2026 is upon us and it is always fun anticipating what new albums will come out in the year. Since today would normally be a Friday New Release post, let’s look at the new releases coming our way in 2026. There are quite a few we already know about, but some haven’t been officially announced or even a date set yet.

Last year, there were a few artist I was hoping would release an album that might have or might not have released one.  It is always fun to hope for new music from these bands, but sometimes there are disappointments.  Here are the ones I was hoping to get new albums from last year and what actually happened…

• Def Leppard – It is time for The Collection Vol. 4!! Come on boys, give it to us!! Or a new album…whichever you want. Well – we didn’t get a new album, but we got a new live album with ‘Diamond Star Heroes’, but honestly their live albums bore me.
• Kiss – I will keep this on the list until I die!!  Time to start up more Soundboard LPs or another box set…give us something! We got a brand new Soundboard LP as well as 2 Box sets with Dressed to Kill and Alive!!  Yes!! That is more like it boys!!
• Guns ‘N Roses – Rumors, Rumors, Rumors!!  Will we ever get a new album! – Still nothing, but we did get new songs…sort of…they aren’t really new as they are leftover tracks from Chinese Democracy with the current line-up…come on boys…do better!!
• Aldo Nova – He keeps talking about a 2CD set for over 3 years and still nothing much, but will he get around to releasing the full Life & Times of Eddie Gage? I hope so. – Nothing at all from him in 2025 but he did mention a new album in 2026!! We will see.
• Billy Idol – There are rumors of a new album and even Steve Stevens showed a test pressing..could it be??!!  We got one!! Yeah!!  ‘Dream Into It’ came out in 2026…I didn’t care for it too much so that is disappointing.

Okay, are there albums I want to see this year from some of my favorite bands that haven’t been announced or in some cases even rumored?  Of course there are.  These are the bands I want new albums from this year…but it might not happen.

• Def Leppard – It is time for The Collection Vol. 4!! Come on boys, give it to us!! Or a new album…whichever you want. The new album has been hinted at so fingers crossed
• Kiss – I will keep this on the list until I die!!  Will we get another soundboard or any more box sets??? I hope so!
• Aldo Nova – He keeps talking about a 2CD set for over 4 years and still nothing much, but will he get around to releasing the full Life & Times of Eddie Gage? I hope so. He has now mentioned something coming in 2026…I will believe it when I see it.
• Creed – Will there be new music in 2026? Oh, please say it will be so! There have been rumblings and rumors…I think they will at least work on a new album in 2026.
• Poison – We need a new album, but I don’t expect one. What I do hope we get is a 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of their debut, “Look What the Cat Dragged In”. That would be cool.
• Guns N Roses – Will we get a full album. You know what, I don’t think I really care. The older I get, the more overrated this band really is!! Only one great album in their minuscule catalog.
• Jeff Scott Soto – Now, Soto puts out a ton of albums every year. I would love a new solo album as it has been years. At the very least, a SOTO band album. But please, NO MORE ART OF ANARCHY! That was awful.

From what I have gathered around the internet, here are the bands that should have new albums out in 2025 or are rumored, but no dates announced yet. The ones I would give a try will be highlighted in Blue. The ones with Dates Announced are at the bottom of this post. The list is building up nicely!!

