The 51 Best Rock + Metal Songs of 2025

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Here are the 51 best rock and metal songs of 2025!

We know you all have a long, long list of your favorites from this year, whether it's in a playlist curated by our streaming overlords and ones you've compiled for yourselves. And we're certain there's much, much more than just 51 songs from 2025 on those playlists, meaning both triumph and terror lie ahead as you rejoice in what rock and metal tracks made the cut and shake your fists about some heartbreaking omissions.

Don't worry — we undergo the same exact process as the Loudwire team sifts through this year's biggest and best songs as well as some under-the-radar gems you may have slept on or never even heard of before!

It's all part of the fun with any year-end list and, trust us, some hard-fought battles over some of the castaways were had.

And as far as the 2026 Grammy Awards nominees for rock and metal are concerned, we've got a few things in common!

With loads of subgenres to cover, this crop of 51 songs represents another banner year for heavy music — exciting up-and-comers, tomorrow's headliners and time-honored veterans are all crushing it.

Enough with the anticipation! Are you ready? Here they are, this year's best rock and metal songs!

The 51 Best Rock + Metal Songs of 2025

In a year with thousands of new songs, we've narrowed it down to rock and metal's 51 best.

See how many of your favorite sogs from this year made the list!

Contributions by Chuck Armstrong (CA), Jordan Blum (JB), Rob Carroll (RC), Chad Childers (CC), Joe DiVita (JD), John Hill (JH) and Lauryn Schaffner (LS).

Gallery Credit: Loudwire Staff

The 51 Best Rock + Metal Albums of 2025

We're more than half way through the decade! Let's revisit the best rock and metal albums of 2025, in the order they were released.

See how many of your favorite albums from this year made the list!

Contributions by Chuck Armstrong (CA), Jordan Blum (JB), Rob Carroll (RC), Chad Childers (CC), Joe DiVita (JD), John Hill (JH) and Lauryn Schaffner (LS).

Gallery Credit: Loudwire Staff