Most anticipated album releases of 2026
A new year always arrives with one reliable promise: an avalanche of fresh music. 2026 is already lining up as a heavyweight year, with major names such as A$AP Rocky, Ari Lennox, Poppy and others preparing to drop new albums in January alone, alongside intriguing debut full-lengths from rising artists including Mon Rovîa, Clothesline From Hell and XG.
And the wave doesn’t stop there. Further ahead, there’s plenty gathering momentum, from Charli XCX’s companion record linked to Emerald Fennell’s forthcoming film adaptation of Wuthering Heights, to Hilary Duff’s first studio album in more than a decade, and even the highly anticipated return of global K-pop titans BTS. Below is a rundown of the albums drawing the most attention so far this year.
Words by: Karen Gwee, Rhian Daly and Ziwei Puah.
- The Cribs – Selling A Vibe (January 9, Sonic Blew)
The Cribs have always carried a stubborn punk core, but there’s long been a pop shine under the grit — whether through their sticky melodies or the band’s instinct for choruses that lodge themselves in your head. That side takes the spotlight on their ninth album, with Chairlift’s Patrick Wimberly on hand and bringing a toolkit of contemporary pop production tricks. These are songs built to get bodies moving, yet the trio also turns inward, examining their relationship as brothers and the emotional weight that comes with a lifetime devoted to the same mission. RD - Dry Cleaning – Secret Love (January 9, 4AD)
With experimental indie heavyweight Cate Le Bon producing, Dry Cleaning’s third album carries traces of her touch as the London group drifts into moments that feel more folk-leaning than before. From long, looping singles that stretch past six minutes to harsh industrial bursts of noise, Secret Love proves the band’s appetite for risk and left turns is still very much intact. RD - Mon Rovîa – Bloodline (January 9, Nettwerk Music Group)
Liberia-born and Tennessee-raised, Mon Rovîa has already drawn listeners in with gentle, reflective songs that blend folk-rooted traditions with modern narrative craft. His debut album Bloodline looks set to deepen that connection, tackling identity, endurance, and change — themes that feel central to his work, but now expanded across a full-length statement. ZWP - Zach Bryan – With Heaven On Top (January 9, Belting Bronco Records)
Zach Bryan is quickly returning after 2024’s The Great American Bar Scene — an album that brought in high-profile collaborators — with With Heaven On Top, which he reportedly finished recording in December. The album kicks off what’s expected to be a packed 2026 for Bryan, with stadium dates planned across the U.S., Europe and the UK taking up much of the year. KG - A$AP Rocky – Don’t Be Dumb (January 16, AWGE/Polo Grounds/RCA)
Following a long legal battle, A$AP Rocky was found not guilty last February in connection to a 2021 shooting incident. Against that backdrop, his fourth album Don’t Be Dumb reads like a high-stakes return. With tracks such as “Pray4DaGang”, “Ruby Rosary” and “Tailor Swif” arriving in advance, it also marks his first full-length in nearly eight years since Testing. ZWP - Clothesline From Hell – Slather On The Honey (January 16, 444%)
Toronto artist Adam LaFramboise, under the name Clothesline From Hell, makes indie songs that are restless and sharp, even if they aren’t always as openly violent as the wrestling move that inspired the moniker. Still, there’s a shadowy pulse running through his debut full-length Slather On The Honey, especially on “Drug Of Choice”, which includes contributions from Matthew Tavares, formerly of BADBADNOTGOOD. KG - Lexa Gates – I Am (January 16, Capitol Records)
New York rapper Lexa Gates launches 2026 with I Am, her second full-length for Capitol. She’s already built a reputation not just for the music but for the spectacle surrounding it — including an extreme promotional stunt for her last record. Rumour has it she’s planning a different kind of headline-making move this time around. KG - Madison Beer – Locket (January 16, Epic Records/Sing It Loud)
Madison Beer returns with her third album Locket, following a run of dance-forward releases. After her 2024 house track “Make You Mine” earned Grammy attention, she kept the momentum rolling with similarly club-leaning singles “Yes Baby” and “Bittersweet,” setting the stage for an album that’s expected to continue that glossy, high-energy lane. ZWP - Sassy 009 – Dreamer+ (January 16, Heaven-Sent/PIAS)
It’s been a long time coming for Norwegian artist Sunniva Lindgård: nearly a decade after stepping out as Sassy 009, she’s finally releasing her debut album. Dreamer+ is framed as an eccentric alt-pop record, and the guest list alone signals ambition — featuring appearances from Blood Orange, BEA1991 and Yunè Pinku. ZWP - Sleaford Mods – The Demise Of Planet X (January 16, Rough Trade Records)
