2026 has just begun and we are already starting to sift through the calendar in view of the most anticipated releases of the year. Among the artists who have already announced plans to release new music in 2026 are Lana Del Rey, Charli XCX, Gorillaz, Massive Attack, Rolling Stones, U2, Madonna and Paul McCartney. But they chase each other rumors also for many other new recordings that could appear during the year. Here's a quick recap and Stereogum's list of “The 200 Most Anticipated Albums Of 2026.”
The big names of classic rock
On the classic rock front, the most concrete hypothesis is a new Rolling Stones album, three years after “Hackney Diamonds”. The sessionstill produced by Andrew Watt, would include previously unreleased material and recoveries from that period. Ronnie Wood has spoken of it as a 2026 release, although touring uncertainty could affect the timing. Watt is also involved in the session of 2025 by Paul McCartney, partly recorded at Abbey Road. Wood also reopened the discussion on a possible comeback of the Faces, who have not released unreleased songs since 1973. Another big name like Joe Jackson has announced the release of his new album “Hope And Fury” in 2026, which will mark his return to more rock sounds.
Staying in the area of the big names, there are signs circulating about new works by Ringo Starr (with T Bone Burnett), Bob Dylan (spotted in the studio for a long time), Mick Fleetwood, Billy Gibbons, Stevie Nicks, as well as archive projects such as Love's collection of unreleased songs “Just To Remind You” and Brian Wilson's never-released country album. There is also talk of new releases from Squeeze and Curved Air.
Returns announced: from The Cure to U2, from Tori Amos to Lana Del Rey
Among the releases already defined, the beginning of the year promises several interesting titles: in January arrives “Secret Love” by Dry Cleaning, “The Demise Of Planet X” by Sleaford Mods, the latest album by Megadeth and “Tragic Magic” by Julianna Barwick and Mary Lattimore. February will see the release of Robbie Williams' 'Britpop', Danny L Harle's 'Cerulean', Charli XCX's 'Wuthering Heights' soundtrack and Gorillaz' 'The Mountain'.
Later in the year, 4 Non Blondes could return, having confirmed new songs, as well as Courtney Love, working on a second solo album with Will Sergeant and with the possible participation of Michael Stipe. Also awaited is a Flea album with a contemporary jazz lineup.
U2 have been talking about a new album at an advanced stage for some time, while Massive Attack have promised new music, not necessarily in LP form. Also due in the spring is Blondie's “High Noon”, produced by John Congleton, featuring the latest recordings by Clem Burke.
New releases from two important singer-songwriters are also on the way: Tori Amos has already announced “In Times Of Dragons”, while Lana Del Rey should finally release “Stove”, a record that has been renamed several times and oriented towards country-American sounds.
Bruce Springsteen has indicated 2026 as a possible year of return to unreleased songs, accompanied by a second project already completed. New Cure albums and a posthumous work by Sinéad O'Connor could also arrive. New albums by Björk, Muse, Strokes, Prodigy, Bill Callahan, Johnny Marr, Morrissey, Joanna Newsom and Guns N' Roses remain in the field of expectations, with varying degrees of probability.
Madonna back on track
In the mainstream pop perimeter, developments are expected from Madonna's dance project with Stuart Price, a sort of sequel to 2005's “Confessions On A Dance Floor”, Chappell Roan's second album, Coldplay's new work and yet another postponement of Kanye West's “Bully”. K-pop looks to the return of BTS, while the Rihanna, Janet Jackson, Nicki Minaj and A$AP Rocky files remain open.
In Italy, the year opens with a series of releases already defined between January and the end of the month, followed by the predictable post-Sanremo albums. Outside the festival, new works by Blanco, Cosmo, Gianluca Grignani, a collaboration between Rose Villain and Guè have long been awaited, as well as possible developments in the path of Carmen Consoli, who should publish the new chapter of the announced trilogy started with the splendid “Amuri luci”.
Stereogum's list: The 200 Most Anticipated Albums Of 2026
Stereogum magazine has published a list of the most anticipated albums of the new year, edited by Scott Lapatine, divided into already scheduled releases, probable releases and simple “hopes”: we propose it below (here is the complete report).
