Marilyn Manson: A Year in Review (2025)

Photo by Lindsay Warner (Dec. 2025)

In my attempt to write a year in review for Marilyn Manson in 2025, I wanted to first read as much of an objective evaluation as possible if one existed, so I decided to go on Chat GPT and asked the question: "Can you give me a year in review for Marilyn Manson in 2025?" This is what the response was:

 

Marilyn Manson: A Year in Review (2025)

The year 2025 marked one of the most consequential chapters in the career of Marilyn Manson—a year defined by closure, reemergence, and a recalibration of his place in contemporary culture. After years of controversy, legal uncertainty, and near-total industry exile, Manson’s return unfolded steadily across legal, musical, and public arenas, culminating in a reassertion of his artistic and personal narrative.

Legal Resolution and Aftermath

The most significant development came early in the year. In January 2025, the Los Angeles County District Attorney officially dropped all criminal charges related to the multi-year investigation into allegations against Manson, bringing an end to a four-year process that had loomed over his life and career. While civil litigation continued in limited form, the dismissal of criminal charges marked a turning point, allowing Manson to publicly frame the moment as a “new beginning.”

Throughout the year, further legal developments—including dismissals and setbacks in civil cases—reinforced a broader narrative shift. By mid-December, analysis of court rulings made clear that the legal landscape had changed substantially from the one that first emerged in 2021. Media scrutiny increasingly turned from accusation to examination of investigative practices, credibility, and coordination among accusers and authorities.

A Gradual Return to the Stage

With legal pressure easing, Manson returned to live performance in earnest. After resuming European touring in early 2025, he expanded his presence with festival announcements that included Rock Fest, Aftershock, Inkcarceration, Knotfest Mexico, and major U.S. events such as Rocklahoma and Louder Than Life.

Despite protests and cancellation campaigns in several cities, many venues stood firm. Shows in the UK, Mexico, and the United States largely proceeded as scheduled, often selling strongly. A particularly symbolic moment came when Manson returned to his hometown of Canton, Ohio—an appearance widely interpreted as a quiet act of personal reclamation.

New Music and Collaborations

Musically, 2025 was Manson’s most active year in over a decade. His collaboration with Falling In Reverse on the single “God Is a Weapon” became a defining moment of his comeback. The track amassed millions of views within days of release and sparked intense debate, praise, and renewed critical engagement.

Manson also released a stark cover of Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight,” reinforcing his continued interest in reinterpretation and atmosphere over trend. Industry figures including Ronnie Radke, Zoltan Bathory, Piggy D, Tyler Bates, and others spoke publicly in his defense or about their collaborations with him, signaling a gradual thaw within the rock and metal community.

Cultural Reassessment

Beyond music, 2025 saw a broader cultural reassessment of Manson’s public image. Investigative reporting—most notably by major newspapers—raised uncomfortable questions about how allegations had been handled, amplified, and monetized. Several high-profile figures distanced themselves from prior positions, while others acknowledged the complexity of the situation.

Simultaneously, attempts to “cancel” appearances or erase past associations increasingly met resistance. Rather than fading into obscurity, Manson re-entered public discourse as a contested but unavoidable figure—no longer absent, no longer silent.

Personal Milestones

Amid the turbulence, Manson maintained a notably restrained public presence. He marked his 56th birthday quietly, paid tribute to figures such as David Lynch and Ozzy Osbourne, and celebrated personal milestones with his wife, Lindsay Warner, including their fifth wedding anniversary. These moments offered glimpses of stability after years of public chaos.

Conclusion

In retrospect, 2025 was not a year of triumph in the conventional sense—but it was undeniably a year of redefinition. Marilyn Manson did not return unchanged, nor did the culture that once rejected him. Instead, the year revealed a complex, ongoing reckoning: with art and accusation, with power and narrative, and with the consequences of collective judgment.

Whether viewed as vindication, rehabilitation, or simply endurance, 2025 restored Marilyn Manson to visibility—and ensured that his story, far from being concluded, entered a new and more contested phase.

