Music Resolutions for a Rockin’ 2026
If you’re still looking for a New Year’s resolution (or already gave up on the first one you started—no judgement here!), it’s not too late to introduce a new goal for this year, especially if you want to make 2026 the year you commit to deepening your music taste.
Resolutions can feel intimidating and mundane after the initial novelty wears off, but hear us out: music is fun, there’s always new releases to explore, and it’s easily integrated into your existing schedule, like making it part of your morning or night routine, on your daily commute, or while grocery shopping. You might actually look forward to doing your chores if it means you can check off your yearly music resolution at the same time!
To make 2026 the year you become an even bigger music enthusiast, here’s some resolutions to consider.
New music
Commit to listening to a new song, album, or artist every day, week, or month—whatever fits your schedule and how much time you’d like to dedicate to your resolution. Get recommendations from friends and family and use music as a way to stay in touch and deepen your connections. If you’re looking for somewhere to start, OTR releases a monthly recap and staff playlist of new releases.
Become a groupie of a local band
If you’re a trendsetter, spend 2026 hanging out at your local music venues and become one of the first fans of a fledging artist. There’s nothing quite like the concentrated energy of a show at a cozy venue filled with familiar faces. When your favorite hometown artist gets attention beyond your local scene, you’ll be able to say you knew them when and have the photos to prove it.
Connect music to another resolution
Want to study more? Create a study playlist for each semester, class, or big exam. Is your 2026 goal to get into better shape? Curate your favorite pump-up songs to keep you moving. If you’re a bibliophile with a lofty reading goal, create playlists for each book you’re reading. Are you committed to seeing all of 2026’s new movies? Listen to all of the film soundtracks after the movie to add a new layer to the experience. The possibilities for musical multitasking are endless.
Deep dive into an artist
Maybe 2026 will be the year you meticulously make your way through an artist’s entire discography and become the go-to expert on their career. You might fondly look back and remember 2026 as the year of Cher, or Patti Smith, or Tupac. Research the artist’s background and influences, pull all their interviews, read books by them or about them, and watch films they’ve starred in and documentaries about them. If they support or have started a charity or nonprofit, you could go as far as signing up for volunteer opportunities. You might be surprised by how much of an impact your chosen artist has had outside of music.
Try a new genre
Maybe you love rock but haven’t quite taken the leap into exploring heavy metal, or you listen to country-pop but have yet to explore folk, or a rave is on your bucket list but you aren’t very familiar with EDM. Whatever the genre, 2026 is a great time to widen your musical horizons and discover something new about your taste. Don’t knock it till you rock it!
Buy your copy of OTR Volume 6 here.
Consume more content about music
If your music fandom is insatiable and an album isn’t enough, take the next step and get extra insight into the conversations about the music you’re listening to. Make it a resolution to not just listen to new releases and tried-and-true favorites, but get extra context through magazines (*cough cough* Off the Record Volume 6), podcasts, video essays, and music content creators. For longform commentary, 33 ⅓ is a great series of short books about specific albums and genres.
Support local indie music stores
Listen to music the old-fashioned way and do a little bit of digging through physical media. Get to know your local music sellers, make a list of your favorite albums you want to get physical copies of, get recommendations from staff, and start a collection. Schedule a dedicated time to stop by your local music store and make 2026 the year you become a regular.
