Part three of our list and things are really starting to heat up! We’ve already had some excellent albums across genres, and here are 20 more! Are there any missing that you think will be in the top 40?
60 – Cory Marks: Sorry for Nothing Vol. 1 & 2
Yep, we’re starting off this part with a cheeky wildcard/twofer. Sorry. And yes, it’s even cheekier that Vol. 1 came out in December ‘24. However, it was the very first week for it, as the cut-off for this is end of November. And, with both being from the same collection, it counts, alright? So yes, technically it’s the top 101 albums of 2025…
Cory is the perfect blend of modern country music and early 2000s radio rock (dad rock as it’s now known *shiver*). And the fact that he cannot only pull off both styles perfectly, but combine them at times effortlessly too, across a full nearly 90 minutes is incredible and a true testament to his talents! There is somehow very little filler across both releases, too. If you are into country or rock at all (why are you reading this website if you aren’t into either?) then I cannot recommend these albums enough. From the chunky riffing to the arena-filling choruses, he’s an amazing songwriter, and he and his band perform it incredibly. He fits perfectly alongside people from both sides of his sound, and it’s easy to hear why we gave both parts a solid 9/10. It’s very much like all the best parts of Nickelback, and more than deserves its spot on our list!
Listen to: (Make My) Country Rock, Change the Game, and Wild Ride
59 – Arch Enemy: Blood Dynasty
This is a slightly odd release now, with Alissa rather abruptly leaving the band just a few weeks back. However, their last album with her at the front is maybe my favourite one since their earlier days, and it has somehow grown on me more and more! Its basis is the bands usual melodeath style that they do so far, but they build it into much more than that here. From clean vocals to thrasher bits to even a more epic power ballad, this release pulls so much from other metal facets, yet still feels distinctly Arch Enemy. And it’s a perfectly solid 42-minutes, with each of the 11 songs being excellent. As excited as I am for where Alissa goes solo, I’ll definitely miss her being in the band. However, not only have they managed to prove that they can make a banging album without Loomis involved, but really went out on a high with the Alissa-era. We gave it an incredibly solid 9/10, and there was no way it wasn’t making it this high on this list!
Listen to: The Dream Stealer, Don’t Look Down, and Vivre Libre
58 – DOROTHY: THE WAY
Another album, another year-ending list for the LA hard rocker. Yet again she smashes it out of the park with her studio release, this being up there with anything she’s put out prior. This thing is a solid blues-infused hard rock release, and the deluxe edition is somehow even better! From the awesome riffing to her powerful vocals and arena-filling choruses, it’s all so damn good, and there really isn’t a bad song throughout. It’s a shame that she seems to have no interest in touring the UK or Europe, as I’d love to see all of this live! This got a massive 9.5/10 back in March, and it’so hard to argue with that all these months later. It more than deserves its place on this list, and would have been higher if it wasn’t for so much awesome music dropping in 2025!
Listen to: MUD, TOMBSTONE TOWN, and UNHOLY WATER
57 – Testament: Para Bellum
After five long years off, the thrash legends returned back in October and really took no prisoners with this release! This thing is a masterclass of heavy thrash metal, and proves that they are still one of the top bands to ever do it. There are a number of bands from the 70s and 80s that have been putting out great new music in recent years, but I would argue none have done it as well or consistently as Testament. And nearly four decades into their music-releasing career, they went heavier than ever, which is fucking awesome! And yet they still squeeze a rare-heard ballad in here for good measure too, it being an incredibly well-rounded and easy to listen to album, even at nearly an hour! I gave it a 9/10 when it dropped, but I may even rank it a touch higher at this point, it really is that good! If you are at all into the band or the genre in general, I can’t recommend this enough, it’s up there with some of their best.
Listen to: For the Love of Pain, Infanticide A.I., and Meant to Be
56 – The Darkness: Dreams on Toast
The British light-hearted rockers returned with their first album since 2021 way back in March, and may have released their strongest album since their debut. It also marked the longest gap between albums the band had aside for their hiatus, which could potentially explain things. It’s a varied 33-minutes of rock music that is constantly interesting and a lot of fun throughout. Whether a foot-stomper, a stadium anthem or a ballad, this album has it all, and has just enough tongue-in-cheek to still feel so distinctly Darkness. Heck, there’s plenty of quirkier influence too, from ELO to Queen and even some country! I know the band are somewhat controversial lately due to the Hawkins’ comments about Yungblud, but that doesn’t stop this from being a damn good album written and performed by four incredibly talented musicians. If you are at all into rock music, this is a must check out for you! Heck, we gave it top marks when we reviewed it, so that should really speak for itself, right?
