What to Expect in New Music in 2026!!!

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!!

Continue reading “What to Expect in New Music in 2026!!!”

The Collection: Ep. 44 – The $1 CD Sale (Springsteen, Mellencamp, U2, Hendrix, Collins & So Much More)

This past weekend, Hardy Boy Records had a CD Sale and all CD’s were only $1. Well, I love a good deal as the next person so I got their early and piled up close to 50 CDs all for $1 each!! Not too bad. It helped jump start my Bruce Sprinsteen collection and my John Mellencamp collection as well as a whole bunch of other artists such as U2, Phil Collins, Collective Soul and a whole lot more. Spend some time with me as I go through what I found.

So go check it out as it will be live tonight right now, February 10, 2025 at 8pm. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.

Friday New Releases – November 29, 2024

There are only a handful of new releases for this Friday. Why? Well, it is Black Friday so no one wants to compete with the Record Store Day Black Friday Sale!! So, that list is here for your viewing pleasure. There a couple things I wouldn’t mind getting, but I won’t be around for Black Friday so I’ll have to pay the late tax if I can’t find it online. Oh well. What do you want this week? Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!!

  • Phil Collins – Live From the Board: Official Bootleg – (Craft Recordings / Rhino Records)
  • Eric Clapton – Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival 2023 – (Rhino Records)
  • Jazz Sabbath – The 1968 Tapes – (Blacklake)
  • Regina Spektor – Songs – (Sire Records)
  • Fire Action – Until the Heat Dies – (Steamhammer)
  • Bedsore – Dreaming the Strife for Love – (2o Buck Spin)
  • The Innocence Mission – Midwinter Swimmers – (Therese Records)
Continue reading “Friday New Releases – November 29, 2024”

Friday New Releases – November 22, 2024

This is the last big release Friday of the month as next week is Thanksgiving in the U.S. and new album releases are limited (unless you are Record Store Day for Black Friday). But this week, what are you looking forward to hear? I am expecting the Bon Jovi debut Deluxe Edition & their Japanese Greatest Hits album. I might check out the Storace album. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a great weekend.

  • Storace – Crossfire – (Frontiers Records)
  • Bon Jovi – Bon Jovi (Deluxe Edition) – (Island Records)
  • Bon Jovi – All The Best 1984-2024 (Super Deluxe) – (Universal Japan)
  • Smashing Pumpkins – Aghori Mhori Mei – (Martha’s Music) – CD & Vinyl
  • U2 – How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (Re-Assembled Edition) – (Island Records)
  • Judas Priest – Rocka Rolla (50th Anniversary Remixed & Remastered) – (MNRK Heavy)
  • Bryan Adams – Live at the Royal Albert Hall 2024 (Box Set) – (BAD) – CD Box Set
Continue reading “Friday New Releases – November 22, 2024”

Friday New Releases – August 30, 2024

August is almost over, but before it ends there is one more batch of new releases to bring you. The only one that really catches my eye is the Thunder box set called The Complete EMI Recordings, other than that, I’m probably going to catch up on prior releases. Let me know what you want to hear this week or what we may have missed. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a great weekend.

  • AWOLNATION – The Phantom Five – (Thank You For Listening Entertainment)
  • Thunder – The Complete EMI Recordings 1989-1995 – (Hne)
  • U2 – Zoo TV: Live in Dublin E.P. – (Interscope / Geffen / A&M)
Continue reading “Friday New Releases – August 30, 2024”

Friday New Releases – November 24, 2023

It is the after Thanksgiving in the States and it is known as Black Friday. Because of that, there are not many new releases unless you are being released on Record Store Day – Black Friday…that list is at the bottom of the regular album releases. And for the regular releases there is nothing for me, but for Black Friday Record Store Day I would like the Collective Soul and my daughter wants the Olivia Rodrigo one. I also wouldn’t mind getting the Limp Bizkit one on CD but don’t tell anyone. Let me know what you want to pick up this week or what we may have missed. Thanks and have a great weekend.

