"Across a double album examining grief, new love and the idea of the former self, our Album of the Year thrives on devastating observational detail, and a reminder that great art deserves focus."
In 2026, Rough Trade turned 50. It’s been a year to reflect on how far we’ve come, how music has changed, and the place record shops hold in an ever-evolving world. Through it all, the excitement of discovering our next favourite record and still finding community through music remains the most interesting part of what we do. As our milestone year draws to a close, our Albums of the Year bring those celebrations right up to the present: with the new releases that have kept us excited and reminded us why we started.
So which albums have been the best of 2026? We've seen eagerly anticipated and unexpected returns from the likes of Gorillaz, Charli xcx, Fontaines D.C., Interpol, Jack White and The Durutti Column. We've marvelled at the worldbuilding cult appeal of Angine de Poitrine, Boards of Canada or Underscores and the unmistakable voices of Jalen Ngonda, Phoebe Bridgers or Interpol have moved us in different ways, while rising bands like mary in the junkyard and Westside Cowboy have made this another year to embrace indie artists on the ascent from the grassroots up.
We’ve been lucky enough to experience and host so much of this music live at Rough Trade: Phoebe Bridgers' very special no-phones Union Chapel show, Jalen Ngonda’s room-filling soul, Mandy, Indiana’s exhilarating noise or favourite in-store moments with Tyler Ballgame, Fat Dog, Getdown Services and many more. These records are ingrained with memories way beyond the first listen. Chosen and championed by us, our favourite albums of 2026 capture the dynamic spirit of this landmark year and give us every reason to be excited about what comes next.
Explore our favourite albums of 2026, including some very special Rough Trade Exclusive editions on vinyl.
1. Phoebe Bridgers - Lost Weekend
Across a double album examining grief, new love and the idea of the former self, our Album of the Year thrives on devastating observational detail, and a reminder that great art deserves focus. That ambition extends to a rollout of device-free pop-up shows, UFO-location clues and a phone-free tour, inviting fans to rediscover anticipation and the pleasure of being present.
For an album so concerned with memory, asking audiences to experience something without recording it feels especially resonant within our modern landscape, challenging the habit of turning every musical encounter into shareable content. Lost Weekend earns its place among the year’s best by reminding us how deeply music can matter when we give ourselves over to it.
READ: Why Phoebe Bridgers Matters
Grief is a funny thing, when you hit the bottom it really can be pitch, pitch black. But out of that pit can come the most celebratory art, and Lost Weekend cranks up the blacklights and leads the way. A triumphant, euphoric return, and she brings a load of her mates along for the ride, including us. Get in loser, we're never going home.
Adrian, Rough Trade Bristol
EXCLUSIVE: Live At Madison Square Gardens — 12” EP
2. KNEECAP - FENIAN
Ireland’s hip-hop trio KNEECAP returned this year with their sophomore album FENIAN, a word derived from ancient Irish folklore, ‘Fianna’, which is a band of legendary warriors from 1,500 years ago. The word actually became an anti-Irish slur; the trio have reclaimed it and used it as a torch with which to lead a movement of people who stand up against oppression and speak for those who can’t. A powerful return, both sonically and politically.
Cammy, Rough Trade Office
EXCLUSIVE: Yellow and green splatter on black vinyl + special edition all Irish language packaging + Live At Rough Trade East 12”
3. Fcukers - Ö
I like it like that! Recklessly infectious and effortlessly cool. Fcukers dropped their highly anticipated debut album early this year with addictive and nonstop beats. Channelling 90s house, triphop, and new york club culture. Fcukers said “if you wanna party…” this one’s for you.
Kerenza - Rough Trade East
EXCLUSIVE: Orange and clear splatter vinyl + Live from 805
4. overpass - Elsewhere, Always
Birmingham indie rock group overpass delivered once again with their debut album Elsewhere, Always. From start to finish the album is a what’s not to like feeling, from upbeat and guitar heavy songs which bring in comparisons to Inhaler and Wunderhorse, to songs having a slower feel allowing them to bring emotions to a listener. Personally this album is one of my favourites, and whilst they have been able to keep their recognisable tone of sound from their EPs and singles, they have also been able to produce a collection of music that has layers and shows development over the years.
Ella - Rough Trade Bristol
EXCLUSIVE: Elsewhere, Always (Unplugged) on limited edition transparent orange 12”
5. Gorillaz - The Mountain
The Mountain continues Gorillaz’ groundbreaking and unique legacy that wholly combines mixed media in a way very few contemporary artists can attribute themselves to. Perhaps their most mature and contemplative work yet, The Mountain reflects on loss, death, afterlife, and spirituality in both personal and cosmic ways. Throughout the record amongst enveloping synthesiser textures and gorgeous Hindustani classical music we hear from an all-star cast of legendary collaborators, many of whom have both worked with Gorillaz in the past and have since passed away (see Delirium featuring Mark. E. Smith). And in a time when AI has been used to tastelessly revive the voices of dead artists, The Mountain seems to be the antithesis of that act. The level of focused commentary that it’s bringing to the table whilst simultaneously utilising their iconic musical world-building is why The Mountain is perhaps the most elegiac release of 2026.
