Albums Released From January to March 2025

Last year, I attempted to post a list of all the albums and EPs I heard about. I split this compilation into two parts, posting the first at 6 months and the second at the end of December. I didn’t really like the way it worked out, so I’m trying something different for 2025 and sharing new releases quarterly. I am dividing albums and EPs into separate posts, though. That much is staying the same.

Also, in as many cases as possible, I am linking Apple Music profiles. While I continue to use Spotify when building my playlists, I do understand that many artists have conflicting emotions in regard to that particular streaming service. Therefore, I will attempt to send traffic to your alternative platforms. (Release dates may differ, depending on when the album hit Apple. I have used the dates posted by the bands/artists.)

Question of the Week [Jan. 26, 2025]

Hello, all! I have started a new feature for this blog. Each Monday, I will be posting a question to my socials for bands/artists to answer, then I will compile them and share the responses here on Sundays.

I shared the first one this past Monday, the 20th, and it has gotten quite a reaction! As you’ll see, some bands specified who was answering and their roles, while others didn’t. Check it out.

Who are your biggest influences? (You personally, not the band as a whole.)

  • “Dio, Def Leppard, KISS, Elvis.” – Joe (vocals), Freaky Things
  • “Black Sabbath, Celtic Frost, Bathory, Motörhead.” – Michael Jahrling (vocals/bass), Rail Rage
  • “Descendents, NOFX, Blink-182, The Ataris.” – Brad (vocals/guitar), Frick
  • “Mainly Creedence [Clearwater Revival], Slade, Status Quo, and The Donnas.” – Richard (vocals/guitar), RJ Archer & the Painful Memories
  • “Layne Staley, Chris Cornell, Scott Weiland, Maynard James Keenan, Jonathan Davis, and Seether.” – Adam (vocals/writing), EverFelt
  • “Tool, A Perfect Circle, Cave In, Periphery, Thrice, Coheed and Cambria.” – The Welcoming
  • “Lyrically, I am inspired by Jonathan Davis [Korn], but also heavily influenced by bands like Project Pitchfork, Skinny Puppy, and Spahn Ranch!” – TJ (vocals/et. al), K.A.R.L. (Kill All Remaining Life)
  • “Black Sabbath, Deep Purple/Rainbow, Judas Priest, Metallica, Rush, Morbid Angel, Napalm Death, Voivoid, Death, Godflesh, Brutal Truth… I could go on.” – Ritchie (guitars), Gravehuffer
  • “I pull influences from everywhere, mostly heavy stuff but [also] pop all the way to country, on rare occasions.  My faves, though, are Chelsea Grin, The Black Dahlia Murder, and Bring Me The Horizon.” – Joseph, Encircled Throne
  • “Bob Dylan remains my greatest influence/inspiration, as far as songwriting. As far as musicians… Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, John McLaughlin, Frank Zappa, and Herbie Hancock.” – Bruce Nielsen  (songwriter/guitar/harmonica/bass), The Immaculate Crows
  • “Phil Collins, Taylor Hawkins, Tony Fernandez, John Bonham, and Chad Smith.” – Alex (drums), Neon Society
  • “Lzzy Hale, Tim [Rise Against], and Peter Steele [Type O Negative].” – Nico (vocals), Little Evil
  • “Maynard [Tool, APC, etc.], Noah [Bad Omens], Poppy, and Devin [Honey Revenge].” – Allie Riot
  • “Trey Anastasio [Phish], Jerry Garcia,  and Jimmy Buffet.” – Vesper (vocals), Til Fauna
  • “Wes Borland, Jerome Dillon, Tim Skold, Andy LaPlegua [Icon of Coil/Combichrist], Marilyn Manson, Richard Patrick [Filter], and Trent Reznor.” – Mike Novo (drums), Kendall Cage
  • “John Lennon has been my biggest influence. Noel Gallagher [Oasis], in terms of songwriting.” – Izzy (vocals), Lazy Ghouls
  • “I’m pretty predictable when it comes to this. Metallica was the ultimate for me. Aside from that… Nirvana, Alice in Chains, STP. And the classics: AC/DC, Eagles, CCR, Ozzy. I went through a country/blues phase, so Robert Johnson, Son House, Muddy Waters, Fred McDowell. Newer stuff? I dig Unpeople, Post Profit, The Funeral Portrait, Ayron Jones.” – Anthony (guitar/songwriting), Deadly Vices
  • “Sparks, Trio [aka ZAM], Iron Maiden, Japanther, CRASS, and Darkthrone.” – Buzz (songwriting/recording), Buzz N’ Bangs
  • “I’m old-school. Geezer Butler, Steve Harris. A few modern players like Alex Webster and John Myung.” – Mike (bass), Welcome Eternity
  • “DJ Ashba and Jeff Beck.” – Sabú, The Lürxx
  • “On guitar, Izzy Stradlin, late 60s/early 70s Keith Richards. On vocals, Roger Daltrey, Steve Marriott [Humble Pie/Small Faces], and Jon LeSte.” Xavi, The Lürxx
  • “Frank Zappa.” – Acting Human
  • “Gene Simmons and Angus Young.” – Wayne, Element 117
  • “Korn, Linkin Park, NIN, and lots of 90s pop, especially Savage Garden.” – ruin the mind
  • “Pearl Jam, The Cult, Foo Fighters.” – Winter in May
  • “Dissection, Megadeth, Halfway to Gone, Cradle of Filth, Queens of the Stone Age, Alice in Chains.” – Marco (guitars), After the Apocalypse
  • “Classic rock artists like The Beatles, Aerosmith, The Doors, and Led Zeppelin.” – Steven, Tin Zelkova
  • “BRMC, The BJM, The Pixies, Idles, Fontaines DC, Amyl and the Sniffers.” – Televised Mind
  • “Thrice, Killswitch Engage, Coheed and Cambria, Deftones, Tom Petty, Smashing Pumpkins, Jimi Hendrix, The Warning, Pennywise, RHCP, Metallica, Velvet Revolver.” – Mandatory Affect

My Top 50 Songs of 2024

I didn’t even pretend I was going to do less than 50 songs for this list. There was no way. And y’all made it difficult to narrow it down to even that! I’m gonna end up with a top 100 if I’m not careful.

So, this is totally subjective, of course. There were tons of amazing releases over the past 12 months, and I tried to share them all (though I know I missed a few, or found them too late). But these are the tracks, in no particular order, that grabbed and held my attention without letting go.

View the full playlist HERE.

Note: One band/artist cannot have more than one song included. I tried not to put anything by major label bands/artists on here. Last but not least, no covers!

The Mostly Music 2024 Playlist, Pt. 5 (Updated 9/8/24)

We have entered part 5 of this year’s playlist, which will encompass September and October 2024 – as well as a few tracks from the final days of August because…well, that’s the only way to feature them. Be sure to check out the first four installments along with this one!

Part 1 // Part 2 // Part 3 // Part 4

Here are the songs I have found since 8/25/24.