  • Take That – This Life – (EMI / Universal Music)
  • Busta Rhymes – BlockBusta – (Conglomerate Ent. / Epic Records)
Continue reading “Friday New Releases – November 24, 2023”

Friday New Releases – March 17, 2023

Welcome to Friday!!! The beginning of the weekend is hear, but before you start your weekend, you need to go through the new release and find some new music. For me, I wen through the list and there is nothing I dying to hear, but a few I might try. We do get a brand new U2 album..sort of…re-recorded songs isn’t something I’m thrilled about. What do you think? Let me know what you want to hear this week or what we may have missed. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

  • A1ZweGQemIL._AC_UY436_FMwebp_QL65_  U2 – Songs of Surrender – (Island Records / Universal Music)
  • 81DSr1bU7qL._AC_UY436_FMwebp_QL65_  Theory of a Deadman – Dinosaur – (Roadrunner Records)
Continue reading “Friday New Releases – March 17, 2023”

You Pick It! – What Album to Review in January?

You, my reader, are going to pick an album for me to review each month.  It is really simple…first, I will give you 5 albums to choose from and second, you will tell me which one of those you would like to see reviewed on the site.  See…simple! Now, if you want to cast more than one vote, comment on the Twitter and Facebook post and you could get up to 3 votes on your favorite pick.

There are no longer rules for my selections, maybe themes.  I’m just picking albums in my collection and this time they are all from my favorite era of music…The 80’s. We’ve done one with the 80’s rock scene now let’s go to the 80’s Pop scene and what was riding the charts. What are the 5 albums you ask?  I have them right here…

   U2 – ‘The Joshua Tree’

   Prince – ‘Purple Rain’

   Genesis – ‘Invisible Touch’

   The Cars – ‘Heartbeat City’

   Bryan Adams – ‘Reckless’

Let me know which one you would like to see and sometime in January, I will post a review of the album that gets the most votes. You have one week to decide and from there I will start listening to the album and do a review.

Thanks for participating!!

My Sunday Song – “When I Wake Up Tomorrow” by Cheap Trick

For My Sunday Song #316, we are talking about “When I Wake Up Tomorrow” by Cheap Trick. The song is off their stellar 2016 album ‘Bang, Zoom, Crazy…Hello!’. The song was released as a promotional single and went to #24 on the Mainstream Rock Chart. The song was written by Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander, Tom Petersson and Julian Raymond. They have decided to credit everyone that is an official band member and the producer. Whatever works right.

The song is a modern ballad. It is dark and there is a sadness as the singer is looking for more than a one night stand and is begging and pleading for more. He doesn’t feel like he can live without her and just wants her to stay the night and wake up with him tomorrow. Part of me wonders if he wants her to stay the night so he won’t kill himself it is that dark sounding. But there is a beauty to it as well.

“When I Wake Up Tomorrow” brings a darker, more moody styled song and Zander does some of his best Bowie vibes he can muster. The rhythm section on this one is also a standout as Tom and Daxx seem to have found the groove that fits nicely with in Rick’s great guitar work. But it is those keyboard parts that add a new texture and layer which are so cool and almost U2 like in their stylings. Easy to see why this was a single as it is fresh sounding and one of the best things they’ve done in years. Pure brilliance.

Continue reading “My Sunday Song – “When I Wake Up Tomorrow” by Cheap Trick”

The Alarm – “Strength” – 7″ Single

This is the last 7″ Single I found at Mad Jack’s on the last dig I had back earlier in the Summer. This time around it is the song “Strength” by the UK band The Alarm. This was the first single off the album of the same name. The song came out prior to the album release which was in 1985. It reached #40 in the UK but didn’t chart in the U.S. However, I saw the video for this song on MTV and my brother had their prior album, so I was really in to it and in fact, the album ‘Strength’ is a personal favorite of mine.

The song is credited to the whole band which is not normal for them. The song came to Mike Peters in the middle of the night while at a hotel in Newcastle. He and his friend went down to the get his guitar out of the van so he could start writing. The next day during soundcheck, the whole band worked through the song as Mike still didn’t hav the right chords for it. And that is why the whole band got credit.

My copy is the Pinckneyville Pressing from the U.S. Pretty standard. The cool thing about it is the B-Side is a non-album track. The song is called “Majority”. You can now get it on subsequent re-issues of the album, but not back in the day. This was the only place which would’ve made this a prized single to get.

Continue reading “The Alarm – “Strength” – 7″ Single”