While plenty of good things happened in 2025, which I’ll get to shortly, it’ll be hard to not think of it as a year of loss. In June, my Great Aunt Phyllis (who was more like a grandma to me) passed away. Then on August 30th, we said goodbye to my Dad, Joe Foster. Less than two months later, we unexpectedly said goodbye to my Mom, Pam Foster. Less than a month later, my Aunt Mercia Foster passed away. And finally, just after the start of 2026, my Mom’s lifelong best friend Nancy Mitchell (who was very much part of the family my whole life) also passed away. I will be processing the heartbreak of these last 6 months for a long time to come. At times the pain feels downright cruel, at times I just feel numb, and at times I’m relieved that no one is suffering anymore and genuinely enjoy celebrating their lives while going through pictures and stories. I’m hoping to turn those pictures and stories into genuine artifacts that others can enjoy, probably right through my site here, so keep an eye out for those.
Gonna miss you, Mom & Dad. ❤️
But there were plenty of things from 2025 to celebrate as well, and I know my parents would not want me to dwell on the heartbreak without pointing out all the fun things that happened that they so loved to hear about:
- In January we went on a 5 day Disney Cruise, and brought the girls on their first visit to Disney World. It was genuinely magical and we had an exceptionally fun time.
- In March I performed in the Jimmy Buffett role for a Jimmy Buffett tribute concert with my brother in law at the Croswell Opera House in Adrian, MI. I didn’t really know what to expect going into it, but I had such a fun time crashing with my sister and brother in law and putting on that show.
- In April, we took a part business part vacation trip to Portugal over the girls’ Spring Break. It was a delicious and wonderful time.
- In June, I was back on stage at Civic, this time playing the role of Cal in Waitress. It was such a meaningful show, and I feel like I made a whole new group of friends as well that were a wonderfully warm and safe space for all the loss I would later experience.
- Didn’t make much progress on my new Foster album, but I did write several new tunes, and am very much pushing to make this happen in 2026. Here’s hoping! I’d really like to make a different update on my year in review post some day. 😂
- But along those lines, kept playing with Garbage Angel, which continues to be a blast (played our first wedding this year!)
- Spent loads of time with friends, got closer to my sister than I’ve probably been in my whole life (turns out she’s really awesome), cooked, gardened, gigged, stressed out a LOT, cried a lot more, dreamed, watched my kids do amazing things with a thankful smile on my face while simultaneously struggling and thriving with parenting, and fell even deeper in love with Corinne.
- I’m sure there’s plenty I’m forgetting, both good and bad. There’s a lot of ways in which I’m happy to bid 2025 adieu, but there’s a lot of things I don’t want to forget. Might just be the way years go from here, so I’ll keep putting one foot in front of the other and being myself, reflecting all the gifts and annoyances my parents gave me in hopes that allows them to live on in me.
But before letting this year go, I’ll do my usual media wrap up as well!
Here’s links to my previous 20 years:
2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005
Top 5 Albums
- The Midnight – Syndicate
As I had mentioned last year, when I put their album Monsters as my #2 album, my friend Joey introduced me to these guys, and I was excited when I spotted a new album coming out. It is a delicious, mysterious, sci-fi-ish version of the 80s that I never actually experienced, but just want to sit in forever. As I texted Joey while listening – “I want to live in this saxophone.”
2. Sam Fender – People Watching
This was a discovery through the podcast Song Exploder, and I just fell in love with this album. It’s like a mixture of The War on Drugs, Frightened Rabbit, and maybe some Mumford and Sons in there? Regardless, it is catchy, full of heart, unexpected, and just a great listen front to back.
3. Jack Garratt – Pillars
Given how much I loved his previous two albums, I was obviously very excited for a new one. I first listened to this album the week that we knew Dad was going to pass, and the first track of this album just repeats the refrain:
It’ll all be alright in the end
It’ll all be alright in the end
So don’t try to fight it, friend
Cuz if it ain’t alright, it just ain’t the end
And that’s how I found myself crying in a coffeeshop on my own that afternoon. This album overall isn’t as “holy crap this is amazing” as his last couple (especially Love, Death, and Dancing) were, but still a lot to enjoy.
4. Petey USA – The Yips
Calin introduced me to Petey a few years ago, and he just keeps releasing music, and it keeps just being great. He made my top 5 a couple years ago too, and this album was a no brainer top 5 as well. Both poignant, and catchy, and rockin, and just a little bit of everything.
