Happy 2026 (I guess?) it’s crazy that we’re already at the start of a new year and it honestly feels weird to be talking about music while the world is on fire. But the amazing about art is that it’s a way to cope with the times and escape for a bit.
Check out all of our New Music Sunday posts HERE and follow the corresponding playlist (updated weekly) HERE.
Noteworthy album & EP releases:
Don’t Be Dumb, A$AP Rocky
The Moment (The Score), A.G. Cook
Kiss Big, Ailbhe Reddy
Vacancy, Ari Lennox
Shhugar, Baby Nova
Running With Scissors, Cavetown
Valentine, Courtney Marie Andrews
Platonic Romance, DRAMA
Corporate Pudding, Dogpark
MIRACLE DRUG, Draag
Secret Love, Dry Cleaning
IT’S NOT REAL, Ella Red
Girlhood, Genevieve Hannelius
Quicksand Heart, Jenny On Holiday
Closer To Happy, Joseph
I Used to Go To This Bar, Joyce Manor
Greyhound, Katie Tupper
The Next One, Kristiane
Cosmic Opera: Act I, Labrinth
I Am, Lexa Gates
How Did I Get Here?, Louis Tomlinson
Locket, Madison Beer
So Much Has Changed, Maro
Hyperlove, MIKA
Bloodline, Mon Rovîa
Self-titled, Nat and Alex Wolff
Empty Hands, Poppy
Dreamer+, Sassy009
DEATH IN THE BUSINESS OF WHALING, Searows
DANCE…, Slayyyter
When A Flower Doesn’t Go, Solfcult
Boycott Heaven, The Format
Before I Forget, The Kid Laroi
Until The Comet Came, The Man The Myth The Meatslab
If You Go There, I Hope You Find It, The Paper Kites
Eat Myself, Together Pangea
Rivers of Sugar and Blood, Truman Sinclair
Entertain Me, Vienna Vienna
Shark River, Wormy
NO LOVE LOST TO KINDNESS, Yumi Zouma
In chronological order:
“Thinking ’bout You” – Stella Lefty
Release date – January 2
Up and comer pop girlie Stella Lefty only released her debut EP, Tragic, Really, last July, but she’s already making waves online, approaching 300k followers on her social media platforms. A TikTok video from December 2025 of Lefty writing the now released “Thinking ’bout You” with fellow singer-songwriter Grace Enger has racked up 9.8 million views (which is how I first discovered it).
Since its official release on January 2, “Thinkin ’bout You” has been a mainstay in my rotation, a relaxed, vibey, fun track about the feelings and fantasies that buzz around in your tummy and your brain when you start to fall for someone new. Clocking in at just two minutes and 20 seconds, the opening melody of “Thinkin ’bout You” is giving major Taylor Swift vibes: specifically the song “Hey Stephen” from Fearless, which is definitely the reason why I instantly fell in love with the track.
The track was also co-written by Sadie Jean and produced by Joe Reeves (Post Malone, Tate McRae) and Hoskins (mkg, Khalid) and Enger, legitimizing the potential that fellow musicians and creatives see in Lefty, who’s only 19-years-old and happened to grow up minutes away from my hometown. There’s been a lot of buzz surrounding the future of pop music and where artists like Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan fit in, but when it comes to those in their teenage years (oof, I’m old), I have confidence that Lefty will be in the conversation when the time comes. – Kristin
“Roommates” – Hilary Duff
Release date – January 15
Hilary Duff’s been meticulously launching her return to pop music over the last several months, including a stint appearing at Austin City Limits weekend 1 as Role Model’s “Sally” (Witnessing this in person was true hysteria for myself) last October and sharing several social media posts hinting that she was back in the studio. As I’m typing this, I’m still coming down from the euphoric high of seeing her live for the first time in my life this past Thursday night at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, the last of four shows on the “Small Rooms, Big Nerves” tour. Hilary Duff, who’s releasing her new album on Feb. 20, has been one of my personal idols since I was a small child, and it’s evident that she’s made a lasting impact as a pop star and actress on many millennials like myself.
I have mixed feelings on Duff’s lead single, “Mature,” but was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed “Roommates,” the second single, the moment it dropped a couple weeks ago. It feels very Carly Rae Jepsen and Taylor Swift coded (the beat in the chorus is nearly identical to the chorus of “Anti-Hero”), and the kitschy lyrics like “life is life-ing and pressure is pressuring” gives the song a catchy, lighthearted feel while actually talking about the trials and tribulations of marriage and the work it takes to not become just “roommates.” At the core of the song, Duff is singing about how hard it can be to maintain a spark between a couple when life gets in the way: when you’re more focused on catching up on sleep than spending quality time with your significant other.
Duff’s husband and frequent collaborator, Matthew Koma, commented on the experience working on “Roommates” with a heartfelt Instagram post. “[Roommates] is about panic and uncertainty…the “are we doing this right?” and “is this forever” tailspins that accompany the less oxytocin fueled days of navigating a life that’s bigger than just the two of you. It’s about simply wanting to be wanted and seen by your person after all the cards are on the table and the unsexy fluorescent light of life is spotlighting your days.” – Kristin
“DANCE” – Slayyyter
Release date – January 16
Arriving as the title track of her DANCE… EP and a key piece of her upcoming album WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA, out March 27, Slayyyter’s “DANCE…” feels like a statement of intent. It’s a track built around movement first, instinct second, and everything else far behind. The song wastes no time setting the mood either, opening with over a minute of pure instrumental that is wildly strut-worthy. The beat builds patiently, pulsing with confidence and tension, the kind of intro that makes you straighten your posture without even realizing it.