• 4 Non Blondes
• Ace Frehley – Origins, Vol. 3
• Adler
• Aldo Nova
• Alexisonfire
• Alice in Chains
• Anthrax
• A$ap Rocky
• Asia
• Aldo Nova – This is Your Reality
• Azealia Banks
• Bachman-Turner Overdrive
• Bjork
• Black Country Communion
• Black Label Society
• Blondie
• Bob Dylan
• Brian Wilson
• Bruce Springsteen
• BTS
• Busta Rhymes
• The Cars
• Cardi B
• Corrosion of Conformity
• The Cure
• David Crosby
• Deep Purple
• Def Leppard
• DJ Kahled – Aalam of God
• Evanescence
• Exodus
• Faces
• Fear Factory
• Flea
• Flock of Seagulls
• Foghat
• Foreigner
• Geoff Tate
• Gojira
• Gong
• Gorguts
• Grimes
• Guns ‘N Roses
• GZA
• Janet Jackson
• Joe Lynn Turner
• Joe Walsh
• John Mellencamp
• Jon Anderson
• Judas Priest
• King Crimson
• Kinks
• KMD
• Krokus
• Lana Del Rey – Stove
• Last in Line
• Linda Perry – Let It Die Here
• Lindsey Buckingham
• Lita Ford
• Living Colour
• Lou Gramm
• Lizzo
• Luke Combs
• Madonna – Confessions of A Dance Floor Part 2
• Martin Garrix
• Maxwell]
• Michael Stipe
• Michael Sweet
• Mick Mars
• Mike Will Made It
• Ministry
• Motley Crue
• Morrissey
• Muse
• Neil Young
• Nicki Minaj
• Oasis
• Overkill
• Papa Roach
• Paul Laine
• Paul McCartney
• Peaches
• Queen
• Raye
• Revolution Saints
• Richie Sambora
• Rihanna
• Ringo Starr
• Roger Waters
• Rolling Stones
• Saxon
• Skepta
• Sky Ferreira
• Slash
• Steve Perry
• Stevie Nicks
• Stryper
• Symphony X
• Ten Years After
• The Distillers
• Toadies
• Todd Rundgren
• Tony Iommi
• Tool
• Travis Barker
• Trivium
• Truly
• U2 – Songs of Ascent
• W.A.S.P.
• Warning
• Yes
• Zack de la Rocha
• ZZ Top

And now here is everything we currently know about for 2026:

JANUARY

• JANUARY 2ND
  • The Darkness – One Way Ticket To Hell…And Back (20th Anniversary Box Set) – (Atlantic Records)
  • Paleface Swiss – The Wilted E.P. – (Blood Blast Distribution)
  • Ellende – Zerfall – (Ellende)

• January 9th

  • Alter Bridge – Alter Bridge – (Napalm Records)
  • Van Halen – Live at Wembley – (Rhino / Warner Music) – Non-RSD versions
  • Beyond the Black – Break the Silence – (Nuclear Blast)
  • Mon Riva – Bloodline – (Mon Rovia LLC / Nettwerk Music Group)
  • Uuhai – Human Herds – (Napalm Records)
  • Lionheart – Valley of Death II – (Arising Empire)
  • Bullet – Kickstarter – (Steamhammer)
  • Bite Down – Violent Playground – (Prime Collective)
  • Gai – You Lie (Extended Truth) – (Blood Blast Distribution)
  • Calling All Captains – The Things I’ve Lost – (New Damage Records)
  • The Cribs – Selling a Vibe – (Sonic Blew / Play It Again Sam)
  • Dry Cleaning – Secret Love – (4AD Ltd)
  • The Kid Laroi – Before I Forget – (Columbia Records / Sony Music)
  • Jessica Baio – Sacred – (10K Projects)
  • Blue – Reflections – (Blue Blood International / Cooking Vinyl Ltd)
  • Pecos & The Rooftops – From Me To You – (Warner Records)
  • Yung Bleu – Therapy – (Moon Boy Music / Stem)
  • OCT – On Company Time – (OCT Records)

• January 16th

  • Richard Marx – After Hours – (Richard Marx)
  • Madison Beer – Locket – (Epic Records)
  • Kreator – Krushers Of The World – (Nuclear Blast)
  • Edenbridge – Set the Dark on Fire – (Steamhammer)
  • Ov Sulfur – Endless – (Century Media Records)
  • Soen – Reliance – (Silver Lining Music)
  • Carrion Vael – Slay Utterly – (Unique Leader Records)
  • Gluecifer – Same Drug New High – (Steamhammer)
  • Cold Night for Alligators – With All That’s Left – (Prime Collective)
  • Total Annihilation – Mountains of Madness – (Testimony Records)
  • Gylt – In 1,000 Agonies, I Exist – (Get Better Records)
  • Shaking Hand – Shaking Hand – (Melodic)
  • Genus Ordinis Dei – The Land East of Eden – (Blood Blast Distribution)
  • I Promised the World – I Promised the World E.P. – (Rise Records)
  • Marianas Rest – The Bereaved – (Noble Demon)
  • Death Cult – Paradise Live – (Beggars Banquet Records / Death Cult)
  • A$AP Rocky – Don’t Be Dumb – (A$AP Rocky Recordings)
  • DZ Deathrays – Easing Out of Control – (DZ Worldwide)
  • Alice Merton – Visions – (Paper Plane Records)
  • Cavetown – Running With Scissors – (Futures)
  • Sleaford Mods – The Demise of Planet X – (Rough Trade Records)
  • Ya Tseen – Stand On My Shoulders – (Sub Pop Records)
  • Schiller – Euphoria – (Sony Music)
  • Langhorne Slim – The Dreamin’ Kind – (Dualtone Music Group)
  • Courtney Marie Andrews – Valentine – (Loose Future / Thirty Tigers)
  • The James Hunter Six – Off the Fence – (Easy Eye Sounds / Concord)
  • Nathan Evans & The Saint Phnx Band – Angel’s Share – (Better Now Records / Universal)
  • Imarhan – Essam – (Wedge / City Slang)