Described as their “most expansive and ambitious” work yet, Sleaford Mods’ latest seems to aim for scale both sonically and socially. The collaborator list is wide and strange in the best way: Aldous Harding appears alongside grime artist Snowy, while Liam Bailey sits in the same orbit as Sue Tompkins, formerly of Life Without Buildings. In the end, though, it still promises what they do best: sharp-eyed commentary delivered with bite and dark humour. RD - EXO – Reverxe (January 19, SM Entertainment)
After three years away, EXO return with their eighth studio album Reverxe. It will be their first release as a six-member lineup — Suho, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai, Sehun and the returning Lay — amid ongoing contractual disputes involving the label and the remaining three members, Chen, Baekhyun and Xiumin. ZWP - Ari Lennox – Vacancy (January 23, Interscope Records)
Ari Lennox re-enters the spotlight with Vacancy, her third studio album and her first since moving on from J. Cole’s Dreamville imprint. She’s teased the new chapter with three singles that have landed strongly: the playful “Soft Girl Era”, the throwback soul of “Under The Moon”, and the smoky, seductive title track. ZWP - Louis Tomlinson – How Did I Get Here? (January 23, 78 Productions Limited)
Written between the English countryside and Costa Rica, Louis Tomlinson’s third solo record leans into warmth and brightness. Lead tracks “Lemonade” and “Palaces” point in slightly different directions — psych-pop shimmer on one hand and sun-baked indie riffs on the other — but both suggest an album positioned as a potential cure for late-January gloom. RD - Megadeth – Megadeth (January 23, BlkIIBlk Records)
Megadeth’s 17th studio album is self-titled, and it arrives surrounded by speculation that it could be their final full-length. Even if that proves true, it doesn’t sound like the end of the story: frontman Dave Mustaine has hinted the band could continueх continue touring for several more years after the album’s release. ZWP - Poppy – Empty Hands (January 23, Sumerian Records)
Poppy’s career has been defined by sharp turns — from early conceptual internet-era experimentation to becoming the first solo female act nominated for a Best Metal Performance Grammy. Her next step reunites her with Jordan Fish, the producer associated with modern heavy music innovations, signalling another record likely to push her sound in unexpected directions. RD - PVA – No More Like This (January 23, It’s All For Fun)
Three years after their debut Blush — widely praised as a standout first album — London trio PVA return with their second full-length. Introduced by the electrifying electro-pop track “Boyface”, No More Like This explores desire and devotion while pulling sonic cues from an eclectic set of influences that spans hip-hop, trip-hop and leftfield electronic. ZWP - Searows – Death In The Business Of Whaling (January 23, Last Recordings On Earth)
Oregon singer-songwriter Alec Duckart, recording as Searows, joins the long lineage of artists inspired by Moby-Dick. His new album draws from the novel’s scale and obsession, but also from shoegaze textures and emotionally heavy indie reference points. The result is positioned as a contemplative folk record with a wintery, inward-looking pull. KG - XG – The Core (January 23, XGALX)
Japanese group XG are preparing to release their long-awaited debut album The Core. Introduced by the high-octane dance track “GALA”, the record is billed as the culmination of years of work — the moment where their hype, discipline and potential harden into a full album statement. ZWP - Softcult – When A Flower Doesn’t Grow (January 30, Easy Life Records)
Canadian duo Softcult have steadily built a committed audience through grungy shoegaze, a clear political voice, and relentless touring. Their debut album arrives in January, and the concept is framed as an arc: trauma and radicalisation giving way to empowerment, resilience, healing and eventually becoming the person you were meant to be, even if the world tried to crush that possibility. KG - Whitelands – Sunlight Echoes (January 30, Sonic Cathedral)
Whitelands’ second album title feels intentional: the songs released so far glow with chiming guitars and a brightness that cuts through winter frost. Tracks like “Songbird (Forever)”, “Glance” and “Heat Of The Summer” suggest a record that leans into warmth without losing shoegaze’s hazy sweep. KG - Joji – Piss In The Wind (February 6, Palace Creek)
Joji begins a new chapter with his fourth album, teased by singles including “Pixelated Kisses”, “If It Only Gets Better” and “Past Won’t Leave My Bed”. It’s also notable as his first release under his own imprint, Palace Creek, after years operating within the framework of his previous label home. ZWP - Mandy, Indiana – Urgh (February 6, Sacred Bones Records)
