While we're only one month into 2026, it's been a strong start to the year for new music. January saw major comebacks by global stars, long-awaited albums, and fresh subunit debuts. Together, these releases span genres and fanbases, and do more than just fill a playlist. They offer an early read on where music is headed this year, and which voices are ready to lead the conversation. Whether it’s Bruno Mars reclaiming the charts or Harry Styles ending a three-year hiatus, these are the tracks and projects setting the tone for 2026.
The Kid LAROI’s BEFORE I FORGET lands as a raw, heartbreak-soaked document, capturing the chaos of love unravelled. Scrapping an entire album and starting over, he channels every pang of rage and regret from his breakup with Tate McRae. It doesn’t matter who’s at fault. Even if he blew it, nothing hits harder (sonically) than a heartbreak. The record captures the contradictions of a broken relationship; moments of “fuck you” collide with painful yearning, blending R&B, hip-hop, and pop into a stop motion animation of grieving stages.
After a run of high-profile collaborations with Lady Gaga and Rosé, Bruno Mars returns to solo work with I Just Might. The track sits firmly in his pop-soul lane, with light disco touches that echo his 2021 album with rapper Anderson .Paak. It leads his fourth album, The Romantic, released on 27 February. The single debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, marking his first chart topper in almost a decade. The official music video, co-directed by Daniel Ramos and Mars, shows him performing alongside multiple versions of himself on a retro-style set.
Zach Bryan’s With Heaven On Top strums at a nostalgic chord, a slice of Americana that feels both familiar and distant. As a Malaysian who’s never seen the American countryside, I can only imagine the nostalgia, guided by fragments of soft-powered pop culture I’ve consumed over the years. The album is wrapped in a scratchy, vinyl-like warmth, its static-laced textures adding to the nostalgia. However, its 10th track Bad News cuts through the haze with modern-day issues, calling out ICE and its harsh immigration policy; his music might be country, but his ideas are decidedly progressive.
SEVENTEEN members DK and Seungkwan step out as DxS with 소야곡 (Serenade), their first project outside the main group. This six-track mini-album puts the pair's voices front and centre, with the title track, Blue, designed to spotlight their strengths as singers. Across the EP, the K-pop duo move through genres such as pop-rock, R&B, and ballads, keeping the vocal-driven arrangements minimal to highlight their control and range. The album was supported by a live showcase in Seoul, following its release, giving fans a first look at the subunit’s chemistry on stage.
The wait is over, A$AP Rocky dropped Don’t Be Dumb. This is Rocky’s first studio album in almost eight years, following 2018’s Testing, and fans have been ready. The 15-track project is packed with an all-star lineup of features, including Brent Faiyaz, Tyler, the Creator, and Doechii. The Harlem rapper first teased the album last year, with cover art designed by the iconic American filmmaker, Tim Burton. Earlier this month, the rollout began with Punk Rocky, paired with a wild music video starring Winona Ryder, followed by another visual for Helicopter$.
ENHYPEN continues to build out their darker narrative with THE SIN: VANISH, a mini-album that follows up DESIRE: UNLEASH. The EP sits within their ongoing series-based approach to storytelling across their releases. It spans 11 tracks, including spoken-word narrations and short skits that frame the vampire-themed concept. The lead single, Knife, drives the edgier project further with hip-hop influences, including trap beats and sharp synths. Ahead of the album, the K-pop group surprised fans by launching a website featuring fictional articles tied to vampire lore.
James Blake’s “Death of Love” arrives with the kind of sonic desolation he’s mastered over the years. As always, the production is laced with James’ signature hollowness, yet it remains emotionally heavy, carrying more than the vocals ever need to. There’s an eerie emptiness that lingers throughout the track, a darkness that feels dramatic but intentional. The track is also a first glimpse into Blake’s newly announced album, Trying Times, releasing on 13 March. If the album is anything like this single, true to its name, it might just be the album you lean on to mourn moments when love was killed.
After a three-year pause, Harry Styles is back with a new musical era. Aperture is a smooth, disco-leaning single with a music video that has quickly gained traction. It made an immediate impact, pulling in 12.48 million streams on the Spotify Global chart. It marks the first preview of his upcoming album, Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally, which is set for release on 6 March. Styles also revealed the full 12-track listing and confirmed a seven-city residency tour scheduled for May, giving fans plenty to look forward to from his long-awaited return to music.
Layyi's (Malaysian singer carving her path in Singapore) new release I JUST CUT MY HAIR hits with raw, pop-punk energy, a stark turn from the lo-fi ballad intimacy of her previous release, Mood, which has over 2 million Spotify streams. From a female perspective, the track channels heartbreak through a familiar ritual: physical change in response to emotional trauma. Playful yet reflective, it captures the turbulent journey of letting go. The single is also a preview of her upcoming full-length album, due later this year, hinting at a project that’s louder, sharper, and unapologetically her.
Labrinth returns with COSMIC OPERA ACT I, his fourth album, arriving today. From the singles, especially God Spoke, it’s clear the record balances intimate reflection with cinematic scale. Grand choirs collide with brooding beats, while Labrinth’s vocals carry both spiritual intensity and personal struggles. Moments of quiet introspection sit alongside sweeping operatic grandeur, a reminder of the film-score composer he is. It promises a bold, emotional ride. A project where spectacle and vulnerability collide, like a movie but in Braille for your ears.
Esquire Malaysia
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