Listen to: I Hate Myself, The Longest Kiss, and Walking Through Fire
55 – Liam St John: Man of the North
Despite me still feeling like it doesn’t open well, this is an absolutely incredible blues/soul/Americana album. It’s packed full of emotion but also effortlessly swaggering and cool throughout. It also somehow feels like the perfect combination of old-school blues and a more modern twist. Liam has tapped into something truly special here, channelling his influences in a way to create a sound that we really don’t have a lot of these days, and it fits in across most rock and country scenes. And for such a new artist to be putting something out of this high quality is truly incredible. I discovered him at Long Road this year and was immediately obsessed, so the fact that this album came out just a couple of weeks later and cemented me as a firm big fan of his is a true testament to the man’s songwriting and talents. The only thing that’s dropped it a couple of places on this list is it’s length, though even then I’ve happily listened to it through a good few times since September, even if it does slow down in its last third. Another incredibly easy 9/10 from us, and another that is more than deserving of his slot on this list!
Listen to: Believer, forefathers, and Dipped in Bleach
54 – Daedric: As the Light Left
The modern metal powerhouse’s second album storms onto this list, just like her debut did back in 2023. This is the perfect mix of heavy and beautifully ethereal, and is impossible to stop listening to until it’s all finished. Her scream is incredible, and fits amazingly over the top of the heavy riffs, but her powerful cleans are just as good, and utilised perfectly throughout. I’ve said it before (in our review, no less) and I’ll say it again, Daedric is everything I wish Spiritbox was. They are somehow getting better and better every time they put out new music, and I am so excited to see the heights they can reach, as with output like this they more than deserve it! If you are at all into the aforementioned band, or anything from Poppy to THE DEFECT to Bad Omens, I cannot recommend this enough. It’s an excellent metal album that got a very easy 9/10 back in October, and was a very easy addition to this list!
Listen to: The Other Terror, Night Mother, and Dark Legacy
53 – Igorrr: Amen
There was no way this wild slice of experimentation wasn’t making this list. The Frenchman blew me away with his last release back in 2020, and this continues on from that album pretty perfectly. And, whether it’s epic blackened death metal, more orchestral, cinematic arrangements or straight up dubstep, everything he touches here turns to gold. Don’t get me wrong, this is certainly not an album for everyone, but I loved it and have revisited it multiple times since it dropped back in September. Gautier just does things completely different to everyone else out there, and honestly feels like a creative evil genius on par with Danny Elfman at this point. And somehow, this three-quarters-of-an-hour release that genre-blends and hops constantly goes by in a flash, reflecting on its quality. If you are at all curious or like his other work, do check this out! While I still maintain the opinion that it’s not quite as good as Spirituality and Distortion, it’s still a damn good album, and certainly deserving of the 9/10 we gave it, as well as it’s slot on our list.
Listen to: Headbutt, Blastbeat Falafel, and Pure Disproportionate Black and White Nihilism
52 – Vincent Mason: There I Go
For someone who I somehow hadn’t heard any of until the start of November, I have become pretty heavily obsessed with this album since! Having the energy, vibe and lyrical content of the more indie-Americana sound I love currently, but with more of a country twang to it, he’s got an amazing style. And, while this is another country release on the longer side, it’s packed full of incredible highs and doesn’t have a bad song throughout! It’s also packed full of emotion and catchy choruses, and what more can you ask for from country music? A good half of this album is on my personal playlist, and certain tracks still give me goosebumps over a month later. If you’re a country, Americana, indie etc fan, this is certainly an album you need to check out immediately! And the fact that it’s a debut album, DAMN. It was yet another album I gave 9/10 to in my review, and it more that deserves it!
Listen to: Little Miss, Damned if I Do, and Wish you Well
51 – Sumo Cyco: NEON VOID
Album four from the former Canadian teen pop-punker and her band seemed to have come out of nowhere this year. After not seeing much of them after their 2021 release, they exploded back onto my radar with a host of awesome singles leading up to this release. And the singles are hardly the lot of it either, as this whole album slaps from front to back! 41-minutes of fun pop-metal; equal parts heavy riffing and mainstream hooks. She’s such an interesting vocalist, powerful, catchy melodies and still the odd scream thrown in for good measure. After sitting with it for a couple of months, I honestly think it’s the most well-rounded album they’ve put out, every track being awesome and there being some interesting pace changes throughout. It got a solid 8.5/10 when we reviewed it, but I’d definitely say it’s closer to a 9 after a few listens. If you’re at all into stuff like Tonight Alive, Skindred or Butcher Babies, check this out ASAP!
