Top Five Emo Albums Turning 20 This Year

2005 was a significant year for the emo/alternative scene. Many renowned artists released masterpieces that hold up to this day. This article will outline my top five albums that turn twenty in 2025.

5. Never Take Friendship Personal - Anberlin

In terms of the poppier side of emo, Anberlin is one of (in my opinion) the best. The songwriting prowess of front man and vocalist Stephen Christian is palpable in songs like “Dance, Dance Christa Päffgen” and the leading single and titular track,  “Never Take Friendship Personal.” This album is incredible, and the only reason it’s so low on this list is that I had so many amazing albums to sort through that I had trouble picking any of these.

4. From Under the Cork Tree - Fall Out Boy

Perhaps the most (at minimum, the second most) prolific band on this list, Fall Out Boy have been veterans of the music scene since 2003, with ten albums currently publicly available. Their sophomore album (excluding their self-released debut), From Under the Cork Tree was an incredible success when it first came out and it still holds a place as one of my favorite emo albums of all time. Pete Wentz really shows off his lyrical skill in songs like “Dance, Dance” (Not to be confused with “Dance, Dance Christa Päffgen” by Anberlin) and “Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner.”

3. A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out - Panic! At the Disco

While Panic! might be known nowadays as just Brendon Urie, for their first few albums, they were a proper band. A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out was their debut album, and, in my opinion, by far the best. It combines showtune intonation with pop-punk guitar and story-driven lyrics. Guitarist Ryan Ross wrote the lyrics for this album, and I think his best work includes: “Camisado” and “There’s a Good Reason These Tables Are Numbered Honey, You Just Haven’t Thought of It Yet.”

2. Nightmare Anatomy - Aiden

Divulging from the light-hearted take on emo and moving into the more hardcore side are Aiden. Referred to as “the closest thing emo has to the Misfits,” (OC Weekly, 2013) (albeit that was not meant to be a compliment) Aiden, back in the time of Nightmare anatomy, were an under-rehearsed, from the heart punk band, just like the Misfits. Yes, this adds a level of difficulty listening to their music, but once you get used to it, it’s incredibly worth it. William Control, the band’s vocalist, wrote this album. He’s an incredible lyricist, and that’s shown in songs like “Knife Blood Nightmare” and “Enjoy the View.”

1. Self-titled - Bayside

At number one, we have Bayside’s self-titled album. This album is one of my all time favorites, not just of the emo genre, but in terms of music as a whole. In their sophomore album, Bayside produced a masterpiece even greater than their debut, Sirens and Condolences, which is already an amazing album (and funny enough, the leading single from it is called “Masterpiece”). This album changed my life to say the least. Anthony Raneri’s vocals are hair-raising, even after hearing them so many times. His lyricism is unmatched, especially in songs like “Montauk,” “Blame It On Bad Luck,” “Existing in a Crisis (Evelyn),” and “Don’t Call Me Peanut.” Raneri’s instrumentals are beautifully written, the intro to “Devotion and Desire” is one of my favorite guitar riffs. 

Honorable Mentions:

The Poison - Bullet for My Valentine

I’m Wide Wake, It’s Morning - Bright Eyes

The Difference Between Houses and Homes - Cursive

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My name is Brody Beck. I’m a sophomore here at Poudre. This is my first year with the Poudre Press. I’m a huge music nerd, and I adore attending local shows. When I graduate, I would like to go on to higher education to become an audio engineer at a recording studio and perhaps pursue my own interests in creating music.