Mandy, Indiana’s second album — and their first for the respected label Sacred Bones — sounds designed to overwhelm. Early stretches are described as violently percussive and punishing, with chilling vocal outbursts pushing the music to the brink. Yet the promise is that moments of melody and clarity break through, capturing the thrill of four minds merging into something uncontained and unpredictable. RD - Puma Blue – Croak Dream (February 6, PIAS)
Jacob Allen returns as Puma Blue with Croak Dream, previewed by the title track and “Desire,” both signalling eerie, moody atmospheres. Though now based in Atlanta, Allen returned to London to record at Real World Studios, working alongside co-producer and mixer Sam Petts-Davies and longtime collaborator Harvey Grant. KG - Daphni – Butterfly (February 6, Jiaolong)
Dan Snaith continues to blur the lines between his Caribou and Daphni projects, never treating them as rigidly separate worlds. That overlap feels even more pronounced with “Waiting So Long”, a Daphni track featuring Caribou, serving as a striking preview of Butterfly and its shifting, hybrid energy. KG - Ella Mai – Do You Still Love Me? (February 6, 10 Summers/Interscope Records)
Ella Mai’s third album arrives four years after Heart On My Sleeve, with longtime collaborator Mustard serving as executive producer. The rollout has already included “Little Things” and “Tell Her,” setting up a release positioned as a major moment for one of contemporary R&B’s most recognised voices. ZWP - Ellur – At Home In My Mind (February 6, Dance To The Radio)
Five years after her first single, Halifax artist Ella McNamara — recording as Ellur — steps into her debut album era. The record is framed as a payoff for patience: bright, hooky indie-pop that pulls you in on first listen, then hits harder emotionally as the stories deepen and the layers begin to show. RD - Robbie Williams – Britpop (February 6, Sony)
After a delay of several months to avoid clashing with another major release, Robbie Williams’ 13th studio album finally lands. He has described it as the record he wanted to make immediately after leaving Take That in 1995, and has characterised the sound as more upbeat and anthem-ready than his usual baseline. ZWP - Angel Du$t – Cold 2 The Touch (February 13, Run For Cover Records)
Baltimore crew Angel Du$t return with Cold 2 The Touch, continuing to fuse hardcore muscle with pop-minded melody. Early tracks — including the title song and “Du$t” — highlight the band’s core trick: heavy energy that still makes room for sharp hooks and songwriting that loves to pivot when you least expect it. KG - Cardinals – Masquerade (February 13, So Young Records)
Cardinals have spoken openly about wanting their debut album to be a “classic,” a bold goal for any new band. The Cork five-piece will reveal their attempt with Masquerade, described by the group as an effort to peel back the facade people carry — ten songs aiming for raw, vulnerable storytelling with very little emotional padding. RD - Charli XCX – Wuthering Heights (February 13, Atlantic Records)
After closing the chapter on her Brat-era momentum, Charli XCX has shifted much of her attention toward film-related projects. Her biggest swing so far is a companion album tied to Emerald Fennell’s forthcoming adaptation of Wuthering Heights. With two radically different previews already released — including one that leans heavily toward spoken-word and another that fits her anthemic lane — the album’s full direction remains unpredictable. RD - Converge – Love Is Not Enough (February 13, Deathwish/Epitaph)
2026 marks major milestones for Converge, and it also brings their first standalone album in nine years. Titled Love Is Not Enough, the record is framed as a reflection on human resilience and the harshness of the world — ideas that vocalist Jacob Bannon has said he had been writing around for a long time before everything finally clicked in the studio. KG - Danny L. Harle – Cerulean (February 13, XL Recordings)
Five years after the multi-character club rush of Harlecore, Danny L. Harle returns with Cerulean and a new label home. The feature list is stacked across pop and experimental spheres, including Caroline Polachek, Clairo, Julia Michaels, PinkPantheress, Oklou, Kacha, MNEK — plus contributions connected to his own family life as well. KG - Hemlocke Springs – The Apple Tree Under The Sea (February 13, AWAL)
Hemlocke Springs turns her debut album into a vivid, fantastical world, following on from her 2023 EP. The record is framed as a self-discovery journey, processing past experiences in order to reach a sense of freedom, with her distinctive, colourful imagination shaping every step along the way. RD - Jill Scott – To Whom This May Concern (February 13, The Orchard)
Jill Scott returns with her first album in more than a decade. Introduced by the uplifting single “Beautiful People,” the record leans into themes of connection and shared humanity, and is set to include collaborations with artists such as Ab-Soul, J.I.D., Tierra Whack and others. - Hilary Duff – Luck… Or Something (February 20, Atlantic Records)
