The Best Songs Released in February 2026

Well…it’s already March 1. It’s been a crazy start to the new year so far and I hope that listening to new music helps you escape from the anxiety of the world that we’re living in. 🙂

Follow our New Music Sunday playlist, updated weekly, HERE.

Noteworthy album & EP releases:

Paracosm, Absolutely
Speed Kills, Ally Evenson
Everywhere Isn’t Texas, August Ponthier
The Romantic, Bruno Mars
Wuthering Heights, Charli xcx
Patchwork, Charlotte Day Wilson
A Love For Strangers, Chet Faker
My Lover, Claire Rosincranz
77 (pt. 2), Colony House
The Sky, Delilah Montagu
Do You Still Love Me?, Ella Mai
PAREIDOLIA, Erin LeCount
What Makes A Girl A Girl, Esha Tewari
stardust, Freya Skye
The Imposter, Glassio
Heavy Hair, Grace Inspace
the apple tree under the sea, hemlocke springs
luck…or something, Hilary Duff
Piss in the Wind, Joji
AngelPink, Keni Titus
Not Anything, Just Everything, Kristane
Heaven 2, Lala Lala
Wellnxss, Last Dinosaurs
My Ego Told Me To, Leigh-Anne
New Day, Liz Cooper
Goodbye (If You Call That Gone), MAY-A
Cloud 9, Megan Maroney
I Remember When, Missio
Nothing’s About to Happen to Me, Mitski
SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN, Mothica
Prizefighter, Mumford & Sons
Sunday Best, Nick Jonas
Look Who’s Back, The Nude Party
Singin’ to an Empty Chair, Ratboys
Fleeting, Sarah Kinsley
AngieAngieAngie, spill tab
Cynthia, Sydney Ross Mitchell
Petal Rock Black, Willow
up above, Wrabel
ROCK AND A HARD PLACE, Yellow Days

In chronological order:

“Homewrecker” – Sombr
Release date – February 5

Despite whatever anyone has to say about Sombr’s maturity level as a young artist who has been surrounded by some polarizing discourse online, that man knows how to craft a banger. I still listen to “12 to 12” regularly (and here I am refraining myself from making an obvious pun on the name of the song), and can make the argument that his newest single, “Homewrecker,” is just as much as an ear worm. It’s evident his music is marking a mark on his fans: he’s currently the 35th most streamed artist in the world on Spotify and is currently in the middle of a completely sold out UK/EU tour through mid-March.

Sombr, whose real name is Shane Boose, is the sole songwriter credited on the track, plus he has a co-production credit with Tony Berg: a 71-year-old veteran producer of the industry who has worked with fellow Staged Haze darlings Katie Gavin, Taylor Swift, Phoebe Bridgers, and boygenius. “Homewrecker” tells the story of struggling to be there for a friend who’s going through a difficult time in a romantic relationship and not wanting to overstep boundaries, but wanting to be there all the same. With an addictive melody and upbeat production, “Homewrecker” is a classic example of a “cheerful” sounding song that’s actually pretty sad lyrically, and we all know that that’s my favorite type of song.

Sombr is set to debut at Coachella in just a couple months, booked sixth on his day, and will likely make another debut at Lollapalooza this summer. – Kristin

“DON’T YOU SEE ME TRYING?” – Erin LeCount
Release date – February 11

I discovered 22-year-old self-taught singer, songwriter and producer Erin LeCount towards the end of last year and have been pretty fixated on her music ever since, even catching her show in LA a couple weeks ago: one of two sold out shows at The Roxy for her first ever North American tour.

Her music immerses you into a gothic pop universe with sweeping melodies, big choruses and upbeat, shimmery production reminiscent of artists like Florence + The Machine or Caroline Polachek. The single “DON’T YOU SEE ME TRYING?” dropped a couple weeks ago and is part of her new EP, PAREIDOLIA, which dropped this past Friday. Speaking on the song in a press release, LeCount mentions that it’s about “the euphoria of self sabotaging just when things get good” and “The danger and joy of giving in to old habits, the manic impulse to throw it all away, a reckless abandon and invitation back into a downwards spiral.”

I can’t help but think of a song by Taylor Swift off of folklore, called “this is me trying” when I hear this song, and this idea of wanting to be acknowledged for simply trying to improve even though you know you’re struggling or managing negative impulses as best as you can. Much different songs sonically, but similar meanings that feel relatable. – Kristin

“Dying For You” – Charli xcx
Release date – February 13

If there’s one song from Charli xcx’s Wuthering Heights soundtrack era that feels primed for full pop domination, it’s “Dying For You.” Written for the film adaptation of Wuthering Heights, the track leans into sweeping melodrama while still delivering the sharp, addictive hooks Charli has perfected over the years. It’s easily the most pop-friendly moment on the album, trading some of the project’s darker, moodier textures for a glossy, high-impact chorus that begs to be screamed in your car. The production swells in all the right places, cinematic without losing that undeniable Charli edge.

