New Music Friday: Gracie Abrams, Yard Act, Echo & The Bunnymen and more

What’s on this week’s New Music Friday playlists?

New Music Friday albums 💿

Gracie Abrams raises a little hell on her third studio album, Daughter From Hell. Spanning 16 tracks, the record pushes her intimate songwriting into darker, more dramatic territory. Following 2024 chart-topper The Secret Of Us, could Gracie be heading for a second Official Number 1 album?

Yard Act aren’t just going serving a little music – they’re back with a whole new album’s worth. The Leeds outfit’s third studio set finds them pairing their most dynamic, energised material yet with characteristically dark and cynical reflections. Fun fact: it’s also the first record the quartet have made together live in the same room. Could You’re Gonna Need A Little Music complete a hat-trick of Official Top 10 albums?

Take That release Live From The Circus 2026 (Amazon Music Presents), a exclusive EP of live recordings from Gary, Mark and Howard’s recent homecoming show at Manchester’s Etihad Stadium. The lads broke records last month, when The Circus Tour became the most-watched UK livestream of all time on Amazon Music.

Love is in the air – then very much crashing back down to earth – on Nia Archives‘ Emotional Junglist. Written across a year that saw Nia fall in, and horrifically back out of, love, the record channels every high and heartbreak through her turbocharged jungle sound. After 2024’s Silence Is Loud reached Number 16, could album two bring Nia her first Official Top 10?

As she claims the Official biggest new song release of 2026 with iloveitiloveitiloveit, Bella Kay drops her debut album My Reckless Abandon.

Another one! Four years on from GOD DID, DJ Khaled unlocks Aalam Of God, and naturally he’s brought a sizeable guest list along for the ride, including Future and Lil Baby (One Of Them) and Post Malone and YoungBoy Never Broke Again (Brother).

Oh yeah, Steve Lacy‘s back! The Californian multihyphenate’s third studio album Oh yeah? arrives almost four years after the GRAMMY-winning Gemini Rights, bringing his unique brand of genre-blurring, self-produced alt-R&B experimentation. With SZA, Erykah Badu and Cecile Believe among those joining the party, can Steve finally secure his first Official UK Top 40 album?

Elsewhere, Rick Ross returns with Set In Stone, his first solo album in almost five years, as Californian singer-songwriter Syd (formerly known as Syd tha Kid) grows into her next chapter with third full-length project Beard. There is also a fresh release from Leon Bridges with Happiness Anytime.

Now, let’s turn our attention to singles.

New Music Friday singles 🎶

Cali rockers Queens of the Stone Age recruit Nikki Lane on Easy Street, their first new song since 2023’s In Times New Roman. Eagerly awaited by fans, the track was debuted on the band’s Catacombs tour last year.

On the song, QOTSA’s Josh Homme explains: “It’s kind of a funny song. It’s like hitting your funny bone, where it’s funny because it hurts and it hurts because it’s funny. You’re serious, but it’s funny.

“It’s not just about silliness. It’s about understanding the imperfection of your life. The song, like your life, is in the mistakes. Its imperfections are unbeatable.”

Ahead of the release of his third solo studio set THRASHER, due August 21, Brandon Flowers takes you to Paradise on his latest cut. Announcing the song on socials, Brandon said: “Back in October ‘89, Phil Collins took “Another Day In Paradise” from the working man. This Friday the 17th, I’ll be returning it to its rightful owner.”

It’s a huge return for Echo & The Bunnymen, as their new single Brussels Is Haunted follows follows the news that they will release their first album in 12 years, Apples For Isaac.

With the announcement of his new LP A Safe Place To Be Wild, coming October 30, New Zealand-Australian singer-songwriter Jordan Rakei has a message for his Enemies. On the track, Jordan says: “Enemies has a playful, almost arrogant energy to it, not from bitterness, but from self-confidence.

“It’s an ownership song about not taking any more crap, rising above past dynamics, and turning all of that into positive energy. It’s dedicated to all the enemies of my past, haha!”

Filipino-English singer-songwriter beabadoobee unleashes Switchblade, with her hugely anticipated forthcoming album Pylon set to release this September.

Toronto singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist MorMor drops Don’t Need It, a tune he says “marked the end of a long search for love, and even for a father figure, or external validation.”

London four-piece Keo shoot their shot with new cut Pistol, the second single from the band’s upcoming debut album, Put A Smile On For Me.

Elsewhere, expect big new releases from Beck (In The Night), Kelly Clarkson (I’d Be Lyin’), KILIMANJARO (Ghetto), Rose Gray (Just Be Bodies), Masego (Heaven) and Dry Cleaning (Grass).