2025 was full of magical musical moments, including the arrival of a new Hayley Williams album, Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party, and a Panic! At The Disco reunion. Aside from an array of band reunions and dazzling records, this year also featured an incredible amount of singles and EPs that advanced the alternative genre forward. From Pierce The Veil’s bonus tracks, including “Kiss Me Now” to The All-American Rejects’ “Easy Come, Easy Go,” and beyond, these 20 songs from 2025 marked the best of the best.
Pierce The Veil — “Kiss Me Now”
Pierce The Veil revealed the deluxe version of their album Jaws Of Life this year, and with it, came a cover of Radiohead’s “Karma Police” and their new offering “Kiss Me Now.” The original bonus track majestically combines hints of their emo roots with indie rock and grunge sonics. If this is what’s in store for the band, we can’t wait for their indie era to unfold. — Maria Serra
L.S. Dunes — “Forgiveness”
“Forgiveness” feels like the moment L.S. Dunes fully lock in—not just as a group of seasoned players, but as a band operating on pure instinct. Anthony Green sounds untouchable here, delivering one of the most emotionally weighted performances of his career, while the instrumentation swells and recedes with a patience and confidence that only comes from artists who trust each other completely. The layering—vocally and instrumentally—is breathtaking in a way that sneaks up on you and then refuses to let go. As guitarist Travis Stever put it, “‘Forgiveness’ is a song that lived in all of us for years… We could only bring it to life together,” and that truth bleeds through every second of the track. Pulled from my album of the year, Violet, and firmly sitting as my song of the year, “Forgiveness” is the most mesmerizing thing L.S. Dunes have released so far—and a reminder that they’re easily one of the most vital forces in alternative music right now. —Paige Owens
The Paradox — “Bender” feat. Travis Barker
The Paradox absolutely owned 2025 with their various singles, including “Do Me Like That” and “Get The Message,” all appearing on their debut EP, NSFW. By far, their most energetic and high-energy track, “Bender” featuring blink-182’s Travis Barker, stole the show. It’s a very exciting time to be a Paradox fan because they’re just getting started. Plus, you can grab your own exclusive idobi Radio x The Pardox shirt right here. — Maria Serra
Black Veil Brides — “Hallelujah”
Black Veil Brides’ sole release of the year, “Hallelujah,” hits massive from the jump—stacked with Andy Biersack’s unmistakable vocal command, brain-splitting guitar squeals, and layered choir vocals that swell around him like a sermon gone feral. “‘Hallelujah’ is an important song for us,” Biersack shares, noting that it not only introduces the band’s next record but sets the thematic tone moving forward. He points to a fixation on ideological certainty over humanity, emphasizing the band’s deep connection with their audience and a desire to champion authenticity over fear, hysteria, or scene-approved narratives. —Paige Owens
Broadside — “I Think They Know”
Contrary to the song’s chorus, this track is anything but a nightmare. Broadside made a major return in 2025 with the release of “I Think They Know” and their signing to Thriller Records. Making a splash with their new era, the track insists you throw it back to Oliver Baxxter’s voice as he sings of paranoia and not belonging. Sure, the juxtaposition is weird…but this heavy pop track simply goes that hard. We look forward to much more from Broadside in 2026! — Maria Serra
The Home Team — “Worthy”
Paired with a bizarre (and slightly unhinged) music video, The Home Team leaned fully into their sensual pop-metal lane with “Worthy.” Lines like “I just need you to slow down (slow down, slow down)/’Cause I might just take you home now” highlight exactly what the band does best: Brian Butcher’s soaring, flirt-heavy vocals riding catalytic guitar tones, rubbery basslines, and locked-in, groove-forward drums. Written during the same creative window as 2024’s The Crucible Of Life, Butcher explains, “This song belongs in the Crucible cycle, but it also indicates a look forward for us in terms of what comes next creatively.” That forward momentum was impossible to miss when fans heard “Worthy” live on the band’s sold-out headline run in the latter half of the year—cementing it as one of 2025’s most magnetic alternative releases. —Paige Owens
Moses Sumney & Hayley Williams — “I Like It I Like It”
Ah, Hayley Williams and her side quests. While she was secretly sitting on Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party, she and Moses Sumney launched the smoothest, sexiest collab of 2025 with “I Like It I Like It,” and yes, we’re also obsessed with the white-blonde bobs they both rocked. — Maria Serra
Johnnie Guilbert — “Right Girl, Wrong Time” Feat. Sueco
Johnnie Guilbert and Sueco’s collab “Right Girl, Wrong Time” would definitely be pinned on my Myspace profile if the site were still active. This pop-rock banger is nostalgic and emo as hell…and what more could we ask for? In fact, Guilbert has shared a lot of new-age emo hits this year, including “Wrong For Me” and “Fake Positivity.”
