Three months into 2026, and it’s already gearing up to be a big year for music. From Bruno Mars dropping his latest album, “The Romantic,” last week, to Harry Styles’ upcoming release on March 6th, 2026, promises to be a great year for our ears. In honor of this auditory overload, here are three 2026 albums I am most excited to listen to, and some that are on my bingo card for the year!
- Maisie Peters – Florescence
Release Date: May 15, 2026I don’t think anyone (except maybe Shreya, my best friend and fellow daisy) understands how excited I am for this album. I started listening to Peters’ music around junior-senior year of high school, when I first hit play on her song “Cate’s Brother.” I was charmed by the sweet British accent and stayed for the lyrical prowess, witty wordplay, and brain-tickling instrumentals. Her 2023 album, The Good Witch, is genuinely a cornerstone of my personality and a key to my mind. I always find myself coming back to it even now, 3 years later.Â
So far, we have 4 singles from the album: “Audrey Hepburn,” “You You You,” “Say My Name In Your Sleep,” and “My Regards.” I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all of them (my favorites are “Audrey Hepburn” and “You You You”), and I can’t wait to hear what she comes up with next.Â
- Noah Kahan – The Great Divide
Release Date: April 24, 2026I still remember stumbling upon a video of a guy strumming a silly little tune on his guitar on TikTok, making a mental note to come back one day when the song gets released. That silly little tune became “Stick Season,” and I’ve been following along with Noah Kahan’s music since. Insane guitar instrumentals (still a bit out of my skill set to play, but one day I’ll get there!) are paired with equally insane lyrics (I mean, who in their right mind rhymes “dial drunk” with “die a drunk”??). With his songs, Kahan effortlessly transports you to the winding forest roads of New England, with a heart slightly bruised and a mind full of nostalgia.
So far, the only released single has been the title track, “The Great Divide,” but the second single, “Porch Light,” is scheduled for release on March 13, 2026.
- Laufey – A Matter of Time: The Final Hour
Release Date: April 10, 2026Laufey’s A Matter of Time was one of my favorite albums from last year, and it totally deserves all its flowers (hello! Grammy winning album here!). Getting to see her in concert was an unforgettable experience: the fairytale vibes and enchanting vocals translated on stage really made me feel like I was in Wonderland. Her mellow voice framed by orchestral or jazzy instrumentals truly make every song of hers feel like a Michelin-star meal for your ears. The deluxe version is coming out in April, and while it’s not a full album, I’m still seated for its release.Â
So far, she’s released “How I Get” as a single from the deluxe.
These three albums all come out within the next two months, but there’s still so much year left. I want to move on to a few projects I’ve heard whispers about, or am delusionally hoping to come out this year, so here’s my musical wish list for the rest of 2026.
Firstly, both Olivia Rodrigo and Gracie Abrams have spoken about having new music in the works, and while no release dates are confirmed, I’m really hoping they start their album rollouts sometime this year! Fans have been speculating about the name and color scheme of OR3 since Rodrigo began teasing the album on tour and on social media. Abrams has also been teasing her album on tour, adding unreleased songs to her setlist, and even releasing a live recording of “Death Wish,” which is expected to be on the upcoming album.Â
Another album that I’m hoping for, even though I feel like it’s equally likely to not be released, is the re-recording of Taylor Swift’s first album. Most of the way through her quest to re-record her first 6 albums, Swift announced that she bought back her masters, ending the journey of the re-recordings. However, she also announced that her debut album is fully re-recorded (along with the Reputation vault tracks) and may “re-emerge when the time is right.” I, for one, really hope that this year is the right time, with the looming 20th anniversary of Debut this October.
With all that said, I hope you were able to get some new music recs from this, and are as hyped for this year (musically) as I am. Happy listening!