By Ethan Goddard
A few months ago, I wrote an article touting my most anticipated albums of early 2026. So now that we’re nearly five months into 2026, and four of my five the albums from that article have been released, what better time that now to return with a new pile of exciting platters that are on the way. So without further ado, here’s a handful of releases to keep on your radar.
1. Blarf – Film Scores For Films That Don’t Exist (Release Date: May 1st, 2026)
From the twisted mind of Adult Swim’s favorite talk show host (sorry, Space Ghost), Eric Andre (AKA Blarf) comes his new sophomore album “Film Scores For Films That Don’t Exist.” After putting out one of 2019’s craziest projects,“Cease & Desist” (an experimental, genre bending collage of samples), Andre has returned with a much more grandiose and lush sound. Recorded with a live orchestra, this album focuses on showcasing Andre’s musical chops in a much more traditional (but still unapologetically himself) way. The lead single “What’s For Dinner” mixes classical orchestral work and heavy metal, coming together to create something that sounds appropriate for a Hollywood movie battle sequence..
2. Olivia Rodrigo – You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love (Release Date: June 12, 2026)
Confession: I am a HUGE Olivia Rodrigo fan. Like many, I’ve been obsessed with her since her first record, and even saw her on “The SOUR Tour” at Mission Ballroom a few years back! After her sophomore album “GUTS” (2023), Rodrigo has brought us a new album, this time with a much sweeter sound. After seeing more love-focused tracks in the “GUTS (Deluxe)”, Rodrigo has decided to fully embrace the love bug, and that’s evident with the lead single “Drop Dead” (it’s actually Rodrigo who drops dead in the song, from a kiss). The instrumentation leans more in a synth pop direction than her traditional ballad or rock sound.
3. Waterparks – JINX (Release Date: July 24, 2026)
This was one of the albums I wrote about in January, but I’m still anticipating it. I’m happy to announce that Waterparks have finally announced an album title and release date! If you’re looking to read more on Waterparks, check out my previous article. 🙂
4. Unskilled Labor – Back 4 Brunch (Release Date: May 1st, 2026)
Maybe my favorite local artist?! Definitely my favorite Denver hip-hop group, NO CONTEST. More people need to know about these two! After a fairly silent 2025 from the duo, Unskilled Labor is back with a brand new record. Chock-full of insane production, and some of the wittiest lyricism you’ve ever heard, “Back 2 Brunch” is guaranteed to be one of the best releases of 2026 – not only for the local scene, but in general. You should also check out all of their previous releases… all of it’s just so good.
5. Vince Staples – (untitled album) (Release Date: TBA)
At the time of writing this, a brand new Vince Staples single was released on YouTube titled “Blackberry Marmalade.” While Staples has always been a trailblazer for sound in the modern hip-hop scene, this new single features a punchy blend of hip-hop and punk, reminiscent of Paris, Texas (check them out if you haven’t). To accompany that, the video features some pretty intense imagery to pair with the raw and angry emotions behind the track. I’d put Vince Staples next to some of hip-hop’s greatest artists, and if this single is any sign of what we’re getting from him, I truly believe we might have one of the decade’s best records.
With Summer on the horizon, and big artists beginning rollouts, a wave of album announcements is incoming. But with what’s already been announced, it’s looking like it’s gonna be a pretty damn good rest of the year for music. Hopefully I’ll be able to keep that sentiment this Fall in part three of 2026’s great releases…stay tuned!
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