The 25 Most Played Songs on Rock Radio in 2025

What were rock radio's most played songs of 2025?

Using the Mediabase chart for Active Rock's year-to-date tracking of radio spins running from Jan. 2025 to present, it's been determined that Papa Roach's "Even If It Kills Me" had the most airplay of any song this past year.

The song had the benefit of a long shelf life, first arriving as a single back in January 2025 while compiling spins for a majority of the calendar year. At press time, the song has achieved 47,987 plays at active rock radio for the year (as of Dec. 30, 2026). It also held the title at the year's mid-point.

What Late Year Song Had the Biggest Push and Which Fell the Most?

When we previously shared data for the most played songs of the year back in August, as stated, Papa Roach was still going strong at No. 1 for the year with "Even If It Kills Me." But which song has seen the biggest gain from its spot at that point?

That honor would go to Architects, who were just getting started back in August with "Everything Ends." In the time since, the song has risen from No. 21 to No. 4 for the year. On the flip side, both Wage War's "Blur" and Nothing More's "House on Sand" took a tumble. Wage War fell six notches from 6 to 12 while Nothing More dropped seven spots from 16 to 23.

Who Doubled Up?

Some bands had a big year at rock radio by placing more than one song in the Top 25 for the year.  Most notable, you'll find Papa Roach with both the song with the most plays at No. 1 ("Even If It Kills Me") and the last song to make the cut of the Top 25 ("Braindead").

READ MORE: Loudwire's Best Rock Song of 2025 - Mammoth's "The End"

Linkin Park also doubled up at No. 6 and No. 8 with "Heavy Is the Crown" and "Up From the Bottom." Three Days Grace were the third band with two songs, placing at No. 7 and No. 17 with "Mayday and "Apologies." .

So what songs and what artists finished where for the year? Take a closer look at the most played active rock songs of 2025 at radio listed below.

Now, take a look at the 51 rock and metal songs Loudwire named the best of 2025.