It’s the start of a new year, and that means only one thing: there’s a whole lot of new music on the way. 2026 is shaping up to be a banger of a year, with stars like A$AP Rocky, Ari Lennox, Poppy and more gearing up to release new albums in January alone, alongside exciting debuts from up-and-comers such as Mon Rovîa, Clothesline From Hell and XG.
There’s even more just on the horizon, including Charli XCX’s companion album to Emerald Fennell’s upcoming film adaptation of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, Hilary Duff’s first studio record in over a decade and the return of K-pop megastars BTS. Here’s NME’s list of the most anticipated albums coming out this year so far.
Words by: Karen Gwee, Rhian Daly and Ziwei Puah.
The Cribs’ dyed-in-the-wool punk spirit has always had a hint of pop to it, whether in their irresistible melodies or effortless knack for writing choruses that worm into your brain. They tap into that side of the band on their ninth album, aided by Chairlift’s Patrick Wimberly and his arsenal of modern pop production techniques. These are tunes primed to make you move, but the trio also turn their lens inwards and confront their relationship – and bond – as brothers and all the baggage from a lifetime dedicated to their craft. RD
Produced by experimental indie royalty, Cate Le Bon, Dry Cleaning’s third album features hints of the musician’s influence as the London band venture into folkier moments. From six-minute looping singles to industrial blasts of noise, ‘Secret Love’ shows the band remain as adventurous as ever. RD
Liberia-born, Tennessee-raised musician Mon Rovîa has already captivated audiences with his tender, meditative music that blends folk traditions with modern storytelling. He’s set to grow his community even more with his debut album, ‘Bloodline’, which will explore themes of identity, survival and transformation. ZWP
Zach Bryan will follow up his 2024 album ‘The Great American Bar Scene’ (which featured the likes of Bruce Springsteen and John Mayer) with the new record ‘With Heaven On Top’, which he completed recording only in December. The album is just the start of a busy 2026 for Bryan: the country star will spend a lot of it on the road, playing stadiums in the US, Europe and UK. KG
After a years-long legal battle, A$AP Rocky was found not guilty last February for his role in a 2021 shooting incident. His fourth album ‘Don’t Be Dumb’ – preceded by singles such as ‘Pray4DaGang’, ‘Ruby Rosary’ and ‘Tailor Swif’ and coming nearly eight years after his last album, ‘Testing’ – then feels like the return of a prodigal son. ZWP
The restless indie songs Toronto-based artist Adam LaFramboise makes as Clothesline From Hell aren’t all as baldly aggressive as his namesake (a finishing move in wrestling that entails slamming your forearm into your opponent’s neck). But there are still sinister undercurrents to his first full-length ‘Slather On The Honey’, especially the track ‘Drug Of Choice’, which features contributions from former BADBADNOTGOOD member Matthew Tavares. KG
New York rapper Lexa Gates will kick off 2026 with her new album ‘I Am’, her second full-length on Capitol Records. To promote her previous record ‘Elite Vessel’, Gates trapped herself in a glass box without food or water for 10 hours, and we hear she’ll be pulling a different stunt for this one… KG
American pop artist Madison Beer will make her highly anticipated return with her third album, ‘Locket’. The record comes on the heels of her Grammy-nominated 2024 house hit ‘Make You Mine’, which she followed up last year with the similarly dance-driven songs ‘Yes Baby’ and ‘Bittersweet’. ZWP
It’s been a long road for Norwegian musician Sunniva Lindgård, who’s finally releasing her first full-length album nearly a decade after debuting as Sassy 009. The idiosyncratic alt-pop record, titled ‘Dreamer+’, will notably feature guest appearances from Blood Orange, BEA1991 and Yunè Pinku. ZWP
‘The Demise Of Planet X’ is billed as Sleaford Mods’ “most expansive and ambitious release to date”, and you can get a sense of the broad scope they’re aiming for here just via the list of collaborators alone. Indie-folk singer-songwriter Aldous Harding pops up alongside grime MC Snowy; soul singer Liam Bailey rubs shoulders on the tracklist with Sue Tompkins, formerly the frontwoman of Scottish indie-rockers Life Without Buildings. Guests aside, it’s a record that does what the Mods do best – capturing the state of our world with their trademark incisiveness and humour. RD
