Metal By Numbers 2025: Full year analysis in album sales

2025 has officially come to a close, and what a year it was. We saw some significant losses: Ozzy Osbourne, Ace Frehley, Brent Hinds, Tomas Lindberg, to name a few, alongside bizarre news cycles, band quarrels, breakups, and major lineup shifts. Now, we’re ready to see what 2026 will bring.

While Metal Insider continues to publish year-end lists, with contributors showcasing their favorites, this year’s roundup may be one of the most diverse yet: (check out the following lists: Elise, Chris A., DJ Alex Kayne, Lisa, Zenae, Ian, Chris L., Matt, Kyle O., Jordeana, and Jillian). Combining so many perspectives is never easy, but that’s part of the process. Each list is paired with a playlist for your listening pleasure, whether it’s music you may have missed, releases worth revisiting, or albums you simply want to check out. Our lists reflect honest personal taste in heavy music, with some rock and punk mixed in along the way. And while recommendations are plentiful, they don’t always align with what charts and album sales tell us.

That said, it’s worth saying: it’s time to bring physical releases back into the conversation. Support the bands and music you love, buy a record on vinyl, CD, cassette, or whatever format is available. Start a new collection. As technology continues to evolve, costs keep rising, and direct support matters more than ever. With that in mind, here’s a full recap of album sales in 2025.

Metal By Numbers offers an in-depth look at album sales, from records that made strong chart debuts to slow-burn releases that quietly moved a steady 100 units week after week. It’s always a mix. While we don’t have 100% of the data, there’s enough available to sketch a clear picture of how album sales shaped up across 2025. After highlighting the top chart debuts in 2024, this year we went deeper, taking a broader look at cumulative sales, longevity, and consistency. We continue to share this data as often as possible, and below is a snapshot of how albums performed throughout 2025 in terms of sales.

Top 51 Notable Debuts of 2025:

01) Twenty One Pilots, Breach (Fueled By Ramen)
Release Date: 09/12/2025
Debut Chart #: 1
Sold: 168,725

02) Ghost, Skeletá (Loma Vista)
Release Date: 04/25/2025
Debut Chart #: 1
Sold: 76,745

03) Sleep Token, Even In Arcadia (RCA)
Release Date: 05/09/2025
Debut Chart #: 1
Sold: 74,515

04) Deftones, Private Music (Reprise)
Release Date: 08/22/2025
Debut Chart #: 3
Sold: 65,900

05) Nine Inch Nails, Tron: Ares Soundtrack (The Null Corporation/Interscope)
Release Date: 09/19/2025
Debut Chart #: 2
Sold: 38,910

06) Aerosmith & Yungblud, One More Time (Capitol)
Release Date: 11/21/2025
Debut Chart #: 3
Sold: 37,345

07) Babymetal, Metal Forth (Capitol)
Release Date: 08/08/2025
Debut Chart #: 2
Sold: 33,510

08) Turnstile, Never Enough (Roadrunner Records)
Release Date: 06/06/2025
Debut Chart #: 3
Sold: 27,500

09) Pink Floyd, Pink Floyd At Pompeii – Mcmlxxii (Legacy Recordings)
Release Date: 05/02/2025
Debut Chart #: 3
Sold: 20,125

10) Spiritbox, Tsunami Sea (Rise Records)
Release Date: 03/07/2025
Debut Chart #: 4
Sold: 16,415

11) Dream Theater, Parasomnia (Inside Out Music)
Release Date: 02/07/2025
Debut Chart #: 3
Sold: 16,405

12) Lumineers, Automatic (Dualtone Music Group)
Release Date: 02/14/2025
Debut Chart #: 4
Sold: 16,135

13) Coheed And Cambria, The Father Of Make Believe (Coheed And Cambria)
Release Date: 03/14/2025
Debut Chart #: 5
Sold: 11,585

14) Alice Cooper, The Revenge Of Alice Cooper (earMUSIC)
Release Date: 07/25/2025
Debut Chart #: 7
Sold: 11,410

15) Yungblud, Idols (Locomotion Recordings)
Release Date: 06/20/2025
Debut Chart #: 4
Sold: 11,380

16) Volbeat, God Of Angels Trust (Republic Records)
Release Date: 06/06/2025
Debut Chart #: 7
Sold: 11,200

17) Mammoth, The End (BMG)
Release Date: 10/24/2025
Debut Chart #: 7
Sold: 11,125

18) Artist/Album: Three Days Grace, Alienation (RCA)
Release Date: 08/22/2025
Debut Chart #: 5
Sold: 10,855

19) King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Phantom Island (p(doom) Records)
Release Date: 06/13/2025
Debut Chart #: 4
Sold: 10,780

20) Rage Against The Machine, 1993 Tour Compilation (Rsd First/Indie E)
Release Date: 04/11/2025
Debut Chart #: 6
Sold: 10,225

21) The Who, Live At The Oval 1971 (UMe)
Release Date: 08/22/2025
Debut Chart #: 6
Sold: 10,050

22) AFI, Silver Bleeds The Black Sun… (Run for Cover)
Release Date: 10/03/2025
Debut Chart #: 5
Sold: 9,550

