The Best Songs of January 2026 // New Music Friday!

- January 31, 2026

"Aperture" by Harry Styles

He's baaaaack! The lead single off of Harry Styles' long-awaited new album, Kiss All The Time, Disco Occasionally, introduces a new sound and direction for him. It leans into a more electronic house sound than ever before, a clear vantage point for "Aperture" being Robyn's "Dancing On My Own", with hints of LCD Soundsystem as well. It is a long and sprawling five minute confessional, almost feeling like a status update for where he's been for the past few years. He always writes from his own distinct perspective, shaping a narrative built around living in the moment, loving and embracing togetherness. There are so many ways for this song to be interpreted, it largely connects to "Lights Up" in the way it is a thesis statement for who he is as an artist and the encouraging environment he creates with his music, inviting the listener to just let the light in and spread love. The repeated phrase of "We belong together!" is such a beautiful and unifying statement for this song and perfectly kicks off the new era of Kiss All The Time, Disco Occasionally. 🩷🩵

"The Great Divide" by Noah Kahan

"The Great Divide" marks Noah Kahan's long-awaited return, arriving alongside the announcement of his new album of the same name, set to be released this Spring. It is such a beautiful song, one that carries so much depth and intimacy in its vivid storytelling. His music always brings such comfort and validation, with this song in particular feeling simultaneously very nostalgic, but also very current and relevant for the times we are living through. On this song he reflects back on past love, whether a past friendship or romantic relationship, and wishing the best for them even as their lives have taken them in different directions. His album is among my most anticipated of the year and I'm really looking forward to hearing more soon!

"Opening Night" by Arctic Monkeys

In collaboration with War Child Records, an independent record label that is committed to using the power of music to change the lives of children affected by conflict around the world, Arctic Monkeys released a new single titled "Opening Night". As always, I love hearing new music from the band and even better that it is in support of such a great cause. It is the first song from the new collaborative record titled HELP(2), set to be released this March and will feature a wide range of incredible artists to support War Child Records' ongoing efforts to help children impacted by war.

Learn more about War Child Records + how to support their mission here.

"girl, get up." by Doechii & SZA

Doechii and SZA released a new collaboration, "girl, get up.", and it's such a powerful moment. The song feels incredibly personal and masterfully performed by both of them. It is raw and honest, with their voices and perspectives complementing each other so beautifully.

"Residue - The Moment" by A.G. Cook

Another glimpse into The Moment's already iconic score by A.G. Cook is here and it's everything. "Residue" is incredible and he and Charli xcx continue to be such an innovative and visionary duo in music. The accompanying music video is also wild too and brings the themes of this entire era to life in such an interesting and abstract way, matching the energy beat for beat throughout. Of course...BRAT is forever!

"Wall of Sound" by Charli xcx

"Wall of Sound" is another incredible track from Charli's Wuthering Heights soundtrack, arriving ahead of the full release next month and the film's debut over Valentine's Day weekend. Charli is truly having a moment in film right now and this latest glimpse into her long‑awaited soundtrack continues to defy every expectation. The way she continues to carve out her own space in the industry and simultaneously push her sound into new territory is so innovative and true to her artistic ethos.

"Horse" by Nat & Alex Wolff

I have been looking forward to hearing Nat & Alex Wolff's self‑titled album for months and "Horse" stands out as one of the biggest highlights from it. It's clear how much this song means to them and the weight of it comes through in their passionate performance. The track feels like the album's emotional climax, reflecting on a heavy and difficult chapter from their youth in a way that sounds deeply cathartic.

"drivers license" by David Byrne

To celebrate the five year anniversary of her debut album, Olivia Rodrigo is releasing a special album full of other artists covering and reinterpreting SOUR. To start, she went all the way back to where it all began with the iconic "drivers license", along with a new performance by her long-time musical hero David Byrne. It is such a cool concept to revisit such an impactful pop album in such a way and I can't wait to hear the other covers that are to come soon!

"I Just Might" by Bruno Mars

The lead single off of Bruno Mars' long-awaited new album Romantic, set to be released on Valentine's Day, is such a fun and lively blend of disco and funk music. It is such an infectious track and I'm so excited to hear the rest of his new album soon! It's hard to believe it has been almost ten years since his last solo album release!

"carry you away (demo)" by Michael Clifford

Michael Clifford released a previously unheard demo off of his debut solo album SIDEQUEST, called "carry you away". It is such a beautiful and heartfelt expansion into the emotions explored on the rest of the album.

"Puddles - Zero 7 Remix" by Not For Radio

María released a stunning remix of "Puddles", which is the opening song of her debut solo side project Not For Radio. It's an effortlessly cool reinterpretation that takes a more simplified yet expansive approach to the production. It is so beautiful and captures the essence of the original while reshaping it in a way that feels so unique as well.

Check out my full review of Melt by Not For Radio!

"Debris" by Labrinth

"Debris" is such a cool and haunting new song by Labrinth, released apart of his new album Cosmic Opera ACT I. As always, he proves himself to be such a visionary and a truly singular voice in the music industry. His atmospheric production continues to shift and evolve into something so immersive and unexpected, evolving his sound into something fresh with every release.

It's hard to believe that this is the start of my fourth year of posting my New Music Friday series. I really love curating these tracks every month and am looking forward to all of the great music to come in 2026! It's already off to such a great start and it can only go up from here! Be sure to check out more of my New Music Friday posts here, as well as my song of the week series.☆