Year in Rock 2025

 

Alright, I've got some explaining to do.

 

By now anyone who's visited this blog is well aware of how infrequently I've used this space in recent years; aside from the occasional fertile year of content, I really haven't posted all that often over the last five years or so. There are many reasons for this, which have already been outlined in previous apology posts; but, essentially, it boils down to my own laziness and the cold reality that blogs are, like Refused (again), fucking dead.

So, I wouldn't hold my breath for a triumphant return to reviews, or even semi-regular posts, but:

 

a) I feel like Year in Rock posts have always belonged here and, even though I've experimented with different methods of presentation recently and been satisfied, the "blink and you missed it" unveiling via Facebook stories this year was perhaps ultimately a disservice to the records I lauded. After all, cramming the list into short videos isn't too far off from just inserting the list into an AI program and having it do the job for me. Ew. So, despite occasionally skipping an entire year (I have added a short article to review 2024, for posterity), I want to make sure that Year in Rock is represented here in some form for as long as possible.

 

b) I am leaving the possibility of posting more, although I couldn't tell you what that might look like or whether or not anyone will care. It will probably be more work than it's worth, but I can see me at least attempting to spruce the place up every once in a while. So, maybe, maybe not, you never know.

 

As for Year in Rock 2025, it really does feel like a turning point in many ways; the rise of AI in everything we use whether we like it or not has already started to set dangerous precedents in terms of the art form, with fake bands and songs being tirelessly generated and forced into Spotify playlists in the name of paying less money to human artists (this is one of the reasons I left Spotify; I'm currently on a gifted Amazon Music account, and I know that's not so much better, but at least King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard still stream their discography there).

 

Speaking of which, 2025 marked a turning point for my personal tastes as well; after over 30 years of little no competition, this summer King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard officially became my favourite band, taking the pinnacle away from Pearl Jam. Not that I suddenly hate Pearl Jam, mind you; it just feels like KGLW are truly something special, not only in their musical prowess but also their generosity. From live streaming the majority of their concerts for free on YouTube to taking a stand against corporate dickwads like Spotify, they seem to be more in tune with their fans and the times than Pearl Jam. No shade intended, but one band made their entire catalog pay-what-you-want while the other started charging $27 for single CDs. It kind of feels like KGLW has aligned themselves with my belief system while Pearl Jam has detached and drifted off on the wave of capitalism. It is what it is.

 

From a personal standpoint, 2025 was a pretty difficult year. I won't bore with too much detail but, in addition to moving back to Moncton (I spent 2 1/2 years in Miramichi before my return), in August I suffered my first heart attack; things are progressing nicely post-op, so no need for panic if you're hearing that about me for the first time. Still, one can't help but eke out some good old fashioned perspective in the wake of an event such as that, and it turns out that every rock star who ever sang to me about life being too short and enjoying the moment while we have it was absolutely right. It's helped me realize my fragility as a human, and allowed me time to reflect on my life and the connections we make. So, I know I need to be better at communication, and that doesn't necessarily mean more blog posts but it does mean maybe I should step away from the computer from time to time and, as the kids say, touch grass.

 

Alright, back to the music; the Top 25 Albums of the Year aren't really a mirror to the times like they once may have been. Oh sure, there are definitely records that speak to the world we're all trying to survive in and the current political shit storms that threaten at every turn, it's just that rock music is no longer all that relevant on a global scale. Make no mistake, there will always be a place for loud guitars, bleeding hearts and screaming obscenities against authority, but the role has unquestionably diminished. Considering how fragmented music has become and the sheer volume of genres, sub-genres, sub-sub-genres etc., it's no small feat to even stay near the top. With that said, these albums do encapsulate some of rock's furthest-stretching fingerprints. There is heavy, light, and everything in between here, all disparate artworks echoing the same refrain: the best art remains, and will always be, human.

 

 

25

MY MORNING JACKET

is

[March 21, 2025 • ATO] 

 

24

PSYCHEDELIC PORN CRUMPETS

Carpe Diem, Moonman

[May 15, 2025 • What Reality?] 

 

 

23

CHEVELLE

Bright as Blasphemy

[August 15, 2025 • Alchemy/BMG] 

 

 

22

GHOSTWOMAN

Welcome to the Civilized World

[September 5, 2025 • Dine Alone] 

 

 

21

BIFFY CLYRO

Futique

[September 19, 2025 • Warner UK] 

 

 

20

DRAIN

...Is Your Friend

[November 7, 2025 • Epitaph] 

 

 

19

IGORRR

Amen

[September 19, 2025 • Metal Blade] 

 

 

18

MILITARIE GUN

God Save the Gun

[October 17, 2025 • Loma Vista] 

 

 

17

PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS

Death Hilarious

[April 4, 2025 • Missing Piece] 

 

 

16

VIANOVA

Hit It!

[September 5, 2025 • Arising Empire] 

 

 

15

MODEL/ACTRIZ

Pirouette

[May 2, 2025 • True Panther] 

 

 

14

DAN MANGAN

Natural Light

[May 16, 2025 • Arts & Crafts] 

 

 

13

TURNSTILE

Never Enough

[June 6, 2025 • Roadrunner] 

 

 

12

KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD

Phantom Island

[June 13, 2025 • p(doom)] 

 

 

11

MCLUSKY

The World Is Still Here and So Are We

[May 9, 2025 • Ipecac] 

 

 

10

DEAFHEAVEN

Lonely People with Power

[March 28, 2025 • Roadrunner] 

 

 

9

VIAGRA BOYS

viagr aboys

[April 25, 2025 • Shrimptech] 

 

 

8

WEDNESDAY

Bleeds

[September 19, 2025 • Dead Oceans] 

 

 

7

LA DISPUTE

No One Was Driving the Car

[September 5, 2025 • Epitaph] 

 

 

6

MARUJA

Pain to Power

[September 12, 2025 • Music for Nations] 

 

 

5

FRANKIE AND THE WITCH FINGERS

Trash Classic

[June 6, 2025 • RAS/Greenway] 

 

 

4

DEFTONES

private music

[August 22, 2025 • Reprise] 

 

 

3

SAM FENDER

People Watching

[February 21, 2025 • Universal] 

 

 

2

GEESE

Getting Killed

[September 26, 2025 • Partisan] 

 

 

1

TROPICAL FUCK STORM

Fairyland Codex

[June 20, 2025 • Fire] 

 

As much as I could say about all of these (and especially my choice for #1) albums, it's honestly never going to do them justice when I haven't devoted enough time to thinking or writing out the reasons why these albums were chosen. Had I been reviewing them as they released as I last did back in 2022, I suppose that would be easy. At this point, however, suffice to say they are all great for unique reasons, each one a piece in the proverbial puzzle and each one worthy of your interest. So, do me a favour: just check one or fifteen of these out if you haven't already, and maybe you'll find an artist you hadn't previously considered. Never stop discovering, and never stop sharing. That's something I need to remind myself of more often.

 

See you in 2026.