12 Albums Turning 25 in 2025
The year 2000 featured a unique mix of major debuts, major comebacks, and bands on the edge of greatness. Here are 12 albums turning 25 in 2025.
Coldplay – Parachutes
The world met Coldplay 25 years ago with their debut album Parachutes. The album went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album and yielded the classic tune “Yellow.”
Radiohead – Kid A
Kid A is a great example of how an album sometimes needs some time to be appreciated. Radiohead was facing the daunting task of following up 1997’s OK Computer. Upon its release, Kid A received mixed reviews. Seemingly, people either loved or hated this album. Upon further review, critics have come to consider Kid A one of the best albums of the 2000s.
Green Day – Warning
The Warning era was an interesting time for Green Day. They still existed and were a draw, but they just weren’t the force during the time of Dookie. In retrospect, Warning represents Green Day at a unique crossroads where they embraced more elements other than their punk roots. Of course, in four short years, they would unleash American Idiot, which would cement their legacy for decades to come.
U2 – All That You Can’t Leave Behind
The year 2000 saw U2 go back to basics. The band spent the ’90s experimenting with a completely different sound and identity compared to nearly everything they did in the ’80s. While 1997’s Pop and its supporting tour were a success, there was a feeling of “bloat” around that whole era. Once again, U2 had to “go away and dream it all up again.” The result was All That You Can’t Leave Behind, which featured arena-ready songs like “Beautiful Day,” “Elevation,” and “Walk On.”
Deftones – White Pony
When it comes to fanbases, Deftones are often not mentioned in the mix of other well-known fanbases. However, ask any Deftones fan about the first time they listened to White Pony, and you’ll be hit with a level of passion akin to a K-Pop stan. Yes, White Pony is beloved among Deftones fans, but the album remains one of the most unique, genre-defying albums of the 2000s.
Linkin Park – Hybrid Theory
If you were coming of age in the year 2000, there’s a good chance that Hybrid Theory had a stranglehold on you or one of your closest friends. Few bands exploded on arrival quite like Linkin Park did with their debut album, which has sold 12 million copies in the United States alone.
The White Stripes – De Stijl
De Stijl was the second studio album from The White Stripes. At this point, they were still bubbling under the surface, but just one year later, the Detroit duo would arrive in a big way with White Blood Cells.
3 Doors Down – The Better Life
Yet another major debut album released in 2000! 3 Doors Down wasted little time making an impact with “Kryptonite,” the lead single off of The Better Life. That single peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and it was followed by “Loser,” “Duck and Run,” and “Be Like That.”
AC/DC – Stiff Upper Lip
It’s funny looking back on Stiff Upper Lip and thinking about the age narrative surrounding AC/DC at that time. (Little did anyone know that AC/DC would be launching a large world tour in 2025!) While Stiff Upper Lip doesn’t pack the same punch of some of the band’s classic titles, it’s still a solid, fun rock record with some jams that still hold up today, like the title track, “Satellite Blues,” and the underrated “Hold Me Back.”
Disturbed – The Sickness
Oh, ah, ah, ah, ah! The year 2000 featured another major debut in the rock world via Disturbed. It’s incredible to think that we’ve all been “Down with the Sickness” for 25 years now. Seriously, where does the time go?!
No Doubt – Return of Saturn
Return of Saturn came out five years after the release of the megahit album Tragic Kingdom. As a result, No Doubt had an incredibly tough task in writing a follow-up. While Return of Saturn didn’t produce the same commercial impact, the album has aged incredibly well thanks, in part, to singles like “New,” “Simple Kind of Life,” “Ex-Girlfriend,” and the ska-forward “Bathwater.”
Bon Jovi – Crush
Crush introduced Bon Jovi to a whole new generation and helped solidify them as worldwide arena draws. The monster lead single “It’s My Life” remains one of the best songs in their entire catalog, but Crush, as a whole, remains a pop-rock delight 25 years after its release. Give it a listen if you haven’t done so in a bit. We’d bet good money that you’ll find yourself singing “One Wild Night” or “Just Older” or “Captain Crash & The Beauty Queen from Mars” in your head for the next couple of weeks.
