It’s that time of year when we can look back and select the best rock albums of 2025. It’s been another good year for new music, and there are plenty of albums to consider. Any list, though, will be contentious in some eyes and ears. Let's be honest, there’s never going to be a unanimous list.
There's also the breadth of rock music to consider. With metal, punk, post-punk, prog, indie, and more, it’s a wide genre. So in selecting five of the best albums, I’ve tried to mix it up a bit and cover a few styles.
As I started selecting my favorite albums, I realised a theme was emerging. For some of the five artists, there were times when we would not have expected to see a new release from them. For others, this year's album came after a long wait. There were also a couple of instances of a classic line-up reforming and giving us new music. See what you make of these five with that twist attached.
Five of the best rock albums of 2025
The Darkness - Dreams On Toast
The Darkness have come a long way since their debut 2003 album Permission To Land and the success that brought. For a while, it looked like they might be a fun rock band spoofing the whole genre with some decent tunes and suitably over-the-top antics. They faded from sight and split for a while, but regrouped and released more music backed by tours and hard work.
This year's album, Dreams On Toast, is a cracking return to form. It has all the Darkness hallmarks, top rock and roll, catchy tunes, great guitars, and, of course, a unique vocal style from Justin Hawkins. It's still heavy in places, but their style offers a lighter approach through their humour and approach. Much needed in current times.
Suede - Antidepressants
Suede is another band that broke up after early success and reformed some years later. They’ve had a few albums since, with Antidepressants their latest release, after a three-year gap. The risk is always whether a band is just going through the motions with these follow-up records.
That’s not the case here, there’s no sign of a letdown. In fact, Suede turns it on in style again. Definitely a post-punk sound, it has plenty of tracks that immediately resonate as sounding like Suede classics, and they may well become such.
There are some bleak messages and dark sounds in there, but also plenty about breaking out and taking a positive hold of what life presents. Suede fans will love it; anyone new to the band should give it a listen.
Alice Cooper - The Revenge Of Alice Cooper
This album hollers back to true classic rock with Alice Cooper getting the band back together again. This new album is Alice Cooper, the band, rather than Alice Cooper the solo artist, with a band behind him. It’s his original band lineup, excluding the late Glen Buxton, and the first time they have released an album since the 1970s. So, quite a blast from the past.
Having said that, this is an up-to-date sound, even if very much in Cooper and the band's style. Full of rock and roll in that classic groove, it does take you back in time, but with a current rock flavor. “Black Mamba” is one of the tracks getting plenty of attention. That one song alone, with Cooper in spooky shock rock mode, is enough to tell you that you need to hear the rest.
Deftones - Private Music
A switch in style again on this list with the alt metal and art rock of Deftones on their tenth album. Private Music sees them blast back after a five-year gap. Sadly, illness kept them off the Glastonbury stage in the summer, but the new album, out shortly afterwards, helps make up for that.
They may have had some lineup changes, but there’s no great directional shift in the music. The album delivers more of the same sound that made the band what it is. But it stands out all the same for being high quality, superb writing, and excellent songs throughout. They haven’t cut any corners in making it at all. This is another powerful album and has a well-deserved 2026 Grammy nomination for Best Rock Album.
Dream Theater - Parasomnia
Another long-awaited album. Another return of a classic line-up. It seemed unlikely to happen, but Mike Portnoy had a long, slow, but positive reconciliation with the band as Mike Mangini departed. Parasomnia was released in February this year and reflects the original prog metal approach from the band.
The last few albums had largely disappointed and perhaps sounded flat and stale. But with Portnoy back on board, Parasomnia was much anticipated. It’s solid Dream Theater, eight tracks, lengthy instrumentation, and conceptual in places, too. The metal sound prevails, but with a lighter touch at times. Fans will be delighted and have given the album due respect this year.