Jacob - Rough Trade East
EXCLUSIVE: Noah's Descendants / The Mountain 7"
6. mary in the junkyard - Role Model Hermit
“There is nothing to see here”, oh mary how we beg to differ. Arriving as defined and strong as their new muscles, this album scratches every itch of singalong indie, melancholic sad girl charm and oddball humour. Seeing the band at an in-store over a football saturated, sun-stroked summer, they quelled the crowds into a mystified hush. Homemade instruments, harmonies to hum for days on end and an almost palpable unspoken bond between the three of them. Amidst dreams of frog-women, awkward yet arresting crowd work, and the embodiment of endearing charm, I am so excited to join Clari Freeman-Taylor, Saya Barbaglia and David Addison at the junkyard and see where we end up.
Lizzie - Rough Trade Office
EXCLUSIVE: Live From The Heaven 10”
7. Jalen Ngonda - Doctrine Of Love
Catching Jalen live at Rough Trade East this year was a true highlight! I can attest that Doctrine of Love captures an unforgettable, room-filling magic. It is a profoundly joyful record, radiating an irresistible analogue warmth deeply inspired by soul, gospel, blues, and R&B. Vocally, Ngonda bridges the raw, electrifying showmanship of James Brown with the suave, poetic intimacy of Sam Cooke. Rich and glossy in its orchestration, this album stands as an authentic masterclass in timeless modern soul.
Bruce - Rough Trade East
EXCLUSIVE: Opaque white, red and blue tri-colour vinyl +: Hannah, What's The Matter (Live at Rough Trade East In Store)
8. Fat Dog - Cancel Me (I'm Tired)
I've been a Fat Dog fan for years, and Cancel Me (I'm Tired) is everything I love about them and more. It's chaotic, unpredictable and ridiculously energetic, jumping between punk, electronic sounds and so many different influences. You can really hear how much they've grown since WOOF, without losing any of the madness that makes them so brilliant. Their live shows are always so much fun, and I can never resist jumping straight into the pit, even when I said I'd take it easy. Somehow, this album captures that exact same energy while taking their sound somewhere completely new. I'm obsessed!
Elisa - Rough Trade Office
EXCLUSIVE: Pink and black marble vinyl + Show Me The Way 10”
9. Mandy, Indiana - URGH
URGH! ARGH! OUCH! Mandy, Indiana’s latest record is a handful! Wild, abrasive and challenging, yet funky in its own twisted way. Co-founded by a French woman who once called Berlin home and a British man, the four-piece delivers a second record that simply kicks ass.
Curt - Rough Trade Berlin
EXCLUSIVE: Blue Hex with magenta splatter vinyl + Live At Rough Trade Liverpool
10. Vanishing Twin - Archives
The experimental trio sound just as transportive as ever on fifth album Archives. Speaking to its name this album is a true collection of sounds, psychedelic rock, modal folk and 60s influenced pop that couldn’t sound more ethereal at times. A strange concoction of electronic and organic instruments which expands on the band’s improvisational style to sound delightfully collage-like. Fans of Stereolab or Broadcast look no further.
Georgia - Rough Trade Office
EXCLUSIVE: Deep red vinyl + Twist / Bring Me The Axe (Versions) 7” + print
11. Westside Cowboy - It Goes On
It is difficult to find a British band with as much buzz around them right now as Westside Cowboy and deservedly so. Having already released two stellar EPs, their hotly anticipated debut album, It Goes On proves just how much their confidence has grown. That signature onstage chemistry reflects right through the record, trading vocal harmonies with raucous, melodic guitar work and drums that build into a rage on the standout opener, Kick Stones (The Boys).
I first caught Westside Cowboy at Glastonbury 2025 after they won the Emerging Talent Competition that year, a performance that proved without a doubt what an incredible career lies ahead for the indie four-piece.
Jordan Potter - Rough Trade Warehouse
EXCLUSIVE: It Goes On CD
12. Interpol - This Mirror Weighs a Ton
This album showcases a sharper, more expansive Interpol, recalling the angular guitars and brooding atmosphere of their early records without simply revisiting old ground. Paul Banks wrote much of the album’s lyrics in Berlin, bringing a little of his - and my - adopted city into a record rooted in the band’s New York beginnings.