• JANUARY 23RD
  • Megadeth – Megadeth – (BlkIIBlk / Frontier Records)
  • The Power Station – The Power Station Deluxe (40th Anniversary Edition) – (Rhino / Parlophone)
  • Helix – Scrap Metal – (Perris Records)
  • Lucinda Williams – World’s Gone Wrong – (Highway 20 Records / Thirty Tigers)
  • The Damned – Not Like Everybody Else – (earMusic / Edel Music & Entertainment)
  • Louis Tomlinson – How Did I Get Here? – (78 Productions / BMG Rights Mgmt)
  • Reba McEntire – Starting Over (30th Anniversary Edition) – (MCA Nashville / UMG)
  • Van Morrison – Somebody Tried to Sell Me A Bridge – (Exile Producitons)
  • Textures – Genotype – (Kscope / Snapper Music)
  • Elwood Stray – Descending – (Out of Line Music)
  • Ritual Arcana – Ritual Arcana – (Heacy Psych Music)
  • Spiral Fracture – Grace in Decay – (Spiral Fracture)
  • Crystal Lake – The Weight of Sound – (Century Media Records)
  • The Hara – The Fallout – (Mascot Records)
  • Dagger Threat – Bleed///Reboot – (Dagger Threat / Blood Blast Distribution)
  • Karloff – Revered By Death – (Dying Victims Productions)
  • Pelican – Ascending E.P. – (Run For Cover Records)
  • Barbarian – The Reek of God – (Dying Victims Production)
  • New Miserable Experience – Gild the Lily – (Pelagic Records)
  • Shintaro Sakamoto – Yoo-Hoo – (Zelone Records)
  • The Format – Boycott Heaven – (Vanity Label)
  • Poppy – Empty Hands – (Sumerian Records)
  • Jamie MacDonald – Jamie MacDonald – (Capitol CMG)
  • Ari Lennox – Vacancy – (Interscope Records)
  • The Paper Kites – If You Go There, I Hope You Find It – (Nettwerk Music Group)
  • Ella Red – It’s Not Real – (Nettwerk Music Group)
  • Yin Yin – Yatta! – (Glitterbeat Records)
  • Agnes – Beautiful Madness – (Polydor / Senga / Universal)
  • Mika – Hyperlove – (Republic Records)
  • Kashus Culpepper – Act I – (Big Loud Records / Mercury Records)
  • Jamie O’Neal – Gypsum – (JOG Inc / Audium Nashville)
  • Catherine Britt – The Hardest Thing – (Red Rebel Music)
  • Hudson Westbrook – Exclusive E.P. – (River house Artists / Warner Records Nashville)
  • Della Mae – Magic Accident – (Compass Records)
  • Julian Lage – Scenes From Above – (Blue Note Records / UMG Recordings)