When Slayyyter finally enters, the lyrics make it clear exactly what kind of release this song is offering. Lines like “I kinda hate you, but it doesn’t matter, let me dance” and “you seem so miserable, it doesn’t matter, let me dance” cut straight through any emotional clutter, turning detachment into power. There’s something cathartic about how blunt it is, especially when she follows with “feel it in my bones, written in blood, I don’t need you, I don’t need anyone,” a moment that feels less like bravado and more like self-preservation. By the time she lands on “I came here to party, and you know what you started, I’ll end it in the morning when you seem unimportant,” the song has fully committed to its point of view: the dance floor as escape, DANCE… works because it’s confident, controlled, and knows exactly what it’s there to do.
“Opening Night” – Arctic Monkeys
Release date – January 22
Any new Arctic Monkeys music immediately has my attention, so hearing that “Opening Night” arrived as part of War Child Records’ charity album Help 2 was more than enough reason to press play. The compilation serves as a follow-up to 2005’s Help! and brings together artists across genres to raise funds for children affected by conflict around the world. Proceeds from the record go toward War Child’s work providing protection, education, and mental health support to children living in and recovering from war zones, which gives the release an added sense of weight and purpose beyond just new music.
Arctic Monkeys’ contribution feels like a quiet but welcome reappearance, one that doesn’t need to shout to make its impact felt. Instead, it leans into restraint, atmosphere, and mood, reminding us just how effective the band can be when they let a song slowly unfold. “Opening Night” opens with a stripped-back, folk-leaning guitar line that sets a reflective tone right away, before Alex Turner’s unmistakable, slightly Elvis-coded vocal slides in. His delivery feels especially cinematic here, carrying a sense of drama even in the quieter moments.
The lyrics are really poetic and I’m not even going to quote any of them, just look them up, but I will say my favorite lyric is “Flashback to infinity, just one more time.” There’s an underlying ominousness to the track as well, like it could easily score a moody film scene or play over opening credits at dusk.
As the song moves into the chorus, it subtly picks up speed and scale, revealing gorgeous harmonies that accent lines like “Heavy on one side” and “Cherry red and white loaded dice.” It never fully explodes, but it doesn’t need to. “Opening Night” feels confident in its slow burn. Between this track and the wider Help 2 lineup, which includes artists like Olivia Rodrigo, the release is exciting on multiple levels. And if this is any indication that Arctic Monkeys are back in recording mode, I’m hopeful it won’t be too long before we hear more from them again. – Jesse
“Aperture” – Harry Styles
Release date – January 22
It’s been quietly buzzing around the internet that Harry Styles would be coming back into the spotlight this year music-wise (we’ve all been keeping up with who he’s been dating for the past few years, right?), but I didn’t expect it to happen this quickly. On January 15, he posted the artwork for his next album Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally, set to arrive March 6. Just five days later, he announced his first single, “Aperture,” would drop on January 22. So of course, I flocked.
There’s already a baseline love I have for Harry Styles, so yes, there’s probably some bias here, but the song truly delivers. A day before its release, he also announced the “Together Together” tour, with dates in Amsterdam, London, São Paulo, Mexico City, and a massive 30-night residency at Madison Square Garden from August through October. It’s a lot to process, and honestly a little overwhelming (the $1000 tickets aren’t helping the narrative), but despite all the surrounding hype, “Aperture” stands confidently on its own.
Produced by Kid Harpoon, a longtime collaborator on Harry’s solo work, “Aperture” is one of the most celebratory bangers he’s released to date. It features background vocals from Ellie Rowsell of Wolf Alice, alongside the unmistakable swell of a House Gospel Choir, giving the track an almost euphoric lift. The song opens with a roughly 50-second electronic intro that slowly builds before Harry’s voice finally enters, delivering the line “Take no prisoners for me / I’m told you’re elevating” with ease and confidence. By the second verse, the beat fully locks in, gorgeous harmonies emerge, and the song starts to soar.
As always, this is a man who could sing the phone book, but the lyrics here carry weight too. When he shrugs “It’s complicated,” it lands with a knowing softness, grounding the track amid all its glitter. The chorus “It’s best you know what you don’t / Aperture lets the light in,” paired with the joyful refrain “We belong together,” feels both intimate and communal, like a disco floor confession shouted into the void. Reportedly the last song created for the record, “Aperture” seems to perfectly encapsulate the album’s ethos, which I’m guessing is going to be unapologetically disco-forward. And yes, there’s a music video that pays homage to David Bowie. We are, once again, extremely blessed. – Jesse
“To Love Somebody” – Holly Humberstone
Release date – January 23
“To Love Somebody” is the newest single from 26-year-old Holly Humberstone, along with the announcement of her sophomore album Cruel World, which drops on April 10. The song is a much more upbeat song compared to her previous release, “Die Happy,” which dropped last November. “To Love Somebody” is an anthemic track about getting your heart broken, getting over it, and accepting the fact that it’ll probably all happen again, because that is the cycle of life.
I’ve always heard a lot of The 1975 in Humberstone’s music (she’s collaborated with Matty Healy on a couple songs and has spoken about the band’s influence on her sound), but I feel like their fingerprints are ALL over the second verse of this track (complimentary). The lyrics “You took a right hook to the jaw / So you go and brush your teeth / A little powder on your cheeks / And you feel a little better / And this blue and green ball / Keeps spinning to the beat / You gotta try and move your feet” absolutely fills The 1975 void in my heart.
This isn’t meant to diminish Holly’s unique perspective as a musician, but rather a testament to her taste and how she’s not afraid to let other artists inspire her work. I’ve been a fan of hers for a very long time, first seeing her live in October 2021, and I feel like “To Love Somebody” is easily in the running for her strongest song to date. – Kristin
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