap-driven album that balanced streetwise swagger with polished production, reinforcing his place at the forefront of the city’s hip-hop scene.

Shows

Unapologetic’s 10-Year Anniversary Party

On a balmy day in late August, hundreds gathered at Memphis Made Brewing Co. and The Ravine to celebrate a decade of disruption from Unapologetic, the music, media, and apparel collective that has reshaped Memphis music culture.

Missy Elliott at RiverBeat

Choosing a single standout performer at RiverBeat was no small task, but Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Missy Elliott’s larger-than-life career-spanning set emerged as a defining highlight of the festival’s third year.

Memphis Rap OGz on Halloween Night

Memphis Rap OGz—featuring legends Tommy Wright III, DJ Spanish Fly, DJ Zirk, and Gangsta Pat—delivered a spooky, celebratory night of hometown hip-hop history at Minglewood Hall that won’t soon be forgotten.

Talibah Safiya and Marcella Simien at Crosstown Theater

Two local favorites joined forces for a stunning co-billed performance at Crosstown Theater, backed by the immersive visuals of Infinity Stairs. Their soaring vocals and commanding stage presence captivated a sold-out crowd.

Kraftwerk at the Overton Park Shell

Electronic pioneers Kraftwerk brought their Autobahn anniversary tour to the Overton Park Shell, pairing immersive visuals with pristine sound. More than five decades after reshaping modern music, they still sounded like the future.

Herbie Hancock at GPAC

Few artists truly merit the title “living legend,” but Herbie Hancock is undoubtedly one of them. His GPAC performance traced the evolution of jazz from acoustic traditions to funk and fusion, underscoring his enduring influence.

W.I.T.C.H. at Gonerfest

Any concerns about Gonerfest’s move to Wiseacre Brewing vanished once Zamrock legends W.I.T.C.H. took the stage. Their hypnotic Friday-night set stood out as a highlight of an already exceptional weekend.

Kurt Vile and Stephen Malkmus at Raised By Sound Fest

WYXR’s Raised By Sound Fest raised the bar once again as Kurt Vile and Stephen Malkmus transformed Crosstown Theater into a master class in laid-back virtuosity, blending wry lyrics and tangled guitar lines with effortless confidence.

Moments

Central High School Wins Big

Central High School’s jazz band made history by winning first place at the Lincoln Center’s prestigious Essentially Ellington Competition in New York City, besting elite ensembles from around the world. Kudos again to band director Dr. Ollie Liddell and all of the Central High Warriors!

8Ball & MJG at Shangri-La Records’ Lo-Fi in Hi-Fi Series

Shangri-La Records’ ongoing Lo-Fi in Hi-Fi series reached a high point with an intimate conversation featuring 8Ball & MJG, marking the 20th anniversary of On Top of the World and reflecting on their global impact and Orange Mound roots.

Havenhaus Opens Downtown

Havenhaus—an intimate venue tucked behind Earnestine & Hazel’s—opened its doors this year, expanding from DIY house-show origins into a community-focused space dedicated to supporting underground and touring artists.

Inaugural Glo Bash at FedEx Forum

Following a massive 2024, GloRilla celebrated her hometown success with the first-ever Glo Bash at FedEx Forum, a star-studded event that drew fans nationwide and featured Big Boogie, Sexyy Red, Moneybagg Yo, and more.

Saying Farewell to Local Legends

Alongside moments of celebration, Memphis also mourned the loss of beloved music figures including Steve Cropper, Sam Moore, Luke White, Earl the Pearl Banks, Todd Snider, William Bell, and Terry Manning. Their legacies remain foundational to the city’s sound.

Sinners  Soundtrack Recorded at Royal Studio

Music played a vital role in the hit vampire film Sinners, set in the Mississippi Delta. Director Ryan Coogler partnered with Boo Mitchell and Royal Studio to capture authentic, blues-infused sounds for the soundtrack.

A 9-Year-Old Joins Project Pat on Beale Street

Alaynna Doty, the Mississippi pre-teen who went viral for her flawless rendition of Project Pat’s “Chickenhead,” joined the rapper onstage during Memphis’s 901 Day celebration—a joyful, distinctly Memphis moment of civic pride.

The post 25 Memphis Music Moments That Defined 2025 appeared first on We Are Memphis.

24 Carat Black – Dark Soul Visionaries

A relatively unknown group of high school-aged musicians signed to Stax Records, 24 Carat Black’s 1973 album Ghetto: Misfortune’s Wealth is a haunting, cinematic, and socially conscious masterpiece that tackles the subjects of poverty and inner-city struggles through sweeping soul arrangements. Though the record flopped commercially, it became a goldmine for hip-hop producers, with samples appearing on albums by Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, and Kendrick Lamar.

