The Best Punk and Hardcore Albums of 2025
The best punk ranges from pop-leaning emo to potent noise, shoegaze, and hardcore to Revolution Summer-inspired politically minded blasts of righteous anger.
punk
Militarie Gun Don’t Need God to Save Them
If you loved Militarie Gun’s previous work, you will be singing along after a few listens this time, too. It’s an excellent, aggressive indie record with genuine heart.
Snooper Find Form and Focus on ‘Worldwide’
On Worldwide, Nashville egg-punks Snooper hatch from chaotic oddity into a fully realized band, channeling frenzy into sharp, urgent songs.
Deaf Club’s Justin Pearson on Permanent State of Happiness
Deaf Club’s Justin Pearson, legendary frontperson of hardcore’s the Locust, reflects on the state of the world and permanently courting controversy.
Street Eaters Tap Into the Punk Zeitgeist with ‘Opaque’
Street Eaters strive to create a compelling throwback. Themes like alienation, frustration, youthful abandon, and lust are merged with newer, more adult content.
The Dropkick Murphys’ Ken Casey Takes on the World
The Dropkick Murphys’ Ken Casey speaks about his trip to Ukraine, Trump, and the band’s decades-spanning career.
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Louisville Punk’s Defiance of Violent Conformity
Punk’s rooted, regional, and defiantly local identities made scenes like Louisville punk essential and life-affirming during the violently conformist Reagan years.
MGK Shows Traces of Heartbreak on ‘Lost Americana’
MGK’s genre-agnostic Lost Americana continues a pop-punk exploration while letting down his personal defenses.
Big Life’s State of the Union Address Is a Pointed Critique
Detroit punk veterans Big Life channel the righteous fury of classic Washington DC and SST hardcore on their latest. It’s one of the best punk records this year.
Extra Arms’ Ryan Allen Makes You an Excellent Mixtape
Power pop acolyte Ryan Allen’s latest record showcases his mastery of the genre. He discusses how his solo releases differ significantly from his band work.
‘Tearing Down the Orange Curtain’ Leaves a Pile of Rubble to Sift Through
SoCal punk music history book Tearing Down the Orange Curtain has gobs of literary equivalents to falling off the stage.
Turnstile Balance on the Edge with ‘Never Enough’
Turnstile’s Never Enough lies somewhere between the working man’s folk-rock earnestness of the bygone SoCal era and the synth-washed ambience of the cover.