Here we are on the penultimate day of the year 2025. Tomorrow I'll do my "best of 2025" mega-post to celebrate another tremendous year in the punk/garage/power pop/etc. universe. But here's the thing: I'm just one person. I'm not going to be aware of even half of the great music that's out there. So I called upon some readers to augment F & L's end-of-the-year festivities. Below are some 2025 top ten lists from some friends of the blog. These are the people who are following things closely and know what's up! I was overwhelmed by the response I received this year. The majority of the releases mentioned below never got reviewed here. So hopefully you will check out some of this stuff, and I will too! I'm really proud of these lists because they represent a diverse selection of musical tastes and geographical areas. Seriously: no one can argue that there isn't a ton of great new music out there! Thanks to all of you who contributed. Happy New Year!
Top 10 Albums of 2025 (in no particular order)
Bird Fist - This One's For The Birds
Home Front - Watch It Die
Blowers - Blowmania
The Unknowns - Looking From The Outside
Cheap Perfume - Don't Care. Didn't Ask
Half Man Half Biscuit - All Asimov And No Fresh Air
Dark Thoughts - Highway To The End
Pardon Us - Learning To Live With
Diaz Brothers - The World Is Yours
Roxie &The Razorblades - Eat The Rich
Giorgio Cocco
10 favorite albums for 2025
Len Price 3 - Misty Medway Magick
Mini Skirt - All That We Know
Friends Of Cesar Romero - Spider Dreamer Sweet Tooth
Travelin' Man - 10 Singles
His Lordship - Bored Animal
Delivery - Force Majeure
Men - Buyer Beware
Token Hearts - self-titled
Not Moving - That's All Folks!
Devils - Devil's Got It
Poppy Robbie
2025 Top Ten
1. Wreckless Eric - England Screaming
2. David Byrne - Who Is The Sky?
3. Superchunk - Songs In The Key Of Yikes
4. Jonathan Richman - Only Frozen Sky Anyway (and the RSD Black Friday Reissue of You Must Ask The Heart)
5. Peter Holsapple - The Face Of 68
6. Lily Allen - West End Girl
7. Garbage - Let All That We Imagine Be The Light
8. Chris Stamey - Anything Is Possible
9. The Vapors - Wasp In A Jar
10. Dropped Out - Always Trust Your Dog
AND - the Daniel Johnston In the 20th Century 16-cassette box set from Joyful Noise Records.
Robbie's 2025 Favorites on Spotify
My 10 favorite albums of the year
LOS PEPES - Out Of The Void [2025] punk pop, punk rock
THE VOLTZ - New Times Like Old Times [2025] glam rock, power pop
THE HELLACOPTERS - Overdriver [2025]
MOUNDRAG - Deux [2025] hard prog, heavy psych
THE SPITFIRES - MKII [2025] mod, punk rock, ska
THE RAVEONNETES - Pe'ahi II [2025]
YOUNG FRANCIS HI - FI - The Young Generation [2023-UK] bubblegum punk, power pop
KLAMYDIA - Mörkö koneistossa [2025] punk rock
PETER HOLIDAI - Electric Jukebox Volume One [2025] rock, glam rock
THE YODEES - Bubblegum Punk University [2025] punk rock, pop punk
My 10 (13) favorite tracks of the year
1) 66ers - "Holiday" + BRAND NEW AGE - "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is"
2) THE HELLACOPTERS - "Do You Feel Normal"
3) Peter Holidai - "On The Jukebox In The Corner"
4) OUTTACONTROLLER - "At Night" [2025]
5) THE MOLOTOVS - "Today's Gonna Be Our Way" + Ryan ALLEN - "I Should (But I Don’t Really Wanna)"
6) BRAND NEW AGE - "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is"
7) Friends of Cesar Romero - "Florencia"
8) EMPEROR PENGUIN - "I Wouldn't Put It Like That" (feat. Lisa Mychols)
9) Buster Shuffle - "Take A Pill" + Teenage Bottlerocket - "Post Mortem Depression"
10) SEX MEX - "You Belong to Me"
Dan Furlan
Favourite albums of 2025:
01 - THE BOOJUMS - S/T
02 - PYNCH - Beautiful Noise
03 - THE BETHS - Straight Line Was A Lie
04 - LIQUID MIKE - Hell Is An Airport
05 - BEN KWELLER - Cover The Mirrors
06 - PRETTY UGLYS - Vicenarian
07 - SMOKING POPES - Lovely Stuff
08 - FEEDBACKS - Bring Back The Light
09 - DOPAMINES - 80/20
10 - GUIDED BY VOICES - Thick, Rich & Delicious
Favourite EP's of 2025:
01 - THE JIVE - Extended Play
02 - AMERICAN TELEVISION - You Are Not Alone
03 - DAZY - Bad Penny
04 - NEEDMORES - Side By Side
05 - LINEAR TELEVISION - Sandy Beach
The Telephone Numbers - Scarecrow II
Dropkick - Primary Colours
Wavves - Spun
Sorrows - Parting Is Such a Sweet Sorrow
Chris Church - Obsolete Path
The Spindles - Wavelength
The Vapors - Wasp in a Jar
The Tisburys - A Still Life Revisited
The Beths - Straight Line Was a Lie
The Honeydogs - Algebra for Broken Hearts
My top 25 favorite songs that came out in 2025. That is not really accurate, though, as I am limiting it to one song per artist.
