As we approach the end of 2026 and lists of the best music of the year start to come out, it is a good time to look back at some of the best albums from last year and see where these artists are today. Now is a good time to enjoy some great music you may not have listened to in a while.
- “A Matter of Time” – Laufey
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On Aug. 22, 2025, Laufey released her third studio album, “A Matter of Time.” This album is considered jazz pop and allows Laufey to present her vulnerable and emotional side, shifting away from the playful and romantic feeling of her previous albums, to expressing personal insecurities and emotional honesty – like insecurity, heartbreak and friendships. This album includes one of her most popular singles “Lover Girl.” Laufey has confirmed she is actively working on new music so if you enjoy this album, keep an eye out for new releases. Â
14 tracks – run time of 45 minutes
- “Beautiful Chaos” – KATSEYE
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Released on June 27, 2025, “Beautiful Chaos” is KATSEYE’s second EP. While KATSEYE is not a KPOP group, they are heavily influenced by this style. They incorporate classic KPOP production and high energy choreography while finding a way to express their own voices. This EP includes two of their hit songs “Gnarly” and “Gabriela.” “Beautiful Chaos” celebrates female empowerment, self-worth and the beauty in embracing chaos. KATSEYE continues to make further musical strides including another EP on Aug. 14, 2026 and appearing on Saturday Night Live on Sept. 26, 2026.
5 tracks – 14 minutes
CBS ENTERTAINMENT - “Bite Me” – Renee Rapp
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Renee Rapp released her second studio album, “Bite Me” on Aug. 1, 2025. It’s a total pop album with touches of R&B and rock, exploring personal reflection, honesty, relationships, rebellion and the chaos of life. She especially expresses the various emotions involved in both the beginning and end of relationships. This album also includes two of her hit songs, “Leave Me Alone” and “Mad.” Currently, Rapp has returned to acting, joining “The Morning Show” for their fifth season.
12 tracks – 33 minutes
- “Breach” – Twenty One Pilots
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Twenty One Pilots’ eighth studio album “Breach” was released on Sept. 12, 2025. “Breach” is an alternative rock album with hints of pop rock and electropop. Fans were waiting for this album because it concludes a story Twenty One Pilots has been telling across multiple albums for years. This album specifically deals with the cycle of mental illness, which is an important issue Twenty One Pilots continue to talk about, and features two of their singles, “The Contract” and “Drum Show.” But don’t worry, it’s a good standalone album and can work well as an intro to their older music. Lastly, Twenty One Pilots is performing their largest show to date on Oct. 17, 2026, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
13 tracks – 47 minutes
- “I barely know her” – Sombr
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Sombr’s debut album “I Barely Know Her” was released on Aug. 22, 2025. This album is considered to be pop as well as indie rock. Many of his singles are included on this album like “Back to Friends” and “12 to 12.” “I Barely Know Her” explores themes of heartbreak, self-reflection and longing. Sombr is also on tour right now in the United States until Nov. 24, 2026, playing in cities like Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Nashville, Chicago, Detroit and more.
10 tracks – 37 minutes
- “The Life of a Showgirl” – Taylor Swift
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Taylor Swift’s twelfth album was released on Oct. 3, 2025. This album was a complete shift from her eleventh album “The Tortured Poets Department,” which leaned into heartbreak and personal pain using deep emotional songs while “The Life of a Showgirl” is the complete opposite. It is an upbeat pop album that explores themes of the showgirl lifestyle, self-empowerment and finding the joy in life. Swift also just released four new tracks on Sept. 25, 2026, for her deluxe edition, “The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore.” These new additions are called “Patient Zero,” “Cleveland!” “Pink Clouding” and “Babylon.” In these new songs, and the album as a whole, Swift is expressing her renewed happiness, love and confidence.
12 tracks (16 on deluxe) – 41 minutes (55 for deluxe)
- “Man’s Best Friend” – Sabrina Carpenter
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“Man’s Best Friend” is Sabrina Carpenter’s seventh studio album and was released on Aug. 29, 2025. This album contains many of her hit singles including “Manchild” and “When Did You Get Hot?” This album is classified as pop with hints of soft rock. This album explores themes of female empowerment, frustration with “man children” and sexuality. Carpenter works to incorporate these themes into her music while using humor and social commentary on women and relationships to bring this album to life. Recently, Carpenter headlined Coachella on April 10, 2026, and is now working on a live action musical adaptation of “Alice in Wonderland.”
12 tracks – 38 minutes
Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. - “Tron: Ares” – Nine Inch Nails
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Nine Inch Nails released their soundtrack album for “Tron: Ares” on Sept. 19, 2025. Interestingly, “Tron: Ares” is considered a soundtrack album as well as an official Nine Inch Nail release. “Tron: Ares” is the third movie in the Tron franchise and director Joachim Ronning decided he wanted a more industrial sound for their new film. This means that Nine Inch Nails’ industrial music was the perfect fit for Ronning’s vision and the Tron digital world. One single on this album, “As Alive as You Need Me to Be,” won the 2026 Grammy Award for Best Rock Song, which was their first Grammy in 30 years. Further recent achievements include a Nine Inch Nails collaboration with Boys Noize where they released an album called “Nine Inch Noize” on April 17, 2026.
24 tracks – 1 hour and 6 minutes
- “Virgin” – Lorde
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“Virgin” is Lorde’s fourth album and was released on June 27, 2025. This album is considered alternative pop with touches of electronic and synth-pop and was preceded by three singles, including “What was That,” “Man of the Year” and “Hammer.” This album explores various themes of gender identity, rebirth and female embodiment. This album is deeply personal as it expresses Lorde’s experiences with relationships, health changes and her relationship with gender. After this album was released, Lorde also shared various demo songs to give fans more insight into the album and how it was created. Currently, Lorde just finished her Ultrasound World Tour and is looking to enter into the next stage of her career.
11 tracks – 34 minutes
- “Wishbone” – Conan Gray
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Conan Gray’s fourth album “Wishbone” was released on Aug. 15, 2025. This album featured a couple of Gray’s singles including “Vodka Cranberry,” which was his biggest hit following this release. “Wishbone” expresses various themes including, heartbreak, self-discovery and personal vulnerability. Gray also released a deluxe version of this album on April 24, 2026, which included five additional tracks. These tracks were “Do I Dare,” “House That Always Rains,” “Door,” “Moths” and “The Best.” Conan Gray is currently finishing his Wishbone World Tour and fans will have to wait to see what he decides to do next.
12 tracks (17 on deluxe) – 43 minutes (1 hour and 1 minute for deluxe)
