The Top 50 Songs Of 2025 – Part II (30-11)

So here we are! Wrapping up the Top 50 Songs of 2025! Songs must have been released after 1/1/25, and only one entry per artist allowed!*

This is Part II! Part I can be found here.

*if a member of an outfit appears on another track as a collaborator, both the original outfit’s track AND the collaboration are permitted. If an artist possesses multiple projects, both projects are permitted an entry.

30. Bye Bye – Antlers

This north west England four-piece only emerged this year, but Bye Bye’s debut demo double single made for one hell of an introduction. ‘Antlers & Drumsticks‘ stacked two fantastic post-hardcore cuts right on top of one other, and whilst ‘Drumsticks‘ brings the hardcore thunder, it is ‘Antlers‘ that finds itself at number 30 on this list. Feisty and wickedly catchy, ‘‘Antlers‘ feels as though it deserves to be on the soundtrack of a cult-classic PS1 skateboard game, low-polygons included. Scrappy riffs and barked vocals stab at the listener atop of infectious grooves that simply demand you to get two-stepping, and to not stop. The bridge strips things back for a moment of melodic build-up, before vaulting into one final cathartic display of musical fireworks. This is how you do first impressions.

29. rozemary – starlit ballroom

Radar Festival have recently announced rozemary as being part of their lineup, and it’s for good reason; the Merseyside five-piece have been one of the most hotly tipped outfits in the grassroots of the heavy scene since their inception. Whilst there is much left to be said about their debut EP, that shall have to be left for our Top 10 EPs of 2025 list. For now, the number 29 spot of this list is dedicated to their absolutely riotous post-hardcore banger, ‘starlit ballroom’. From the get-go, rozemary mean business, with a scorching riff that is on par with Enter Shikari’s ‘Sorry You’re Not A Winner’ in terms of immediate impact. Shimmering melodies collide with fierce screams during immense choruses, whilst the spoken-word bridge serves as a shot of pure adrenaline. And if you think this track is good on a recording, just wait until you hear it live.

28. Katarsis – Tavo akys

After representing Lithuania on the European stage in May, four-piece Katarsis have gone from one success to another, with new music, sold out shows all over Europe, the largest Lithuanian show of their careers, and the development of an intensely dedicated fanbase. All of this started with ‘Tavo akys‘, a moody and melodramatic number that pulls ideas from shoegaze and post-punk and wraps it up in a beautifully dark alternative rock package, converting sounds that are often unpalatable to the masses into something that is certain to inspire a whole new generation of listeners to check out alternative rock music. Vocalist Lukas Radzevičius is nothing short of majestic in his performance, with a vocal style that is all at once brooding and angelic, effortlessly gliding from rich lows to feathery highs. It is a masterclass of not compromising your ideals for the sake of appealing to others; authenticity will always shine through.

27. Windowhead – I Had To Reach Out And Grab It Before It Disappeared

Are you prepared to astral project? Too bad if not, because this progressive behemoth of a track from Windowhead is certain to elevate you to the next plane of existence. The closing track of their March EP, ‘Terrestrials’, the band utterly envelop the listener in walls of cascading guitars, punctuated by the shimmer of glitching synths, and buoyed by immense drums that rain down upon the listener with an unparalleled sense of immensity. The vocals are everywhere all at once, screams seemingly coalescing from the aether before disappearing from whence they came. It’s a cinematic masterpiece of a track from a genuine hidden gem of an EP.

26. La Dispute – Top-Sellers Banquet

Michigan legends La Dispute have never been ones to shy away from difficult subjects, but their latest record, ‘No One Was Driving The Car’, is undoubtedly their most confrontational yet. Scenes of apocalypse across the dying American empire, both personal and societal, are painted with a disquieting bleakness, as La Dispute ask the question of what personal agency exists in a universe that seemingly seeks to rob us of it at every turn. ‘Top-Sellers Banquet’ is an unsettling tour-de-force of storytelling, as vocalist Jordan Dreyer alternates between plaintive spoken word and frantic screams as he describes the coming of the rapture at the private dinner of a pyramid scheme company. It’s the kind of remarkable work of art that sticks with you long past the track’s end.

