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The 16 most anticipated albums of 2026
What music will we listen to in 2026? Numéro has selected the most anticipated albums of the upcoming months, from Lana Del Rey to Rihanna, Beyoncé, Addison Rae, Madonna and A$AP Rocky.
By Violaine Schütz,
and Ambra Flora.
Published on 28 August 2025. Updated on 8 January 2026.
The 16 most anticipated albums of 2026
2025 kicked off with new releases from Bad Bunny, Selena Gomez, Franz Ferdinand, and Mac Miller. On the French scene, singers Solann, Miki, and Eloi made waves with their latest records. By the end of the summer and beginning of fall, Rosalía, FKA twigs, Aya Nakamura, Parcels, Jehnny Beth, Olivia Dean, Flora Fishbach, Myd and Ethel Cain came back with new albums.
Over the course of 2026, Tyla, Olivia Rodrigo, Charlotte Cardin, Madonna, Lana Del Rey, Madison Beer, Gorillaz and Harry Styles could also release new projects. Our editorial team gives you an overview of the most anticipated albums of 2026.
The album Locket by Madison Beer
After a noticeable appearance at the Victoria’s Secret fashion show and the release of her single Bittersweet on October 10th, 2025, which was presented by the artist herself as the final chapter of an “unintentional” trilogy following Make You Mine (2024) and 15 Minutes (2024), American singer Madison Beer, 26, is set to unveil her new album, Locket, on January 16th, 2026.
In a press release, she describes each track as “a preserved keepsake,” marking the end of a personal chapter. In line with her previous singles Bittersweet, Yes Baby and Make You Mine, all of which will feature on the album, Locket promises a type of pop music tinged with electronic inflections and emotion, made for the dancefloor.
Locket by Madison Beer, coming out on January 16th, 2026.
Don’t Be Dumb, A$AP Rocky’s new project
A$AP Rocky‘s long-awaited new album Don’t Be Dumb is finally taking shape. Until now, it had only been the subject of speculation, with rumors hinting at collaborations with Rihanna, Mike Dean, Tyler, The Creator and Pharrell Williams. But two other names have now been confirmed. The artist worked on his new record with Danny Elfman, who composed the scores for most of Tim Burton’s films and several of Sam Raimi’s projects. And it’s none other than Tim Burton himself who created the album cover. The release is scheduled for January 16th, 2026. A film directed by the gothic filmmaker starring the rapper is also said to be in the works.
Initially slated for 2025 before being postponed to 2026, the record was first teased with a capsule clothing collection mentioning “Don’t Be Dumb.” It has since become one of the most anticipated releases of the year. In 2024, fans also discovered the beautiful, melancholic track Highjack, highlighting the gentle voice of folk singer Jessica Pratt. Keep in mind that the famous rapper hasn’t released an album since the highly-acclaimed Testing in 2018.
Don’t Be Dumb by A$AP Rocky, coming out on January 16th, 2026.
Lana Del Rey’s new opus
The American artist announced the release of her tenth studio album, initially slated for May 21st, 2025, but then delayed. Following the stunning Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd (2023), Lana Del Rey is reportedly taking a southern gothic turn with her new project, once titled Lasso, then The Right Person Will Stay, and finally Stove. Still, she confirmed that her new songs won’t stray far from her signature style.
The record could also explore country influences — a genre experiencing a renaissance thanks to Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter. In the meantime, fans can enjoy the country-rap duet Tough with Quavo, as well as the beautiful single Henry, Come On.
Stove by Lana Del Rey, coming out in January 2026.
Charli xcx teases a gothic year of 2026
The end of 2025 marked a turning point for Charli xcx. The British singer left the neon aesthetic of her Brat album behind in favor of a more romantic, gothic era. She unveiled two new tracks, both composed specifically for the soundtrack of the film Wuthering Heights. Chains of Love and House, which features John Cale from The Velvet Underground. The music video for House, directed by Mitch Ryan (Addison Rae, Olivia Rodrigo, Rosalía), immerses us in a shadowy world of nighttime forests, fog and candlelight. There, the singer emerges as a black-lace-clad priestess. This new direction offers a glimpse of her upcoming album Wuthering Heights, slated for release on February 13th, 2026.
