2025 Emo Tier List: The Top 10
“It takes all this timе, all it takes a tide, to come around
To еnjoy the unknown, your own thoughts and talks, and feel around”
#10 Sport - In Waves (A Tier)
French Emo Revivalists Sport return after nearly a decade away with what is perhaps their magnum opus. What they lack in brand originality, they make up for with surprisingly fresh Midwest Emo compositions. Despite nothing on here being particularly special or unique, each song distinguishes itself from the ones that came before and serves a greater function of the album. Overall, everything on here is great, even if it isn’t the absolute pinnacle of 2025 Emo.
“If I keep writing these same songs over and over again,
Will they one day connect? I don’t know, but I’ll keep trying.”
#9 Kerosene Heights - Blame It On the Weather (A Tier)
With their third release in as many years reaching my top 10, it’s clear that I hold Kerosene Heights in high regard; their endlessly energetic combination of Emo and Pop-Punk has earned them this high praise. Strong vocals, active drums, powerful chord progressions and brilliant pacing make this near 40-minute experience sprint by with each listen. The exceptional vocal melodies, playful lead guitar and a few standout tracks will keep you coming back time and time again. Don’t wait until it’s too late! Get into one of the most underrated Emo bands of the 2020s now!
“I can’t remember the last time I felt alive
I’m always holding something back.”
#8 saturdays at your place - these things happen (A Tier)
Following their acclaimed 2023 EP always cloudy, s@yp has set the Emo scene ablaze. With possibly the most anticipated album of the entire year, the trio does not disappoint with these things happen. As has been the case, brevity is the name of the game for this band, with their ten-song LP totaling just 24 minutes. Because of this, each song is able to exist without overstaying their welcome, which invites tons of replays. Tonally, this album is slightly softer than always cloudy, but the compositions are so good and, in some cases, powerful, that it doesn’t make any difference.
“Who we are is not who we wish we are
Crash and burn in the sky like a shooting star.”
#7 Moving Mountains - Pruning of the Lower Limbs (A Tier)
Twelve long years after their final LP, a self-titled masterpiece that truly culminated the band’s epic musical evolution, Moving Mountains returns with this tour de force, Pruning of the Lower Limbs. Tonally, this picks back up where their previous LP left off, with accessible Alternative-imbued Emo that features respectable Post-Rock backdrops. Even though this album is more on the chill, atmospheric side of things, the band still knows how to ramp up for a good rock song. If this band holds a special place in your heart as it does for mine, this will be one of your favorites of the year. If not, I’d recommend checking it out anyway.
“Though your voice is sombrely strong tonight
We share a tongue and its relish for cyanide.”
#6 Dispirited Spirits - Winds Wept (A+ Tier)
Straddling the line between traditional, cathartic Midwest Emo and Progressive, experimental 5th Wave Emo, Dispirited Spirits’ third studio album Winds Wept is another for the record books. These Portuguese prodigies play artfully and expressively, taking their signature sound to its absolute limit. The technique on display is admirable, with numerous instances of skilled musicianship - some that can only really be heard by trained ears. The band isn’t afraid to play things heavy, either; they often utilize Post-Hardcore-adjacent guitar tones and impressive vocal ranges to squeeze the most out of each track.
“And sometimes I feel it slipping through my fingers
We can’t always count on later”
#5 Fine! I guess. - The Grass Isn’t Always That Green (A+ Tier)
Are you craving a passionate, twinkly slice of Math Rock-infused Midwest Emo? The Grass Isn’t Always That Green is THE release of the year for you, much like how Scumma do Mar’s album was for last year. Fine! I guess refuses to be uninteresting, constantly switching up time signatures, volume dynamics and intensity like any good Emo band. However, the guitar is almost nonstop in its riffing and twinkling, even when the music takes a decided backseat and goes mellow. The harmonious vocals and drumming clinic bring it all together for one of the best complete releases of 2025.
“I had all the hope, all the glamor of life before me
Dionysus as a girl stood on the freeway at midnight.”
#4 Crochet - Cherish (A+ Tier)
Cryptic, unnerving, technical, forboding - these are words that can only begin to describe the band’s output on this sophomore album. The dissonant, mathy guitar is always at the forefront of the music, providing the disharmonious melodies for the songs while the drummer performs as if their limbs are on fire and only scattered rapid-fire drumming can put it out.These give the music a huge sense of dread and unease. However, the primary reason this album has been rated this highly (similar to their debut in 2023) is the anguished duet of male and female screaming, which will wear you down into hopelessness. Listen to this if you need something to keep you on your toes.
“So what’d you find? After I asked you not to look a thousand times,
Just to realize It was right before your eyes the entire time.”
#3🥉 Charmer - Downpour (A+ Tier)
Following 2020’s ivy release, the band, with five years between LPs and only glimmers of hope to keep fans afloat, I can conclusively state that the wait was worth it. Besides being the band’s best effort since their acclaimed 2018 s/t, the flow of each song into the next is otherworldly; you can really feel the care put into making this a cohesive package. While yes, there are a number of extremely memorable songs on here, the sum of the whole is greater than any song is on its own, leading to frequent full-album replays. The varied moods, structures and even timbres found in this album allow for each track to breathe and function uniquely within this masterclass of Midwest Emo.
“I was scared to give you what you wanted
Because things don’t work out the way you think.”
#2 🥈 Ostraca - Eventualities (S Tier)
This band’s ascent into modern Screamo superstars needs to be studied! Although Ostraca has always had elements of ambiance and Post-Metal, this aspect of their sound exploded with their 2023 release Disaster; that work is continued here on Eventualities. This album is among the most somber of the year, even through the aggression and boisterousness. We can thank the ever-present quiet-loud dynamics that Ostraca has perfected for that, aided by some of the best production of the year and their immaculate guitar tones. Nothing on here is overwrought or overthought; everything exists as it should in perfect harmony. This isn’t just one of the Skramz albums of the year, it furthers the legacy of the 2020s Screamo Revival.
“I don’t think I can make it till December
But for now I’ll admire your frigid nature.”
#1 🥇 Page Girl - Carry Me Along, Blind Dog (S Tier)
After two rough but promising demo tracks were released at the beginning of the year, I was cautiously optimistic for what would come. Months later, Carry Me Along, Blind Dog released, blessing Screamo with the most refreshing record of the year. Through the brutality, dissonance, technicality and atmosphere, Page Girl’s greatest asset is the passion and vulnerability that emanates from every note and scream they put to record. Despite ticking all the boxes that I love in a classic Screamo album, which I’ve detailed in my thoughts on the many works released this year, what makes this my favorite Emo release of 2025 is the sense of dread, depression and emotional turmoil that the band evokes in me. It seems like Georgia is the scene to watch next.
And with that, Top 10 week is finally over…or is it?! I’ll be posting year-end playlists and a personal blog post soon! Please keep your eyes peeled for that and thank you very much for reading!