It’s been three long years, but K-pop boyband EXO are returning with their eighth studio album ‘Reverxe’. However, the record will be their first with only six of the band’s members – Suho, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai, Sehun and the returning Lay – amid contractual disputes between the group’s label, SM Entertainment, and the remaining three members: Chen, Baekhyun and Xiumin. ZWP
Ari Lennox is making her comeback with her third studio album, ‘Vacancy’, which will be her first release since parting ways with J. Cole’s Dreamville imprint. The R&B star has previewed her new era with a trio of well-received singles: the flirtatious ‘Soft Girl Era’, old-school soul track ‘Under The Moon’, and the album’s sultry title track. ZWP
Written between the English countryside and Costa Rica, Louis Tomlinson’s third solo album taps into sunny sounds. Pre-release singles ‘Lemonade’ and ‘Palaces’ dive into Tame Impala-esque psych-pop and surging, summery indie riffs, respectively, teeing the record up as a candidate for some January blues-busting. RD
Megadeth’s upcoming self-titled 17th studio album might be their final record, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be the end of the road for the iconic thrash metal band just yet. Frontman Dave Mustaine has suggested that Megadeth will continue to tour for “another three to five years” after the album’s release. ZWP
Poppy’s already been on an interesting journey in her career, from her early insistence that she was an android to becoming the first solo female act to be nominated for a Best Metal Performance Grammy. Her latest chapter finds her reuniting with former Bring Me The Horizon member and now go-to metal producer Jordan Fish for what promises to be another inventive record. RD
Three years on from their first album ‘Blush’, which NME named one of the best debut albums of 2022, London trio PVA are back with their second record. Previewed by the thrilling electro-pop single ‘Boyface’, ‘No More Like This’ will explore themes of desire and devotion, while sonically drawing from artists like MF DOOM, Massive Attack and The Knife. ZWP
Alec Duckart aka Searows is not the first artist to have been inspired by Moby Dick, and he will not be the last. The Oregon-based singer-songwriter pulled from the literary epic for his new album ‘Death In The Business Of Whaling’ – but also from shoegaze and The Antlers circa ‘Undersea’. The result is a contemplative folk record that’s perfect for the winter. KG
One of the most exciting idol acts of our generation, Japanese group and former NME Cover stars XG are gearing up to release their long-awaited debut album. Titled ‘The Core’ and previewed by the high-energy dance single ‘GALA’, the record promises to be the culmination of years of hard work and budding potential. ZWP
Canadian duo Softcult have been building a loyal following with their grungy shoegaze, feminist advocacy and consistent touring. In January, they’ll finally release their debut album, which they’ve said was “written from the perspective of someone who has been radicalised by traumatic experiences, empowered by their own resilience, and who ultimately heals and blossoms into the person they were always meant to be in spite of an environment that tried to break them”. KG
London shoegazers Whitelands’ second album ‘Sunlight Echoes’ is aptly named. The three tracks out from it so far – ‘Songbird (Forever)’, ‘Glance’ and ‘Heat Of The Summer’ – feature chiming guitar tones that evoke bright rays of sunshine on a frosty winter’s morning. KG
YouTuber-turned-musician Joji is kickstarting a new era with his fourth album, ‘Piss In The Wind’. The record, which the Japanese-Australian singer has teased with the singles ‘Pixelated Kisses’, ‘If It Only Gets Better’ and ‘Past Won’t Leave My Bed’, will be his first release under his own imprint Palace Creek, following years with the label 88rising. ZWP
Mandy, Indiana’s second album – and first for respected New York label Sacred Bones – isn’t for the faint-hearted. In the first 10 minutes alone, it clatters and clangs, erupts with vocalist Valentine Caulfield’s chilling howls, and takes things to the edge. But there are also moments of lightness, of melody, of the thrill of four people’s ideas becoming one boundaryless force, setting ‘Urgh’ up as an early contender for one of 2026’s most intriguing records. RD
