Some years glide by. 2025 absolutely did not. It lurched, snapped, fizzed, spiralled, and yet spat out moments of such clarity, chaos and brilliance that they somehow made the whole thing feel worth it.

As always, we’ve argued, sulked, shifted things up and down spreadsheets at 1am, changed our minds, changed them back, and eventually landed on a Top 100 that captures the full, messy shape of the year. Some of these records arrived with full blockbuster fanfare; others crept in sideways and refused to leave. Some are debuts that signalled a door blowing open; some are by artists who’ve never felt more in command. What they all share is that special jolt that something real was happening, whether it was shouted from rooftops or whispered into headphones.

That’s the version of the year we’re counting down over December, not the tidy narrative the machine likes to pretend exists, but the one we actually lived through. The one full of odd left-turns, tiny triumphs, emotional haymakers, ridiculous bangers, huge statements, quiet killers and albums that lodged themselves so firmly under our skin we’re still shaking them loose over the festive nut roast.

Across this two weeks, we’ll be revealing the list bit by glorious bit. Just the albums that made our hearts race, our brains fizz and our year make a tiny bit more sense. From the cult favourites to the big hitters, this is 2025 as we heard it: brilliant, unpredictable, occasionally unhinged, and absolutely worth celebrating.

100-81 | 80-61 | 60-41 | 40-21 | 20-11 | 10-6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1

There’s something about Turnstile that just works. Raised on the Baltimore hardcore scene, they’re a stage-diving, mosh-pitting shot of adrenaline who manage to appeal to so many people that they can sell out huge venues worldwide without compromising on who they are. It’s a secret sauce that most bands would kill to get their hands on.

2021’s ‘Glow On’ was where they initially perfected the formula, skyrocketing them out of their hometown scene and into the mainstream. Follow-up album ‘Never Enough’ had big boots to fill, but it does exactly what it needs to do, with the band pulling off a tightrope walk of exploring new horizons without alienating their existing fanbase.

Not that it takes a genius to realise they’ve reached a new level. A headline slot at this year’s Outbreak festival, UK dates which sold out in five minutes flat, and even a spot on Tyler, The Creator’s All Points East bill next year all point towards the writing on the wall: Turnstile are absolutely massive now.

Tracks like ‘Birds’ are custom-made to tear the roof off of any venue they get played in, while ‘I Care’ eases away from the band’s hardcore roots and into something a little more arena-adjacent. ‘Sunshower’, on the other hand, pulls the rug out completely and ends on a meditative flute - a band-enforced interlude for any listeners who need to catch their breath.

It’s become a cliché to call Turnstile the biggest band in hardcore. With the release of ‘Never Enough’ it’s also just plain wrong, as they stretch themselves into a far broader sonic range than any one genre will allow. Purists may complain about losing one of their bands to a broader audience, but they should be looking on the bright side: the circle pits are bigger than ever before. JH