With strong albums from veterans Alex G, Japanese Breakfast, and Car Seat Headrest, and killer debuts from newcomers like Lifeguard, 2025 has been packed with great indie rock. In the latest episode of our Rolling Stone Music Now podcast, we look back at the year in indie so far, with Simon Vozick-Levinson joining host Brian Hiatt for the discussion. (To hear the whole episode, go here for the podcast provider of your choice, listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or just press play below.)
Alex G technically just departed the world of indie this month by releasing his major-label debut, after years of cult fame — Headlights is full of sharp, fully realized, Elliott Smith-worthy songs. Another longtime fave, Japanese Breakfast, a.k.a. Michelle Zauner, brings genre-hopping sophistication to her fourth album, For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women).
Wet Leg are still on the indie label Domino, but the viral success of their self-titled 2022 debut and frontwoman Rhian Teasdale’s obvious charisma have pushed them well beyond the typical limits of indie fame. Their new album, Moisturizer, embraces the jokey appeal of their debut on tracks like “CPR” while also finding new emotive and emotional ground throughout.
Geese‘s Getting Killed isn’t out until September, but their single “Taxes” is one of the strongest songs of their career. Another yet-to-be-released album, It’s a Beautiful Place, from one-time Geese opening act Water From Your Eyes, is a collection of stylistically singular freak-outs, combining John Frusciante-inspired guitar blasts and electronics.
Chicago’s Lifeguard have one of the year’s strongest debuts with the relentlessly melodic Ripped and Torn, which sounds like a lost album from the 2004 indie boom. That band’s drummer, Isaac Lowenstein, is the brother of Horsegirl singer/guitarist Penelope Lowenstein. Horsegirl’s second album, Phonetics On and On, goes beyond the Sonic Youth influences of their debut toward gentler songcraft.
The episode also touches on Model/Actriz’s Pirouette, Lily Seabird’s Trash Mountain, Sunflower Bean’s Mortal Primetime, Lambrini Girls’ Who Let the Dogs Out, and Car Seat Headrest’s The Scholars, among other albums.
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