The final weeks of December are finally upon us, and we haven’t been able to stop thinking about all the exceptional songs, albums, and tours that happened this year. Whether you were losing your voice to “Teenagers” at My Chemical Romance’s Long Live The Black Parade tour or wearing out AFI’s Silver Bleeds The Black Sun…, the past 12 months have been supremely rewarding for alternative fans of every ilk. Though we recently listed out our 50 best albums of the year, there’s inevitably a host of releases that fly under the radar. That’s why we are wrapping up our end-of-year reflection by turning to our readers and asking them to tell us the most underrated albums of 2025. Their answers added to our ever-growing playlists, and you can find the top fan picks ranked below.
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5. Yellowcard – Better Days
Back in October, Yellowcard returned with Better Days, their first full-length in nearly a decade, though our readers didn’t think it got enough attention from the rest of the world. Produced by Travis Barker at his famed Woodland Hills studio, the comeback album embraced the sugary pop punk of their Ocean Avenue days, even flashes of Lights and Sounds, while looking toward the future. “[Better Days] brought us into the room with nothing to start with. Just a fresh day, fresh minds, fresh idea,” frontman Ryan Key detailed in the band’s AP cover story interview, reflecting on the journey that brought the band back together. After hearing Better Days from front to back, it’s no wonder they made this list.
4. Thrice – Horizons/West
On 2021’s Horizons/East, Thrice challenged themselves like never before. With its companion record, Horizons/West, they upped the stakes. “Every time we make a new album, we give it everything we have,” frontman Dustin Kensrue says. “We immerse ourselves fully in writing and recording, we have a blast, we pull our hair out a bit, and we come through it all with something we are really proud of. Sometimes you stumble into something special — I think we all feel that with this record.” Continuing the themes, genre fluidity, and ambition of H/E, Thrice proved that they can keep pushing themselves out of their comfort zones. Another highlight: The band deconstructed all of its songs to give them greater meaning, as seen below.
3. The Boy Detective – Disco Lunch
The Boy Detective appeared on our best Midwestern bands poll back in the fall, earning their place through vibrant ska and song titles that look ripped out of From Under the Cork Tree. Several months later, readers have again recognized the seven-piece, this time for their debut full-length, Disco Lunch, which was sorely underrated in their eyes. Brimming with huge energy, hooky singalongs, and unabashed danceability, they’ve been bringing fun to the dance floor all year long. Catch them on a trio of East Coast shows throughout the rest of December, including opening for Goldfinger in Philly.
2. The Starting Line – Eternal Youth
Since releasing 2007’s Direction, the Starting Line have mostly stayed active by playing their classics on tour, including the 10th anniversary of Say It Like You Mean It in 2012. However, the 2000s pop-punk veterans broke a long spell when they returned with their first album, Eternal Youth, in nearly two decades via their own Lineage Recordings. As frontman Kenny Vasoli told us from his home, the band took influence from Lifetime’s Jersey’s Best Dancers, Sonic Youth’s Dirty, and Title Fight’s Spring Songs EP. Their schedule has been packed since, debuting the new songs at this year’s When We Were Young Festival and their own headlining tour.
1. Half Dizzy – Yard Sale
If you remember, Half Dizzy made it onto our best Long Island bands poll earlier this year, topping the list. Now, their fans have returned to push the band’s Yard Sale to the front of the most underrated albums of 2025. Produced by Pete Steinkopf of the Bouncing Souls and released just last week, the LP unravels tales of joy, survival, and growing up through punk grit. Between end-of-year burnout, holidays, and traveling, albums released in December never seem to get a fair shake, making Yard Sale worth a spin or two.