Suggested Song: “Mother’s Day”

Alex Chilton – The Power-Pop Madman

One of Memphis’ greatest cult figures, Alex Chilton blended heartbreak with pristine pop, crafting songs that sounded both fragile and explosive. After finding teen stardom with The Box Tops, he helped invent power pop in Memphis with the deeply influential (yet commercially unsuccessful) band Big Star, influencing alternative and indie rock icons like R.E.M., The Replacements, and Wilco.

Suggested Song: “The Ballad of El Goodo”

Jim Dickinson – Memphis’ Mad Scientist

A lifelong experimenter who blurred the lines between blues, rock, and Americana, Jim Dickinson and his wild, genre-bending spirit helped to shape the sound of Memphis music throughout the ’70s and ’80s. As both a producer and a session musician, he worked with giants such as The Rolling Stones, Toots and the Maytals, and Aretha Franklin, as well as homegrown talent like Tav Falco and Big Star.

Suggested Song: “Casey Jones (On the Road Again)”

DJ Spanish Fly – The Architect of Memphis Rap

Spanish Fly’s 808-heavy club mixes and chopped-and-screwed techniques shaped the Memphis underground rap and club scene. Beginning in the late 1980s, his mixtapes spread through the city like wildfire, serving as a direct influence on the sound that became crunk, trap, and modern Southern hip-hop.

Suggested Song: “Cement Shoes”

Pat Hare – The Distortion Pioneer

Pat Hare’s fuzzed-out power chords on early James Cotton and Little Junior Parker recordings prefigured punk and heavy metal by decades. His 1954 guitar tone on “Cotton Crop Blues” is often cited as one of the first recorded uses of distortion, putting Memphis at ground zero for the sound of rock rebellion.

Suggested Song: “Cotton Crop Blues” (James Cotton)

Jessie Mae Hemphill – The Queen of the Hill Country Blues

Carrying on the fife-and-drum and hypnotic hill country blues traditions of her family, Jessie Mae Hemphill was both a fierce guitarist and a spellbinding singer. During the 1980s, she moved to Memphis and kept the North Mississippi style alive with raw, trance-like grooves that cut straight to the bone. Her music directly influenced contemporary blues artists like R.L. Burnside and Junior Kimbrough, and later rippled into rock bands such as the Black Keys.

Suggested Song: “She Wolf”

Cordell Jackson – The DIY Rockabilly Queen

Cordell Jackson wasn’t just a musician — she was a pioneering entrepreneur who ran her own label, recorded her own songs, and produced albums long before women were encouraged to do so. Operating out of her living room in the 1950s and ’60s, she founded Moon Records, making her one of the very first female rock ’n’ roll label owners. Her fearless energy and scrappy production style opened doors for women in punk, garage rock, and indie DIY scenes.

Suggested Song: “The Split”

Arthur Lee – The Psychedelic Visionary

Before most people knew what psychedelic rock even was, Arthur Lee was fusing Memphis soul with L.A. garage rock to create something completely new. As the leader of Love, he released the seminal album Forever Changes in 1967 — now considered one of the greatest of all time, full of swirling arrangements and haunting lyrics. Though celebrated later, Lee’s daring, soulful approach influenced The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, and generations of indie and psych-rock artists.

Suggested Song: “Alone Again Or”

The Memphis Boys – The Unsung Hit Machine

The Memphis Boys weren’t a household name, but as the house band at Chips Moman’s American Sound Studio, they cranked out hit after hit with a laid-back precision that defined late-’60s soul and pop. From Dusty Springfield’s “Son of a Preacher Man” to Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” to Elvis Presley’s comeback sessions (“Suspicious Minds”, “In the Ghetto”), their fingerprints are everywhere. The group’s versatility — sliding seamlessly between country, soul, R&B, and rock — made them one of the most in-demand studio groups of their era.

Suggested Song: “Son of a Preacher Man” (Dusty Springfield)

The Oblivians – The Garage Rock Outlaws

The Oblivians, a raw and ferocious garage punk trio formed in the early 1990s, are widely regarded as one of the most influential bands of the garage rock revival. Known for their stripped-down sound—often eschewing bass in favor of two guitars and drums—they delivered blistering, lo-fi records that captured the energy of punk while channeling the grit of Memphis blues and soul. Their uncompromising style inspired countless bands across the globe, including The White Stripes, The Black Keys, and The Hives.

Suggested Song: “Bad Man”

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