• January 30th

  • Robin Trower – One Moment In Time: Live in the USA – (Artone Label Group / Provogue)
  • Linda Ronstadt – The Early Years – (Iconic LR Masters / Rhino Entertainment)
  • The Monkees – The A’s, The B’s & The Monkees – (Rhino Records)
  • Urne – Setting Fire To The Sky – (Spinefarm Music Group)
  • Course of Fate – Behind the Eclipse – (Roar)
  • Our Mirage – Fractured Mind – (Arising Empire)
  • MOL – Dreamcrush – (Nuclear Blast)
  • Stabbing – Eon of Obscenity – (Century Media Records)
  • Wicked Leather – Season of the Witch – (Lost Realm Records)
  • Shields – Death & Connection – (Long Branch Records)
  • Survivalist – A Place For Those Who Suffer, Alone – (Seek & Strike)
  • Lord Elephant – Ultra Soul – (Heavy Psych Sounds)
  • Dead Air Divine – The Answer – (Dead Air Divine)
  • Lapeche – Autotelic – (Tiny Engines)
  • Summer of Hate – Blood And Honey – (Tee Pee Records)
  • Softcult – When A Flower Doesn’t Grow – (Easy Life Records)
  • Joyce Manor – I Used to Go to This Bar – (Epitaph)
  • Tyler Ballgame – For The First Time, Again – (Rough Trade Records)
  • The Molotovs – Wasted On Youth – (Marshall Amplification PLC)
  • Geologist – Can I Get A Pack of Camel Lights – (Drag City)
  • Marta Del Grandi – Dream Life – (Fire Records)
  • Yumi Zouma – No Love Loss To Kindness – (Nettwerk Music Group)
  • Guv – Warmer Than Gold – (Run For Cover Records)
  • Whitelands – Sunlight Echoes – (Sonic Cathedral)
  • Ailbhe Reddy – Kiss Big – (Don Giovanni Records)
  • Lights – A6Extended – (Lights Music Inc.)
  • We the Kingdom – Dear Jesus – (Capitol CMG)

FEBRUARY

• FEBRUARY 6TH
  • Nick Jonas – Sunday Best – (Republic Records / UMG)
  • Joe Bonamassa – B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100 – (KTBA Records)
  • Yes – Tales From Topographic Oceans (Super Deluxe Edition) – (Atlantic Recording Corp / Warner Music Group)
  • Marc Broussard – S.O.S. V: Songs of the ’50s – (G-Man Touring Inc)
  • Puscifer – Normal Isn’t – (Alchemy Recordings)
  • Silversun Pickups – Tenterhooks – (New Machine Recordings)
  • Mayhem – Liturgy of Death – (Century Media Records)
  • Kanonenfieber – Soldatenschicksale – (Century Media Records / Noisebringer Records)
  • Karnivool – In Verses – (Cymatic Records)
  • Night of the Vampire – The Enchanting Winds of the Dreamweaving Masquerade – (Profound Lore)
  • Ensanguinate – Death Saturnalia – (Soulseller Records)
  • Big Big Train – Woodcut – (InsideOutMusic / Speedwell Music)
  • Ratboys – Singin’ To An Empty Chair – (New West Records)
  • Illenium – Odyssey – (Republic Records)
  • Joji – Piss in the Wind – (Palace Creek / Virgin Music)
  • Alice Costelloe – Move On With The Year – (Moshi Moshi Records)
  • Jay Buchanan – Weapons of Beauty – (Sacred Tongue Recordings / Thirty Tigers)
  • Ella Mai – Do You Still Love Me? – (10 Summers / Interscope Records)

