Stereogum's ranking of the 50 best albums released so far in 2026

We've reached the halfway point of the year, and for some it's already time to take stock. As with the online magazine Stereogum, which has published its ranking of the 50 best albums released so far this year. "Fifty albums aren't even enough to capture the full breadth of sounds that have shaped 2026, but they offer a snapshot of the melodies and rhythms that have thrilled us so far," writes Chris DeVille in the introduction. "The following list is limited to albums released by the end of May. It represents the collective viewpoint of the Stereogum staff: the albums that have moved us, inspired us, and surprised us during the days and weeks spent searching for the best sounds out there."

So here's the ranking of the 50 best albums of 2026 released so far, according to Stereogum (full feature here).

50. Danny L Harle - "Cerulean"
49. Johnny Blue Skies & The Dark Clouds - "Mutiny After Midnight"
48. Loukeman - "Sd-3"
47. Winged Wheel - "Desert So Green"
46. Lip Critic - "Theft World"
45. April + Vista - "Traditional Noise"
44. Nine Inch Nails & Boyz Noize - "Nine Inch Noize"
43. Daughn Gibson - "Lake Mary not mysterious"
42. Namasenda - "Limbo"
41. Frog - "Frog For Sale"
40. Tiffany Day - "Halo"
39. Big Long Sun - "love songs and spiritual recollections"
38. xaviersobased - "Xavier"
37. Mitski - "Nothing's About To Happen To Me"
36. Quiet Light - "Blue Angel Sparkling Silver 2"
35. Cootie Catcher - "Something We All Got"
34. ear - "Rumspringa"
33. GENA - "The Pleasure Is Yours"
32. Lowertown - "Ugly Duckling Union"
31. Stuck - "Optimizer"
30. Bill Callahan - "My Days Of 58"
29. hemlocke springs - "the apple tree under the sea"
28. Joyce Manor - "I Used To Go To This Bar"
27. Jana Horn - "Jana Horn"
26. Angel Du$t - "Cold 2 The Touch"
25. Lala Lala - "Heaven 2"
24. fakemink - "Terrified ."
23. Feeble Little Horse - "bitknot"
22. Fire-Toolz - "Lavender Networks"
21. sadie - "Better Angels"
20. Jump Source - "Fold"
19. Neurosis - "An Undying Love For A Burning World"
18. My New Band Believe - "My New Band Believe"
17. Greg Mendez - "Beauty Land"
16. Robyn - "Sexistential"
15. deathcrash - "Somersaults"
14. Cardinals - "Masquerade"
13. Victoryland - "My Heart Is A Room With No Cameras In It"
12. Wendy Eisenberg - "Wendy Eisenberg"
11. youbet - "youbet"
10. Robber Robber - "Two Wheels Move The Soul"
9. Arima Ederra - "A Rush To Nowhere"
8. Star Moles - "Highway To Hell"
7. underscores - "U"
6. Kevin Morby - "Little Wide Open"
5. Grace Ives - "Girlfriend"
4. Aldous Harding - "Train On The Island"
3. Friko - "Something Worth Waiting For"
2. Ratboys - "Singin' To An Empty Chair"
1. Slayyyter - "WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA"

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