25. linoleumville – hope you do

For those who read Part I of this year’s list, the vocals and lo-fi flair of this track may well seem familiar. linoleumville serves as the conceptual multimedia side-project of since torino’s Ben Dodd and Alex Blake, and their debut record, ‘1: a rip where a river should be‘, is a masterfully cinematic experience to behold. The brooding lo-fi take on folk that linoleumville utilises makes for a record quite unlike any other released this year, and ‘hope you do‘ serves as not only the most accessible point of this record, but something of an understated highlight. The melodies are both haunting and nostalgic, as the duo convey the tale of a love that seems doomed to fail thanks to circumstances beyond human control. Electronics twinkle with a hazy shimmer, whilst guitars bound forth ceaselessly with a folksy bounce, perhaps illiciting a sensation of peering into long-forgotton. memories that have yet to be experienced,

24. Loathe – Gifted Every Strength

Few records are as eagerly anticipated in the heavy music world as Loathe’s LP4, and it’s easy to see why; the band’s last non-instrumental outing, ‘I Let It In And It Took Everything’, has transformed modern metal in ways that require an essay to do justice. This year has seen the Liverpool legends finally giving listeners a peek into the band’s future, with unreleased songs being performed live, and the monolithic single, ‘Gifted Every Strength’. A progressive behemoth of a track, the track lurches from pounding, crushing industrial soundscapes, to moments of shimmering, jazz-tinged beauty, evolving upon what made the band’s last era so game-changing in all of the perfect ways.

23. The Orchestra (For Now) – Deplore You / Farmer’s Market

Purveyors of “London prog”, The Orchestra (For Now) have risen to the status of cult favourites in a fashion that can only be described as meteoric, thanks to their electrifying live performances and brilliantly unconventional sound. Their duology of 2025 EPs, ‘Plan 75’ and ‘Plan 76’, make for a wondrously cinematic experience to behold, and it’s the closing track of the latter that takes our number 23 spot. The track commences as a pensive and surprisingly whimsical affair, with soft keys and suggestions of strings ebbing beneath Joseph Scarisbrick’s feathery, wavering vocals. Yet by the track’s end, it has erupted into a rapture of sonic delights, as Scarisbrick screams against a cataclysmic orchestral backdrop that snatches your breath away. The Orchestra (For Now) possess a complete disregard for convention; this track may well be the perfect example of this.

22. The Last Dinner Party – The Scythe

It could have been so easy for The Last Dinner Party to have been nothing more than a flash in a pan; a bold debut record, buoyed by a strong visual presentation, and nothing more. Those fears were assuaged by the band’s equally revelatory sophomore record, ‘From The Pyre’, which pushed their bombastic baroque pop ideas into brilliantly weird territories. ‘The Scythe’ is the undeniably highlight of this feat, and stands out easily as the band’s finest performance to date. Abigail Morris delivers the verses akin to a prayer, with an indescribably vulnerable tone to her voice, before the track lunges into galloping choruses that keep things simple but incredibly, impossibly effectives. The arpeggio strings in the second verse are one of those small musical details that stay with you for a lifetime. Never mind the rest of the record, this track alone should rightfully silence the band’s baying naysayers.

21. Animalcules – PureJim

Perhaps what is most baffling about the output of Glasgow’s Animalcules is that this marks only the very, very beginning of this band’s career. ‘Luz’ was a debut record that put even the titans of the post-hardcore scene to shame in terms of its ingenuity, quality, and pure fun, and ‘PureJim’ exemplifies this most perfectly. Math rock riffs dance atop of bass lines that pulse with a degree of groove that should frankly be illegal to possess. Chiptune effects and shimmering reverb are applied throughout to give the whole affair a gloriously summery flair, whilst the vocals weave sparkling, catchy melodies that work perfectly in tandem with the instrumentals to give the track a spirited sense of youthful exuberance. A real tour-de-force of musical talent, and blinding potential.