Listen to: SHIVERS, VILLAINS, and CLOCKWORK
50 – H.E.A.T.: Welcome to the Future
There isn’t nearly enough cheesy AOR on this list this year, but arguably the modern kings of it gave us one of their best albums to date back in April. The second album since original vocalist Kenny’s return goes hard for a full 45-minutes, and is packed full of MASSIVE riffs and stadium-filling choruses. It’s impossible not to love this band and album, and every track is as good as the last, all of them being stuck in my head for days at a time at various parts of the year. It’s insane to me that they aren’t one of the biggest bands currently around, but this style of music doesn’t get nearly as much love as it should! It got a 9/10 from me when it dropped, but honestly after so many listens it may be even higher than that now. Check this out if you are at all into big, cheesy choruses, and I only wish I could have put it higher!
Listen to: Disaster, Running to You, and Tear it Down
49 – Muscadine Bloodline: …And What was Left Behind & Longleaf Lo-Fi
Oops, it’s another twofer… oh well, it’s my list, I can do what I want!
The first of this releases has been floating around high on my list since it dropped back in April. And, while it was left-over tracks from their 2024 release, Their follow-up back in November felt like it also fit the same vibe so well that In struggled to separate them. Both are fantastic country-Americana releases from the duo, packed with great harmonies, emotion-filled lyrics and some great instrumentation. And, at barely an hour across both albums, it’s not even that massive an undertaking, especially for country! It’s simple, chilled-out modern country music, and if you’re a fan of that at all these albums are a must! Somehow I missed reviewing Lo-Fi, but gave Left Behind an incredible solid 9.5/10, and it’s easy to hear why if you listen! Though I have found other albums and releases in this style I’ve enjoyed more through the year, both of these together easily still get that score, and are solidly entered into this list!
Listen to: Ain’t For Sale, Deer in the Headlights, My Meridian, and You Will be Loved
48 – Dinosaur Pile-Up: I’ve Felt Better
There’s just something about Dinosaur Pile-Up, man. There is no one out there doing what they do, and their brand of punk-hard rock-indie fusion is a hell of a lot of fun. This album thankfully picks right up where Celebrity Mansions left off six years prior, with Matt barely showing any signs of his life-threatening health issues over the last few years, aside for in his lyrics. Back when ‘Back Foot’ dropped they seemed like the next big thing, and while their momentum dipped a little, this has done a fantastic job of bringing them back on track! It’s yet another album packed full of awesome songs, with most of it ending up on my personal playlist after just a couple of listens. It’s also an incredibly varied album, with plenty of emotion and vulnerability on display at times, while they still show their fun, light-hearted side on the likes of ‘My Way’ and ‘Big Dogs’. From the big riffs, solid drums and anthemic choruses, it’s honestly the perfect Dinosaur Pile-up album, and I’d put it up there with their last couple of releases easily.
I’ve been obsessed with it since August, and would urge absolutely everyone reading this to give it a try. It was another big 9/10 from us back in August, but it may be even higher than that for me now!
Listen to: ‘Bout to Lose It, My Way, and Quasimodo Melonheart
47 – XIII Doors: Into the Unknown
The debut album from the Irish melodic hard rock band is just as good now as it was when I first checked it out back in February! The mixture of early 2000s radio-rock/arena-filling choruses and plenty of Tremonti-style riffs is perfect, and performed to perfection here. It’s another short and sweet album, just eight tracks packed into an excellent 33 minute package. There truly isn’t a bad track on this album, and there is so much to love throughout. The band have a massive future ahead of them, and this album will be looked back on as the launching pad for that in years to come! There’s a reason I gave it top marks in my review, and I’d recommend this album to absolutely anyone. There is no way it wasn’t making this list, and it more than deserves as high as it’s got! I look forward to hearing where they go in the future!
Listen to: Unleash the Beast, Face the Truth, and Into the Unknown
46 – Frankie Ballard: The Messanger
This is where I really wish I could have put albums higher up. Not to say that everyone above isn’t incredible and could have gotten higher up without the next lot, but this is where the list became almost impossible for me to order!
