The best albums of 2026 so far
(Plus: I'm building "Letterboxd for Concerts.")
Just so I don’t bury the lede: Over the last few years I’ve been working with my brothers on a new platform for music lovers called Encore.
Encore is like Letterboxd/Goodreads/Beli, but for concerts. You can log every show you've ever been to, track what's coming up, follow trusted tastemakers and critics alongside your friends, and share the photos, videos, and memories that make live music so special.
I’ve wanted this thing to exist for over a decade, and I’m thrilled that it’s finally happening. If you read this newsletter, you know how deep my passion for the music world runs — which is why I wanted to tell you first. Sign up here for early access.
More to come soon! And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming…
Catching up: The Best Albums of 2026 So Far
My favorite way to track the year’s essential albums is to find the overlaps between premium lists. Fortunately, my favorite music blog (Stereogum) and newsletter (Josh Terry’s No Expectations) both listed their top LPs of ‘26 so far.
Here are the 10 that appeared on both lists — all worthy of a front-to-back listen. As always, highlights are in the Hear Hear playlist.
Friko — Something Worth Waiting For: The Chicago band “makes big-swinging indie rock look easy…string arrangements and piano tones feel right at home, not like a self-serious front.” [Abby Jones] // “Recommended if you like: David Bowie, Geese, Modest Mouse” [Terry]
Jana Horn — Jana Horn: “Sharing the easygoing grace of her Texas to NYC compatriot Katy Kirby, Horn demonstrates a scalpel-like attention to detail in her sparse, evocative lyrics and a thoughtfulness that lends gravitas to her dreamy arrangements.” [Terry]
Kevin Morby — Little Wide Open: “Morby has been making ultra-chill rustic folk-rock solo records for well over a decade now, but he's never been quite this blissfully settled. Here, he's got the assistance of producer Aaron Dessner, as well as a whole battalion of likeminded allies. When Lucinda Williams' voice crackles up on ‘Natural Disaster,’ it sounds like a blessing from above.” [Tom Breihan]
My New Band Believe — My New Band Believe: “Disbanded English experimental rock group Black Midi’s music was so audacious that I kept thinking I was an idiot for not fully connecting with it. I may try again because of the astounding inventiveness of this new project from bassist and co-vocalist Cameron Picton. Enlisting the U.K. rock collective Caroline as his studio band…the arrangements evoke musical theater, British folk, jazz, and prog.” [Terry]
Ratboys — Singin’ to an Empty Chair: “Julia Steiner writes with such tenderness, such intimacy, such preternatural sweetness that Ratboys’ music should be gentle and fragile as a rule. Yet these songs unfold into so many shapes, with such energy and assurance. Often, they rock hard, even triumphantly.” [Chris DeVille]
Robber Robber — Two Wheels Move the Soul: “Alongside Vermont compatriots Greg Freeman and Lily Seabird, this might be the band I’ve written about most. They are all now dear buds, but even if they weren’t, I would be fully in the tank for this quartet’s cyclonic and innovative brand of post-punk.” [Terry]
Star Moles — Highway to Hell: “The Philly musician born Emily Moales makes eccentric, hooky, DIY folk-rock ballads with lyrics informed by the observational humor of outlaw country, the wacky infatuation of Kate Bush, and the everyday mysticism of fairytales.” [Jones]
Stuck — Optimizer: “There’s a surfeit of post-punk records that reckon with the advancement of tech, but Chicago’s Stuck have managed to make one that sticks out.” [Jones]
Victoryland — My Heart Is A Room With No Cameras In It: “Euphoric and feral, packed with massive pop choruses that crash through all the noise.” [Margaret Farrell]
youbet — youbet: “Recommended if you like: The Smashing Pumpkins, Sword II, Warehouse” [Terry]
12 more albums to hear from Stereogum
Rounding out their top 10: Varying degrees of hyperpop from Slayyyter, underscores, and Grace Ives, “folksy art-pop” from Aldous Harding, and a gentle, meditative record from Arima Ederra
Other notable picks: Philly singer-songwriter Greg Mendez, “fairytale pop through shimmering '80s synthscapes” from hemlocke springs, an “abrasive and immersive” sonic atmosphere from ear, and bedroom pop from Quiet Light
Plus, a few more artists we’ve featured in Hear Hear: Cardinals, Lala Lala, Robyn
8 more albums to hear from No Expectations
Hazel City — goblynmarkytt: “intimate and openhearted folk music” from Chicago artist Clay Frankel, “best known for his bands Twin Peaks and Grapetooth”
Pearla — Song Room: “introspective, cloudlike, and spellbinding folk-pop” from the “Brooklyn via New Jersey songwriter” Nicole Rodriguez
villagerrr — Carousel: “No band is better at crafting Midwestern lullabies that will make you feel less alone.”
Tyler Ballgame — For The First Time, Again: “Armed with an immaculate falsetto, a commanding charisma, and tasteful arrangements that translate a warm ‘70s-indebted palette…garnering comparisons to Roy Orbison, Elvis Presley, and at least two Beatles.”
Plus, top-tier indie twang from: mildred & i26connector
And more artists we’ve featured in Hear Hear: Otto Benson & Momoko Gill
Playlists for Summer 2026
We’re a few weeks away from the true first day of summer (June 21) — but walking around an 80-degree NYC in full Knicks fever, you wouldn’t know it. Here are a few playlists to get the season started…
YES GODDD summer boptacular 2026, “a collection of high energy up tempo songs for summer” from Matthew Perpetua of Fluxblog // ft. Slayyyter, Fcukers, NIN x Boys Noize, Wet Leg x The Dare, Fred Again..
fuchsia, the “indie pop summer soundtrack of your dreams” from Carly Bogie, aka music curator @hahakcoolgtgbye // ft. Olivia Rodrigo, MUNA, Quiet Light, Audrey Hobert, Gatlin, Holly Humberstone, Raffaella
Summer 2026, a playlist to “just throw on shuffle during the summer, with mostly upbeat stuff from across the decades” from Chris Dalla Riva of Can’t Get Much Higher // ft. Grateful Dead, Prince, Harry Styles, Djo, Bad Bunny, Joni Mitchell
Hanover June 2026, the latest monthly mix curated by How Long Gone host Chris Black for his new clothing brand // ft. Hiss Golden Messenger, Samia, Bob Dylan, Big Star, Wednesday, Iceage, Big Thief, Mazzy Star
all your summer songs, “90 minutes of songs for dancing to, sweating to, and spacing out to” from Gabbie of New Bands For Old Heads // ft. Yumi Zouma, Smerz, Gelli Haha, Junior Varsity, Palehound
I am very late, but thank you for including Victoryland on this list! :)
Already signed up for encore! Now working on the import from memory combined with a janky google sheet I haven’t kept up with