Jacob Allen aka Puma Blue returns in February with new album ‘Croak Dream’. So far, he’s teased it with two songs, ‘Croak Dream’ and ‘Desire’, that are both excellent previews of the record’s moody, eerie sonics. Though now based in Atlanta, Allen returned to London to record the album at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios, working with co-producer and mixer Sam Petts-Davies and longtime collaborator Harvey Grant. KG
Canadian electronic artist Dan Snaith has made music for decades as both Caribou and Daphni, never sweating the differences between the two monikers. The lines blur more than ever on the song ‘Waiting So Long’, a track by Daphni featuring… Caribou, the latest preview of the new Daphni album ‘Butterfly’. KG
Grammy-winning R&B star Ella Mai’s third album is finally within reach. Coming four years on from her acclaimed second album, 2022’s ‘Heart On My Sleeve’, the UK-born singer’s new record, titled ‘Do You Still Love Me?’, has been executive produced by longtime collaborator Mustard, and will feature the singles ‘Little Things’ and ‘Tell Her’. ZWP
Five years on from releasing her debut single, Ellur – aka Halifax solo artist Ella McNamara – is ready to take the leap with her debut album. It’s a record worth the wait – one that finds the indie singer-songwriter in her strongest storytelling form yet, drawing you in with upbeat sounds before delivering emotional sucker punches as you unravel her songs’ layers. RD
After a five-month delay to avoid competing with Taylor Swift’s ‘The Life Of A Showgirl’, Robbie Williams is finally set to release his 13th studio album, ‘Britpop’. The British icon has described the record’s vision as “the album that I wanted to write and release after I left Take That in 1995”, while calling the sound “more upbeat and anthemic than usual”. ZWP
Angel Du$t – the Baltimore hardcore heavyweights led by charismatic frontman Justice Tripp – will soon make their robust return with a new album, ‘Cold 2 The Touch’. The latest songs they’ve released from it, ‘Cold 2 The Touch’ and ‘Du$t’, are great exhibits of Angel Du$t’s strengths: muscle meeting melody and songwriting that savours the element of surprise. KG
Back in 2024, Cardinals’ Euan Manning told NME he wanted the band’s debut album to be a “classic”. The Cork five-piece will unveil their attempt at that lofty title imminently, with Manning describing the record as “peeling back the ‘masquerade’ or the facade we all put up” via 10 vulnerable and visceral pieces of storytelling. RD
Since signing off from ‘Brat’ summer, Charli XCX’s focus has turned to the silver screen. As well as gearing up to release the mockumentary The Moment, she’s also been contributing music to several movies. Her most ambitious project so far? Creating a companion album to Emerald Fennell’s upcoming adaptation of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. She’s already shared two very different-sounding tracks – a largely spoken word piece featuring the Velvet Underground’s John Cale and the more typical anthem ‘Chains Of Love’ – so it’s anyone’s guess where the rest of the record goes. RD
2026 is shaping up to be a landmark year for Converge – besides celebrating their 35th year as a band and the 25th anniversary of their influential album ‘Jane Doe’, they’ll release their first standalone album in nine years. ‘Love Is Not Enough’ is a title that vocalist/lyricist Jacob Bannon “had kicking around for a while”, he says in press materials. “Some of the things I wrote at the time were from a human resilience perspective, an acceptance of the brutality and unforgiving nature of the world. I was reflecting on that in poetic form and set it aside. When we got into the studio, it all fit together.” KG
It’s been five years since Danny L. Harle’s last album, the clubby, multi-persona odyssey ‘Harlecore’ released on Diplo’s Mad Decent label. Now, the British producer and PC Music artist has jumped to XL Recordings for ‘Cerulean’, which will feature Caroline Polachek, Clairo, Julia Michaels, PinkPantheress, Oklou, Kacha, MNEK – and his own daughters. KG
Trust Hemlocke Springs to turn her debut album into something colourful, fantastical and utterly compelling. ‘The Apple Tree Under The Sea’ follows 2023 EP ‘Going…going…GONE!’ and follows the artist on a journey of self-discovery, working through past experiences in order to reach full liberation. RD
Grammy-winning singer and poet Jill Scott is making her long-awaited musical comeback with ‘To Whom This May Concern’, her first album in over 10 years. The record, which she has previewed with the uplifting single ‘Beautiful People’, will find the artist leaning into themes of connectivity and humanity, and will feature collaborations with Ab-Soul, J.I.D., Tierra Whack and more.