What I found most interesting about the above year in review, to which I fed AI no information, is that it pretty much follows what I wrote and posted about online, and even includes a basic overview of what the media said, and I think it does a pretty good job. Just to give you an idea of what I wrote about this year,  below is a list of all the titles I posted here on my website in 2025. If you want to read any of them, please go to the News section of my website.

January 2025

• 1/9/25 – Marilyn Manson Celebrates His 56th Birthday

• 1/17/25 – Marilyn Manson Pays Tribute To David Lynch

• 1/18/25 – Marilyn Manson Set To Perform at Rock Fest 2025

• 1/21/25 – Marilyn Manson Announces Spring 2025 U.S. Headlining Tour and Inkcarceration Festival Appearance

• 1/24/25 – Ronnie Radke Shares Photo of a Recent Meeting With Marilyn Manson

• 1/25/25 – LADA Drops Charges in the Four Year Criminal Investigation of the Marilyn Manson Allegations

February 2025

• 2/1/25 – Marilyn Manson Proclaims "A New Beginning" Exactly Four Years After Being Falsely Accused

• 2/11/25 – Marilyn Manson Kicks Off 2025 European Headline Tour

• 2/14/25 – Watch Marilyn Manson Make a Valentine's Day Dedication To His Wife Lindsay

• 2/19/25 – Rolling Stone Germany Reviews Marilyn Manson's Return To Berlin

March 2025

• 3/1/25 – Marilyn Manson in the Lineup for 2025's Rocklahoma and Louder Than Life

• 3/21/25 – Marilyn Manson Replacing Five Finger Death Punch for Arizona Bike Week 2025

• 3/21/25 – Marilyn Manson Will Be Returning to the Aftershock Festival 2025

May 2025

• 5/2/25 – Marilyn Manson Releases Cover of Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight"

• 5/2/25 – Marilyn Manson Announces Second Leg of the One Assassination Under God Tour for U.S. and Europe

• 5/2/25 – Three New 2025 Festival Dates for Marilyn Manson

• 5/8/25 – Paz De la Huerta Interviewed About Marilyn Manson Allegations Made by Love Bailey

• 5/16/25 – Billy Corgan Gives Corey Feldman a Platform and It Backfires

• 5/18/25 – Why Are Evan Rachel Wood's Documentaries Getting Odd Promotional Coverage?

• 5/19/25 – Piggy D Talks About Joining Marilyn Manson

• 5/20/25 – Falling In Reverse Release New Song and Music Video "God Is a Weapon" Featuring Marilyn Manson

• 5/20/25 – Marilyn Manson and Lindsay Warner Celebrate 5th Wedding Anniversary

• 5/20/25 – "Accusations Against Manson Complete Bullshit," Zoltan Bathory Says in Defense of Marilyn Manson

• 5/22/25 – Reactions to the Music Video "God Is a Weapon" Which in 48 Hours Has 1.5 Million Views

June 2025

• 6/5/25 – Updates in the Ashley Walters and Bianca Kyne Cases Against Marilyn Manson as of June 2025

• 6/5/25 – Marilyn Manson Continues His Streak of Hits With His Collaboration on "God Is A Weapon"

• 6/27/25 – Marilyn Manson: "An Inspiration To People… I'm Proud To Stand Next To Him" Says Piggy D

• 6/27/25 – Interview With Former Marilyn Manson Band Member Daniel Fox

• 6/28/25 – Amid Collaboration Between the Two Artists, Ronnie Radke Defends Marilyn Manson

• 6/29/25 – Catholic Archbishop in Mexico Fails To Have Marilyn Manson Concert Canceled

July 2025

• 7/5/25 – Why Was the Marilyn Manson Concert in Brighton, England Canceled?

• 7/8/25 – Signs of Collusion Between Evan Rachel Wood and the LADA

• 7/10/25 – Did Catholics in Mexico Organize 40 Days of "Fasting and Prayer" To Prevent Marilyn Manson Concert?

