The Best Songs of 2026 So Far

Centuries from now, historians will study 2026 with this Charli xcx classic, in which spring and summer are doomed because “We’re walkin’ on a runway that goes straight to hell/Nothing’s gonna save us, not music, fashion, or film.” The instrumentation is minimal — some electronic drums here, subdued, fuzzy riffs there — leaving room for Charli’s hilariously brutal songwriting to bask on its own. She revisits the Brat era and Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign (“Think my politics could work as a press strategy”) and pokes fun at cancel culture (“Wrote a really good notes-app apology”), culminating in a wild time capsule for the ages. We can’t wait for her take on fall and winter. —Angie Martoccio

In January, federal immigration agents killed Minneapolis residents Renée Goode and Alex Pretti. Shortly after the incidents, Springsteen released “Streets of Minneapolis,” one of his most immediate and powerful political songs, recalling Sixties protest folk as well as the stark realism of his own classic Nebraska. He excoriated “Trump’s federal thugs,” and “[Stephen] Miller and [Kristi] Noem’s dirty lies,” and celebrated the memory of Pretti and Goode, channeled the street protest chant “ICE out now,” and got loads of local credit for pronouncing Nicollet Avenue correctly.–Jon Dolan

This year’s most surprising Hot 100 chart-topper is a sparkling entry in the tear-in-my-beer canon. Over weepy slide guitars and a brisk rhythm, the Alabama-born country phenomenon broods about her intended being two-stepped out of her life by a Lone Star-born babe. Langley’s vocal has a bruised quality on the verses, opening wide when she admits that she knew what was coming on the chorus: “It doesn’t take a crystal ball to see/ A cowboy always finds a way to leave,” she declares, sounding as annoyed with herself as she is with her ex.–Maura Johnston

“Drop Dead” was the first taste of You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, where Olivia Rodrigo captured the feeling of being so deliriously head over heels that you feel literally sick. She was bored in bed and stalked a dude on the internet, and now she’s comparing the way he waits in line for the bathroom to an angel on the walls of Versailles. There’s sugary Eighties synths and a Cure reference here — which hinted at what this fantastic album would be like — and an astrological pairing that will live in our minds forever. But perhaps Rodrigo said it best when describing the track: “It makes me wanna skip around and roll the windows down and make out!” —A.M.

“Do you love me now? Do you? Do you?” Harry Styles asks on “Season 2 Weight Loss.” “Do I let you down?” Away from the screaming crowds and sold-out shows — away from the performance of who his audience knows him to be — Styles begins to wonder how they would react if he showed up as the person he knows himself to be when they aren’t around. Would they still love him the same? Would he? The song revels in the tension it creates, reflected in choir-like harmonies set against thudding percussion. It’s one of the smartest, most intriguing records Styles has made to date.–Larisha Paul

Nothing screams summer quite like a sexy beat — and that’s exactly what Young Miko and her producer Mauro deliver with “BIAF.” On the track, Miko declares “Baby, I’m a freak” over sleek drums and synths that echo Right Said Fred’s “I’m Too Sexy.” With the confident, masculine energy ripe in “BIAF,” it’s no wonder the song has racked up 18 million streams so far. —Maya Georgi

New York electronic dance duo Fcukers dropped their debut album, Ö, this spring, making it abundantly clear that the dance floor is definitely not dead. No one on the scene currently captures the nonchalant, deadpan club-rat disposition of the 2020’s like Jackson Walker Lewis and Shanny Wise — just check out their single “L.U.C.K.Y.” On the track, Wise’s kittenish vocals float above a sea of flickering synths and throbbing wubs, drolly delivering what actually — if you listen closely — is a pretty earnest love song, albeit not so sincere that it kills Fcuker’s addictive, too-cool facade. —Leah Lu

The hit lead single off The Romantic, Bruno’s long-awaited first album since 2016, is the kind of effervescent pop-funk sugar that’s made him one of the most popular showman in pop music. “I Just Might” is dance-the-night-away bubblegum, steeped in the Seventies disco classics of KC & the Sunshine Band and Hot Chocolate, with Bruno posing the metaphysical conundrum, “What good is beauty if your booty can’t find the beat?”–J.D.

