After a bleak 2025, it’s safe to say we’re all in desperate need of a fresh start. Not in a toxic-self-improvement-culture, investing-in-planners-and-filling-up-journals-with-a-new-set-of-goals type of way; here at NYLON, we view New Year’s as a vessel for something far more important: new music. 2026 is already promising to be a big year on that front, so to celebrate, we’ve compiled a list of the confirmed 2026 album releases we’re most excited about — and a couple we’re crossing our fingers for, too.
Lana Del Rey
ICYMI, Lana Del Rey revealed in an interview with W Magazine that her tenth studio album Stove will arrive sometime in January. But take this update with a grain of salt, because the project was originally slated to release in May 2025.
Release date: TBA
Charli XCX
By now we all know Charli’s next (music) project is called Wuthering Heights, and will serve as the soundtrack to the film adaptation of the classic Emily Brontë novel. The artist has already given us a taste of what’s to come with “House” and “Chains Of Love,” and we can’t wait to see what else she has in store.
Release date: Feb. 13
Hemlocke Springs
After taking TikTok by storm a few years back, Hemlocke Springs is set to finally release her debut project in February. The bedroom-meets-synth-pop singer already has fans in Chappell Roan, Grimes, and Steve Lacy, so from where we’re standing, 2026 is her year to lose.
Release date: Feb. 13
Madonna
Yup, it’s happening: Madonna will not only release her first album in seven years in 2026, but she’s also set to make her triumphant return with a sequel to her widely beloved 2005 dance album, Confessions on a Dance Floor. Needless to say, we’re cautiously optimistic about this one.
Release date: TBA
Björk
Earlier this month, it was announced that Björk will open her next art exhibition at the Icelandic Art Museum in May 2026, with the exhibit showcasing “new work based on music from her forthcoming album, currently in development.” As someone who still dreams of Björk’s MoMA exhibit from 2015, I have full faith that both the album and the presentation will meet my enormously high expectations.
Release date: TBA
Robyn
Nothing has been confirmed, but after the release of her latest single “Dopamine,” it feels safe to assume the Swedish singer has a new album on the way. Watch this space.
Release date: TBA
Beyoncé
This one may just be wishful thinking, but Beyoncé’s trilogy project has been releasing on an every-other-year schedule since 2022’s Renaissance. And considering we still have one more Act left to go, it stands to reason we’ll be hearing from the superstar sometime within the next 365 days.
Release date: TBA
Olivia Rodrigo
Before the stan accounts catch wind of this, we want to make one thing very clear: this is just speculation. That said, the singer did tell us she suspects 2026 will be a “busy year,” and we know based on her Instagram account that she’s been hard at work in the studio, so it’s not totally out of the question that we’ll get OR3 in 2026.
Release date: TBA