20. vianova – Whatever Alright

The debut record of Berlin’s vianova, ‘Hit It!‘ pushed metalcore to new, glamorous, and creative heights, with its unconventional usage of jazz tropes to develop one of the most exhilarating listening experiences of the year. Many of the album’s tracks could have found a place on this list, from the wonderfully catchy ‘Oh No (Believer)‘, to the genuinely heartfelt ‘Obsolete‘, to the absolutely demented ‘Uh Yaya‘. Yet the number 20 spot ultimately has to go to the swaggering, bombastic, and effortlessly cool ‘Whatever Alright‘. Alexander Kerski eschews his usual monstrous vocal acrobatics in favour of something closer to spoken word, delivering a nonchalant performance atop of cruising, bruising riffs that pummel down upon the listener with unparalleled brutality and confidence. It is the kind of groovy banger that necessitates a place on your morning listening rotation to set you up to take on anything that comes your way.

19. Jools – Violent Delights

The debut LP for Jools has been six years in the making, and the result was worth every moment of waiting. Much of the album consists of ferocious bangers that bring garage rock ferocity to the post-punk world, but the title track and closing number is the real highlight of the record. A sprawling, progressive beast of a number, ‘Violent Delights‘ perfectly brings together the record’s themes of vengeance, gender identity, and living deliciously, as the band vault from brooding verse to colossal chorus. The lyricism is phenomenal, and vocalist Kate Price’s verse in the track’s back half is one of 2025’s finest musical performances. If any band on this list feels primed to blow up, then it has to be Jools.

18. Arm’s Length – You Ominously End

Ontario’s Arm’s Length went from emo cult favourites to the next stars of the scene this year, thanks to the band’s fantastically heartbreaking sophomore record, ‘There’s A Whole World Out There’. Since the album’s May release, the band have maintained a position on this list, whether through the soaring ‘Morning Person’ or the relentless ‘Halley’. It is, however, ‘You Ominously End’ that ultimately takes the number 18 slot here. With banjos bringing a folkish twang and the jovial, upbeat rhythms, this track is devilish fun upon first listen, yet peering at those lyrics will reveal a heart rending, complex, and deeply human exploration of what it means to love somebody with depression. Arm’s Length’s penchant for acerbic wit is part of what makes their music connect so effortlessly, and part of what makes ‘You Ominously End’ so infinitely relistenable.

17. House of Protection – Godspeed

If you’re faint of heart, perhaps give ‘Godspeed’ a miss, because what House of Protection have crafted here is like a shot of adrenaline straight to the aorta. The duo unleashed their sophomore EP, ‘Outrun You All’, back in 2025, and it served as an electrifying follow up to their 2024 debut. ‘Godspeed’ sees the band bring pure dance energy to their alternative rock sound, as thumping drums and pulsing synths collide with ferocious riffs, vicious rapped vocals, and sumptuous melodies. There’s a distinctively retro flair to the whole affair without it feeling at all dated. Dig out your favourite PS1 racing game, get this track blasting, and prepare to have the time of your life.

16. Vienna – Quiet Season

The midland’s Vienna made it their mission to make 2025 their year, and by every measure they succeeded. A debut EP and live shows across England, including a debut headline show, ensured that this four-piece have left their mark on the vibrant UK emo scene. For much of the year, it was the band’s ferocious, grunge-leaning cut ‘Somewhere Between Here and Gone’ that made this list, but in October the band released the startlingly beautiful ‘Quiet Season’, and that is the track that ends up at our number 16 slot. A heartbreaking ode to grief and change, this is a cinematic emo masterpiece, with Ben Jones’ vocals carrying a rich melancholy that works beautifully in contrast with the glittering guitar word. Vienna’s rhythm section are always a delight to behold, and that is no different here, with a deceivingly complex percussive performance, and warm bass lines that hold everything together. ‘Quiet Season’ is essential emo listening.