Naturally, it’s taken on a life of its own on TikTok, where creator grapejuicenads sparked a viral dance to the now-inescapable refrain: “All the pain and torture that I went through, all makes sense to me now, I was dying for you.” The choreography is simple, dramatic, and ridiculously fun, the kind of routine that anyone can learn after a couple of watches, which is exactly why it’s catching like wildfire. It turns romantic devastation into something communal and performative, and suddenly everyone is “dying” in sync. We already dove deep into the full album in our review, and “Dying For You” stands out as the undeniable breakout moment of the project. – Jesse

“White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter” – Lana Del Rey
Release date – February 17

The algorithm has also been firmly pushing Lana Del Rey’s latest single, “White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter” into heavy rotation. Released February 17, 2026, the track is the first glimpse into her upcoming album Stove, which, honestly, is such a Lana title it almost feels like performance art. The song opens in an eerie, theatrical haze, like you’re switching on an old black and white film in a dark living room. Sinister acoustic strings creep in before Lana’s voice enters with that familiar, elastic lilt reminiscent of “A&W,” immediately signaling that we’re being ushered into a fully realized new world. It feels cinematic in scope but intimate in tone, almost like she’s narrating from inside a faded photograph.

Co-written with Justin Parker, the same collaborator behind “Video Games,” the track carries that sweeping, gothic romanticism that defined her earliest era while still sounding adventurous. There are moments that feel almost Joanna Newsom or Björk coded in their off-kilter whimsy, especially when Lana playfully sings, “Whoopsie-daisy, yoo-hoo.” Lyrically, she even nods to the album’s title: “And I wanted to know if I could use your stove / To cook somethin’ up for you…” before launching into a chorus that is equal parts mystical and lovesick: “Positively voodoo, everything that you do… yelling, ‘I love you’ out to my white feather hawk tail deer hunter. Take my hand off the stove, hun.” There is a vintage, almost Chemtrails Over the Country Club quality to the whole thing, but it feels less nostalgic and more like she is sharpening her mythology. If this is the doorway into Stove, we are stepping into something strange, romantic, and spellbound. – Jesse

“She Knows Too Much” – Thundercat, Mac Miller
Release date – February 17

“She Knows Too Much” feels bigger than just another single release. Originally leaked in 2020 and now officially arriving as part of Thundercat’s fifth studio album, Distracted, the track lands as a genuinely beautiful moment in music history. Mac Miller passed away in 2018, so hearing “new” material from one of the most beloved rappers of his generation still feels surreal in the best way. For longtime fans, his voice carries comfort and nostalgia all at once. There is something deeply moving about the way music preserves presence. It allows collaborations like this to breathe years later, reminding us why Mac’s artistry resonated so widely in the first place.

The song itself is gorgeous. It opens with a Motown-leaning groove, soft “oohs” floating over warm percussion before settling into the signature elastic funk Thundercat does so effortlessly. His basslines pulse with life, and his background vocals glide behind Mac’s smooth, confident delivery, creating a chemistry that feels organic and unforced. In his interview with Zane Lowe, Thundercat grew emotional reflecting on working with Mac, and you can hear that love woven into every second of the track. “She Knows Too Much” is more than a standout funk cut. It is a reminder of friendship, legacy, and the lasting impact of an artist whose voice still feels very much alive. – Jesse

“Tell Me It Won’t Happen” – Hilary Duff
Release date – February 20

If you told me six months ago that Hilary Duff would end up on not one, but two of our “Best of the month” posts in 2026, I would have been pretty confused. I mentioned this in a TikTok I posted last month after catching Hilary’s “Small Rooms, Big Nerves” tour in LA, but Duff is the only pop star I have loved longer than Taylor Swift: I was a huge fan as a child and have been LIVING for her 2026 revival.

I was (and still am, honestly) obsessed with her second lead single for this album, “Roommates,” and was pleasantly surprised with how many songs on luck… or something that I genuinely found to be catchy and fun, but also deep and meaningful. I have a few stand outs on the project overall, but “Tell Me That Won’t Happen” is hands down my favorite. “I’m worried that I’ve felt everything I’ll ever feel and I won’t again,” Hilary sings on the opening line of the chorus. “Are we eighty years proof? Are we really immune? Will I want something new? Will you want something new?,” she admits with an endearing sincerity. As a chronic over thinker and worrier of the future (which is also the topic on “Future Tripping,”), I could fully relate to this idea of being unsure of how I will approach things in the future and how my relationships with everyone in my life are going to be tested as I continue to grow older.

As Hilary’s fans continue to grow up with her, it’s safe to say that we’ve all identified with the anxiety that she sings on in this song and the entire project as a whole. And one more thing to add – I genuinely find the production and melody on this song super similar to The 1975 and I absolutely love that for myself. – Kristin

Check out all of our Best of the Month round-ups here.