Ariana Grande, Stray Kids, Miranda Lambert and More Pack 2026’s Album Calendar With Major Releases Fans Are Tracking
NEW YORK, NY — The second half of 2026 is lining up as a busy stretch for music fans, with new albums on the way from Ariana Grande, Stray Kids, KATSEYE, ENHYPEN, Sam Smith, Weezer, Beck, Carly Rae Jepsen, Miranda Lambert, Nickelback, Tinashe and others.
The release schedule spans pop, country, rock, hip-hop, alternative and K-pop, and several dates already have a clear fan-base buzz attached to them.
Ariana Grande kicks off the late-summer rush
The earliest date on the running calendar is July 31, when Ariana Grande is set to release Petal. Just days later, the list moves into August with a mix of global pop and idol releases that should keep streaming services busy.
Among the August projects are Stray Kids’ THIS & THAT on August 7, Becky G’s Baraja Bendita and the Camp Rock 3 Soundtrack on August 14, and KATSEYE’s WILD and Phoebe Bridgers’ Lost Weekend on the same day.
Rock, country and K-pop all crowd the fall schedule
Later in August, the lineup continues with ENHYPEN’s THE SIN : BLISS, Sam Smith’s Hazel Eyes and Weezer’s self-titled album on August 21, followed by NCT 127’s BLINGY on August 24.
September brings another heavy round of releases, including Beck’s Ride Lonesome, Carly Rae Jepsen’s Day and Night, Luke Bryan’s Signs, Orville Peck’s Mule and Tove Lo’s Estrus on September 18, plus Kenny Chesney’s Silver Sands Marina and Tinashe’s Popstar on September 25.
More release dates are expected as labels update the schedule
The calendar keeps extending into October with Pabllo Vittar’s Lost in Lust on October 1, then Miranda Lambert’s Crisco, Victoria Monét’s Frequency of Love and Wynonna’s The Hard Truth on October 2.
After that, the list currently closes with Ministry’s Hate to Go and Nickelback’s Everything Under the Sun on October 30, though the schedule is still fluid. The outlet says it will continue updating the calendar as artists announce new projects or change their release plans.
Chicago's music scene, one story at a time — Chicago Music Guide.