• 7/10/25 – Marilyn Manson Celebrated "Undependence Day" on July 4th By Sharing New Photos

• 7/10/25 – Marilyn Manson To Headline Knotfest Mexico 2025

• 7/13/25 – The Evolution of a Fake "Controversy" Over Marilyn Manson's Appearance at Black Sabbath's Farewell Concert

• 7/14/25 – Evan Rachel Wood Practically Begged To Return for Practical Magic 2 But She Was Still Rejected

• 7/16/25 – L.A. Times Makes Stunning Revelations in the Marilyn Manson Investigation by the LADA

• 7/16/25 – Lindsay Warner Featured In a New Interview

• 7/23/25 – Marilyn Manson Pays Tribute to Ozzy Osbourne Upon News of His Passing

• 7/26/25 – Despite Pressure to Cancel Marilyn Manson's Nottingham Show, Venue Confirms it is "Going Ahead as Scheduled"

August 2025

• 8/2/25 – Marilyn Manson Attends Ozzy Osbourne Funeral

• 8/25/25 – Marilyn Manson's "Historic" Concert in San Luis Potosi Brought "Cultural Justice" and "Unity"

• 8/27/25 – Eminem Drops Previously Unreleased Track With a Marilyn Manson Reference

• 8/27/25 – Aaron Lewis Talks About His "Penpal" Friendship With Marilyn Manson

September 2025

• 9/1/25 – Tyler Bates Gives a Revelatory Interview at Rocklahoma 2025

• 9/15/25 – Open Letter Calls for Cancelation of Marilyn Manson Concert in Bern

• 9/15/25 – Chloë Sevigny Buckles Under Pressure and Removes Photo With Marilyn Manson

• 9/20/25 – Reba Meyers Reveals in New Interview That the Actual Story of Marilyn Manson Is More Interesting Than the Controversy

• 9/20/25 – Marilyn Manson Returns To His Hometown in Canton, Ohio

October 2025

• 10/14/25 – Seth Green Recounts the Time Marilyn Manson Punched Andy Dick in the Throat

• 10/18/25 – Evan Rachel Wood and Jaime Bell Have New Custody Arrangement

December 2025

• 12/18/25 – A Deep Dive Into the Second Court Dismissal of the Case of Ashley Walters Against Her Former Employer Marilyn Manson

In summary, the highlights of 2025 for Marilyn Manson were the LADA dropping the charges against him after a four year criminal investigation, his highly successful headlining tour along with the completion of 101 total shows touring with his current lineup since 2024, the release of his new cover of Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight", the release of the wildly popular hit "God is a Weapon" with Falling in Reverse as a song and video, his appearance at Ozzy Osbourne's farewell concert and subsequent funeral, his historic concert in front of 205,000 people in San Luis Potosi, his return to his hometown with his wife Lindsay in Ohio, and the dismissal of his former assistant Ashley Walters' case against him.

 

Of course, no year would be complete without a good Marilyn Manson controversy, and there were plenty of those in 2025 as well. Among the controversies were Manson's collaboration with the highly controversial Ronnie Radke, the failed attempt to have his concerts canceled in Mexico, Switzerland and Great Britain, the success of protestors having his concert in Brighton in the U.K. canceled, the fake news story of him getting a negative reaction from the crowd at Ozzy's farewell concert, Chloë Sevigny removing her photo with Manson on Instagram following backlash, the backlash received by Norman Reedus just for mentioning he went to see a Manson show in Madrid, and Seth Green talking about Manson punching Andy Dick many years ago on Bill Maher's podcast.

 

Unfortunately due to my busy schedule, especially in the month leading to my week long vacation in Spain in early October and ever since, I have not covered those stories, and there were quite a few. My goal is to rectify this and post about some of the news stories I missed, especially since October 2025, in the coming week or two. I also have much to post about other things I wanted to get to. This is my immediate goal for 2026. 

 

As for Marilyn Manson, there is much to look forward to in the coming year. For example, as I will post more about another time, Manson has already announced that his next album, chapter 2 of the previous 2024 album, will be released soon. New tour dates for 2026 have also begun to be scheduled. As for lawsuits, currently there is only one active case, which should be resolved in one way or another in 2026. I see nothing but Manson continuing his career upward projection that began in 2024 with his so-called comeback, and which continued in 2025. I look forward with great anticipation to see what 2026 has in store for him.