As the new year begins, new music is being released every day. With big names like A$AP Rocky, Bruno Mars, SZA and Doechii, 2026 is going to be a year full of new music. With albums being announced, singles being released and iconic collaborations, 2026’s catalog of music spans across all kinds of genres and artists.
A$AP Rocky
A$AP Rocky released his first album since 2018, “Don’t Be Dumb,” on Jan. 16. The album has already received high acclaim from fans and critics alike. The release follows Rocky’s 2025 trial in which he was found not guilty of a felony gun assault charge he received in 2021.
“A number of high-profile names have been linked to the album, from Metro Boomin and Madlib to Playboi Carti and Westside Gunn,” Andy Bustard, writer and editor at HipHopDX, said. “But one of the most fascinating contributors is Tim Burton, the legendary filmmaker behind ‘Edward Scissorhands,’ ‘Beetlejuice’ and the late ’80s/early ’90s Batman movies.”
Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars surprised many when he announced a new single, album and tour all in the same Instagram post. “I Just Might,” the single release of his new album “Romantic,” is very reminiscent of past Mars songs, with upbeat and groovy instrumentals. After the success of “Die With a Smile,” it appears as though Mars is riding the high and starting this year with a fun and upbeat song. His new album will be released Feb. 27, and his tour will begin April 10.
KATSEYE
The success of the global HYBE x GEFFEN girl group KATSEYE is undeniable. After winning their first VMA last year and now entering 2026 with two Grammy nominations, the group of six is killing it in the music world. Having just ended their first tour for their EP “Beautiful Chaos,” they released their new single “Internet Girl” on Jan. 2.
“Internet Girl” is about digital identity and leans into satire and self-awareness. Appropriately, KATSEYE was recently crowned TikTok’s Global Artist of the Year,” Sam Armstrong, writer for udiscovermusic, said. “Internet Girl” is a fan-favorite song that the girl group teased on their sold-out, first-ever North American headline tour, which recently wrapped up after 16 dates.”
Doechii & SZA
Two days before the start of the new year, Doechii and SZA released their new song together titled “girl, get up.” This R&B/HipHop collaboration was the perfect way to enter 2026, bringing two powerful voices and artists coming together to create a well-rounded track. The two pair together very nicely from a vocal and production standpoint. I think “girl, get up” is one of the best releases of the new year.
“Produced by Jay Versace, ‘Girl, Get Up’ blends a punchy, stripped-back drum groove — sampled deftly from Birdman and Clipse’s classic, ‘What Happened to That Boy’ — with atmospheric synths,” Jon Blistein, staff writer at Rolling Stone Magazine, said.
Coming Up
Other notable upcoming releases include: “Wuthering Heights” by Charli XCX set for release on Feb.13, “Locket” by Madison Beer, set to release Jan. 16, “My Lover” by Claire Rosinkranz to be released on Feb. 13, “Cloud 9” by Megan Moroney available Feb. 20,, “If You Go There, I Hope You Find It” by The Paper Kites, coming out on Jan. 23and many more exciting names to hit streaming services soon.
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