Top 12 Oi! Oi! Oi! Releases of 2025.
Picking out the best Oi! releases of 2025 was no easy task. There were a lot of great releases this year, but there is a thin line between punk, hardcore and Oi!. For the most part, the lyrics either had to either have Oi! Oi! Oi! right in them or the band had to describe themselves as an Oi! band for me to include them. If you think I missed a good one, please drop it in the comments and I’ll give it a listen. Oi!
The Hostile Ones “Not Like You”
This is a 5-song 10", with two of the songs ("Only Talk" and "Are We Clear?") coming from a previously released single (which also came out in 2025). It looks like they started in 2021 and have a few more releases prior to this one, which would be well worth tracking down. Great artwork with a nod to Agnostic Front and S.H.A.R.P. right on the cover. Mostly short, fast, gruff hardcore/Oi! songs, and it grabbed me right away with the opening song "Only Talk" that kicks off with a scream of "Oi!". "Only Talk," "Violent Mob Mentality," and "Are We Clear?" all made my current playlist. Number 12 on my list, but still a top Oi! release of the year.
Violent Way “I’ll Ask You/ They Said”
I was lucky enough to see Violent Way on tour with Agnostic Front, and they are top-shelf Oi! The singer/ guitar player had “Oi! Ain’t Dead” on his guitar and tattooed on his arm and a shirt that said “Shaved For Battle” with an iron cross. There is no confusing that this is a skinhead/Oi! band. The song “They Said” also has the Oi! Oi! Oi! chant. Easily a top 10 Oi! release this year, and this is just a single from their upcoming album. Hopefully that album drops soon, and maybe even another tour.
Knife’s Edge “Let The Hard Times Roll”
This one has “Oi! Oi!” in the album artwork, they do a great cover of the classic Oi! song “Someone’s Gonna Die” by Blitz, and the cover also has a nod to 4 Skins. We also get the classic “Oi! Oi!” chant throughout. There is a mix of slower and faster songs, with the same gruff vocals and Oi! sound. This is a follow-up to their 2024 “Rats In Power” and is well worth checking out.
BULLSHIT DETƎCTÖR, "No Joy"
This is another band that I was introduced to at Punk Rock Bowling. In 2025, they replaced Violencia in the line-up when Violencia had passport issues. I was glad that they did, as it was a great set, and it led me to their “No Joy” EP, which is one of the top 10 Oi! releases of the year. “You Made Us” is the standout song.
Local Offenders “Oi! The Parody”
One of several Oi! parody bands that put out great releases this year (checkout Potato Skins and Oil! both coming up). The humor in this one is a bit more discreet, but I was laughing as I was singing along. The first three songs “My Boots Are Taller Than Yours”, “You Weren’t There In ‘82” and “Our Local” all made my current playlist, and are solid Oi! anthems. Great record.
Templars "Reconquista Volume 3: 1996 - 2011"
The Templars are in the process of rereleasing a bunch of their old material (this is Volume III, with Volume II coming out back in 2020). I normally don’t include reissues of this type, but it’s so good that I just had to. This compilation is a lot better than I had expected; it wasn't a bunch of poorly recorded demos and outtakes of substandard songs. These songs are high quality, and many are just as good as anything else that they have ever done. "Take On The World" and "Politicians" were standouts.
Tear Up “Repeat Offenders”
Tear Up’s EP from 2023, "They Can Lock The Locks, But They Can't Stop The Clocks," was one of the best Oi! releases that year. I still spin "Fighting Down The Boozer" once in a while. They also played Rebellion Festival this year, and are basically killing it as an Oi! band. They are in full force in 2025, and as good as ever with a top 5 Oi! release of the year.
Booze & Glory "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot"
"Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" opens with "Boys Will Be Boys," with the first couple of lines being chants of "Oi! Oi! Oi!". It's catchy, and I was singing along even before it ended on my very first spin. I love the band, and I love this record. I wish that they would have thrown in at least a few shorter, faster songs, but you can't have everything. A no-brainer for the top dozen Oi! releases of the year.
Lion’s Law “Evermore”
A 15-song full-length LP that follows "The Pain, The Blood, and The Sword" (2020). I was first introduced to them when they played a Punk Rock Bowling pool party on the roof of the Downtown Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. It was an amazing show; I bought two shirts and have been spinning their last album ever since. "Sewer Rats" was the initial single and has a professional video to go with it (see below). I’m guessing a lot of punk rockers would have this as the best Oi! release of the year, as it took a lot of digging through much more obscure releases to find anything (slightly) better. A stellar release.
Takers 'N' Users “The Ten Year Hangover”
"16 Years," "Resistance," and especially "Fuck Me" were all great and went right to my current playlist. Sing-along Oi! songs that I couldn't get out of my head. Not every song is blazing fast, but the intensity is always there, and songs like "Resistance" add the speed and combine street punk and Oi! perfectly. The songwriting is top shelf, as is the production (so I can play this loud). If you have the patience, there is a hidden acoustic track after "Home Is Where The Heart Is," reminiscent of an old Irish drinking song. Highly recommended and one of the best Oi! releases of the year.
Potato Skins "From Soil To Steel"
Potato Skins "Battered But Still Standing"
These guys win the prize this year for the best band name and album name, with a play on skinhead/Oi! music and appetizers. Their first release of 2025 was a 3-song EP, and I was immediately singing right along with it. All three songs are excellent, and although I wish they were recorded a little louder, I'm OK with turning it up a little every time they come on. Their full-length "From Soil to Steel" came out next and was even better. "Oi! For The Unemployed," "You Ain't A Skin, You're Just Bald," "Work Sucks, Oi! Doesn't," and "My Therapist's A Skinhead" all went to my current playlist, but there isn't a bad song on here. Even if you don’t like Oi! music, this is one of the best records of the year.
Oil! "Honour The Glory
Oil! is most definitely a skinhead/Oi! parody band but also creates some of the best Oi! songs ever written. Their entire catalog is great, so if you like this, go back and check it all out. This year’s release was fanstastic, with “Skinhead (The Song),” “Thistle,” and “Steel Toed Laces” all making my list of the best songs of the year. This was first released as a full-length “Honour The Glory” and then later some of the songs as a 10” vinyl “They Honor Our Glory.” The title is no more or less confusing than their entire catalog of albums with variations of the same name. With lyrics like "Gonna fuck shit up, I drunk some gasoline I do an Ajax bump. Now my power walk has turned into a march, flipping people off and exposing private parts", these guys sound a little crazy but the songs hold up. I couldn't find a better Oi! album this year. Essential.