Nina - Rough Trade Berlin Office
EXCLUSIVE: This Mirror Weighs A Ton - Live Recordings 7”
13. My New Band Believe - My New Band Believe
Cameron Picton's world is a world of myth and grandeur. He retains the unexpected rhythms of his Black Midi roots, while softening the songs with gorgeous instrumentation, and tales of love and loss. Dive into the romance and heartbreak, and find yourself deeper into the music with every listen. My New Band Believe spins an epic story, beautifully told.
Jess - Rough Trade Office NYC
EXCLUSIVE: Six Songs 12” (Cameron Picton + Kit Mosely re-record 6 songs from the LP.)
14. PIGEON - OUTTANATIONAL
Head nodding, foot tapping, make-you-want-to-get-up-and-dance-music. PIGEON released a hugely enjoyable debut in OUTTANATIONAL, an eclectic blend of influences which reaches far beyond the band’s Margate base, merging West African griot tradition, post-punk, synths and krautrock grooves. Both high energy and humorous, every song is driven by the incredible voice of Falle Nioke. An album you are sure to keep returning to for more and more listens, especially track 2: Black James Dean.
Georgia - Rough Trade Office
EXCLUSIVE: Orange nebula vinyl + Live At Rough Trade
15. Vince Staples - Cry Baby
Cry Baby is a very fiery listen of 2026. Vince Staples created a hip-hop album with a punk rock edge giving it a huge impact. Hidden messages in the music videos and songs changed the scene in many ways. In a 2014 interview for his album Hell Can Wait, Vince stated his label told him to stick to a more “traditional hip-hop” style. The same request presented itself in 2017, however, he pushed towards a more electronic feel with the full support of his fans. Definitely an album I've had on repeat this year. Sensational.
Laurie - Rough Trade East
EXCLUSIVE: Crybaby Photobooth Edition + Flexi
16. Jack White - Frozen Charlotte
Seemingly conjured while the amps were still cooling from last summer’s No Name tour, Jack White’s Frozen Charlotte landed in July, hot on the heels of his debut art exhibition (I went along, it was wacky AF). His seventh solo record carries its predecessor’s exhilaration. It’s a "blue steak" rock album, supremely raw and served with alllllll the juices running. White sounds consumed by the sheer pleasure of making a racket and it’s infectious as hell.
Emily - Rough Trade Office
EXCLUSIVE: Silver / blue split vinyl
17. Tyler Ballgame - For The First Time, Again
A voice like an eagle soaring, and the rich, furry guitars, are like a warm hug from an old friend, or big woolly jumper, with a picture of that soaring eagle on it. It’s truly sensational. Love and kinship are in every breath of this album. The Roy Orbison comparisons are justified, but that skips over the gusts of doo-wop, 70s soft-psych and 60s sunshine pop that make this album the greatest sonic refreshment this year has produced.
Paddy - Rough Trade Office
EXCLUSIVE: Live It Down / Let You Down 7”
18. The Durutti Column - Renascent
After 16 years of inactivity, the return of The Durutti Column is Renascent. Sorry, I couldn't help myself. Renascent is an album that wills you to sink yourself into it entirely. Vinni Reileys’ delay soaked guitar is as enchanting as ever, proving there is as much life in this band as when they debuted 46 years ago. These songs are contemplative, at times uplifting, and consistently gorgeous. To factory records fanatics and curious newcomers alike: take this album on a walk with you, it's a great companion!
Liv - Rough Trade Bristol
EXCLUSIVE: Renascent + Instrumentals CD
19. Kristin Hersh - Sugar on Blackstone
Like synaesthesia captured on record, Sugar On Blackstone exists somewhere between the spare and the richly detailed. Pete Harvey’s ghostly cello doesn’t so much anchor Hersh’s winding song structures as draw them into focus, circling a lived-in voice whose melodies and lyrics are at once hazy and hyper-focused. Listening feels like bearing witness to an abstract self-portrait, or drifting through the distant, half-remembered childhood of someone else.
Jono - Rough Trade Nottingham
EXCLUSIVE: Signed sugar marble vinyl + cream 12” demos EP
20. The Molotovs - Wasted on Youth
When The Jam revived mod in the '70s, they could hardly have known what they were unleashing. 50 years down the line, the movement has shed all R&B roots and mutated into a form of indie rock. Siblings Mathew and Issey Cartlidge, talented young guns with natty clothes and big mouths, appear to fit the established archetypes, but they might just have the piss and vinegar to get away with it. Perhaps youth isn't wasted on the young!
Huw - Rough Trade Warehouse
EXCLUSIVE: Live At The Electric
21. Ratboys - Singin' to an Empty Chair
Blissful sunny guitars juxtaposed with unflinchingly honest lyricism, Ratboys have near-perfected their country-tinged indie sound. More albums about therapy please, especially when they manage to sound this pretty.