Wuthering Heights by Charli xcx, coming out on February 13th, 2026.
Gorillaz is back with The Mountain
On September 11th, 2025, just days after performing The Mountain in full during a surprise concert in London, the virtual band Gorillaz officially announced their album’s release for March 20th, 2026, followed by a tour across the UK and Ireland. The single The Happy Dictator (2025), along with its video co-directed with Sparks, instantly went viral on TikTok.
The Mountain promises to be a cosmopolitan 15-track album sung in Arabic, English, Hindi, Spanish and Yoruba. It features guest stars like Idles, Kara Jackson, Yasiin Bey, Johnny Marr and Omar Souleyman. Voices of late artists Bobby Womack, Dennis Hopper, Mark E. Smith and Tony Allen can also be heard.
The Mountain by Gorillaz, coming out on March 20th, 2026.
Is Beyoncé taking a rock turn?
After the country-infused Cowboy Carter era (2024) and her triumphant 2025 tour, Beyoncé is teasing the final chapter of the trilogy that began with Renaissance (2022). Among leather outfits and heavy metal merch, everything leads us to believe that her upcoming album will be rock. One tale-tell sign is the rock aesthetic she embraced in August 2025 in The Denim Cowboy promotional video for Levi’s. The final scene shows Beyoncé at night, on a motorcycle, with short curly hair, denim jacket, and strongly hints at a musical pivot to electric guitars.
The release date of Beyoncé’s new album is unknown yet.
The long-awaited return of Björk
Four years after Fossora (2022), Björk is preparing for a major musical comeback in 2026. Still in development, her highly-anticipated new album will mark yet another chapter in the Icelandic artist’s experimental journey. According to early reports by the Reykjavík Art Festival, the project will be unveiled in May 2026.
Titled Echolalia and presented at the National Gallery of Iceland, an exhibition will take over the entire museum, showcasing Björk as the conductor of a project blending music, visual arts, performance and new technologies. A promising glimpse of a record once again shaping up to be a total work of art.
The release date of Björk’s new album is unknown yet.
A new record by Harry Styles in 2026?
Four years after Harry’s House, Harry Styles rekindles the interest among his fans. On December 27th, 2025, the British artist released Forever, Forever, an eight-minute musical short film. Designed as a dive into the energy of his most recent tour, the video closes with a unifying image – an euphoric crowd – and the message “We Belong Together.”
That was all it took for rumours to spread. On social media, many see this as the beginning of a new artistic chapter and, perhaps, the teaser for a fourth album. While nothing has been officially confirmed yet, this carefully staged return suggests that 2026 will be a defining year for Harry Styles.
The release date of Harry Styles’s new album is unknown yet.
A collaboration between Addison Rae and Madonna?
With her ultra-pop single Diet Pepsi, American singer Addison Rae enjoyed massive success on social media in the summer 2024. Shot in black and white, the video channels the sensuality of other pop icons, such as Lana Del Rey. The aesthetic continued to resonate with audiences with the release of Aquamarine in October 2024, a more dance-pop-leaning single. Directed by Sean Price Williams (The Sweet East), the video further cemented Addison Rae’s status as a rising pop act to watch closely.
The pop star also made waves by lending her voice to a remix of Von Dutch, one of the standout tracks from the landmark album Brat, featuring Charli xcx and A.G. Cook. It marked a major milestone for the American artist, who initially rose to fame on TikTok, where she remains one of the platform’s most followed celebrities. However, the young artist is now entirely focusing on pop music and cinema (Thanksgiving).
Following the release of her brilliant debut album Addison (2025), Addison Rae continues her rise. Nominated for Best New Artist at the 2026 Grammy Awards, she is now taking X (formerly Twitter) by storm with rumors of a collaboration with Madonna on the latter’s upcoming album. A thrilling prospect given how close the two artists’ universes are. Even better? The star behind the hit Headphones On (2025) is reportedly set to release a new album in 2026.