Discs already programmed
9/1
Zach Bryan – “With Heaven On Top”
Dry Cleaning – “Secret Love”
Winged Wheel – “Desert So Green”
Jenny On Holiday – “Quicksand Heart”
16/1
A$AP Rocky – “Don't Be Dumb”
Jana Horn – “Jana Horn”
Julianna Barwick & Mary Lattimore – “Tragic Magic”
Peaer – “Doppelganger”
Sassy 009 – “Dreamer+”
23/1
Ari Lennox – “Vacancy”
Lucinda Williams – “World's Gone Wrong”
PVA – “No More Like This”
30/1
Joyce Manor – “I Used To Go To This Bar”
Lande Hekt – “Lucky Now”
Plantoid – “Flare”
Softcult – “When A Flower Doesn't Grow”
Stabbing – “Eon Of Obscenity”
Yumi Zouma – “No Lost Love To Kindness”
6/2
Daphni – “Butterfly”
Dirt Buyer – “Dirt Buyer III”
Mandy, Indiana – “Urgh”
Puscifer – “Normal Isn't”
Ratboys – “Singin' To An Empty Chair”
Ulrika Spacek – “Expo”
13/2
Angel Du$t – “Cold 2 The Touch”
Danny L Harle – “Cerulean”
Cardinals – “Masquerade”
Charli XCX – “Wuthering Heights”
Converge – “Love Is Not Enough”
Pony – “Clearly Cursed”
Remember Sports – “The Refrigerator”
Worm – “Necropalace”
20/2
Lucid Express – “Instant Comfort”
Peaches – “No Lube So Rude”
27/2
Bill Callahan – “My Days Of 58”
Cootie Catcher – “Something We All Got”
Crooked Fingers – “Swet Deth”
Gena (Liv.e & Karriem Riggins) – “The Pleasure Is Yours”
Gorillaz – “The Mountain”
Nothing – “A Short History Of Decay”
6/3
Hater – “Mosquito”
13/3
No/More – “No Peace”
Sweet Pill – “Still There's A Glow”
The Notwist – “News From Planet Zombie”
20/3
Footballhead – “Weight Of The Truth”
Ladytron – “Paradises”
27/3
Tigers Jaw – “Lost On You”
3/4
Makthaverskan – “Glass And Bones”
10/4
gobbinjr – “Crystal Rabbit Moon”
Well-founded hypotheses
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2hollis
aespa
Alabama Shakes
Aldous Harding
Alex Lahey
Alexis Taylor
American Football
Arctic Monkeys
At The Gates
Avalon Emerson & The Charm
Basement
Beach House
Beth Orton
Beyoncé ACT III
Big Thief
Bjork
Blondie High Noon
Boldy James & Futurewave The Pop Catcher
Bory
Bosse-de-Nage
Brennan Wedl
Bruce Springsteen
Buck Meek
By Storm
Cameron Winter
Carly Rae Jepsen
Coalesce
Courtney Barnett
Crate
Crippling Alcoholism
Death Grips
deathcrash
Denzel Curry, ULTRAGROUND, & Working On Dying Strictly 4 From Scythe
Doechii
Dream Unending
Drop Nineteens
Erykah Badu & the Alchemist
Father John Misty
Fcukers
Final Gasp
fish narc
Flea
Flying Lotus
Foo Fighters
Gladie
GloRilla
Gojira
Harry Styles
Heavenly
IDK Even The Devil Smiles
Immolation
Interpol
Isaiah Rashad All My Heroes Are Junkies [working title]
James Blackshaw
Joanna Sternberg
Julia Jacklin
Kacey Musgraves
Kehlani
Kim Gordon
Kim Petras Detour
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Lana Del Rey Lasso The Right Person Will Stay Classic Stove
Lala Lala
Laurel Halo
Lindsey Buckingham
Lip Critic
Local Natives
Madonna Confessions On A Dancefloor Part 2
Mary BC
Massive Attack
Mastodon
Merchandise
Mitski
Mk.gee
MUNA
Mute Swan
Noname Cartoon Radio
Normans
Olivia Rodrigo
Paul McCartney
Phoebe Bridgers
Protomartyr
RAYE
Robber Robber
Robyn
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
Rostam American Stories
Sam Fender
Show Me The Body
Shudder To Think
Snail Mail
Spoon
Steve Lacy Oh Yeah?
Stevie Nicks
Sugar
Sweeping Promises
Terror Still Suffer
The 1975 DOGS [working title]
The Afghan Whigs
The Avalanches
The Chisel
The Cure
The Flaming Lips
The Internet
The New Pornographers
The Roots End Game
The Shins
The War On Drugs
The xx
Thundercat
Tori Amos – In Times Of Dragons
Tove Lo
Tripping Daisy
Triptykon
U2
Veeze
VIAL
Victoria Monet
Weyes Blood
World News
Yard Act
youbet
They could come out in 2026 or 2036
Bad Religion
Brian Wilson's Cows In The Pasture, recorded 1970
Cake
Car Colors
Chappell Roan
Courtney Love
D'Angelo (posthumous album)
Frank Ocean
Janet Jackson's – Black Diamond [working title]
Joanna Newsom
King Diamond Saint Lucifer's Hospital 1920
LCD Soundsystem
Michael Stipe
Modest Mouse
My Bloody Valentine
Nine Inch Nails
Rihanna
Sky Ferreira – Masochism
Slipknot's Look Outside Your Window (recorded 2008)
Solange
Soundgarden's final album
Taylor Swift's Reputation (Taylor's Version)
The Highwomen
The Hot Boys' reunion album
The Strokes
Toadies' The Charmer
Tools
Antonio Santini for SANREMO.FM
