July 2025’s new music releases include albums from the resurgent Styx, the reuniting Alice Cooper group and the remastered Jethro Tull.
The avian-themed Crash of the Crown is Styx’s third LP since 2017. They kicked off this creative rebound with The Mission, another concept album that just missed the Top 40. Tommy Shaw, an avid birder, took a lead role but all of the songs on this 41-minute, 13-song project were again written by some combination of Shaw, producer Will Evankovich and singer/keyboardist Lawrence Gowan.
The Alice Cooper group returns with their first new studio album in more than five decades. The Revenge of Alice Cooper features contributions from all five original members, including late rhythm guitarist Glen Buxton. Alice Cooper was joined in the studio by lead guitarist Michael Bruce, bassist Dennis Dunaway and drummer Neal Smith. They constructed “What Happened to You” with a riff from an old demo tape by Buxton, who died in 1997.
Live from the Rainbow Theatre With Ray Cooper returns to an historic moment: Elton John‘s six-show London residency with the percussionist in May 1977 launched a run of more than 230 concerts together. An expanded super deluxe edition of Talking Heads‘ second album features tons of studio outtakes and live recordings. More Songs About Buildings and Food was their first with producer Brian Eno, whose three-album collaboration with the group included the career-making Remain in Light.
Jethro Tull has expanded and remastered 1972’s Living in the Past. Now a six-disc box set, Still Living in the Past has been bolstered with demos and live tracks. As with their other recent projects, Steven Wilson handled the remix. One of the earliest live recordings by Sly and the Family Stone also arrives just days after band leader Sly Stone died after suffering from a range of health issues. The First Family: Live at Winchester Cathedral 1967 returns to a show that took place a year before their debut was issued.
More information on these and other pending rock albums can be found below. Remember to follow our continuously updated list of scheduled new music for details on records issued throughout the year.
July 4
Average White Band, The Essential Selection (2CD set)
Bruford [Yes/King Crimson], One of a Kind (expanded and remixed CD/DVD edition)
Giles, Giles and Fripp [King Crimson], The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles and Fripp; The Brondesbury Tapes (remastered CD/vinyl reissues)
Jack Black and various artists, A Minecraft Movie: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (blue 2LP edition with Andrew Wyatt, Dirty Honey, Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh, others)
Various artists: I’m a Freak Baby 3: A Further Journey Through The British Heavy Psych and Hard Rock Underground Scene 1968-1973 (3CD box with Deep Purple, Yardbirds, Mott the Hoople, Uriah Heep, others)
Various artists, Once Upon a Time In the West Midlands: The Bostin’ Sounds of Brumrock 1966-1974 (3CD box with the Electric Light Orchestra, Moody Blues, Judas Priest, Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, others)
July 11
Billy Joel, Glass Houses; The Nylon Curtain; The Bridge; Storm Front; River of Dreams; Fantasies and Delusions (vinyl reissues)
Chris Stamey [the dB’s], Anything Is Possible (with Marshall Crenshaw, Mitch Easter, Don Dixon, others)
Diamond Head, Live and Electric
George Harrison, Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison (first-ever 2LP release)
Girlschool, Running Wild/Live In London (CD/DVD edition)
Jeffrey Foskett [Beach Boys], Something There: Remembering Jeffrey Foskett (with Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Robert Lamm, Christopher Cross, others)
Jethro Tull, Still Living in the Past (expanded and remixed 5CD/Blu-Ray and 2LP reissue)
The Kinks, The Journey – Part 3: 1977-1984 (2CD set)
Steve Hackett, The Lamb Stands Up Live at the Royal Albert Hall (2CD/Blu-ray)
Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Mona Bone Jakon; Tea for the Tillerman (CD/vinyl reissues)
July 18
Bush, I Beat Loneliness
Colin Hay [Men at Work], Man @ Work, Volume 2 (10-track CD and aqua blue vinyl release)
Joe Bonamassa, Breakthrough (CD, digital and crystal water LP)
Kix, Cool Atomic Kix (8CD box)
Seals and Crofts, Gold and Rainbows: The Warner Bros. Years 1969-1978 (5CD box)
Sly and the Family Stone, The First Family: Live at Winchester Cathedral 1967
Styx, Circling From Above
Various artists, I Wanna Be a Teen Again: American Power Pop 1980-1989 (3CD box with Cheap Trick, the Ramones, Bangles, Smithereens, Eric Carmen, Go-Go’s, others)
Various artists, Rollin’ and Tumblin’ American Electric Blues 1965-1971 (3CD box with the Allman Brothers, Paul Butterfield, Janis Joplin, Captain Beefheart, others)
July 25
Alice Cooper, The Revenge of Alice Cooper
Bruce Dickinson [Iron Maiden], More Balls to Picasso (remixed and expanded reissue)
Elton John, Live from the Rainbow Theatre With Ray Cooper
Eric Andersen, Blue River: Live in Tokyo
Gwar, The Return of Gor Gor (The Pit)
Hawkwind, Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music (remastered vinyl reissue)
Jerry Garcia Band, Live at The Warfield: February 28th, March 1st & 2nd, 1991 (6CD and digital release)
Nick Drake, The Making of Five Leaves Left
Paul Weller, Find El Dorado
Pete Brown [Cream], Can’t Get Off the Planet: The Recordings 1968-1973 (6CD clamshell box)
Peter Buck [R.E.M.] and Luke Haines, Going Down to the River … To Blow My Mind (CD and vinyl editions)
Renaissance, Opening Out: The Albums 1977-1979 (3CD box)
Talking Heads, More Songs About Buildings and Food (expanded 3CD/1Blu-ray reissue)
Various artists, I Shall Be Released: Covers of Bob Dylan 1963-1970 (3CD box with the Byrds, Hollies, Leon Russell, Janis Joplin, Harry Nilsson, the Faces, others)
August and Beyond
Elvis Presley, Sunset Boulevard (5CD box set)
Roger Waters, This Is Not a Drill: Live From Prague (DVD, Blu-ray, CD, vinyl and streaming releases)
Black Keys, No Rain, No Flowers (CD, digital and emerald green vinyl releases)
Jethro Tull, Live From Baloise Session 2008 (2CD or 2LP release)
John Fogerty, Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years
The Who, Live at the Oval 1971 (CD, 2LP, Atmos and digital releases)
Deep Purple, Rapture of the Deep (remixed and expanded reissue)
John Wetton, Concentus II: The John Wetton Live Collection Volume Two (10CD box)
Various artists, Remembering Gary Brooker: The Concert (2CD/Blu-ray/DVD box with bandmates from Procol Harum, Roger Taylor, Mike Rutherford, Paul Carrack, others)
David Byrne, Who Is the Sky?
Glenn Hughes [Deep Purple, Black Country Communion], Chosen
Genesis, The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway: 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition (4CD/Dolby Atmos mix Blu-ray or 5LPs/Dolby Atmos mix Blu-ray)
Jerry Garcia Band, Live at The Warfield: February 28th, March 1st & 2nd, 1991 (vinyl release)
Top 25 Rock Albums of 2024
Once again, reports of the genre’s death have been greatly exaggerated.
Gallery Credit: Michael Gallucci
They Hated Their Own Albums
