Most anticipated albums coming out in 2026 and Stereogum's “200 Most Anticipated Albums” list

2026 has only just begun, and we're already combing through the calendar in search of the year's most anticipated releases. Among the artists who have already confirmed plans to put out new music in 2026 are Lana Del Rey, Charli XCX, Gorillaz, Massive Attack, Rolling Stones, U2, Madonna and Paul McCartney. But rumors are also swirling around plenty of other records that could surface over the course of the year. Here's a quick rundown, along with Stereogum's list of "The 200 Most Anticipated Albums Of 2026".

The classic rock heavyweights

On the classic rock front, the most concrete prospect is a new Rolling Stones album, three years on from “Hackney Diamonds”. The sessions, once again produced by Andrew Watt, are said to include unreleased material as well as recordings salvaged from that period. Ronnie Wood has spoken of it as a release planned for 2026, though uncertainty over touring could affect the timeline. Watt is also involved in Paul McCartney's 2025 sessions, recorded partly at Abbey Road. Wood has also reopened talk of a possible Faces reunion album, the band's first new material since 1973. Another heavyweight, Joe Jackson, has announced that his new album “Hope And Fury” will arrive in 2026, marking his return to a more rock-oriented sound.

Still among the big names, there are signs of new work from Ringo Starr (with T Bone Burnett), Bob Dylan (spotted in the studio for some time now), Mick Fleetwood, Billy Gibbons and Stevie Nicks, alongside archival projects such as the Love unreleased-material collection “Just To Remind You” and the never-issued country album by Brian Wilson. There is also talk of new releases from Squeeze and Curved Air.

Announced comebacks: from the Cure to U2, from Tori Amos to Lana Del Rey

Among the releases already confirmed, the start of the year promises several interesting titles: January brings "Secret Love" by Dry Cleaning, "The Demise Of Planet X" by Sleaford Mods, the latest album from Megadeth, and "Tragic Magic" by Julianna Barwick and Mary Lattimore. February will see the release of "Britpop" by Robbie Williams, "Cerulean" by Danny L Harle, the soundtrack to "Wuthering Heights" composed by Charli XCX, and "The Mountain" by Gorillaz.

Later in the year, 4 Non Blondes could also make a comeback, having confirmed new songs, as could Courtney Love, working on a second solo album with Will Sergeant and with the possible involvement of Michael Stipe. A record from Flea with a contemporary jazz lineup is also expected.

U2 have long been talking about a new album at an advanced stage, while Massive Attack have promised new music, not necessarily in the form of an LP. Spring should also bring "High Noon" by Blondie, produced by John Congleton, featuring the last recordings by Clem Burke.

New releases are also on the way from two major singer-songwriters: Tori Amos has already announced "In Times Of Dragons", while Lana Del Rey should finally be releasing "Stove", an album that's been renamed multiple times and leans toward country-Americana sounds.

Bruce Springsteen has pointed to 2026 as a possible year for a return with new material, alongside a second, already-completed project. New albums from The Cure and a posthumous work by Sinéad O'Connor could also arrive. Still in the realm of expectation, with varying degrees of likelihood, are new records from Björk, Muse, Strokes, Prodigy, Bill Callahan, Johnny Marr, Morrissey, Joanna Newsom, and Guns N' Roses.

Madonna back on the dancefloor

Within the mainstream pop landscape, developments are expected from Madonna's dance project with Stuart Price, something of a sequel to 2005's "Confessions On A Dance Floor", from Chappell Roan's second album, from the new work by Coldplay, and from yet another postponement of Kanye West's "Bully". The K-pop world is looking 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 scheduled between January and the end of the month, followed by the predictable wave of post-Sanremo albums. Outside the festival, new works from Blanco, Cosmo, and Gianluca Grignani have long been expected, along with a collaboration between Rose Villain and Guè, as well as possible developments in the journey of Carmen Consoli, who is expected to release the next chapter of the announced trilogy begun with the splendid "Amuri luci".

Stereogum's list: The 200 Most Anticipated Albums Of 2026

The magazine Stereogum has published a list of the most anticipated albums of the new year, curated by Scott Lapatine, divided between releases already scheduled, likely ones, and simple "wishes": we present it below (full feature here).

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/Más – “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

@

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

Björk

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 Da 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

Maria BC

Massive Attack

Mastodon

Merchandise

Mitski

Mk.gee

MUNA

Mute Swan

Noname Cartoon Radio

Normani

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 Monét

Weyes Blood

World News

Yard Act

youbet

They could come out in 2026 just as much as in 2036

Bad Religion

Brian Wilson’s Cows In The Pasture, recorded in 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 in 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

Tool

Ride the wave of great music

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