The release date of Addison Rae’s new album is unknown yet.
Madonna prepares for her big comeback on the dancefloor
L’iconique Madonna s’apprête à marquer l’année 2026 avec un nouvel album très attendu. Et pas n’importe lequel. Car la reine de la pop travaillerait sur la suite directe de Confessions on a Dance Floor. Un disque culte de 2005 qui avait fait danser la planète entière. Une annonce qui suffit à raviver l’enthousiasme des fans, tant cet album reste l’un des sommets de sa carrière. Si peu d’informations ont filtré sur ce dernier, ce projet s’annonce toutefois comme un retour à l’énergie club et à l’hédonisme qui ont forgé la légende de Madonna. Et en prime, le disque pourrait s’accompagner d’un featuring avec la pop star Addison Rae.
The release date of Madonna’s new album is unknown yet.
Rihanna’s grand comeback?
This isn’t just one of the most anticipated albums of 2026… It is also the most anticipated one of 2024, 2023, 2022, and even earlier. For the past few years, singer Rihanna has been deeply focused on her cosmetic and lingerie brands, Fenty Beauty and Savage x Fenty. Still, many fans continue to dream of her return to music… With her husband A$AP Rocky‘s upcoming album, Don’t Be Dumb, it is rather easy to imagine a featuring with the singer on that record. Will 2026 finally be the year of a brand-new release from Riri? We can only hope.
The release date of Rihanna’s new album is unknown yet.
The xx: A comeback seven years later?
Seven years after their sublime album I See You (2017), The xx finally seem ready to write a new chapter. Back in the studio since 2024, the British trio is reportedly working on a fourth album. Their first collective sessions in years. The news was confirmed by singer Romy in an interview with NME, where she described a creative process that is deliberately free and “quite open” musically speaking. While few details have been unveiled, one thing is certain – the return of The xx is already shaping up to be one of the most anticipated musical events of 2026.
The release date of The xx’s album is unknown yet.
Massive Attack is making a big comeback
Another good news, Massive Attack are also making a major comeback in 2026. The Bristol collective recently teased their new songs, five years after their EP Eutopia (2020). Staying true to their political commitments, the group, led by Robert Del Naja, announced that the new tracks will be released both digitally and physically under a new label. This move follows their departure from Spotify earlier this year, in protest against the platform’s CEO investing in military technologies. A bold stance, in keeping with the spirit of their music, and one that makes this comeback all the more exciting.
The release date of Massive Attack’s new album is unknown yet.
Robyn will unveil a new record in 2026
Nothing has been officially announced yet, but the signs are hard to ignore. With the recent release of the track Dopamine (2025), Swedish artist Robyn seems to be entering a new phase of her musical journey. True to her signature dance music, the singer takes just a few minutes to remind us why she remains a key figure in alternative pop-dance. Enough to rekindle speculations about a new album, several years after Honey (2018).
The release date of Robyn’s new album is unknown yet.
A third opus by Olivia Rodrigo?
Nothing is official yet, but everything points to a new album. American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo has recently hinted that 2026 will be a “busy year” for her. With her social media showing regular glimpses of studio sessions, fans have reason to hope for new material. A highly-anticipated third album could well be on the horizon, after the critical and commercial success of Sour (2021) and Guts (2023).
The release date of Olivia Rodrigo’s new album is unknown yet.
A new Ariana Grande album in the works?
Following a high-profile return in 2025, Ariana Grande now seems ready to drop a new record. With 2026 already shaping up to be a major year thanks to the launch of The Eternal Sunshine Tour, her first tour since 2019, many see this as a strong indication of a new musical project in the making. Among careful teasers and an increasingly busy schedule, all signs suggest that 2026 could mark not only her long-awaited return to the stage, but also the release of new songs.
The release date of Ariana Grande’s new album is unknown yet.