• FEBRUARY 13TH
  • Black Swan – Paralyzed – (Frontiers Records)
  • Temple Balls – Temple Balls – (Frontiers Records)
  • Austen Starr – I Am The Enemy – (Frontiers Records)
  • Charli XCX – Wuthering Heights – (Atlantic Recording Co.)
  • Mumford & Sons – Prizefighter – (GOTR / Glassnote Entertainment Group)
  • Story of the Year – A.R.S.O.N. – (Sharptone)
  • Eric Church – Evangeline vs. The Machine: Comes Alive – (Mercury Nashville / BigEC Records / UMG)
  • Paul Anka – Inspirations of Life and Love – (Green Hill Production)
  • Westlife – 25: The Ultimate Collection – (Sony Music)
  • Converge – Love Is Not Enough – (Epitaph)
  • Space of Variations – Poisoned Arts – (Napalm Records)
  • Worm – Necropalace – (Century Media Records)
  • TX2 – End of Us – (Hopeless Records)
  • Oreyeon – The Grotesque Within – (Heavy Psych Sounds)
  • Ashbringer – Subglacial – (Bolverk Collective)
  • Hoaxed – Death Knocks – (Relapse Records)
  • Slaughterday – Dread Emperor – (Testimony Records)
  • Malefic – Impermanence – (Terminus Hate City)
  • Unseen Faith – Fractured Will E.P. – (Prime Collective)
  • Remember Sports – The Refrigerator – (Get Better Records)
  • Gogol Bordello – We Mean It. Man! – (Gogol Recordings)
  • Colony House – 77 (Pt. 2) – (LastDaze Records)
  • Angel Du$t – Cold 2 The Touch – (Run For Cover Records)
  • Boy Golden – Best Of Our Possible LIves – (Six Shooter Records)
  • Caroline Jones – Good Omen – (True to the Song / Big Machine Label Group)
  • The Nude Party – Look Who’s Back – (The Nude Party)
  • Wrabel – Up Above – (Big Gay Records / Nettwerk Music Group)
  • Asgeir – Julia – (One Little Independent Records)
  • The Lone Below – What A Time To Be Alive – (Burly Bellow Music / Soundly Music)
  • The Infamous Stringdusters – 20/20 – (Americana Vibes)
  • Ward Davis – Here I Am – (MNRK Nashville)
  • Chet Faker – A Love For Strangers – (Detail Records / BMG Rights Mgmt)

• FEBRUARY 20TH
  • Michael Monroe – Outerstellar – (Silver Lining Music)
  • The Veer Union – Reinvention – (Arising Empire)
  • Megan Moroney – Cloud 9 – (Sony Music)
  • Tori Amos – Strange Little Girls – (Rhino Entertainment / Warner Music / Atlantic Records)
  • Hilary Duff – Luck…Or Something
  • New Found Glory – Listen Up! – (Pure Noise Records)
  • Spencer MacKenzie – Empty Chairs – (Gypsy Soul Records)
  • Eye of Melian – Forest of Forgetting – (Napalm Records)
  • W.E.B. – Darkness Alive (Live) – (Metal Blade Records)
  • Bizarrekult – Alt Som Finnes – (Season of Mist / Activists)
  • Mirrorcell – Long Nights In Lovescape – (InVogue Records)
  • The Enemy – Social Disguises – (The Enemy)
  • Leigh-Anne – My Ego Told Me To – (Made in the 90s Ltd / Virgin Music Group)
  • Moonchild – Waves – (ONErpm)
  • Peaches – No Lube So Rude – (Kill Rock Stars)
  • The Band of Heathens – Country Sides – (BOH Records)

• FEBRUARY 27TH
  • Rob Zombie – The Great Satan – (Nuclear Blast)
  • Joel Hoekstra’s 13 – From the Fade – (Frontiers Records)
  • It’salie – Wild Games – (Frontiers Records)
  • Paul Gilbert – Wroc – (Artone Label Group / Music Theories Recordings)
  • Ian Gillan Band – Down the Road: The Complete Ian Gillan Band Story (Deluxe) – (Edsel Records)
  • The Neal Morse Band – L.I.F.T. – (InsideOutMusic / Big Hatter Music)
  • Powerwolf – Wildlive Live at Olympiahalle – (Napalm Records)
  • Tailgunner – Midnight Blitz – (Napalm Records)
  • Necrofier – Transcend Into Oblivion – (Metal Blade Records)
  • Gladenfold – Soulbound – (Reaper Entertainment)
  • Varials – Where the Light Leaves – (Fearless Records / Concord)
  • Unverkalt – Hereditaire – (Season of Mist)
  • The Gloom in the Corner – Royal Discordance – (Sharptone)
  • Venthiax – Rites of Ra E.P. – (Dying Victims Productions)
  • Nothing – A Short History of Decay – (Run For Cover Records)
  • Chalice – Divine Spear – (Dying Victims Production)
  • A Thousand Horses – White Flag Down – (Highway Sound Records / Stem)
  • Crooked Fingers – Swet Deth – (Merge Records)
  • Telenova – The Warning – (EMI Records)
  • Vona Vella – Carnival – (Strap Originals)
  • Forager – Even A Child Can Cover The Sun With a Finger – (Ring Road by La Reserve Records)
  • Gena – The Pleasure Is Yours – (Lex Records)
  • Altered Five Blues Band – Hammer & Chisel – (Blind Pig Records)

