Ten most anticipated album releases of 2026, from BTS and Exo to Madonna and Harry Styles

From K-pop comebacks and pop reinventions to long-awaited returns, these are the records set to shape the next 12 months

Harry Styles surprised fans with a new single, signalling that a new album could arrive in 2026. AFP

This year could prove to be an immense one for album releases, with already announced and highly anticipated returns from K-pop veterans BTS, a country-leaning turn by Lana Del Rey and another dose of the maximalist sounds of Charli XCX.

This is in addition to expected titles without confirmed release dates from Madonna and Harry Styles, while rock stalwarts U2 and Bob Dylan could also surprise listeners with new material following reports that they are back in the studio.

Altogether, it sets the scene for what could be another intriguing year ahead. Here are the albums to keep an eye out for.

1. Reverxe by Exo (January 19)

More than a decade after their debut album helped usher in the global fandom of modern K-pop, veterans Exo plan to lead the genre’s charge once again with their eighth studio album. Reverxe is a title that appears to be a renix of the word “reverse”.

The release will not feature the full line-up, however, with members Baekhyun and Xiumin absent amid their continuing contract dispute with SM Entertainment.

2. Stove by Lana Del Rey (late January)

Such were the delays surrounding the singer-songwriter’s latest album that the nature of the material itself appears to have changed. The new songs, she reportedly said, gave the album a deeply autobiographical turn.

Tasked with capturing that intimacy is co-producer Luke Laird, an accomplished Nashville songwriter behind hits for country and roots stars Kacey Musgraves, Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood, hinting that Del Rey may be edging closer to a country-inflected direction.

That is already on display in Henry, Come On, the lead single from Stove. The sparse and shuffling ballad subtly leans into the genre’s twang and storytelling tradition. The song centres on the titular character, Henry, a hardened cowboy coming to terms with life’s challenges.

While no firm date has been announced, Del Rey told W Magazine in August that the goal was an end-of-January release.

3. Britpop by Robbie Williams (February 6)

The British singer has been trailing the album since the summer, leaving little doubt about what kind of record this is.

Framed as a return to the anthemic pop of blockbuster releases such as Sing When You’re Winning and Escapology – and underlined by the stomping fun of the lead single Rocket – Williams is positioning the album as the foundation for another large-scale world tour, one that is likely to land in the UAE at some point.

4. Wuthering Heights by Charli XCX (February 13)

What began as a companion piece for the upcoming film adaptation of Emily Bronte’s novel Wuthering Heights, out on February 13, inspired the adventurous pop star to expand it into a full album. Recorded during her blockbuster Brat tour throughout 2025, songs were captured in makeshift studios between shows.

The scattered approach did not dilute the impact of the lead single House, a propulsive track built on grinding synths and pensive vocals.

Those looking for literal references to Bronte’s novel are unlikely to find them on the album, as Charli XCX has said the text’s inspiration is something to be heard and felt in the sonics.

“When I think of Wuthering Heights I think of many things. I think of passion and pain. I think of England. I think of the moors, I think of the mud and the cold. I think of determination and grit,” she said. “When working on music for this film, ‘elegant and brutal’ was a phrase I kept coming back to.”

5. Prizefighter by Mumford and Sons (February 13)

The British folk band are gearing up for a world tour launching this month, ahead of their upcoming sixth album. While listeners are yet to hear what the band has in store, they have confirmed that the record was written and recorded within a 10-day session at a studio in New York.

The album will also feature a number of special guests, including country singer Chris Stapleton and fellow folk artists Gracie Abrams and Hozier.

6. BTS (March 20)

The K-pop juggernaut pressed pause in 2022, with all seven members stepping away to fulfil South Korea’s mandatory military service. Now they are preparing to regroup, with the release of an as yet untitled album coming up to follow their 2022 anthology Proof.

7. Sweat by Melanie C (May 1)

The former Spice Girl has long been regarded as the most vocally accomplished member of the group, a strength that has carried through her underrated solo catalogue, most notably on her 1999 debut Northern Star.

Melanie C has said the new release is inspired by her recent DJ gigs, pointing towards more dance floor-ready material rather than the introspective balladry that has shaped parts of her past work.

8. Confessions On A Dance Floor Part 2 by Madonna (TBA)

Madonna confirmed a new album is in the works for 2026. Reuters

For an artist long associated with forward momentum, Madonna has spent the past few years revisiting her catalogue through anniversary reissues and a rare greatest-hits tour.

Last year, she also confirmed she was back in the studio with producer Stuart Price, her collaborator on Confessions On A Dance Floor, and has publicly referred to the new project as “Confessions Part 2” with a release date sometime in 2026.

9. Aalam of God by DJ Khaled (TBA)

It will be interesting to see how DJ Khaled’s next album is received, given the sustained criticism the Palestinian-American artist has faced over his perceived silence regarding the suffering and destruction in Gaza.

As with previous releases, Khaled has said the title of the album is inspired by his children – in this case, his younger son, Aalam – while also indicating that the new material will explore sounds beyond his usual palette, including Afrobeats. Alongside the still-unconfirmed release date, the album is expected to feature a blockbuster line-up of guest artists.

10. Harry Styles

Fans were given an early New Year’s Eve surprise with a drop of Styles' soulful piano ballad Forever, Forever. The accompanying music video ends with the phrase “we belong together”, deliberately igniting discussion around the title or theme of his upcoming album.

Reports have said Styles wrote the lyrical material on a vintage typewriter, while Ed Sheeran added to the intrigue by saying he has heard parts of the album, describing it simply as “quality”. With previous album Harry’s House released in 2022 and Styles having since wrapped up his 22-month Love On Tour, the timing appears right for a return in 2026.

Who else is in the studio?

Bob Dylan has been recording new songs whilst on tour. Getty

Other potential releases may arrive judging by reports of recording sessions involving major artists throughout 2025. These include U2, who have returned to the studio after completing their headline-making residency at the Las Vegas Sphere.

It is a similar story for SZA, who recently completed a stadium tour alongside Kendrick Lamar and has confirmed she is already immersed in work on a follow-up to her 2024 Grammy Award-winning album SOS.

Fans of Bob Dylan may also have reason to be hopeful, with the enigmatic artist reported to have been recording in various studios between touring commitments. As ever with Dylan, details remain sparse, and news of any release is likely to emerge only when he decides it should.