15. Purge of Sanity – Mediocre

The greatest irony of number 15 on our list is that this track is anything but mediocre. France’s Purge of Sanity have been honing their craft since 2022 but truly emerged into the wider consciousness of the heavy scene this year thanks to their absolutely apocalyptic debut EP, ‘The Expense Of Striving To Heal’. Going into depth on that listening experience is something we’ll be saving for our Top 10 EPs of 2025 list, but representing that incredible body of work over here is the incendiary ‘Mediocre’. In a year that has seen bands challenge the status quo of metalcore like no other, this behemoth of a track brings elements of industrial, deathcore and gabber to the mix, and the result is a simply monumental feat of musical violence. Bludgeoning hardcore dance beats give way to soaring metalcore choruses, before plunging into a mechanical nightmare of a bridge. Daken‘s vocals have arrived from the ninth circle of hell, delivering screams that should be impossible for a human to muster.

14. The Dear Hunter – Four Amigos

2025 saw The Dear Hunter get weird. Not only did the Rhode Island legends produce a documentary/b-movie about their North American tour, but they released a collection of experimental outings that were recorded on said tour. The ‘North American EP’ made for a fun little excursion before the band’s upcoming return to the world Antimai, and ‘Four Amigos’ is an absolute gem in the band’s ever growing discography. Driving guitar riffs surge forwards atop of galloping rhythms and ethereal, jazzy synths, whilst vocalist Casey Crescenzo sounds richer, warmer, and more melodic than ever before. The track grapples with self-doubt, learning to change, and the stagnant systems we are birthed into, all with the theatric and playful flair that only comes with the very best of what The Dear Hunter has to offer. Whilst fans still wait patiently for the band’s next record, ‘Sunya’, tracks such as this are certain to somewhat satiate that hunger.

13. Charmer – Blue Jay

Not every great song requires revolutionary ideas; sometimes it is just a manner of executing the simplest of elements perfectly. That is precisely the case with Charmer’s ‘Blue Jay’. Taken from their third and latest record, ‘Downpour’, this track is a masterclass of how to produce a heartfelt emo banger, with driving riffs, gorgeous melodies, and heartfelt lyricism that is just begging to be sung along to. There are no baffling vocal acrobatics or soaring guitar solos; it is simply the sound of four musicians producing art with all of their heart. An essential listen for your emo summer listening.

12. Thornhill – Mercia

It has been nothing short of a phenomenal year for Melbourne’s Thornhill. Their long-awaited third record ‘BODIES‘ proved to be one of 2025’s heavy highlights, and since then the band have gone on extensive global headline tours, supported the titans that are Sleep Token, and released a surprisingly solid collaborative remix record with plenty of familiar faces. That remix project, ‘BODIES X‘, did feature one brand new track that was not featured on the original ‘BODIES‘ record, and somehow proved to be the strongest offering in an incredible strong year for Thornhill. What starts as a brooding, ethereal slow burner explodes into an absolutely incendiary display of musicianship. Bold, Hans Zimmer-esque synths stride out beneath a swaggering metalcore backbone, whilst the vocals effortlessly glide from soulful melodies that exude mystique, to completely frenzied screams that land like punches upon the listener.

11. Pleiades – LA1 (Left Aimless)

Missing out on a top 10 spot by only the slimmest of margins, Pleiades’ “post-something” masterpiece ‘LA1 (Left Aimless)’ is a monumental feat of musicianship. Inspired by the complex and often bittersweet relationships we have with our hometowns, especially after leaving to see new houses horizons, this is a genuinely beautiful work of art that alternates between hesitant, wavering ambience, and driving, anthemic choruses that stir the very soul. AJ Calderbank’s vocals are fantastically distinctive, with a raw tenderness that is carried with an air of soft mystique. In any other year, it is almost certain that this would have been a top 10 track, which serves as a testament to how fantastic 2025 has been for music.

Part III (10-1) will be arriving tomorrow, so keep an eye out for that! What did you think of this year? Have you heard any of these tracks, and what would you include in your list? Let me know!