MARCH

• MARCH 6TH
  • Rainbow – Temple of the King: Rainbow 1975-1976 – (Edsel Records)
  • Black Stone Cherry – Celebrate – (Mascot Records)
  • Charlie Puth – Whatever’s Clever – (Atlantic Records Group)
  • Squeeze – Trixies – (Love Records / BMG Rights Mgmt)
  • Leaves’ Eyes – Song of Darkness E.P. – (Reigning Phoenix Music)
  • Hunter Hayes – Evergreen – (LP Entertainment / DashGo)
  • Aaron Watson – Horse Named Texas – (Adub Records)
  • Vreid – The Skies Turn Black – (Indie Recordings)
  • Desert Storm – Buried Under the Weight of Reason – (Heavy Psych Sounds)
  • William Clark Green – Watterson Hall – (Bill Grease Records / Stem)
  • Travis Bolt – Burning Bridges – (Gravel Road / Stem)
  • The Brook And The Bluff – Werewolf – (Dualtone Music Group)
  • Matt Corby – Tragic Magic – (Island Records / Rainbow Valley Records)

• MARCH 13TH
  • Asia – Live in England (Live) – (Frontiers Records)
  • A Somber Funeral – Since You Left These Shores – (Silent Watcher Records)
  • Vicious Rain – The Anatomy of Surviving – (Arising Empire)
  • Witchcraft – A Sinner’s Child E.P. – (Heavy Psych Sounds)
  • Wolfbastard – Satanic Scum Punks – (Apocalyptic Witchcraft)
  • The Steel Wheels – The Steel Wheels – (Big Ring Records)
  • Yonaka – Until You’re Satisfied – (Distiller Records)

• MARCH 20TH
  • Tyketto – Closer to the Sun – (Silver Lining Music)
  • Gorillaz – The Mountain – (Kong)
  • Ignescent – Eternal – (Frontiers Records)
  • Angus McSix – Angus McSix And The All Seeing Astral Eye – (Napalm Records)
  • Gaerea – Loss – (Century Media Records)
  • Karmian – Horror Vacui – (Rockshot Records)
  • Ladytron – Paradises – (Nettwerk Music Group)
  • Traitrs – Possessor – (License to Believe)
  • Peach PRC – Porcelain – (Island Records / Republic Records / UMG)

• MARCH 27TH
  • Melissa Etheridge – Rise – (MLE Music / Sun Label Group)
  • Chez Kane – Reckless – (Frontiers Records)
  • Robben Ford – Two Shades of Blue – (Artone Label Group / Provogue)
  • Iron Savior – Awesome Anthems of the Galaxy – (Reigning Phoenix Music)
  • Myrath – Wilderness of Mirrors – (Verycords / Edel Germany)
  • Whey Jennings – Baptized By Fire – (Dirt Rock Empire)

APRIL

• APRIL 10TH
  • Tally Spear – Bittersweet E.P. – (Nettwerk Music Group)

• APRIL 17TH
  • Brother Cane – Magnolia Medicine – (Double Dragon Records / Memento Mori Label Group)
  • Skindred – You Got This – (Earache Records)
  • Pinknoise – Flesh And Bone – (Nettwerk Music Group)
  • Jay Lyn Gatz – Low Value Man – (Jay Lyn Gatz)

• APRIL 24TH
  • John Corabi – New Day – (Frontiers Records)
  • Jason Aldean – Songs About Us – (Macon Music LLC / This is Hit, Inc. / Broken Bow Records)
  • Meghan Trainor – Toy With Me – (Epic Records / Sony Music)
  • Emarosa – High Horse Heaven – (Out of Line Music)

MAY

• MAY 1ST
  • Melanie C – Sweat – (Red Girl)
  • Dream on Dreamer – Heavens – (Dream on Dreamer)

• MAY 22ND
  • Dan Byrne – This Is Where The Show Begins – (Frontiers Records)
  • Caught In A Mirror – Neoncore – (Bleeding Noise Records)

JUNE

• JUNE 20TH

  • Ashes Remain – Endurance – (BEC Recordings)

I am sure a lot will pop up that we have no idea is coming…and that is awesome!! Let me know what you are looking forward to the most in 2026!! And Happy New Year!!