March 6th, it was Harry Styles.
March 27th, it was RAYE.
April 24th, it was Noah Kahan.
June 12th, it will be Olivia Rodrigo.
July 31st, it will be Ariana Grande.
These are just five big artists that have released or will release new albums in the next few months. I feel like my Spotify notifications have been going crazy lately with artists announcing new songs and albums. I can’t remember a music boom like this one before, and like I said, those five artists above aren’t even the tip of the iceberg. 2026 is definitely shaping up to be a huge year for music, and according to Pitchfork, other big artists rumored to drop are Drake, Lizzo, Zara Larsson, Sublime, Madonna, Paul McCartney and that literally doesn’t even scratch the surface still. Of the artists who have already started releasing, I decided to put together a list of the best new songs that are definitely worth listening to before the music landscape floods some more.
1. “The Whatsapp Shakespeare.” by raye
“The WhatsApp Shakespeare,” by RAYE, is about a modern-day romantic manipulator who uses poetry and writing over modern-day text messaging to manipulate women. This song is PACKED with biblical references, and obviously Shakespearean archaisms. This song goes through a wide range of emotions and beats as well. Towards the end, you can hear everything from jazz music to Christmas music to sci-fi sound effects, and so much more. To me, every time I listen to this song, I feel like I can always find something different that I didn’t hear in the last listen. If you enjoy funky music with a side of Shakespeare references, this song is for you!
2. “Season 2 Weight Loss” by Harry Styles
“Season 2 Weight Loss” by Harry Styles is a very metaphorical piece that details personal growth and regaining confidence, but ideally not through dieting or being harsh to yourself. When I first saw this title, I was so confused. Apparently, Styles explained it as when actors or actresses come back into the spotlight for a second season of a show, they are always hyper-focused on having a major physical glow-up. This is just due to the show becoming successful, and everyone has a trainer or nutritionist to make sure they look their best in the spotlight. This song aims to tackle the pressure of such fame, and make the world be able to accept people for the authentic version of themselves. Paired with a catchy beat, the lyrics and meaning of this song make it a very powerful listen.
3. “End of August” by Noah Kahan
“The End of August” by Noah Kahan was a very bittersweet song to listen to. Coming from a small hometown, I often think of moving away in a few years and all the memories I will leave behind. Where I live, there are so many people who stay in the town and in the area for their whole lives. This is not something that I want to do, so there are a lot of old things to leave behind. Kahan’s song centers around nostalgia and the guilt of leaving home, particularly a small town that seems to remain stuck in time. Noah Kahan fans will also hear the reference to one of his best-known songs, “Stick Season” in this one. This is a very melancholy song, but it just hit so close to home for me when I first heard it, that it hasn’t left my recents since. If you are soon graduating or trying to prepare for a new stage of life, this song will definitely trigger some emotions you didn’t even know were there.Â
I would say that I am most excited for Olivia Rodrigo’s new album to drop. I really connected with Sour (2021), and I enjoyed a lot of songs in Guts (2023). This music release boom has already been so exciting, and I am eager to listen to so many more new songs. Chances are, this music release boom will mean a lot of upcoming tours and concerts from these artists, which is so exciting as well! My goal this year was to broaden my musical horizons and taste, and the influx of fresh music is really keeping me going!