An online leak rarely suggests someone is in a position of agency, but U.K. R&B trio FLO take the power back into their hands on “Leak It,” a track that’s as razor sharp as the stilettos they’re strutting in. A surge of confidence finds the girls exposing some racy photos of themselves just to get back at their boos, and between FLO’s sky-high vocal runs, the production’s Timbaland influence, and the barbed yet hilarious lyrics, “Leak It” is pure ear candy, just like those pictures they threaten to drop. Seriously, how could they not? —Jaedan Pinder

New York electro-jitter outfit Lip Critic capture the uniquely claustrophobic feeling of a long night indulging in vices on this track from this year’s Theft World. As lead yelper Bret Kaser outlines the scenario in which he’ll take a “swan dive right into [his] swan song,” stuttering drums and malfunctioning-machine blips close in on him the way a casino might after a long night of riding the odds. It’s a jarring, adrenaline-rush listen that’s also an ideal set piece for the era of prediction markets and slot-machine apps. —M.J.

In the spring, New Orleans rapper Juvenile scored his first Billboard Hot 100 hit in 20 years with “B.B.B.,” the breakout single from his album Boiling Point. Much of its success is due to guest Megan Thee Stallion, who delivers a blushingly sexual verse that matches Juvie’s legacy as the author of booty-twerking classics like “Back Dat Azz Up” and “Slow Motion.” “Come feed me, Big Daddy,” she raps seductively. Juvenile, for his part, gets equally ribald: “See, when you do that maneuver you do with your pussy ‘round me, I be losing my cool.” —Mosi Reeves

Any concerns over Max B’s ability to regroup and adapt following his release after a lengthy prison sentence were quickly silenced by “Ever Since You Left Me (I Went Deaf),” an addictive groove reuniting him with longtime collaborator French Montana. With production built around a prominent sample of “That’s the Way (I Like It)” by KC and the Sunshine Band, the song finds Montana taking charge on the hook and opening verse, while Max B’s disarming charm and melodic sensibilities are favorably displayed on this contender for rap song of the year. —Preezy Brown

T.I. has long been in the stage of a rap career where he could rest on his laurels. Yet, when you call yourself a king — a proclamation he bestowed upon himself two decades ago — heavy is the head that wears the crown. Thus, defending that status is paramount to survival, as he lyrically reminds his constituents on “Let ’Em Know,” the lead single from his (alleged) 12th and final album, Kill the King. Produced by Pharrell, the track is T.I.’s highest-charting Billboard Hot 100 hit in 12 years and a reminder to anyone questioning his rank. —P.B.

“This a motion party, you cannot get in,” claims Bossman Dlow. He’s undoubtedly being facetious: The Florida rapper’s single, which peaked at Number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, is full of sly seductions over a glassy, bass-heavy track reminiscent of Mannie Fresh’s Cash Money hits that’s intended to draw in an audience, not repel them. Meanwhile, the remix features Megan Thee Stallion, who uses the opportunity to air out her widely publicized breakup with NBA all-star Klay Thompson. “I ain’t goin through no phones, that shit stupid/If I catch a nigga cheatin’ on me, it’s deuces,” she raps. —M.R.

Featuring Future alongside the red-hot Southern California rapper Molly Santana, “Ran to Atlanta” chips away at the faulty logic of Drake’s detractors. What distinguishes Drake’s participation in Atlanta’s musical ecosystem from the countless other artists, executives, media figures, and corporations who have profited from the city’s cultural output for decades? And what does it mean that virtually no major Atlanta rapper publicly embraced Kendrick’s framing of Drake as outsider-villain in “Not Like Us”? “Ran to Atlanta” proves that framing barely stands scrutiny. —Jeff Ihaza

The opening track of this shape-shifting Houston artist’s fifth album, Octane, makes a sweeping statement from its opening synth crashes, with Toliver’s processed falsetto — professing that he’s been both tryin’ and cryin’ — adding to the spectacle. From there, he embarks on a trap&B joyride that can only end up in the backseat — but his charm (“We laugh all day like Dumb & Dumber”), obvious affection for the song’s subject, and fervent vocal performance make getting there more than half the fun. —M.J.