Hilary Duff’s sixth studio album is also her first in over ten years, and it’s positioned as a thoughtful look back at a lifetime spent in the public eye. The record is expected to examine the long-running perception of her as a grounded former teen star, and how that image has shaped her life after three decades in the spotlight. ZWP - Leigh-Anne – My Ego Told Me To (February 20, Made In The 90s)
Leigh-Anne steps fully into her solo identity with her debut album, described as personal, hard to categorise, and rooted in her Bajan and Jamaican heritage. After years in one of pop’s biggest groups, the project is framed as her finally taking full control — and doing things on her own terms. ZWP - MAY-A – Goodbye (If You Call That Gone) (February 20, Sony Australia)
For her debut album, MAY-A moves into a “harder” emotional and sonic space, shaping the project across two years of work split between Sydney and Los Angeles. The record is described as mapping a messy, complicated healing process — a way of documenting how someone survives what once felt impossible. ZWP - Megan Moroney – Cloud 9 (February 20, Sony)
Megan Moroney continues her rise with a third album built around honesty and lived experience. Following recent hit singles that balanced heartbreak and tenderness, Cloud 9 is framed as music written from the strongest and most self-assured version of the artist she has been so far. ZWP - Mumford & Sons – Prizefighter (February 20, Island Records)
Mumford & Sons bring a wide circle of collaborators into their sixth album, with a tracklist that includes major names from different lanes of popular music. The band have suggested the record pushes beyond the sound of their previous release and was shaped in part by time spent around Pharrell Williams, hinting at a project that aims to broaden their palette again. RD - Peaches – No Lube So Rude (February 20, Kill Rock Stars)
Peaches returns with her first album in over a decade, and the title alone signals she hasn’t softened. Expect the usual fearless mix of provocation and clarity, with sex-positive energy sitting alongside political bite from an artist who has never been interested in playing safe. RD - Stone – Autonomy (February 20, V2)
After a turbulent split from their previous label, Liverpool band Stone reboot with a second album pointedly titled Autonomy. The project is framed as a reclaiming — an act of self-definition and control that arrives louder, more focused, and more creatively charged than before. RD - Bill Callahan – My Days Of 58 (February 27, Drag City)
Bill Callahan returns with his eighth album and first since 2022, describing it in terms of a “living room” mood — intimate, grounded, and not overly loud or surreal. It follows a quieter period in his recorded output, though he has remained active through occasional collaborations. KG - Cootie Catcher – Something We All Got (February 27, Carpark Records)
Toronto band Cootie Catcher arrive with a third album and a new label home. Packed with bright, infectious indie-pop, it’s also notable as their first full-length recorded in a studio environment, with mixing handled by an artist known for shaping modern indie’s most interesting edges. KG - Deadletter – Existence Is Bliss (February 27, So Recordings)
Deadletter continue to stare straight at life’s absurd contradictions on their second album, expanding their palette with added instrumentation while keeping their grip on reality’s strange comedy and discomfort. The framing is simple and sharp: existence can be blissful, but actually living comes with turmoil — and the payoff can still be limitless. KG - Gorillaz – The Mountain (February 27, Kong)
Damon Albarn’s approach has often been about reaching outward — drawing from scenes, communities and sounds beyond his own backyard. For the next Gorillaz album, the focus shifts toward India, with musicians from the country contributing alongside a broad cast of global collaborators, aiming for another genre-spanning, borderless record. RD - Telenova – The Warning (February 27, EMI Australia)
Australian trio Telenova channel their signature cinematic, sharply polished alt-pop into a second album shaped during a difficult period. Faced with extreme highs and lows and personal struggles, the group weren’t sure they would even remain together — but The Warning exists because they did. KG - **Charlie Puth – Whatever’s Clever! ** (March 6, Atlantic Records)
Charlie Puth approaches his fourth album with a reset mindset — moving away from perfectionism and external judgement toward making music based on personal enjoyment. Co-produced with BloodPop, the record is framed as a lighter, freer era for a writer-producer known for meticulous control. ZWP - Squeeze – Trixies (March 6, Love Records)