23) Led Zeppelin, Live EP (Atlantic)
Release Date: 09/12/2025
Debut Chart #: 8
Sold: 9,500

24) Talking Heads, Live On Tour 1978 (Rhino)
Release Date: 04/11/2025
Debut Chart #: 11
Sold: 8,850

25) Halestorm, Everest (Atlantic)
Release Date: 08/08/2025
Debut Chart #: 8
Sold: 8,435

26) Warning, Live From Auditorio Nacional, CDMX (Lava/Republic Records)
Release Date: 08/22/2025
Debut Chart #: 07
Sold: 7,880

27) Lorna Shore, I Feel The Everblack Festering Within Me (Century Media)
Release Date: 09/12/2025
Debut Chart #: 10
Sold: 7,700

28) Garbage, Let All That We Imagine Be The Light (BMG)
Release Date: 05/30/2025
Debut Chart #: 4
Sold: 7,200

29) Testament, Para Bellum (Nuclear Blast)
Release Date: 10/10/2025
Debut Chart #: 9
Sold: 7,022

30) Depeche Mode, Memento Mori: Mexico City (Columbia)
Release Date: 12/05/2025
Debut Chart #: 15
Sold: 6,750

31) Chevelle, Bright As Blasphemy (BMG)
Release Date: 08/15/2025
Debut Chart #: 5
Sold: 6,845

32) Steven Wilson, The Overview (Fiction Records)
Release Date: 03/14/2025
Debut Chart #: 10
Sold: 6,900

33) Billy Idol, Dream Into It (Dark Horse Records)
Release Date: 04/25/2025
Debut Chart #: 7
Sold: 6,465

34) Rush, Rush 50 (UMe/Mercury and Anthem Records)
Release Date: 03/21/2025
Debut Chart #: 11
Sold: 6,475

35) Sleep Theory, Afterglow (Epitaph)
Release Date: 05/16/2025
Debut Chart #: 9
Sold: 6,585

36) David Gilmour, The Luck And Strange Concerts (Legacy Recordings)
Release Date: 10/17/2025
Debut Chart #: 8
Sold: 6,375

37) The Hives, The Hives Forever Forever The Hives (Play It Again Sam)
Release Date: 08/29/2025
Debut Chart #: 9
Sold: 6,350

38) Dayseeker, Creature In The Black Night (Spinefarm)
Release Date: 10/24/2025
Debut Chart #: 11
Sold: 6,080

39) Slaughter To Prevail, Grizzly (Sumerian Records)
Release Date: 07/18/2025
Debut Chart #: 16
Sold: 5,905

40) Dance Gavin Dance, Pantheon (Rise Records)
Release Date: 09/12/2025
Debut Chart #: 15
Sold: 5,885

41) I Prevail, Violent Nature (Fearless Records)
Release Date: 09/19/2025
Debut Chart #: 17
Sold: 5,510

42) Whitechapel, Hymns In Dissonance (Metal Blade)
Release Date: 03/07/2025
Debut Chart #: 17
Sold: 5,480

43) Between The Buried And Me, Blue Nowhere (Inside Out Music)
Release Date: 09/12/2025
Debut Chart #: 17
Sold: 5,250

44) Jethro Tull, Curious Ruminant (InsideOut Music)
Release Date: 03/07/2025
Debut Chart #: 20
Sold: 4,980

45) Sammy Hagar, Sammy Hagar & The Best Of All Worlds Band – The Residency (Big Machine Rock)
Release Date: 10/10/2025
Debut Chart #: 17
Sold: 4,738

46) Beat, Neon Heat Disease: Live, In Los Angeles (Inside Out Music)
Release Date: 09/26/2025
Debut Chart #: 23
Sold: 4,640

47) Counting Crows, Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets! (BMG)
Release Date: 05/09/2025
Debut Chart #: 14
Sold: 4,600

48) Van Morrison, Remembering Now (Virgin Music)
Release Date: 06/13/2025
Debut Chart #: 15
Sold: 4,515

49) Ramones, Live At Cbgb, 1977 (RSD 2025)
Release Date: 11/28/2025
Debut Chart #: 51
Sold: 3,965

50) Avatar, Don’t Go In The Forest (Black Waltz)
Release Date: 10/31/2025
Debut Chart #: 18
Sold: 3,990

51) Drain, …Is Your Friend (Epitaph)
Release Date: 11/07/2025
Debut Chart #: 20
Sold: 3,825

Top 25 approximate cumulative YTD sales as of December 5, 2025:

01) Twenty One Pilots, Breach (Fueled By Ramen)
Approximate YTD: 230,125
Weeks on Charts: 13

02) Ghost, Skeletá (Loma Vista)
Approximate YTD: 155,425
Weeks on Charts: 33

03) Sleep Token, Even In Arcadia (RCA)
Approximate YTD: 148,575
Weeks on Charts: 32

04) Deftones, Private Music (Reprise)
Approximate YTD: 135, 900
Weeks on Charts: 16

05) Turnstile, Never Enough (Roadrunner Records)
Approximate YTD: 73,260
Weeks on Charts: 27