Karriem Riggins and Liv.e’s collaboration as GENA, The Pleasure Is Yours, is a delightful throwback to the synthesized and beat-heavy grooves of the aughts, with sounds clearly inspired by the likes of D’Angelo and Sa-Ra Creative Partners. On the opening track, “Who’s Got a Problem With GENA,” drummer and producer Riggins — who worked with the Roots and the late J Dilla — offers rolling percussion and warm, Rhodes-like keyboard tones. Meanwhile, fans of Liv.e’s heady and cryptic solo experiments will find her funkily down-to-earth, wailing away as she sings the title with a passion reminiscent of Erykah Badu. —M.R.

“We discovered a complete freestyle rap from Proof that we had never considered using before,” Jamie Hewlett said earlier this year. That’s how the rapper and Eminem collaborator who passed away two decades ago appears on Gorillaz’s The Mountain, the British ensemble’s homage to fallen friends that feels more like a joyous revival than a mournful wake. On “The Manifesto,” Proof’s voice rings out again as he brags, “Y’all ain’t ready for death.” Meanwhile, amid horn fanfare and a cheery chorus from Gorillaz mastermind Damon Albarn, Argentinian rapper Trueno offers verses about embracing the future no matter what it brings. —M.R.

J Balvin and Ryan Castro offered an initial glimpse into their joint album, Omerta, with this explosive track, which also marks their first-ever collaboration. The pair sample Kriss Kross’ “Jump,” but make the hip-hop classic all their own by infusing Colombian rhythms into the Nineties beat. With Balvin’s son introducing the two artists in a sweet snippet at the beginning of the song, it’s truly a family affair. —M.G.

The first post-breathrough release from New York pop wunderkind Sombr is a hazy plea to a lover who has a partner waiting at home. It glides on a lite-funk beat (with a bass line laid down by former Prince muse Wendy Melvoin) as Sombr lays out how he’s been strung along, including till-dawn fire-escape chats; while he’s sympathetic to his romantic rival (“I don’t wanna talk down on your lover/I don’t wanna be a homewrecker,” he bellows on the chorus) his all-in vocal indicates that he really, really wants to win. —M.J.

The Kid LAROI’s greatest strength has always been his willingness to lean into the reality of blatantly uncomfortable circumstances around love and heartbreak. “Thank God” is proudly honest to a fault as he tries to move on from a breakup with a new relationship, admitting, “She sits right next to me, but I still look at these old pictures of us.” His heart is still tangled up elsewhere. Frustration, loss, and disbelief are clear in his tone, though his vocals are light and airy with the love he still holds. “Thank God” is one of the most convincing and emotional performances of his career. —L.P.

Earlier this year, Ravyn Lenae told Rolling Stone, “The thing that people can expect from me every time is I’m going to try something different.” Her single “Handle” is a testament to this. Lenae sinks into an indie-rock dream on the guitar-heavy record. The sound serves as a fresh backdrop for her succinct accounts of what it takes to go toe to toe with her heart. “Oh, my love, my love is like a landslide,” she sings, throwing her voice with sensational elasticity. “Hold on tight, one with me in the undertow.” By the end, “Handle” cranks up the anticipation for what Lenae might do next. —L.P.

The Los Angeles sparkplug’s 2025 debut, Switcheroo, smashed together surrealist pranksterism and DIY synth-pop in charming fashion, but the crushed-out single added to its March reissue showed how high she’d raised her game in a year. Its sing-song refrain is full of vowels that are begging to be turned into Silly Putty by Haha and her crew; its verses find her delighting in the magic of consonant blends (“I’m in the crowds, I’m in the club, I’m in the cumulus,” she trills) and collective countdowns, and its chopped-up synth squiggles give the whole thing a kind of contagious effervescence. —M.J.

