A Recap of Serj Tankian’s Bold 2025 and Where He's Headed in 2026
- Jasmine Fuentes
- Oct 26, 2025
- 3 min read
In 2025, Serj Tankian reinforced his status as a multifaceted cultural force, balancing the massive scale of a System Of A Down hyperlink https://www.systemofadown.com/ stadium tour with deeply personal solo projects and high-profile art exhibitions.
One of the most significant music world headlines of 2025 was System Of A Down’s return to the road. This was in fact their largest North American stadium tour to date. It would be fair to say that this band transcends genre categorization based upon their cultural impact, therefore, we can say they are a household name by this point. Throughout August and September, Tankian led the band through sold-out performances at iconic venues that sent the OG metalheads and newer fans (who may have NEVER seen them perform live until this point) into a frenzy. It would be surprising to find heavy music fans who did not catch the news of those shows, as the high attendance levels gave the live music scene a much needed breath of fresh air. These performances demonstrated that despite the band's long-standing studio hiatus, their live demand remained high and grew further.
In October 2025, Tankian shifted focus to his solo career with the release of Covers, Collaborations & Collages. This compilation album served as a public archive for his most experimental work, featuring electronic collaboration with Deadmau5, and even a track built from unfinished sessions with the late producer Avicii. To go alongside the release, Tankian partnered with Gibson to launch a signature guitar featuring his own original "Sunburst" painting on the body. To collaborate with such a world renowned company only furthers the reach of this well known artist’s solo endeavors. A few of those exclusive guitars are still available to purchase!
Beyond music, 2025 was a landmark year for Tankian’s visual art by way of The Art of Disruption. He launched a comprehensive exhibition that mapped his career-long intersection of painting and socio-political activism. Additionally, his photography collection, Human/Non-Human Animals, toured internationally, highlighting his advocacy for animal rights and environmental conservation. His 2021 documentary, Truth to Power, also saw a resurgence in 2025 as it was released on major streaming platforms, further cementing his legacy as a human rights advocate for the Armenian cause. A true creator of art who communicates through many different mediums, there is surely something he has made that can impact you if you explore it. To understand the legacy of Serj Tankian is to question the hows and whys of the world.
Start out your current Serj exploration by having a listen to his single, “ELECTRIC DREAMS” from his compilation release.
Entering 2026, Grammy-winning metal outfit System of a Down has plans in place to tour across the U.K., Europe, and North America, including a high-capacity show in Mexico City. The band will also headline the Sick New World festival in Las Vegas in April 2026, following the event's cancellation in 2025. The year is still young, so there is more to come as we move forward. Serj Tankian continues to defy the boundaries of the traditional "rock star" archetype. While his identity remains strongly linked to his role as the frontman for SOAD, this Armenian-American artist has spent the last two decades building a multi-disciplinary empire of music, visual art, and advocacy. If you are new to the solo artist version of Serj Tankian, his debut solo album Elect the Dead (2007), and other earlier solo release Harakiri (2012) are worth a visit.