This is an absolute masterclass in blues, Americana and country. His first album in nearly a decade and it was more than worth the wait, in this writers humble opinion! To put it into perspective, two thirds of this release made it onto my playlist, and the other four tracks aren’t particularly worse than the rest! It’s packed full of great guitaring, emotional and fantastic vocal delivery and some infectiously catchy melodies and choruses. It dropped back in March and honestly I’ve lost track of how much I’ve spun it since then, even the album in full or its many, many highlight tracks. How I haven’t seen much love for it when it dropped or around this time of year is beyond me! If you are into any sort of facet of blues, check this out immediately, you’re bound to love it as much as I do! It was another release with top marks in its review, and it’s practically impossible to argue with that all these months later!
Listen to: Dirty Church Clothes, Shine, and Fenceless Freedom
45 – The Heavy Souls: Have you Got Soul
Our good friends put out their debut album back at the start of the year, and absolutely blew me away with it! An absolute powerhouse of hard rock/blues riffing from front to back, channelling the likes of Rival Sons and Wolfmother perfectly. And, on top of that, plenty of soaring, powerful vocals that fit perfectly over the top! Whether it’s a plodding blues pace or a more uptempo hard rock one, the band pull both styles off so well and it flows perfectly throughout. There is no wonder they have received such praise over the last year or so, and have really built themselves up to a force to be reckoned with already in the UK underground scene. An incredibly solid 9/10 back in February that still stands now, and a worthy addition to the list!
Listen to: Have you Got Soul, Sleepwalking, and She Said
44 – Wretched Path: Sea of Death
Somehow an album I missed when it dropped back in March, I’ve become a little obsessed with it since! The Finnish modern death metal band’s release has somehow slipped under the radar of a lot of people, 121 monthly listens for this is criminal, but I am very proudly one of them! This is barely half-an-hour of perfect brutality, not letting up from start to finish. It’s certainly not an album for everyone reading this, but if you are into your metal on the heavier side, this is an absolute must! From the riffing to the arrangement, drums to the screams, it’s all excellent, and a true masterclass of what death metal is in 2025. It prompted me to also listen back to their 2022 debut, which is also good, but this builds on everything on that perfectly. I can’t give it any less than 9/10, and it more than earns its spot on our list!
Listen to: Release of Violence, Apophis, and
43 – Kelsy Karter & the Heroines: Love Made me Do it
Nearly 11 full months on, this is still an absolutely excellent pop-rock album! I’m so glad Kelsy is getting the love her and the Heroines so sorely deserve, with them recently touring Europe supporting Halestorm, and this album surely went a good way into making that happen! This is packed full of so many incredible radio hooks, backed up perfectly by the excellent instrumentation. Whether it’s slower power ballads or straight up rock tracks, it has a bit of everything, and 50-minutes goes by in a flash! I gush about it even more in my review, and it was yet another 10/10 album, a score I fully stand by after god knows how many listens all these months later. As I said earlier in the Frankie entry, I really wish I could put this higher, and honestly on any given day it could jump up a good few places. It’s an absolutely stellar album and one that I’d recommend everyone check out at least once!
Listen to: Daughter of the Night, Laser to the Heart, and Painkiller
42 – Foreign Affairs: Brothers
Oh look, another phenomenal debut album! The sheer quality of this for a first release is absolutely insane, too. It explores so many different styles too, whether it’s indie, country, Americana or rock, all of them pulled off to perfection! It’s a powerful album too, emotion being a thread throughout and it still giving me goosebumps at times some three months later. The pair are so damn talented, both as players and songwriters, and have crafted something truly special with this release. It was a very easy 9.5/10 back in September, and I very much stand by that now still. It’s an excellent album and another artist that I can see being a massive name sooner rather than later!
Listen to: Killer Spell, I’m on Fire, and One Minute
41 – All Time Low: Everyone’s Talking
The modern pop punk legends returned with an absolute stormer of an album this year, topping the already great Tell me I’m Alive from 2023. It’s the closest they’ve sounded to their old-school sound in years, yet still have a modern edge and production to it. And it’s also packed full of incredible tracks and huge choruses, just like the band have become so well known for. On top of that, Alex proves that he is one of the most underrated storytellers in the business, weaving a tale of how he’s feeling the last couple of years. I was eagerly anticipating this since I first heard ‘SUCKERPUNCH’, and since the album dropped I’ve been a little obsessed! It got a 9/10 from us, but honestly after a few listens I may put it even higher than that now! It’s a fun, surprisingly deep album and is a great way to close out this part of the list!
Listen to: SUCKERPUNCH, The Weather, and Little Bit