Are you looking for new music and wondering what’s dropping next year? 2025 is closer than ever, and there are plenty of new albums already planning to be released in the first quarter already. Here are just a few that we’re looking forward to, along with their lead singles and release dates.
Videos by American Songwriter
January 8: Ethel Cain — Perverts
Ethel Cain is releasing her second full-length studio album, Perverts, on January 8, 2025. She dropped the lead single on November 1, titled “Punish.” Additionally, this will be her first new music since Preacher’s Daughter in 2022. “Punish”—and Ethel Cain in general—is a masterclass in “patient listening,” as one fan wrote in the YouTube comments for the new video. Cain’s work takes time; it meanders through sullen piano, sustained and reverberated bass, and richly crafted imagery. There’s a harvesting that must be done with an Ethel Cain song, but the reward is always worth the work.
According to Cain in conversation with Kiernan Shipka for Interview, she’s planning to push her sound into ideal territory. For Cain, that’s “10- to 20-minute songs just drenched in reverb, so slow, and super repetitive … I feel a bit more confident doing that and less worried about what people will think.”
February 14: Horsegirl — Phonetics On and On
Horsegirl is set to release their second album, Phonetics On and On, on Valentine’s Day next year. The trio released the first single, “2468,” on November 19, giving fans a taste of the new offering. The single evokes nostalgic schoolyard feelings, a bit of Kimya Dawson or “We’re Going To Be Friends” by The White Stripes. Sonically,it’s a slight departure from Horsegirl’s staunch indie sound. Fans in the comments of the “2468” video noted this, but also shared their excitement for the new record. Overall, there’s a need for unapologetically, innocently, and uncomplicatedly weird music in this day and age, and Horsegirl is here to deliver.
February 21: The Wombats — Oh! The Ocean
The Wombats announced their newest album Oh! The Ocean in October, and have released two singles so far—”Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come” and “Blood On the Hospital Floor.” The album is due out on February 21, and seems to continue with The Wombats’ familiar, upbeat indie rock sound. “Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come” will open the album with an ever-relatable sentiment: Am I insufferable? I can’t tell / Feels like I’m making it a problem / Feels like I’m never gonna solve them, and It’s not that I hate you, I just hate everyone / I don’t want to socialize unless I’m getting numb / Sorry I’m late, I didn’t want to come in the chorus.
Overall, Oh! The Ocean will be a sun-drenched offering from The Wombats, steeped in Los Angeles vibes where the band recorded. According to frontman Matthew Murphy, the ocean was a huge inspiration. “I’ve been to many beaches and seas and coasts over the years but for some reason it felt like the first time I had ever seen it and was truly present,” he said, per a report from Clash. “There was this revelation that I had been living a life caught up in my own head, or in some kind of racing helmet or with blinkers on. It was really a potent experience.”
March 7: Spiritbox — Tsunami Sea
Spiritbox recently announced their newest album, Tsunami Sea, releasing the first single “Perfect Soul” on November 19. Additionally, lead vocalist Courtney LaPlante took to social media to answer fan questions about the new record, from the artwork inspiration to lyrical and thematic influences, per a report from Loudwire. LaPlante noted that the overall inspiration for the album was “my island,” and expanded on that throughout the Q&A. Allegedly, Vancouver Island was an important inspiration, and when asked about the album art, LaPlante answered, “It is our island, a place we always wanted to leave but it longs for us to stay.”
There will allegedly be some experimentation with Spiritbox’s sound, but LaPlante didn’t provide any more details on that front. It seems like Tsunami Sea may be conceptual, but it could be a concept that strikes a personal chord for LaPlante.
March 21: The Horrors — Night Life
The Horrors will release their sixth album, Night Life, on March 21, and in October released the lead single, “The Silence That Remains.” The single notably has a familiar goth sound, with steady, thrumming bass and drums keeping time for the occasional shiny synth effect. Longtime Horrors fans shared their excitement in the comments of the new video. One person noted that this is “a great time for fans of darker rock” with the release of The Cure’s new album as well.
In a press release, per a report from NME, the band shared some details about the new single. “’The Silence that Remains’ is a 3am insomnia walk through the city, retracing our steps and putting the past to bed,” they said. “Our new chapter is beginning and we’re looking forward to taking you with us. The Horrors are never-ending.”
Featured Image by Debbie Hickey/Getty Images
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