Squeeze’s first new album in eight years is also a time capsule. Trixies traces back to 1974, when teenage founders Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook wrote stories set around a fictional south London nightclub. That long-shelved material now returns with fresh life, finally arriving as a full release. KG - **BTS – (Title TBC) ** (March 20, Big Hit Music)
With military service commitments now behind them, BTS are preparing to return with their first new music since 2023. A March 20 comeback date has been confirmed, and the album is set to include 14 tracks shaped by the members’ individual perspectives and collective introspection, with at least some recording sessions known to have taken place in Los Angeles. RD - Peach PRC – Porcelain (March 20, Island Records Australia)
Australian pop artist Peach PRC is set to unveil her debut album Porcelain, a project that plays with duality — the human behind the persona and the candy-coloured world she creates. Early songs point to both sides of that coin: glossy synth-pop on one hand, and vulnerable balladry on the other. KG - **Blondie – (Title TBC) **
A new Blondie album is on the way, completed before the death of drummer Clem Burke, who passed in April at 70 after a battle with cancer. Produced by John Congleton and featuring contributions from high-profile collaborators, it had originally been expected earlier, but is now anticipated in the first half of 2026, described as a mature yet accessible blend of Blondie’s familiar style and shifting textures. KG - **Bruno Mars – (Title TBC) **
It’s nearly ten years since Bruno Mars released a solo studio album, but he has remained a dominant force through major collaborations and global hits. Now, he has stated that his next album is finished, with reports indicating a first single is imminent — a signal that a full new era under his own name is finally arriving. KG - **Doechii – (Title TBC) ** (TBC, Top Dawg Entertainment/Capitol)
Doechii closed out 2025 with a high-profile collaboration and a pointed message: she’s ready to address industry noise, sexism, and online attacks directly on her debut album. Details remain limited, but her recent lyrics and public comments suggest a project that’s already deep in development and emotionally loaded. KG - **Foals – (Title TBC) ** (TBC, Warner Music UK)
Foals appear to be quietly positioning themselves for a return. They have teased studio activity, and past remarks from frontman Yannis Philippakis hinted that a new record has been a real topic of conversation. With festival dates on the books and renewed momentum at the start of 2026, the pieces suggest this could be the year they re-enter the album conversation. RD - **Kneecap – (Title TBC) ** (TBC, Heavenly Recordings)
After an unusually chaotic and headline-heavy year, Kneecap have signalled that a new album is coming in 2026. Between huge festival appearances, political controversy and constant noise around the trio, they’ve maintained a sense of defiance — and their recent messaging points toward fresh music arriving as the next major chapter. KG - **Madonna – (Title TBC / ‘Confessions’ follow-up) ** (TBC, Warner Records)
Madonna is working again with Stuart Price, the collaborator behind her dance-classic era in the mid-2000s, as she prepares a new full-length that revisits that world. She has described putting her full heart into the project, positioning it as a return to the disco-driven energy that defined one of her most celebrated reinventions. RD - **Maisie Peters – (Title TBC) ** (TBC, Atlantic Records)
Maisie Peters appears to be leaning into a folkier direction for her next album, while keeping her pop instincts intact. Recent singles hint at a warmer, more organic palette, and collaborations with key guests suggest an era that balances intimacy with her usual hook-heavy writing. RD - **RAYE – (Title TBC) ** (TBC, Human Re Sources)
After breaking free and releasing her acclaimed debut independently, RAYE has spent the past couple of years in a surge of success. Her second album is expected to arrive soon, even if specifics remain under wraps, with an upcoming tour explicitly hinting that new music will be part of the show. ZWP - **Robyn – (Title TBC) **
Seven years after her last album, Robyn has started signalling that the follow-up is real and approaching. A recent single, plus the live airing of additional unreleased tracks, suggests a new record is taking shape — and for fans, the wait already feels long enough. KG - **T.O.P. – (Title TBC) **
T.O.P. has confirmed that a new album is coming, marking his first major return to music in more than a decade. After a long break, he has described music as the place where he can breathe again, and the official announcement signals a major comeback moment for the artist and rapper. KG - **The xx – (Title TBC) **
While each member has explored solo work in recent years, The xx have also spent time back in the studio together. With summer festival appearances lined up, 2026 looks like a plausible window for a new album rollout — especially if the band want a big live platform to reintroduce their next era. KG
