'90s Progressive Metal Icon Shares Personal Opinion on Top Albums of 2025
- - '90s Progressive Metal Icon Shares Personal Opinion on Top Albums of 2025
Madz DizonJanuary 2, 2026 at 2:45 AM
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Mike Portnoy, the legendary drummer best known as a founding member of Dream Theater, has shared his personal picks for the top albums of 2025, offering fans a rare look at what inspires one of progressive metal’s most influential figures.
While Portnoy is often praised for his technical skill behind the drum kit, his annual list highlights something just as important: he is still a passionate music fan who listens closely and with curiosity.
Portnoy’s unranked Top 10 album list for 2025 leans heavily toward progressive rock and progressive metal, genres that helped define his career in the 1990s and beyond. At the same time, the selections show that his taste remains wide and open, stretching from experimental sounds to emotionally rich songwriting.
For longtime fans, the list feels less like a critic’s ranking and more like a personal mixtape from a trusted guide.
At the top of the news is the simple fact that Portnoy continues to celebrate new music even while balancing a busy year with Dream Theater. In 2025, the band released Parasomnia, Portnoy's first studio album with the group since 2009, while also touring globally in celebration of their 40th anniversary.
Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater with his Spirit of Prog award during the Classic Rock Roll Of Honour Awards at the Park Lane Hotel on November 2, 2009 in London, England.Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty ImagesMike Portnoy’s Top Albums of 2025
According to Loudwire, Portnoy’s unranked list of favorite albums for 2025 includes the following releases:
Igorrr – Amen
Cardiacs – LSD
Sloan – Based on the Best Seller
Moron Police – Pachinko
Steven Wilson – The Overview
Biffy Clyro – Futique
Cosmic Cathedral – Deep Water
Spock’s Beard – The Archaeoptimist
Tallah – Primeval: Obsession // Detachment
Imperial Triumphant – Goldstar
From Igorrr’s unpredictable structures to Steven Wilson’s expansive songwriting, Portnoy’s picks reflect his appreciation for ambition and originality.
One of the most personal selections is Tallah’s Primeval: Obsession // Detachment. The album features Portnoy’s son, Max Portnoy, who transitioned from drums to bass for the release. The mention adds a family connection to the list and shows Portnoy’s pride in the next generation of musicians pushing creative boundaries.
Other picks, such as Moron Police’s Pachinko and Biffy Clyro’s Futique, further prove that Portnoy is not confined to one sound. Instead, he gravitates toward artists with strong musical identity, whether they lean experimental, melodic or aggressive.
Portnoy’s opinion carries weight not just because of his resume, but because of how closely it connects to his current chapter with Dream Theater. After rejoining the band in 2023, he helped shape Parasomnia, an album built around dark dream themes and long, detailed compositions.
Reflecting on working with Dream Theater again, Mike Portnoy said in an interview with Troy Culpan of Australia's May The Rock Be With You that the creative chemistry returned almost instantly. Writing together after more than a decade apart felt natural, and that energy is part of why fans pay attention when he talks about music he admires. His listening habits help explain where that creative spark comes from.
In a year defined by reunion, reflection and forward motion, Portnoy’s Top 10 albums of 2025 act as a snapshot of where progressive music stands today—and where one of its pioneers believes it’s headed next.
Related: Beloved 2000s Rock Band Helps Fan Make Personal Announcement During Concert
This story was originally published by Parade on Jan 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pop Culture section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