Hilary Duff is often cited as an example of a former teen star who, as she puts it, “still [has her] head on straight after growing up in this industry”. On her sixth studio album, ‘Luck… Or Something’, her first in over a decade, the Lizzie McGuire star will examine that image people have of her and how it’s shaped her life after 30 years in the spotlight. ZWP
Leigh-Anne got her start as a member of the record-breaking girl group Little Mix, and is finally “doing it her way” on her long-awaited debut album, ‘My Ego Told Me To’. The pop star has described the record, rooted in her Bajan and Jamaican heritage, as “personal and impossible to box in” and “distinctly mine”. In late December, the artist shared a video in which she claimed that her former label “don’t have the budget to put my album out, so I’m ready to just take the reins”. She added in a caption: “If you needed a sign, this is it. Don’t shrink for anyone. You are enough.” ZWP
MAY-A is stepping into a “harder space” for her debut album, ‘Goodbye (If You Call That Gone)’. The Australian singer-songwriter says the record, which was crafted between Sydney and Los Angeles over the past two years, will detail her “healing process in all its complexity” during a time when she was “moving through what once felt impossible”. ZWP
Last year, Megan Moroney solidified her status as one of country’s brightest up-and-coming stars with two hit singles, the break-up anthem ‘6 Months Later’ and the sentimental ‘Beautiful Things’. Both songs will appear on her upcoming third album ‘Cloud 9’, a record all about “honest, personal experiences” that she says were “written by the strongest, most confident version of myself I’ve ever been”. ZWP
Mumford & Sons have gathered friends old and new to appear on their sixth studio album, ‘Prizefighter’, with a tracklist name-dropping Hozier, Gracie Abrams, Chris Stapleton, and recent NME Cover star Gigi Perez. The band told NME last year the record “elevates” the sound of predecessor ‘Rushmere’ and was influenced by spending time with Pharrell Williams. Stay tuned for the results. RD
‘No Lube So Rude’ might be Peaches’ first new album in over a decade, but as you can tell from the title, she’s far from lost her edge. Beneath the typically provocative title, expect sex-positive anthems and political protest from the ever-outspoken auteur. RD
Last year, Liverpool’s Stone made a dramatic exit from their former label, claiming they’d been “silenced”, “undermined”, and “ignored”. Their second album – and fresh start on a new label – is pointedly titled ‘Autonomy’. A personal piece of self-reflection, it’s a reclaiming of the band’s control over and vision for their music that bursts out of the speakers with new levels of creativity and power. RD
Bill Callahan has been quiet on the recorded music front for a while (though he did collaborate, interestingly, with Noah Cyrus on her 2025 album ‘I Want My Loved Ones To Go With Me’). In February, he’ll release his eighth album and first since 2022, ‘My Days Of 58’, which he thinks of as a ‘living room record’: “Living room attitude. Living room vibe. Not too loud, not otherworldly.” So far, you can check out the songs ‘Lonely City’ and ‘The Man I’m Supposed To Be’. KG
Toronto band Cootie Catcher have signed to Carpark Records for their third album ‘Something We All Got’, which is full of infectious indie pop songs that should appeal to fans of Alvvays (who Cootie Catcher have opened for) and Diet Cig. Their first full-length recorded in a studio, this album was mixed by Nate Amos aka This Is Lorelei and half of Water From Your Eyes. KG
In 2024, we described Deadletter’s debut album ‘Hysterical Strength’ as “post-punk that revels in life’s contradictions”. The Yorkshire-born, London-based band continue to engage with the absurdity of reality on their second album ‘Existence is Bliss’, all while expanding their sonic palette with new instrumentation. Their statement announcing the album declares, in part, that “existence is bliss, but to LIVE is a great turmoil whose payoff is without bounds.” KG
