31 Essential Rock + Metal Albums Turning 50 in 2025

Can you believe it’s been half a decade for these rock and metal albums turning 50 in 2025?

After R&B, soul and pop influenced the early era of rock ‘n’ roll, guitar heavy music was definitely showing more attitude and bite than it had in prior decades.

On the world stage, Watergate was wrapping up, Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft and the Vietnam War ended with the Fall of Saigon. Saturday Night Live premiered on NBC, All in the Family was the biggest TV show, Jaws dominated the box office and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was the big winner at the Oscars. Muhammad Ali defeated Joe Frazier in the Thrilla in Manilla and the Pittsburgh Steelers were Super Bowl champs.

In music acts such as Led Zeppelin, The Who and David Bowie were carrying over their successes into a new decade, while a fresh batch of rising ’70s stars such as Aerosmith, Bad Company, KISS and Lynyrd Skynyrd were starting to build their own legacies with key 1975 records.

It was a year in which we saw Ted Nugent, Ritchie Blackmore, Alice Cooper and Fleetwood Mac start new chapters to their illustrious careers, while Heart and AC/DC were just kicking off their careers.

READ MORE: The Best New Rock or Metal Band From Each Year of the 1970s

So what were the big rock and metal albums of 1975? Let’s revisit these essential rock and metal albums turning 50 in 2025 below.