My Top 10 Albums of 2026 (Right Now)
Hi! Welcome back to another week of The Willow! 2026 has been a year full of great album releases so far. With the amount of new music releases, I thought it'd be fun to do a ranking of my top 10 albums of 2026 right now. My honorable mentions are You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love by Olivia Rodrigo, Don't Be Dumb by A$AP ROCKY, and Half Blood (BloodLuxe) by Slayr.
10.) Ö by Fcukers
Fcuckers is an electronic music duo consisting of members Shanny Wise and Jackson Walker Lewis. I discovered Fcuckers when they opened for Tame Impala's Deadbeat tour back in 2025. Although I was under the weather after experiencing two fancy shows with Pink Pantheress at the Aragon, their set gave me some energy and put them on my radar. Their debut studio album Ö was released on March 27 with eleven tracks and is in my opinion an underrated hit. Ö 's tracks feature the genres indie sleaze, electronic, and dance-pop which I believe curate a sound perfect for a walk around the city.
Favorite song: "L.U.C.K.Y"
9.) RX by Rico Nasty
I believe Rico Nasty is very underrated in the rap scene. With songs like "Smack A Bitch" and "Cold," Rico's musical identity has been powerful and consistent since the start of her career in 2016. RX is her eighth studio album featuring nine songs produced by Kenny Beats. Rico's writing and Kenny's production is truly a match made in heaven; they've been working with each other since 2018 so it's no wonder their musical chemistry is electric. The tracks on this album are fun and bold because of the nasty production and Rico Nasty's witty writing.
Favorite song: "Rituals"
8.) dinnermode by SUMIN
Dinnermode is the second self-produced studio album of South Korean singer-songwriter and producer SUMIN that was released on August 13. This album was long awaited but worth it as the last time she released a full-length solo album was back in 2018. The album's nine tracks feature the genres R&B, jazz, and city pop. Songs like "Abyss" in Dinnermode tell the story of a love that is no longer the same or fading away. Its city pop sound for me evoked feelings of nostalgia, and it felt like I should be listening to this album in a dimly lit cafe instead of my comfy bed. Sumin's vocals are beautiful and immersive too.
Favorite song: "Abyss"
7.) U, Me & My Ego by Chxrry
Chxrry is a Candian singer-songwriter who should be on everyone's radars. U, Me & My Ego is her third album featuring ten tracks that consist of genres contemporary R&B, dance-pop, and pop-rap. This album is sultry and empowering with moments of vulnerability. Chxrry is hungry for the popstar label on U, Me & My Ego, which I believe is deserved. Her vocals are absolutely beautiful too and certainly kept me entranced. You could listen to this album if you're getting ready for a night with your girls or if you just got a text from that one person you really shouldn't be talking to.
Favorite song: "Boring"
6.) U by Underscores
What a year Underscores has had! U is the fifth album of innovative producer and songwriter Underscores featuring nine tracks with genres EDM, hyperpop, electropop, and dance-pop. The listening experience for U was very enjoyable for me; Underscores' sound is fresh, fun, and unique. The songs in U have a steady progression that led to such a satisfying conclusion. For example, the ending of "Music" is... wow. Underscores was already established within the hyperpop and EDM scene, but I feel like U really confirmed how much of a powerhouse she is.
Favorite song: "Do It"
5.) Age of the Exhibitionist by Rebecca Black
I think prior to 2025, I only knew Rebecca Black for her song "Friday" that many of us who grew up in 2010's heard (and disliked). Age of the Exhibitionist is an exhilarating and buzzy dance and electro pop album that sends listeners down the rabbit hole of passion and partying. The production of this album is insane. When I listened to this album for the first time with my headphones, it truly immersed me in Rebecca Black's vision for her artistry. Rebecca Black is another hungry artist on this list who I hope will gain more recognition in the next year.
Favorite song: "Michael"
4.) Music, Fashion, Film by Charli XCX
Music, Fashion, Film is Charli XCX's eighth studio album featuring eleven tracks that dive into the genres: indietronica, indie rock, slacker rock, and alternative dance. After the release of her acclaimed 2024 album Brat, there were questions as to whether or not the next era for the singer-songwriter would continue down the same electronic dance sound of Brat. Music, Fashion, Film represents a new point in Charli XCX's life and contains music that is introspective. A.G. Cook & Finn Keane's production highlights the singer's existentialism with distorted guitar and muffled sound. The ending of "No One Lasts Forever" left me speechless the first time I heard it because it's not every day you hear David Cronenberg repeatedly say, "they are dead, they are gone, no one lasts forever." A little existentialism is good from time to time, right?
Favorite song: "Camera"
3.)WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA by Slayyyter
WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA is the third studio album of Slayyyter with fourteen tracks. This album was the singer-songwriter's golden opportunity because she approached the project as if it was her final album. The album consists of genres like industrial hip-hop, electropop, punk, and nu metal. WGIA is aggressive, hypnotic, and riveting; it's no wonder Slayyyter was able to draw attention this year, especially with her Coachella performance of the album. I find WGIA so appealing because of its ability to combine dance and metal elements. The Midwest aesthetic of the album being influenced by Slayyyter's upbringing in St. Louis, Missouri is also fascinating considering the singer-songwriter's former musical identity being more LA influenced. Slayyyter's growl in "I'M ACTUALLY KIND OF FAMOUS" changed lives too.
Favorite song: "$T. LOSER"
2.) Popstar by Tinashe
UPLIFT TINASHE! Popstar by Tinashe is the most recent album release on this list (September 29) and contains sixteen title tracks with genres like alternative pop, hip-hop, R&B, and dance. Popstar has been on repeat for me ever since its release. This album is like a breath of fresh air. It's personal, fun, and dynamic. Tinashe's voice is versatile in Popstar as well. I've said this for a lot of the albums on this list already, but this album captures the evolution of Tinashe's artistry very well. It's also an example of how hard work always pays off. Despite Tinashe expressing in "Empty Stadium" her anxiety with not being recognized after years of being in the music industry, she's finally having bigger venues full of fans who love her music. Tinashe is another underrated artist who I am glad is gaining more love this year.
Favorite song: "Pillow Fight"
1.) New Avatar by Kelela
New Avatar is the third studio album of singer-songwriter Kelela. My god is this an album. Its twelve tracks are intimate, riveting, and soulful. The first time I listened to the entire album, I made the right choice of listening to the album with my headphones at night looking up at the ceiling. New Avatar contains a blend of genres like shoegaze, alternative R&B, electronic, and indie rock that truly immerse you into the music. The jersey mixes in "linkb," an indie rock and neo-psychedelia track, for example is crazy because who thinks of that? The use of guitars in this album are very powerful too. Kelela's intentions for listeners of New Avatar were to help listeners "reconnect with the 'beauty and joy' they could experience." For me, the guitars accomplished this by immersing me into the mood of a song and it just felt like my heart strings were being pulled in the best way possible. The album's production, vocal decisions, lyricism, and meaning work together with no errors. For these reasons, New Avatar is my number one album of 2026 right now.
Favorite song: "idea 1"
Thank you for reading The Willow!
-Ariel
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