Most Anticipated Albums of 2026
Snail Mail, Noah Kahan, Charli xcx and Mitski are among the those dropping albums early this year.
After taking a backseat at the end of every year to Mariah Carey and Michael Bublé, new music announcements abound in January, giving listeners a taste of the new year’s artistry.
From 2025 teasers coming to fruition to out-of-left-field comebacks, it feels like the flood gates of album announcements are opening wider with every scroll on social media. To avoid drowning in the sea of music news, here are some of the records we at OTR will be counting down the days to hear.
Wuthering Heights, Charli xcx - Feb. 13
Mitchell Stewart, Contributor
Late last year, Charli xcx announced she would be creating the soundtrack for Emerald Fennell’s upcoming adaptation of literary classic Wuthering Heights. Since that announcement, she has released three songs, “House,” “Chains of Love,” and “Wall of Sound.” Each one is so uniquely distinct from the others that it’s hard to imagine they come from the same album. On “House,” she and the featured John Cale sing,“I think I’m gonna die in this house,” a simple yet brutal lyric that sets up the album’s gothic nature. In “Wall of Sound,” she sings of how these grand emotions of love and hatred are too overwhelming to be ignored; she’s tried pushing them down and holding still, but they remain there, standing over her as a monolithic force that refuses to be neglected. It’s clear that Charli xcx wants to prove she can be a titan of the industry, and with what we’ve heard so far, she just very well might be. With Wuthering Heights, her upcoming film The Moment, and her acting role in Gregg Araki’s upcoming movie I Want Your Sex, she has a big year ahead.
Watch the music video for “Where’s My Phone?” on YouTube.
Nothing’s About to Happen to Me, Mitski - Feb. 27
Daisy Calderon, Contributor
Following back-to-back album releases in 2022 and 2023, Mitski fans can rejoice that she’s back with a new album, Nothing’s About to Happen to Me, set to release Feb. 27. With a career largely dictated by her Japanese-American heritage, Mitski’s discography is full of songs detailing the experiences of growing up with two worlds consistently at odds. Mitski’s ability to convey the nuances and complexities of human emotions make her one of the most relevant artists in 21st century music. A modern Eros, Mitski knows what it means to feel deeply and she connects with fans on a level far beyond the traditional “sad girl music.” Having teased fans with the release of the album’s second track, “Where’s my Phone?” Mitski’s Nothing’s About to Happen to Me is bound to deliver the welcome gut punch fans have come to expect from her.
Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally, Harry Styles - March 6
Caroline Goldschmitt, Contributor
At long last, your favorite British popstar is back. Harry Styles has officially announced his fourth LP, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally, set to be released March 6. While fans have speculated that the upcoming album will return to a lustful, well-worn rock sound reminiscent of his debut self-titled solo record, Styles’ first statements about the project seem to indicate something a little different. In a BBC Radio 1 interview, Styles described his new music as a combination of “classic, pop songwriting” and modular synth, referencing the influence of LCD Soundsystem and the concert-going experience on his creative process. With a deep and steady Donna Summer baseline, the album’s lead single, “Aperture,” delivers techno-pop glory as it immerses listeners into a dreamlike state for five minutes and 11 seconds, undeniably setting the tone for what’s to come. We may not be getting a studio recording of crowd-favorite “Medicine” anytime soon, but one thing is for certain — Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally will be fresh, energetic, and unlike anything we’ve heard from Styles before.
Ricochet, Snail Mail - March 27
Brooke Shapiro, Music Extras Co-Editor
With her raspy drawl and quick-witted storytelling skills, Snail Mail has been a constant force in the indie rock world for over a decade now. After taking to the screen in A24’s 2024 film I Saw The TV Glow, Lindsey Jordan — the voice behind the stage name — is continuing her generational run of albums with the release of Ricochet in March. With the announcement this month came lead single “Dead End,” a punchy rumination on teenage love in suburbia. With Jordan having said she’s not “bathing in [her] own agony anymore,” Ricochet is bound to deliver the signature guitar-rock bangers and lush soundscapes Snail Mail fans know and love while diving into a new, unapologetic songwriting territory.
The Great Divide, Noah Kahan - April 24
Jackie Fortis, Music Reviews Editor
Noah Kahan has been working on his newest album, The Great Divide, for a long time now, telling fans he can’t explain the wait but it will be worth it. The chart topping indie folk artist has built up a monstrous fan base and high praise from the music world with his last release, Stick Season. The masses have been eagerly awaiting his next body of work and it is finally upon us. In his Instagram post announcing the album, he described it by saying, “The songs are words I would say if I could. They are the fears I dance with the moments before I drift to sleep. The music here is my best attempt to delve deeper into the people, places and feelings that have made me who I am.” The lead single, “The Great Divide,” is set to release Jan. 30. The wait that has felt so long for fans will soon be so worth it.
Oh Yeah?, Steve Lacy - TBA
Mitchell Stewart, Contributor
In a recent Rolling Stone profile, Steve Lacy announced his upcoming album, Oh Yeah? The profile states that the LP is an “all-encompassing pop album that artists like Prince [...] used to make.” After exploding in popularity with his viral single “Bad Habit” from his album 2022 Gemini Rights, Lacy took a break to let the dust of stardom settle and allow his fans to truly appreciate the record for the masterclass in R&B that it is. Not much is known otherwise about his upcoming album; there’s been no release date confirmed and no album cover — just a title and an idea of what it will sound like. Whatever it is, it will surely be worth the wait and continue him on his trajectory towards being recognized as one of Gen Z’s strongest R&B singers.
MUNA - TBA
Bri Ng Schwartz, Contributor
Indie pop phenom MUNA has been teasing their fourth studio album for the past year, having finally confirmed the album's completion via an outfit check TikTok at the end of 2025. The trio has left fans wanting more since their 2023 single, “One That Got Away,” which came a year after their third self-titled album was released featuring viral hit “Silk Chiffon” in collaboration with Phoebe Bridgers. They have also been confirmed for this year's Hinterland festival lineup, potentially teasing more live performances in 2026. In their release hiatus, the band has prioritized their activist efforts toward a free Palestine and has spent the past few years using their platform for resource sharing and fundraisers.
Phoebe Bridgers - TBA
Logan Goettemoeller, Senior Staff Writer
Phoebe Bridgers is a name that never leaves the mind. It’s been nearly six years since the release of her second solo studio album, Punisher, but that by no means demonstrates that Bridgers has been inactive in the music industry. Bridgers dazzled critics and fans alike with her contribution to boygenius’ first studio album in 2023; the supergroup composed of Lucy Dacus, Julien Baker, and Bridgers boasted a stunning collection of indie rock anthems, with Phoebe’s penmanship certainly shining in the forefront in tracks like “Emily I’m Sorry” and “Letter To An Old Poet.” While Bridgers has collaborated with everyone from Taylor Swift to Kid Cudi in between these projects and even started her own record label, fans have been dying to know what she’s been working on next.
A glint of hope was sparked earlier this month when Bridgers’ mother reposted a Rolling Stone Instagram story predicting her return this year without any explanation. While fans may be mistaking this repost as a smoke signal indicating a new project, we’re certainly holding onto hope that Phoebe Bridgers 3 will release in 2026.