Damon Albarn’s musical ethos has long been to look for inspiration in different scenes and communities around the world. For Gorillaz’s latest album, he turns his gaze to India, inviting musicians from the country – including Anoushka Shankar and Ajay Prasanna – to play on the record alongside an all-star cast of global names, from Johnny Marr to Argentinian rapper Trueno. RD
Since their 2020 inception, Australian trio Telenova have crafted a reputation for cinematic, crystalline alt-pop. Their second album ‘The Warning’ is the product of a difficult period for Angeline Armstrong, Edward Quinn and Joshua Moriarty, who amid “extreme highs and lows [and] personal struggles” didn’t know if they would stick together as a band. Luckily, they pulled through. KG
For this fourth album, ‘Whatever’s Clever!’, Charlie Puth is taking a different approach to how he makes music: from being someone who was “obsessed” with what others thought to only doing what he loves. The musician has credited the record’s co-producer, hitmaker BloodPop – known for his work with Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, f5ve and more – for his new carefree era. ZWP
For their first new album in eight years, Squeeze dug into the archives. ‘Trixies’ dates back to 1974, when founders Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook were teenagers who collaborated on a set of stories set in a fictional south London nightclub. The record they shelved then now has a new lease on life and will see release in March. KG
With the albatross around their neck (that is, South Korean military service) finally removed, the world’s biggest boyband are preparing to return with their first new music since 2023. In October, leader RM told reporters to look forward to BTS’s return in “late March”, and over the holiday season, it was confirmed that their comeback would take place on March 20. At least some sessions are known to have taken place in Los Angeles, with Jon Bellion (who previously worked on Jungkook and Jimin’s solo material) on production duties. There’s no word on what direction they’re taking just yet, but label Big Hit have confirmed the record will be 14 tracks long and will be “driven by each member’s honest introspection as they collectively shaped its direction by weaving their individual perspectives into the music”. Expect this comeback to be massive. RD
In March, Australian pop singer and former NME Cover star Peach PRC will unveil her debut album ‘Porcelain’ (which is what ‘PRC’ stands for). The two tracks out so far, the synth-filled ‘Miss Erotica’ and the vulnerable ballad ‘Out Loud’, showcase the duality of the album, which will capture both the humanity of Shaylee Curnow and her pink-pop persona of Peach PRC. KG
Last year, we mourned the passing of Blondie drummer Clem Burke, who passed in April at 70 following a battle with cancer. The new wave legends had completed a new album before Burke’s death, produced by John Congleton and with contributions by Johnny Marr and Glen Matlock. It was originally slated to drop in 2025 but, as Chris Stein and Debbie Harry told NME in October, should see release in the first half of this new year. “I think that it’s a traditional Blondie composite of sounds and styles of music,” Harry said, while Stein added: “The lyrics are terrific. It’s very, it’s great, sophisticated, mature, and also accessible.” KG
This November will mark a decade since Bruno Mars’ last solo studio album, the retro-tastic ‘24k Magic’ – but he hasn’t needed a full project under his own name to remain omnipresent in the interim. Between his oh-so-smooth band Silk Sonic with Anderson .Paak and the behemoth singles ‘APT.’ with Rosé and ‘Die With A Smile’ with Lady Gaga, Mars has proven himself an in-demand collaborator and effortlessly dominant hitmaker. But just hours ago, Mars declared on social media: “My album is done.” Per Hits Daily Double, the first single will drop this Friday. KG
Doechii bid 2025 farewell by dropping the song ‘Girl, Get Up’, a collaboration with SZA that fired back at keyboard warriors (“I don’t read y’all tweets, I delete y’all threads“), “wack” industry plant allegations and sexism. “These n****s misogynistic, I’ll address it on the album,” she promised, further hinting at the work she’s poured into her anticipated debut: “The album six months old, it need a fuckin’ babysitter.” KG