5a. The Maine – The Maine
The next few spots here I’ve decided to dedicate to 4 different albums that didn’t technically come out this past year, but would have absolutely made my top 5 lists had I heard them in time, as I absolutely adore all of these albums. We’ll start with The Maine, who continue to release just deliciously produced catchy wonderful rock tunes. The girls got tired of me always putting on the song blame (on our mix below), but they grew to love it too.
5b. Smallpools – Ghost Town Road
Lovetap! is one of my favorite albums of the last several years (made the top 5 of my 2010s Decade in Review after all), and I was so disappointed that I didn’t realize this album had come out, until I saw Jake’s 2024 in review, so I jumped on this right away, and man do I love this album. Swayze is like an 80s workout video (in the best possible way), and the hits just keep coming all the way to Be Kind, Rewind that closes the album. Night Shift was one of Avery’s favorite tunes of the year, which is why it made our mix below as well.
5c. Lawrence – Family Business
I had heard of Lawrence, but hadn’t really listened until (again) Jake’s 2024 review, and hot damn, this band is so fantastic. I would love it if they were well known enough for the wedding band that I’m in to ever play any of their tunes, because I’m pretty sure Hip Replacement is one of the best songs ever written and should be a wedding dance floor standard.
5d. Neon Trees – Sink Your Teeth
Every single song by Neon Trees essentially boils down to “you’re so bad for me, but I’m so attracted to you and I can’t help myself”. And I just can’t get enough. They write such perfect pop rock tunes that you can’t sit still for. Though I really wish they would just get over whoever this person is that seems to inspire every song so that maybe they could have lyrics about something else someday. 😂
honorable mentions
Jukebox, the Ghost – Phantasmagorical Vol. 1, Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving, Motion City Soundtrack – The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World, Hot Mulligan – The Sound a Body Makes When It’s Still, dreamfone – postMANIC, Turnstile – NEVER ENOUGH, Lorde – Virgin, Sleep Token – Even in Arcadia, JOSEPH – The Sun
Theme Song of the Year
Me: Swayze – Smallpools
Corinne: If I had A – So Good
Avery: Hip Replacement – Lawrence
Margot: Darkside – Neoni
Top Albums I Should Have Been into Earlier
I covered most of them in my top “5” above, but I’ll give a shoutout here to Japandroids – Fate & Alcohol as well. Love those guys, and sad I missed that one when it came out in 2024.
Favorite Movies
Reminder that you can follow me on Letterboxd (username fosterthemorgan).
My top two movies of the year were definitely Sinners and Weapons, with One Battle After Another in a close third. Other notable films, according to my Letterboxd ratings:
Train Dreams
Zootopia 2
Frankenstein
Oddity
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Exhuma
In a Violent Nature
V/H/S Beyond
Friendship
K-Pop Demon Hunters
Worst Movie of the Year
As usual, with following along with How Did This Get Made, I watched many terrible movies. There were some good candidates this year: Mufasa (which we watched on the Disney Cruise), The Marvels, Venom: The Last Dance, Passion Play, Werewolves, but the worst one according to my Letterboxd ranking:
Megalopolis
Here was my review on Letterboxd: What the f*** was this? It feels like it’s written by a high schooler who is reveling far too much in how intelligent and artistic he feels like he is and then cast himself as the Adam Driver role. I’m not saying I was that high schooler, but I’m not not saying that.
Favorite TV Shows
I need a Letterboxd type thing but for TV Shows, as I can never actually remember what I watched. I do know that there were two very fun well done shows (I thought) playing on existing IP in my first two that I list here:
It: Welcome to Derry
Alien Earth
Dark
Andor (Season 2)
The Chair Company
Favorite New (to me) Podcast
I got caught up enough that I was finally able to listen to some new (to me) podcasts this year, and a couple that stuck out were:
Good Christian Fun
A very fun critique and cringey celebration of all the Christian Pop Culture stuff from the 90s and beyond presented by people who were very much part of it.
Wisecrack
A fascinating true crime mixed with stand up comedy story. Only 6 episodes, so a pretty quick listen, and very compelling and fascinating.
The 2025 MCAM (Morgan, Corinne, Avery, Margot) Mix
Not sure if this will work well but here’s the Apple Music Share Link for the mix. I’m happy to burn you a CD if you shoot me an email. 🙂 Maybe I’ll even figure out how to turn this into a genuine cassette mix tape. Some real bangers this year.
