In Your Ears, On Your Radar
- Jack Leary
- 8 hours ago
- 4 min read
Music in 2026 — and Stand-Outs to Watch For
By: Jack Leary
The new year means a new vibe. From trying new styles to taking new excursions, or anything else that you’ve put on your bucket list, creating and maintaining a vibe for the new year always needs a tracklist — but shouldn’t we match new vibes with new music?
Off the bat, 2026 has been meeting everyone’s expectations. Charli XCX’s album “Wuthering Heights”, A$AP Rocky’s “Don’t Be Dumb” and Don Toliver’s “Octane” have already been played and favorited by millions.
But they aren’t the only ones releasing great music this year, and hopefully after reading this, your New Year’s goals will have a specialized playlist to match any experience you're planning.
Already Released:
Charli XCX: “Wuthering Heights”
12 songs, 34 min., featuring Sky Ferreira and John Cale
Experimental R&B; Compositional Hybrid
Combines her synth pop background with classical strings
18 songs, 49 min., featuring Yeat, Rema, Travis Scott, and more
Moody Rap/R&B
Personal favorites: “E85”, and “Rendezvous (feat. Yeat)”
24 songs, 1 hr 40 min., featuring Future, Erykah Badu, Tems, and more
Rap; lyric-heavy
Personal favorite: “Two Six”
17 songs, 59 min., featuring Brent Faiyaz, Doechii, will.i.am and more
Rap/R&B Influences
MGNA Crrrta: “Beautiful Disaster”
9 songs, 23 min.
Electroclash/EDM; perfect vibe for a rave
Personal favorite: “Armageddon / Seventh heaven”
13 songs, 42 min., featuring PinkPantheress, Dua Lipa, Clairo, and more
Electronic
Personal favorite: “Starlight (feat. PinkPantheress)”
12 songs, 35 min., featuring BEAM and Leon Thomas
R&B; Vocal-heavy
EASHA: “Meaning in the Motion”
6 songs, 18 min.
Dreamy/Melancholic R&B
Now, these are just a few artists that are standouts in their genres or currently on the rise and deserve more attention. There are numerous musicians releasing projects every day that deserve attention as well.
That’s the great thing about the music industry: finding new music to listen to and pass along, no matter the genre or language, transcends traditional language and brings people together. There is a place for everyone, whether that be in stadiums hosting thousands or underground venues with 150 people.
More artists have posted dates for album releases, teased trips to their music studios, or announced a general plan to release music in 2026 with no date specified.
Here are a few that you should keep on your radar:
Thundercat: “Distracted”
Release Date: April 3, 2026
15 songs, featuring Tame Impala, WILLOW, Channel Tres, and more
Explores themes of grieving loved ones and societal issues while combining R&B/Soul with Electronic/Dance influences
Slayyyter: “WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA”
March 27, 2026
14 songs, including 4 already released singles
Electronic/Industrial Dance Pop; Expressions of anger and self-doubt with sonically dirty beats that are rough around the edges
Tiffany Day: “HALO”
April 3, 2026
13 songs, including 5 already released singles
Glitch Pop; A “last resort” of pursuing music as a career, Day explores feelings of uncertainty and anxiety in her youth
Harry Styles: “Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally”
March 6, 2026
12 songs, including 1 released single “Aperture”
Influenced by 1970s dance music, taking inspiration from Styles' own attendance at concerts to give audiences a new experience
Again, these artists only scratch the surface of music planned to be released in 2026. Artists such as PinkPantheress, Doechii, Steve Lacy, Ninajirachi, Lucy Bedroque and many others teased future releases.
Because of their underground status, you may not immediately recognize some of those names. For readers looking to dive deeper into the music industry’s mass diaspora of artists from around the world, sites like STEREOGUM and ALBUMOFTHEYEAR are fantastic sources for all things music.
On top of albums, EPs, and singles being released, solo artists and groups alike have announced tour dates for 2026 and 2027.
Some of which include:
Tame Impala: Deadbeat Tour
Over 20+ tour dates announced
Locations in Tampa, Miami, Atlanta, Vancouver, etc.
Openers: DJO (Indie/Synth Rock Artist) & Dominic Fike (Indie Rock Artist)
Ariana Grande: The Eternal Sunshine Tour
Over 25+ tour dates announced
Locations in London, Chicago, Boston, etc.
Rumored openers of Addison Rae, KATSEYE, PinkPantheress, and more
Bad Bunny: DeBí TiRAR MáS FOToS World Tour
Locations in São Paulo, Stockholm, Barcelona, etc.
Opener: Chuwi (Puerto Rican Alternative Rock Band)
TWICE: THIS IS FOR Tour
Over 20+ tour dates announced
Locations in Montreal, Orlando, Paris, etc.
There are, once again, many more artists to list. Kendrick Lamar and SZA are continuing their duo tour; Coldplay, Bruno Mars, BTS, Olivia Dean, and Rosalía have also announced tour dates for both 2026 and 2027.
It feels like the year has barely even begun, yet musicians around the world are ensuring their artistry is heard to the fullest capacity.
I, for one, am very excited for what the year holds, and have high expectations that will likely be upheld and even exceeded.
In 2025, there was a focus on female-empowerment concepts explored through different lenses (e.g., Addison Rae, Doechii, Sabrina Carpenter, etc.), and the heavy showcasing of social and geographic culture through music (e.g., Charli XCX, Bad Bunny, Frost Children, etc.).
These artists, among others, introduced and created identities for themselves and those they represent while ensuring their impact was noticed across the world. I have no doubt that the trailblazers of 2025, and the upcoming artists of our current year, will ensure that 2026 is an unforgettable year for music.
If you are like me and love listening to and discovering new music, know that you have the resources to venture around the world with only your fingertips and ears. So this year, make sure to keep your eyes open and ears sharp for what musicians are releasing around the globe.
Jack Leary is a second-year Behavior Analysis student at the University of Florida. This is his second semester as an Online Writer for ROWDY, and he is interested in international and domestic relations, politics, music, and pop culture. If you want to talk about even more music, hit him up on Instagram @jack.l.15
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