The votes are in your hands, Dear Reader. Dork’s 2025 Readers’ Poll is officially open, and we want to know what mattered most to you this year.
This isn’t about critics’ picks or streaming numbers. This is about the music that actually connected with you in 2025. The albums you couldn’t stop playing, the breakthrough acts that earned their way into your rotation, and the artists you’re already obsessed with for next year.
This year’s poll unfolds in three phases:
Phase One: Nominations
Nominate your favourites. Build the shortlists. Make your voice heard. This is where you tell us who deserves to be in the conversation across all eight categories.
Phase Two: The Final Vote
Vote on the shortlists. Pick the winners. Once nominations close, we’ll reveal the most-nominated artists and albums, and you’ll vote to decide the ultimate victors.
Phase Three: The Results
We’ll announce your definitive verdict on 2025 via readdork.com before the end of the year.
The poll covers eight categories spanning the entire year in music:
Artist of the Year – Who dominated 2025?
Album of the Year – The record that defined your year
Track of the Year – That song you played on repeat
Breakthrough Act – The artist who dropped a debut album in 2025 and had their moment
Hype Award – The new act yet to release an album who’ll rule 2026
Best Live Act – Who turned shows into unforgettable nights
Best Comeback – The return that reminded everyone why they matter
Most Anticipated Album for 2026 – Who are you counting down for?
Voting takes just a few minutes. Create your account, make your picks across all eight categories, and submit. Your progress saves automatically, so you can take your time. You can even vote once per day if you change your mind, or just really want to make sure your faves make the cut.
You’ll be able to dive into all the best from the last twelve months in the special bumper double December 2025 / January 2026 edition of Dork, set to drop later this month. We’ll have lists, recommendations, and some VERY A-list cover pals for you to enjoy. Definitely not one to miss.
Got opinions on this? Got fingers to type them with? Spare your group chat. Our Discord is ready.
Open the discussion thread