The dawning of a new year brings with it many traditions, among them us all trying to convince ourselves that the next 12 months will really be “our year”. Foals, though, seem to have a much stronger case than most – in the Chinese zodiac, 2026 is the year of the horse. What better time for the Oxford band to return with their first album in four years? They teased new material on social media at the start of 2026, sharing pictures from the studio, while frontman Yannis Philippakis previously shared that a new record was a point of conversation during a band holiday to Iceland. RD
Between huge festival sets at Glastonbury and Coachella, a terror charge against member Mo Chara (which was dropped due to a technicality and could be resurrected upon appeal by the UK government), beefing with the governments of Canada and Hungary, and some one-off singles in between, Kneecap had an extremely eventful 2025. The Belfast rap trio looked back on the year in a social media post last week, celebrating the supporters who kept them resilient (“Thanks to all of you sound c*nts we’re stronger than ever”) and teasing a “brand new album” in 2026. KG
Back in 2005, Madonna headed to the disco with her acclaimed album ‘Confessions On A Dance Floor’, drawing influence from the sounds shaking the clubs in the ’70s, ’80s and ’00s. That record was overseen by Stuart Price, with whom the queen of pop has teamed up once again as she prepares to revisit the ‘Confessions’ world for her first fresh full-length in seven years. Teasing ‘Confessions Part 2’ on Instagram last year, Madonna told fans she was “putting my heart and soul into my new music”. RD
Maisie Peters’ most recent album, 2023’s ‘The Good Witch’, was a pop-tastic listen. For its follow-up, she’s heading into folkier territory – as signalled by recent singles ‘Say My Name In Your Sleep’, ‘You You You’ and ‘Audrey Hepburn’ – without compromising her way with a hook. ‘Say My Name In Your Sleep’ featured Marcus Mumford and, according to press material, is the first of two collaborations between the pair. RD
After years in limbo under her former label, in 2023, RAYE independently released her debut album ‘My 21st Century Blues’ to critical acclaim and commercial success. Since then, the British singer-songwriter’s career has exploded, thanks to her viral singles ‘Escapism’ (with 070 Shake) and ‘Where Is My Husband!’, the lead single of her upcoming second album and one of NME’s best songs of 2025. While details are currently scarce, RAYE is expected to play songs from this new album during her upcoming 2026 tour, the aptly titled ‘This Tour May Contain New Music’. ZWP
It’s been seven long years since Robyn last released an album, but the follow-up to ‘Honey’ is on the way. Last year, the Swedish pop icon dropped the single ‘Dopamine’, and she’s since aired other unreleased songs – ‘Talk To Me’ and ‘Sexistential’ – at a new year’s show in New York. This new record can’t come soon enough. KG
Last year, we caught up with T.O.P., the member of legendary K-pop boyband BIGBANG who played Thanos in season two of the Netflix sensation Squid Game. In our interview – one of the most-read on NME in 2025 – he revealed he’d be returning to music for the first time in over a decade, sharing that “only when I was in my music [or] standing in front of the mic, I was able to breathe”. On New Year’s Day, T.O.P. made it official, revealing on social media that “a new album is on the way”, ending a 13-year drought for the musician and rapper. KG
Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim and Jamie xx have all been busy with their own solo endeavours in recent years, but they’ve also been in the studio together hard at work on a new album as The xx. They’ve been teasing that new material for a while now in interviews, but it looks like 2026 might be the year the record drops – the band have booked a bunch of summer festivals, including Coachella and Primavera Sound. It’d make sense for them to promote a new album at the same time, no? KG
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