From chart topping anthems to page turning thrillers and cinematic surprises, this summer proved that the world of media is as vibrant and unpredictable as ever. As the summer heat begins to fade, we’re looking back at the stories, sounds, and scenes that defined these past few months and getting ready for this new year of The Review Room.
Between long-awaited comebacks to breakout experiments, the summer of 2025 offered a wide spectrum of sounds. Indie music kicked things off early, with Car Seat Headrest’s The Scholars bringing dense, conceptual rock into the May sunlight, while Men I Trust continued their smooth, low-fi groove, releasing a quietly captivating project, titled Equus Caballus, just days later. Pop saw its share of contributions too – the energy shifting dramatically in June with Lorde’s Virgin, an intimate and confrontational record that marked a sharp pivot from her past. Renee Rapp’s Bite Me was dressed in glitter and angst, while Ethel Cain returned with her continuation of southern gothic energy in Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You. Get up and dance with Wet Leg’s Moisturizer, which balanced absurdity with serous hooks, or Tyler, the Creator, who released Don’t Tap the Glass just a week later, an album proving once again that he refuses to be pinned down. August brought a flood of new releases from both old favorites, current artists, and rising stars, including Deftones’ introspective private music, Laufey’s jazz-infused A Matter of Time, and the genre-fluid debut I Barely Know Her from Sombr.
If you are more inclined to indulge in visual entertainment, Summer 2025 did not disappoint. Franchise powerhouses dominated the box office; Jurassic World: Rebirth brought renewed energy to the long-running series, while Superman reintroduced one of cinema’s most iconic heroes with a modern perspective. The Fantastic Four: First Steps offered Marvel a fresh start and rook a more grounded approach to its superhero origins. But it wasn’t all capes and creatures. Materialists, a sharp and stylish satire about wealth and desire, turned heads in June and became an unexpected conversation piece of the summer. In August, Weapons delivered unsettling tension, while the early season thriller The Phoenician Scheme provided old-school espionage vibes. 
For those of you who enjoy literature, this summer offered introspection, ambition, and a touch of the surreal. Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Atmosphere arrived in early June with a quiet intensity, exploring ambition and romance through her signature layered storytelling. A week later, V.E. Schwab’s Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil delivered a haunting blend of gothic mystery and myth. As the season wound down, late August brought two standout releases: Thomas Schlesser’s Mona’s Eyes, a moving meditation on art and grief, and R.F. Kuang’s Katabasis, a fierce and cerebral decent into identity, language, and power.
Whether you enjoy curling up with a good book, grabbing some popcorn and watching a film, or listening to new music, Summer 2025 provided an array of new and exciting media. With more to come this fall, The Review Room will be publishing biweekly reviews of new and popular books, movies, and music. If you are new to The Review Room, go check out last year’s articles!