"Terrific" - Jesse Welles
The folksy protest singer that we need in these times. I could have literally picked 25+ other songs to put here by him. He's very prolific. Saw him live twice in 2025. Very inspiring shows.
"Rock N Roll Clown" - The Slamdinistas
Super catchy rock and roll with Dogs guitarist Loren Molinare.
"Go to Hell" - Faulty Cognitions
Great topical post-punk sounding track from their new full-length.
"Dizzy" - Wyldlife
Prolly my favorite active band. I caught them live for the first time in 2025 (in Chicago).
"Nothin' to Do in Detroit" - The Dogs
The B-side to the single on my I-94 Recordings label (yeah, I'll put stuff I put out on this list; I put it out because it's good!). Cover of The Ramrods from these ex-Detroiters.
"I'm a Ghost" - Shilpa Ray
I was totally unfamiliar with this artist and decided to catch a show in Cleveland as I was passing through. She's not from Cleveland but was on tour and playing there. Totally blown away. Great vocals/stage presence. Maybe an alt rock/post-punk sound at times.
"Good Riddance" - Candy Snatchers
A-side of the I-94 Recordings single I put out. It's the Candy Snatchers. 'Nuff said.
"Downtown" - The Sleeveens
A-side of their new single on Goner Records. My favorite new band. Can't wait to hear their new album?
"Doin Work You Don't Enjoy (for People that you Don't Like)" - Supersuckers
The new album is really great, and I'm sure this song is relatable to many out there. I saw them live, I think, twice in 2025. I know once after this came out, but I think once back early in the year before it came out also.
"Hit the Ground Running" - The Vapors
Track from the new album from this often overlooked band. Their two 2020s comeback albums are just as high quality as their '80s records.
"Back it Up" - The Strains
The Strains did a cool standalone single for I-94, but this is an album track off their Queen Death. Great ferocious Motor City live band. I saw them live a number of times in 2025.
"Naughty Naughty" - The Briefs
I think this particular one was a digital-only release. The band that kept the classic punk rock sound alive post 2000. They made it to the Midwest in 2025, and I was glad I made it out for a show.
"Faith and Fumes" - Brian McCarty
Album track from this solo release from the former Trash Brats vocalist. This one is a sparse, mostly acoustic number and my fave on the record. I saw Brian perform multiple times in 2025.
"Cruisin' on Fumes" - Laundry Bats
Sticking with the Fumes theme. Hah. Last track on the debut full-length from this super group of Memphis garage rock veterans. I caught an augmented (perhaps new) lineup of these guys live.
"Slept Til Two" - Dark Thoughts
A new Dark Thoughts album! They had a great fun live show here in Detroit last month.
"Previous Ones"- N*rc*s Y Horchata.
My favorite track from their new full-length. Saw them multiple times in the past year.
(Editor's note: I had to censor the band name because Blogger will remove this post if I don't!)
"Outcasts"- Claimed Choice
A French Oi band? Yes! They were fun playing live at a game shop back in the summer.
"Sadie Mae" - Tuk Smith & the Restless Hearts
Ex-Biter and old pal Tuk doing arena rock right. He brought his arena rock show to a little bar here in Detroit in the summer and had the crowd pumpin'!
"Zeros and Ones" - The Idiot Kids
Detroit alt punk freaks put out a new full-length with another batch of cool tunes. Saw them a few times live; always fun.
"Queen of Mean"- The States
Australia seems to have so many great bands both in the far past and in recent times. The States are a more recent example. Great power pop sound!
"Mary's Got the Bomb" - Guerrilla Teens
Ex Humpers bringing the rock and roll!
"Dogs" - Ravagers
Baltimore's The Ravagers never disappoint. More old friends. From their new full-length. I saw them at least once, maybe again earlier in the year too.
"Brand New"- Sideshows
Rich Ragany (Role Models, Digressions, etc.) teaming up with Sami Yaffa. This could very well end up higher on the list after more listens.
"This is Fine"- Mazinga
These Ann Arborites have been blasting their power rock for almost 30 years now. Always fun live. I saw them at least once in 2025, maybe more?
"Be Proud of Me"- Leopardo
Cool art-punk from Switzerland that made it to Detroit this year at my favorite local punk rock bar.
Fish (VIVE LE ROCK!!!)
Salut, voici mes 7' préférés pour 2025:
1. Game Set Match - "Hang Out With You"/ "Mundane"
2. Sick Thoughts - "Another Piece Of Plastic"
3. Split System - "No Cops In Heaven"/ "Pull The Trigger"
4. Thee Headcoatees - "The Man-Trap Session EP Vol. One"
5. The 1981 - "Soft Goodbye"/ "Count On Me"
6. Gee Tee + 1- 800 Mikey - split EP
7. M.O.T.O. - "I Do The Deep"/ "Lovers Land"
8. Retrospects - "Shattered"/ "In My Dreams Before"
9. Autobahns + Elvis II - split EP
10. NC Five - "Haine"
The top 10 records I listened to the most in 2025. All killer, No filler!
