By Mady Field

We are officially a third of the way into 2026, and already our Spotify’s have been jammed (and I mean quite literally jammed) with several new releases from our favorite artists. The new year has been a big one for the music industry, with many already released albums and songs, and plenty more yet to drop. 

The year started strong when two major singer-songwriters announced their upcoming albums and singles on the same day. One of them being former boy band heartthrob Harry Styles. Styles announced his new album “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally” and released a funky track “Aperture,” to give fans a preview of his new music. When the album finally released, songs like “American Girls” and “Taste Back” topped the charts. Harry’s new album includes synthetic and techno beats leaving fans wanting to disco all the time.

The other artist whose music was announced earlier this year is that of Noah Kahan, who announced the release of his fourth album “The Great Divide.” Kahan’s new album is one that fans have been waiting on for a long time, after a series of hints and music excerpts had been teased for months. The album was accompanied by the album’s title track, “The Great Divide,” and more recently another single “Porch Light.” The album officially drops on April 24. 

If you can’t wait that long to inch yourself across the great divide, Kahan also announced several listening parties which allow fans to hear the album together before it officially streams on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. One of these exclusive early listens will take place at Springfield’s own Dumber Records located in White Oaks Mall.

Popular artist Mitski, known for the raw emotions she portrays in her songs and high soothing voice, also released new music in February with her new album “Nothing’s About to Happen to Me.” The album got mixed reviews among fans, with some appreciating its slower pace and intimate dive into darker themes. Others thought the album lacked the excitement and energy of her past work. 

In the most recent news, Disney child star turned singer, Olivia Rodrigo, announced the release of her newest album at the beginning of this month. Her new album, “You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love,” is set to release June 12. This comes after a series of agonizing easter eggs from her social media accounts that led to speculation from her fans about the content of her new music. Based on the hints, the album is believed to be a little darker and more mature, featuring “sad love songs,” as opposed to the teenage coming-of-age music that originally made her famous. Her first single, “Drop Dead,” comes out on April 17 and fans are looking forward to what is in store for Liv’s new album.

While it is still too early to tell, 2026 is shaping up to be a big year for music with these only some of the highlights. Also coming up includes music from the Foo Fighters, Snoop Dogg, Paul McCartney and Niall Horan. There’s also been music not officially announced like a teased new album from Lana Del Rey. Keep checking your Spotify for new music and keep an ear out for music from your favorite artists. Our Spotify Wrapps are about to be filled with fresh new music from this year!

Courtesy of Genius