The Best Metal Song of 2025

“End of You,” the powerhouse collaboration between Poppy, Amy Lee and Courtney LaPlante is Loudwire’s Best Metal Song of the Year.

In an internet-breaking fashion, the generation-crossing and genre-spanning trio met the moment with an emphatically nuanced and emotionally riveting display of modern metallic might that is the signal fire for what had already been a gradual changing of the guard.

It’s a stamp on where metal rests at the midpoint of the 2020s as the remaining half of the decade finally comes into focus.

Masterminded by the musically chameleonic Poppy and produced by the rapidly rising Jordan Fish, “End of You” is a showcase of all three singers’ distinct talents and backgrounds, fused into one cohesive, instantly memorable anthem that nails classic hit-song structure without sacrificing an ounce of identity.

Why Did We Pick This Song?

There is much more to “End of You” than the obvious collaborative starpower that exists within its three-and-a-half minutes.

Sure, it carries the same emotional weight that the Avengers or Justice League does for superhero fans, but no amount of parasocial hype can overshadow what this song actually delivers in 2025: unity, self-empowerment, the arrival of a new era and yet another reminder that metal’s net is wider than ever.

Amy Lee’s ghastly, spirit-stirring voice leads the song straight away, but she’s actually singing Poppy’s lyrics. Inversely, the Evanescence frontwoman wound up writing the lyrics Poppy takes on in the second verse — the essence of a true collaboration rather than cut/paste guest feature that’s part of an increasingly dominant trend.

Fish — who’s quickly become this generation’s go-to producer and a defining architect of modern metal’s evolving sound — commands the track with a porous wall of sound that gives “End of You” both breathing room and plenty of ear candy. That space smooths the intentionally jarring transitions, especially the fade from Poppy to LaPlante within the same line as the Spiritbox singer steps in, with bandmate Mike Stringer lending crunchy guitar to what’s easily 2025’s best metal song.

That Poppy/LaPlante scream drops straight into metal’s grounding force for the last 20–25 years: the almighty breakdown. It’s hardly a new element within the genre, but the breakdown has evolved so many times that its staying power now depends on the dynamic setup around it — a big reason these pit-starting moments still hit as hard as they do, studio savvy aside.

Lyrically, “‘Cause the end of you is the start of life for me” doesn’t sound like this is about overcoming so much as it is about seizing power for your own, taking full control and putting yourself in charge. It’s a scornful farewell to what once was as new paths and possibilities open up, all yours for the taking.

Powerful.

Poppy, Ame Lee, Courtney LaPlante – “End of You” Music Video

READ MORE: The 51 Best Rock + Metal Songs of 2025

What Did Fans Say?

Expectedly, fans decorated “End of You” as one of the greatest musical triumphs of all time.

Its arrival was first met with enthusiastic fanfare and ravenous anticipation after a single photo of the trio surfaced — posed shoulder-to-shoulder, jet-black hair perfectly draped, each of them staring coldly and purposefully into the distance.

Whatever this was going to be, it was undoubtedly huge.

And it was.

The release of “End of You” sent a seismic blast that rippled through the scene. Anticipation is something that’s become bite-sized and exceedingly rare in the hyper-accelerated age of instant gratification and dopamine barrages that rob of us the rich reward of the payoff of that anticipation.

Such a thing creates vibrant community moments where fans can simply enjoy the moment together and celebrate with one another that the song is a masterpiece. A sense of community is what we as humans crave and, even if just for a few minutes, being able to share a bond over a new song is what makes life enjoyable.

So whether you’re busy anointing this trio with a snappy new nickname, finally feel like you got your own version of that 2001 Christina Aguilera/Lil’ Kim/Mýa/Pink collab, had your mind blown or just caught a healthy dose of nostalgia, “End of You” delivered.

What Does It Mean for the Artists?

For Poppy, Amy Lee and Courtney LaPlante, the timing of this collaboration comes at a significant moment for each of them.

As one fan eagerly pointed out above, Lee is on a roll. With 2021’s The Bitter Truth (Evanescence’s first LP of all-new material since 2011) helping introduce the band to a younger generation beyond the existing hits, it also re-established them as a writing force and momentum has careened upward. Add in this year’s single from Netflix’s Devil May Cry (“Afterlife”) and a K.Flay collab song for the movie Ballerina (“Fight Like a Girl”) and it’s hard to throw more heat than that.

Evanescence, “Afterlife” Music Video

It also means that Lee is seeing her impact on heavy music play out across a newer breed of musicians, underscoring just how influential she truly is.

Poppy, when she’s not sweetly singing or scarily screaming on the stages of late night television shows, shocking normies at home every step of the way, continues to use her enigmatic persona to willfully and freely dip into a multitude of styles. Her forthcoming seventh album, Empty Hands, is sure to continue a streak of genre defiance as Poppy sticks to her shape-shifting instincts that’s seen her become a unique visionary in metal.

Poppy, “Unravel” Music Video

Courtney LaPlante will look to take home her first-ever Grammy, having earned a third consecutive nomination with Spiritbox. This time, it’s for Best Metal Performance for the bone-crunching “Soft Spine” off Spiritbox’s sophomore album, Tsunami Sea.

Spiritbox, “Soft Spine” Music Video

“End of You” finds three shooting stars leaving an aligned cosmic vapor trail.

What Else Is Next in 2026?

Not content to let this all-time collab exist only as a song and music video, a massive tour will take place next year, headlined by Evanescence. While Spiritbox and Poppy will both provide support, all three acts will not be appearing at the same show. Instead, each will perform at select dates (the same goes for additional special guests Nova Twins and K.Flay).

See all tour dates below and check listings carefully regarding the supporting acts.

For tickets, head to the Evanescence website.