1: Hillbilly Hymn (Okra & Cigarettes) – Nathan Evans Fox
Just an incredible song reflecting a really broken year:
I’m praying for the mighty to fall
else ain’t no use in prayer at all
2: Still Bad – Lizzo
He gonna hate to see me leave, but love to watch me walk away.
3: Swayze – Smallpools
Like I said before, it’s like an 80s work out song in the best possible way.
4: Secret – Neon Trees
Just a catchy perfect pop rock song.
5: Hip Replacement – Lawrence
Genuinely one of the best songs maybe ever? Chef’s kiss
6: drunk & venting – dreamfone
They really ride the line between being wonderfully honestly emotional and eye rolling annoying, but this song sits in that perfect “sad sap” spot. “So many hearts broken at the bar, but there’s nobody that’s drunker than me.” Respect.
7: Chicago – Japandroids
Sorry baby, we call it like we see it in Chicago.
8: The Sun – JOSEPH
Some fantastic lines in this song:
“I thought I was a light switch you turned on, but I am the sun”
“Feeling good doesn’t feel bad anymore”
9: Clothes Off – aleksiah
Oddly enough, the 9th track on last year’s mix was 24 by aleksiah. This song blew me away. Such an honest take on discomfort with your own body and sexuality and the struggle that comes with that, all wrapped up in a delicious pop song.
10: Catherine Wheel – Jack Garratt
This was definitely the most Jack Garratt-y song on his new album in the way he just keeps creating new awesome hooks, using them once, and moving on.
11: Night Shift – Smallpools
Avery insisted on this song being on the mix this year too, and it didn’t take much of a fight.
12: Sophie’s House – half•alive
Really fun tune from a catchy summery vibes band.
13: Man I Need – Olivia Dean
Tasty pop tune from a new artist to me, but then all of the sudden she was on SNL and I was like “oh dang, she a big deal apparently”
14: The Right Way – The Midnight
I love the celebration of the idea of being broken hearted but in the right way. Some real Morgan type chord progressions in this tune.
15: Manifest/It’ll Be Alright in the End – Jack Garratt
😭😭
THE FAMILY SECTION (in which each family member picks one song)
16: lovely – Billie Eilish & Khalid (Avery’s pick)
A decompressing song Avery would always listen to after play rehearsal (when she was in Polka Dots).
17: How it’s Done – K Pop Demon Hunters (Margot’s Pick)
Obviously some song from this had to make its way onto the mix this year.
18: Summertime Sadness – Lana Del Ray (Corinne’s Pick)
Not sure I had even heard this song before she picked it for her spot. 😂
19: RUMBLE – Paledusk (Morgan’s Pick)
This bananas Japanese metal band continues to perplex and delight. This song is such utter chaos and then ends with a closing credits type refrain. Wild stuff that only I have the stomach for in this family.
20: Heavy Foot – Mon Rovîa
Heard this song on TikTok, and I fell in love with it. Powerful, wonderful stuff.
Do you see the man on the street just fight for a meal to eat?
You can write him off as a lunatic, but it could have been you or me.
21: blame – The Maine
The constant changing hooks in the chorus of this song are such a blast.
22: Crying on the Dancefloor – Dayglow
Super cozy synth jam that feels like it shades toward almost electro lounge.
23: The Milkman – Petey USA
This is what it feels like to not feel anything.
24: WAKE UP – Out in Front
Discovered this band pretty late in the year, but they’re like early Paramore, and I am here for it.
25: Wild Long Lie – Sam Fender
When the sax kicks in towards the end of this song, it makes you want this already 6 minute song to go on for another 5.
26: Fatal Obsession – The Midnight
Speaking of saxophone, this song is like a tribute to the 80s style sax, and it is just incredible. The whole song is basically one chord progression with a sax solo, and it could go on for another 3 or 4 minutes for all I’m concerned.
27: ok getting older – corook
A really heartfelt, sad, but beautiful closing track. Hit me in all the feels as I listened to this around losing my parents.
==================================
Whew, well that was definitely a full and long year. I’ve said in past years that they were real roller coasters, and this one topped all of them, mostly in the low parts. I’m not sure how I will look back at this year, and I’ll probably spend the next several years figuring that out. In the meantime, I’ve definitely got a lot of catchy and comforting tunes on our mix to keep me company, and to keep using the gifts my parents gave me to create and delight. Here’s hoping 2026 has more to celebrate and less to mourn.
Cheers!