1) NIIS - WORLD
2) Slaughterhouse - Sick And Tired 12 " EP
3) Perilous - S.O.S.
4) The High Frequencies - self-titled LP
5) Faulty Conditions - They Promised Us Heaven
6) School Drugs - Funeral Arrangements
7) Negative Charge - self-titled LP
8) The Peppermint Kicks - Pop Rocks In My Chewing Gum
9) Cheap Trick - All Washed Up
10) V/A - Jem Records Celebrates David Bowie
Coco
The Men - Buyer Beware
The Gnomes - Introducing…
The Prize - In The Red
The Minus 5 - Oar On- Penelope!
The Lemonheads - Love Chant
The Sugar Beats - self-titled
Gino And The Goons - self-titled
Peter Simpson - Good Times Gone Bad
The New Christs - The Burning Of Rome- Selected Works
Various Artists - You're No Big Deal -Grunge, The U.S. Underground And Beyond 1984-1994
Dave H
Angel Face - Out in the Street
Dark Thoughts - Highway to the End
His Lordship - Bored Animals
Loose Lips - Last Laugh
Radioactivity - Time Won't Bring Me Down
Shauna and the Shamms - Bad Girl
The Unkowns - Looking from the Outside
Professional Againsters - Our Hearts Bleed Piss for You
Problem with Kids Today - Take It
Motorbike - Kick It Over
Wim Reckers
1 Upchuck - I'm Nice Now
2 Bacon Fat Louis - Come On!!!
3 The Real Losers - Time To Lose (remix)
4 Gino and the Goons - self-titled
5 The Maggots - The Early Maggots
6 Ghostwoman - Welcome To The Civilized World
7 Gnome - I Like It (EP)
8 The Cords - self-titled
9 Oh! Gunquit - Flex
10 Dick Move - Dream, Believe, Achieve
Powerpopster
Top ten albums of 2025
Radioactivity – Time Won’t Bring Me Down
King Hüsky – S/T
Gum Parker – The Brakes
The Tubs – Cotton Crown
Superchunk – Songs in the Key of Yikes
I Was A King – Until the End
The Loft – Everything Changes Everything Stays the Same
Evening Standards – Prairie Vida
Dropkick – Primary Colours
Sloan – Based on the Best Seller
maggothead
Here's my Top Ten of 2025, as you can see decision making is not one of my core competencies:
1. JACKET BURNER – "Tonite"/ "Nekro Punx (From Outer Space)" / "Nothin' To Me"
2. xray xeroxx - "Somebody Put PCP In My Clam Chowder"/ "Bored And Loving It"
3. Radioactivity - "Why"
3. Dirty Fences - "Running Again"
3. Nodega – "Quantify"
3. Psychic Pigs – "Masochist"
3. TY – "We R TY"/ "Online"
3. Laundry Bats – "Nightmare"
3. The Len Price 3 – "I'm A Fake"
3. Swami John Reis - "Time To Let You Down"
You can find the long version here:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6jNqZpt2OmCl4KKJ3OP103?si=3973c5b1f9a84f90
Cheers & a happy rockin' new year to y'all.
The Prize - In The Red
Fly! - … Or Die!
The Cheats - Old Rats On A New Ship
Cosmic Psychos - I Really Like Beer
Bob Mould- Here We Go Crazy
The Unknowns - Looking From The Outside
Muck And The Mires - Beat Revolution
Thee Allyrgic Reaction - self-titled
Dark Thoughts - Highway To The End
Lùlù - self-titled
Full List:
https://takinaride.com/top-ten-and-more-list-of-2025/
Dirk Kranz
Here come my absolutely favourite songs of 2025.
1 Blowers – "Wasted on My Own"
2 Smokey AB – "Springtime"
3 The Etters – "Lekker Speed Snuiven"
4 Sex Mex – "I Love Everyone"
5 Steröid – "Warzone in the City"
6 Why Bother? – "Listen"
7 Osees – "Glüe"
8 Sick Thoughts – "19977"
9 Harmony's Cuddle Party – "Special Units"
10 Unknowns – "Thunder in my Head"
Other great songs this year:
1. Freezing Hands - Ghouls of 22nd Street
2. Ryli - Come and Get Me
3. Prefaces - Acqua Marina
4. Matthew Smith Group - self-titled
5. Radioactivity - Time Won’t Bring Me Down
6. Tony Molina - On This Day
7. The Numbers - Mad Day Out
8. Thee Sinseers - Sincerely Yours (Instrumentals)
9. Future Children - A Disorganized Body
10. The Questions - Best Answer
11. (Tie)
Tchotchke - Playin' Dumb
Danny Ayala - Only Fools Love Again
No comments:
Post a Comment