06) Nine Inch Nails, Tron: Ares Soundtrack (The Null Corporation/Interscope)
Approximate YTD: 71,600
Weeks on Charts: 12

07) Linkin Park, From Zero (Warner Records)
Approximate YTD:Estimated 58,575 for 2025, approximate 182,350 in total since the 2024 release.
Weeks on Charts: 56

08) Yungblud, Idols (Locomotion Recordings)
Approximate YTD: 49,250
Weeks on Charts: 25

09) Aerosmith & Yungblud, One More Time (Capitol)
Approximate YTD: 45,275
Weeks on Charts: 3

10) Pink Floyd, Pink Floyd At Pompeii – Mcmlxxii (Legacy Recordings)
Approximate YTD: 42,535
Weeks on Charts: 21

11) Lumineers, Automatic (Dualtone Music Group)
41605 (22 charting weeks)
Approximate YTD: 41615
Weeks on Charts: 31

12) Babymetal, Metal Forth (Capitol)
Approximate YTD: 41,250
Weeks on Charts: 18

13) Spiritbox, Tsunami Sea (Rise Records)
Approximate YTD: 39,350
Weeks on Charts: 40

14) Dream Theater, Parasomnia (Inside Out Music)
Approximate YTD: 34,925
Weeks on Charts: 44

15) A Day To Remember, Big Ole Album Vol. 1 (Fueled By Ramen)
Approximate YTD: 29,155
Weeks on Charts: 42

16) Twenty One Pilots, Clancy (Fueled By Ramen)
Approximate YTD: 28,350 for 2025 and 234,825 since its 2024 release.
Weeks on Charts: Approximately 38 for 2025, 76 total since 2024.

17) Coheed And Cambria, The Father Of Make Believe (Coheed And Cambria)
Approximate YTD: 27,000
Weeks on Charts: 36

18) Three Days Grace, Alienation (RCA)
Approximate YTD: 24,275
Weeks on Charts: 16

19) Alice Cooper, The Revenge Of Alice Cooper (earMUSIC)
Approximate YTD: 24,025
Weeks on Charts: 20

20) Linkin Park, Papercuts (Warner Records)
Approximate YTD: 23,000 for 2025, 110,600 since its 2024 release.
Weeks on Charts: 31 for 2025, 73 in total since its 2024 release.

21) Volbeat, God Of Angels Trust (Republic Records)
Approximate YTD: 22,450
Weeks on Charts: 27

22) Led Zeppelin, Live EP (Atlantic)
Approximate YTD: 19,150
Weeks on Charts: 13

23) Chevelle, Bright As Blasphemy (BMG)
Approximate YTD: 18,950
Weeks on Charts: 17

24) Halestorm, Everest (Atlantic)
Approximate YTD: 18,685
Weeks on Charts: 18

25) Mammoth, The End (BMG)
Approximate YTD: 18,375
Weeks on Charts: 7

Top 10 longest-charting albums of 2025

As of December 5, 2025

01) Linkin Park, From Zero (Warner Records)
45 weeks in charts
Approximately 58,575 sold in 2025, 182,350 since its 2024 release.

02) Spiritbox, Tsunami Sea (Rise Records)
40 weeks in charts
Approximately 39,350 sold.

03) A Day To Remember, Big Ole Album Vol. 1 (Fueled By Ramen)
40 weeks in charts
Approximately 29,155 sold.

04) Dream Theater, Parasomnia (Inside Out Music)
44 weeks in charts
Approximately 34,925 sold.

05) Twenty One Pilots, Clancy (Fueled By Ramen)
Approximately 38 weeks in charts for 2025, 76 total since 2024
Approximately 28,350 for 2025 and 234,825 since its 2024 release.

06) Ghost, Skeletá (Loma Vista)
Approximately 33 weeks in charts.
Approximately 155,425 sold.

07)Sleep Token, Even In Arcadia (RCA)
Approximately 32 weeks in charts.
Approximately 148,575 sold.

08) Linkin Park, Papercuts (Warner Records)
Approximately 31 weeks in charts for 2025, 73 in total since its 2024 release.
Approximately 23,000 sold in 2025, 110,600 since its 2024 release.

09) Volbeat, God Of Angels Trust (Republic Records)
Approximately 27 weeks in charts.
Approximately 22,450 sold.

10) Turnstile, Never Enough (Roadrunner Records)
Approximately 27 weeks in charts
Approximately 73,260 sold.

Honorable Mentions: slow-burn but consistent sellers:

01) Blood Incantation, Absolute Elsewhere (Century Media)
Appeared at least 45x in charts, 62 total since its 2024 release.
Approximately 13,000 sold in 2025, 37,775 total since 2024.

02) Falling In Reverse, Popular Monster (Epitaph)
Appeared at least 44x in charts for 2025, 69 total since its 2024 release.
Approximately 11,000 sold in 2025, 51,460 total since 2024.

03) Poppy, Negative Spaces (Sumerian Records)
Appeared at least 44x in charts, 56 total since its 2024 release.
Approximately 15,000 sold in 2025, 24,500 total since 2024.