Underscores’ April Harper Grey lived several lives by the time she got here (including being a teenage dubstep student and a moderately successful K-pop historian), and her love for pop maximalism shows no bounds on the ever-expanding “Hollywood Forever.” Across its distinct three acts, the self-proclaimed overproducer daydreams about the highs and lows of fame, from getting a hall pass to be a snob to being memorialized at a cemetery turned tourist attraction. She alchemizes the spirit of Skrillex, K-pop’s imperial-leanings, plus a Drake interpolation as a treat, to head-spinning effect. —J.P.

Australian electronic producer Memphis LK calls her latest Eurodance cut “angel pilled,” and between her breathy vocals and the pirouetting synths, it’s easy to see why. LK’s blissed out lyrics are par for the course when it comes to trance tracks (though a mention of dolphins might conjure the image of Lisa Frank’s saccharine illustrations), but the song’s glossy production keeps the cloud-nine high spiraling into eternity. As synths rip past one another and dodge piano plinks, “Out My Body” embodies the effect of zipping down Rainbow Road, and you’ll want to keep running laps over and over, even as the sun comes up. —J.P.

Kacey Musgraves delivers one of her strongest songs to date as the penultimate track of new LP Middle of Nowhere. The singer paints the sultry promise of a new flame over distinctly regional Mexican music rhythms, and it goes down smooth just like the whiskey she writes about. After an album spent decrying her sex dry spell and ghosting exes, the tale is more than earned — it’s welcomed. —M.G.

Rival Sons’ lead howler Jay Buchanan went solo on his Dave Cobb-produced album Weapons of Beauty, a record that shows Buchanan is just as at home doing rootsy and soulful Americana as he is at hard rock. “True Black” is the LP’s showstopper, a grooving jam of a song that reads like an apology to oneself. (“You have to be a lot of people to become who you are today,” Buchanan told Rolling Stone’s Nashville Now podcast of the song’s message.) “Paint my casket true black,” he sings, before delivering a rousing refrain of “Shoo-rah, shoo-rah, shoo-rah.” —Joseph Hudak

Mike Ness kicked cancer to return with the Orange County punks’ best album in years, and a title track that’s as ferocious as the tiger that graces Born to Kill’s cover. Over a massive electric guitar riff, Ness spits about upending the status quo, celebrates being a rock & roll animal, and reminds you that even at 64 he’s still “a-lookin’ for a thrill.” “Born to Kill” rages to an explosive climax, with SD marking their territory for all of the young bucks who come after them. Shouts Ness: “Look out, man, you’re in my pissing range!” —J.H.

“Alco-hol/Hall of Fame” is one of those puns so head-slappingly obvious, it’s shocking it took country songwriters nearly 100 years to hit upon it. One must hat-tip Riley Green for doing so first in 2024, but Luke Combs’ version earns the plaque. It’s a barn-stomping heartbreak anthem that finds Combs toeing the line between blubbering vulnerability and resolute defiance. His roughshod, yearning Carolina drawl is the perfect vehicle for the song’s monster hook — “I need a longneck bottle, I need a jukebox song/I need a neon angel to kickstart my moving on” — a chorus so good, you can’t help but raise a glass. —Jon Blistein

Title notwithstanding, Ashley Monroe’s stunner “I Hate Nashville” is far more love song than score-settling rant. Monroe has had the kind of career where she’s your favorite artist’s favorite artist — loved by Jack White, collaborated with by Miranda Lambert, produced by Vince Gill — but never quite became the name on the big marquee. Here, she comes to terms with her disappointment without underselling all of that Music City magic. “If I’m being honest,” she sings to lush production by Luke Laird, “I’d do it all again.” —Marissa R. Moss

Del Rey’s upcoming album Stove has had quite a journey — from title changes to release date postponement. But earlier this year, she gifted fans with another single from it: “White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter,” co-produced by Jack Antonoff and co-written with her husband, Jeremy Dufrene (among others). The track sparkles in feathery instrumentation and mystical string arrangements, as Del Rey sings about domesticity (“I wanted to know if I could use your stove/To cook somethin’ up for you”) and whimsical phrasing (“Whoopsie-daisy, yoo-hoo!”). “This is the one I’ve been waiting for,” Del Rey said. We have to agree.–A.M.