The best albums of 2026… so far!

These are the records on repeat at NME over the first half of 2026

Time flies when there’s so much good music to get stuck into, so it’s no wonder the first half of 2026 has whizzed past. Along the way, we’ve had headline-grabbing comebacks, experimental debuts and surprise resurgences from stars that might otherwise have been written off – and that’s just when it comes to albums.

Has the sweeping beauty of My New Band Believe had you in a headlock, or the souful stirrings of Elmiene won your heart? Maybe BTS’ long-awaited return gave you your fix of bops, or Slayyyter’s new sound and story captured your imagination. Whatever it is, there’s been a lot going on. Before we get stuck into all the action the rest of the year promises, remind yourself of some of the gems of the last six months with NME’s 25 best albums of 2026 so far, presented in alphabetical order.

In a nutshell: A cryptic conundrum of an album that takes delight in not giving away all its answers.

What NME said: “Provocative songwriting [and] the subtle ways Harding introduces new ideas and rewrites her own rulebook elevate ‘Train On The Island’ to the level of other recent highlights of genuinely artful pop music.”

In a nutshell: The biggest boyband in the world return from mandatory military service by tackling the tensions of love and fame.

What NME said: “An apt characterisation of what they’ve always done – mixing the cultural heritage of their home country with global influences […] BTS are back doing what they do best.”

In a nutshell: Belfast duo grapple with identity and conflict as they reach their latest sonic evolution