mgk — “cliché”
“cliché” marks a sharp pivot for mgk, trading the guitar-heavy sound of his earlier pop-punk tracks for a more pop-forward release. The distortion takes a back seat to polished hooks and a driving beat, signaling a shift toward melody without losing momentum—and don’t even get me started on how deeply that chorus burrows into your brain after one listen. The video leans fully into the song’s physicality, pulling from a collage of visual cues: Elvis-level swagger, One Direction boy-band choreography, and the loose, magnetic movement of Mick Jagger. It’s an unexpectedly perfect combination. Fair warning: this is not a sit-still track. —Paige Owens
Durry — “idk i just work here”
The way that Durry so eloquently details existential dread deserves to be studied. On their latest album, This Movie Sucks, sibling duo Austin and Taryn Durry explore themes of internet obsession on “Dead Media” and “Bully” and the so-called hamster wheel of life on the LP title track. Though one track genuinely highlights Durry at their best, “idk i just work here,” which features Austin’s soaring indie vocals mixed with indie-rock guitar lines, and just a hint of folksy acoustic strums—and of course, lyrics railing against the broken system of working paycheck to paycheck. It really just encapsulates the Gen Z and millennial experience too well. P.S. Durry may have the best music videos of 2025. — Maria Serra
Roe Kapara — “Feel Sexy”
It is impossible for Roe Kapara to make a song that doesn’t absolutely rock! With beats resembling indie sleaze’s heyday, “Feel Sexy” features bouncy chords, jangly keyboard sonics, and soaring vocals that immediately grab and maintain your attention. — Maria Serra
Honey Revenge — “Risk”
Honey Revenge isn’t tiptoeing into their next chapter—they’re kicking the door down with “Risk.” It’s sharper, louder, and more self-assured than what came before, built for blasting with the windows down and your guard completely dropped. As vocalist Devin Papadol puts it, “Risk is our fuck around and find out moment. We’re trying to take chances in this next phase as a band. The entire premise of the song is without discomfort there is no growth, and we want to grow! The only thing we have to fear is fear itself and we are choosing to not be scared.” —Paige Owens
3OH!3 — “Hit Me Harder”
3OH!3 had a dazzling year, with Warped Tour appearances and on the Bigger Than You Think! Tour, and they still had time to drop a dance-inducing bop, “Hit Me Harder,” that harkens back to their early days. The duo shares that the song “started as a nod to that gritty, underground dance rock scene we came up on, where the beats were dirty, the lyrics were sassy, and the energy was pure chaos.” — Maria Serra
Rico Nasty — “TEETHSUCKER (YEA3X)”
Rico Nasty’s “TEETHSUCKER (YEA3X)” riff has been stuck in my head since its release in February. It’s just that gnarly…or….”nasty”! An unapologetically feel-good rock, rap, and metal-infused track. And if you loved this song as much as we did, you definitely need to listen to her album LETHAL. —Maria Serra
Hayley Williams — “Parachute”
Part of her surprise album drop—and the final song to surface from the sprawling 20-track release—“Parachute” quickly took on a life of its own, especially across TikTok. The track carries a quiet, hopeful ache, steeped in longing and memory, the kind that lingers long after the song ends. It drifts between hushed, almost confessional verses and a diaristic chorus that feels like an emotional release, capturing Hayley Williams at her most tender and exposed without ever tipping into melodrama. —Paige Owens
Lights — “Alive Again”
Lights gave a stunning performance on her 2025 album A6, but one standout track was certainly “Alive Again.” It truly became the song that many music fans wanted and needed in such a dark year, as the artist encourages letting loose and dancing amongst the storm. She says of the song, “We all have demons, we might as well learn to party with them.” — Maria Serra
Badflower — “Number 1”
Badflower has always been that band in terms of sheer attitude and all-around coolness. Dexterous lyricism, in-your-face instrumentation, and stage presence reminiscent of the greats, Badflower is a unique outfit. They stand in a league of their own, and their 2025 offering, “Number 1,” might just be their magnum opus thus far.
The song holds a magnifying glass to the grueling journey to the top of the industry—all of the unbecoming things an artist would be willing to do to achieve popularity. “Number 1” is a tongue-in-cheek, introspective look at selling out, compromising morals, and whatever else might be necessary to reach the pinnacle of success. Badflower is the antithesis, which is what makes them so fantastic. The self-awareness and cunning playfulness of the lyrics are what Badflower does best. They have always mastered the art of satire. “Number 1” is a masterpiece. —Tate Logan
The All-American Rejects — “Easy Come, Easy Go”
The All-American Rejects earned their household name status in the early 2000s with hit after hit after hit. An entire generation grew up listening to their pop-rock anthems. Most of which still garner a crowd sing-along all these years later. In 2025, we saw The Rejects make a comeback that flipped the mainstream industry on its head. The band decided to throw it back to their early days by playing backyards, bowling alleys, record stores, and everything in between—marking the tangible return of house shows.
A spark that lit a fire, the trend exploded among independent and established bands around the country. “Easy Come, Easy Go” was the group’s new single that fueled this massive movement. Videos exploded online of the live performance being filmed from rooftops, going viral seemingly overnight. People everywhere wanted in on the camaraderie of the house show atmosphere. The All-American Rejects are back in a big way, and “Easy Come, Easy Go” will go down in history as the soundtrack that revived a culture. —Tate Logan
Mayday Parade — “By The Way”
Mayday Parade is so freaking back. “By The Way” taps directly into the same emotional vein that made their early records hit so hard, blending pop-rock with that unmistakable emo ache they’ve always done best. If this track slipped into the tracklist of their 2007 debut, it wouldn’t feel out of place for a second—which is the highest compliment possible. The song leans optimistic without feeling naïve, offering a genuine reminder to hold onto hope for your own sake rather than someone else’s, even when the world feels like it’s constantly shifting under your feet. —Paige Owens
The Band CAMINO — “Stupid Questions”
The Band CAMINO’s “Stupid Questions” sounds like the moment everything clicks back into place. It’s slick, messy, and painfully relatable in the way the band has always done best, with a chorus that feels impossible to shake after a single listen: “Why am I still pushing my luck? / What’s got me spilling my guts? / How am I still calling you up / Drunk and askin’ stupid questions?” It hits that sweet spot between glossy pop-rock and emotional spiral, the kind of song built for late nights, unanswered texts, and pretending you’re totally fine when you’re not. “Stupid Questions” doesn’t try to reinvent The Band CAMINO—it reminds everyone exactly why their sound works so damn well in the first place. —Paige Owens
