The year is basically half over. How is it going for you? Favorite albums so far this year?
Well, don’t make a list yet. At least not until you’ve heard some of the great new albums we have for you today. We’ve got more bombastic, future-leaning rock from Muse, surfy and sincere alt rock from Switchfoot, raucous pop-punk from The Bouncing Souls and Sincere Engineer (read our review of it here), and melodic, grungy hard rock from The Pretty Reckless. There’s also a stunning new EP from folk songwriter Micah Felts (read my review of it here), another one from The King Blues, and the first half of Streetlight Manifesto‘s long-awaited new album.
After getting a 5-star review in Rolling Stone magazine, The Rolling Stones are continuing their album rollout with two more new tracks from Foreign Tongues. Another one of our most anticipated albums of 2026 was made official this week, with Phoebe Bridgers announcing Lost Weekend coming out in August, and dropping the first single. Famed folk rockers The Jayhawks are back, with a new single and a new album on the way. American Aquarium already have a second song out just a week or so after their first new one, and The Killers‘ Brandon Flowers explores his country-western side on his latest solo single. Another beloved indie rock singer back with a new solo single this week is My Morning Jacket‘s Jim James, and he has a full album to follow.
One of our favorite local indie acts, Zuli Jr., gave us the catchy first taste of his new album, and another Jr. Juggernaut, has great the summer-punk anthem of 2026. Josie Edwards‘ latest is another instantly hooky alt pop number, and Rat Boy‘s third new song this year is a perfect throwback to the classic pop punk rock that Rancid popularized in the 90’s. Indie stalwarts The Thermals gave the first taste of their first new album in 10 years, while Mongolian hard rockers The Hu drop another banger from their next album. There’s two new ska jams from Less Than Jake, and more haunting post-punk from Editors. Reunited punk rockers Sugar have also dropped a new single (with I hope more to come).
Also returning to the list this week are TV Pins, Garfield Mayor, Visions of Albion, Other Brother Darryl, Gatlin Black, Josaleigh Pollett, Oswald Slain, David G. Smith, Castlebeat, Nicole Alexis, Angus and Julia Stone, Anna Shoemaker, Mock Media, Aubory Bugg, Phillip Phillips, Everyone Says Hi, Moody Joody, Lisa Molinaro, The Animeros, Fiddlehead, Bodega, Yard Act, Compandas, Judah and the Lion, Petey USA, Jutes, Keyside, Pete Yorn, beabadoobee, Johanna Samuels, Ashley Brandenburg, Chris Pierce, Liam St. John, Keturah, Power Snatch, Babe Rainbow, Dice, The Hails, Stab, Post Sex Nachos, Barenaked Ladies, Tropidelic, Bishop Briggs, Cheekface, Andy Frasco & the U.N., Carolina Liar, Blondshell, Sombr, Bike Routes, Wild Pink, Medium Build, This is Lorelei, Fai Laci, The Bends and Pup. Yep – we’ve got a LOT of familiar faces back this week.
And happy to share new artists with you this week like Taxi Girls, TELL, Eyal Pik, Worm Girlz, FAWN, Hawk & Steel, The Nelson Brothers, Nautics, Dinky Bossetti, The Tubs, Whisper Doll, Soft Science, Diary, MOFGY, Waliko Makhala, Ben Mankhamba, Lightwatch, The Braymores, The Amplifier Heads, TELL, Girl and Girl, Winston Liv and Cassandra Coleman.
If you’re ready for some new music in your life, follow and stream our New Music Friday Playlist.
The Indy Review 