Connor - Rough Trade Bristol
EXCLUSIVE: Ratboys, Singin' to an Empty Chair (Rough Trade Exclusive Deluxe Edition)
22. Man/Woman/Chainsaw - Cannonball
A debut album that graciously dances along the line between raw passion and cerebral musicianship. The London outfit brings a truly original combination of textures and emotions: fear, anger, serenity, and the confusion of falling in love. Listening to what this record has to offer is like taking a plunge into everything that's great about modern music.
Matthew - Rough Trade Bristol
EXCLUSIVE: Cannonball Photobooth Edition
23. Getdown Services - Massive Champion
Not many artists can social commentary, the fun of Butlins and telling things to fuck off as well as these fellas. Difficult second album? Smashed it mate. Quite possibly one of the hardest working bands out there who don’t seem to stop touring and it shows in their delivery both on record and in person. It’s also easy to miss the understated proficiency of Josh’s guitar playing and it deserves more credit. Did Paul McCartney ever write a song about someone being sick all over themselves on the bus? No he did not, make of that what you will.
Matt - Rough Trade East
EXCLUSIVE: Unattractive Companion 7”
24. Friko - Something Worth Waiting For
Chicago's music scene is definitely having a moment and Friko is no exception. Sounding simultaneously well-recorded and lo-fi, this album just kept floating to the top of my 'play-on-the-way-to-work' list (which when you listen to music 8 hours a day is a true accolade). The intimate start to Guess draws you in before exploding into downstroke guitars that seem born ready for a cool indie film scene. The opener alone is the perfect example of Friko's dynamic range and it's only up from there. It reminds me of so much I've heard before and yet it is its own - the ultimate “what's this playing?” album. Everything sounds live, every song has a purpose, it's just a great guitar record at a time of many pretty good guitar records. If you've not got this in your head after one listen I'd be really surprised.
Rachel - Rough Trade West
EXCLUSIVE: Something Worth Waiting For - B-Sides / Rarities
25. This Is Lorelei - The Singer In My Band
Full of character and charm, This Is Lorelei's album The Singer In My Band takes Nate Atmos into the spotlight more than ever before. A more folk-driven venture than his last solo effort, this acoustic heavy approach presents these songs in a confident and still somewhat effortlessly cool manner. Carefully sewn together, The Singer In My Band is just another step in what has already been a successful and fruitful career from the Water From Your Eyes member.
Sam McCann - Rough Trade East
EXCLUSIVE: Fanzine edition
26. Shygirl - SWALLOW!
As depicted in the album’s artwork, Shygirl’s SWALLOW! signals a rebirth, whilst expanding on a world that she’s spent years crafting. Across eleven tracks the listener journeys through indie singer-songwriter sensibilities, hazy trip-hop rhythms, abrasive club bangers and everything in between. It’s music powered by romance, vulnerability and desire. It’s a juxtaposition of maximalist and minimalism where Shygirl’s barely whispered vocals carry as much weight as the walls of sound.
Matt Leppier - Rough Trade East
EXCLUSIVE: Swallow Photobooth edition + swallow!demos LPs
27. Boards of Canada - Inferno
Inferno captures Boards of Canada at their absolute darkest, effortlessly turning decades of quiet expectation into a haunting, masterclass-level sonic nightmare. They prove once again that no one else can make nostalgic analogue decay feel quite so vital, beautiful, and deeply unsettling.
Bruce - Rough Trade East
28. Basement - WIRED
Opening with a screamer of a track, setting a clean yet gritty sound to the tone of the album. Basement take you on a euphoric journey through the current post-hardcore scene, with seamless and unforgettable lyrics, heavy basslines, back and forth guitars and solid drum grooves throughout. You can hear the development of the band over the years. Make sure to see these blistering tracks live in all their glory and prepare to be screaming your heart out. Embrace it and play it LOUD.
Joe - Rough Trade East
EXCLUSIVE: Red and blue stripes with white splatter vinyl
29. Slayyyter - WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA
High-octane, sucker-punch pop is a defining trait on Slayyyter’s musical CV. She brilliantly weaves maximalist party anthems with intimate, vulnerable lyricism, proving that pop can be moulded, squished, and reformed. Ultimately, WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA shakes with a primal, unshackling bravado and sass that refuses to stay stagnant or turn its bass down.
Julia - Rough Trade Bristol
30. MEMORIALS - All Clouds Bring Not Rain
The second studio album from MEMORIALS, the collaboration between Electrelane’s Verity Susman and Wire’s Matthew Simms is an eclectic but seamless mix of genres and influences, with a distinctly vintage sound steeped in nostalgia. Psychedelia, post-punk, art-pop and folk elements come together to create a hypnotic, dreamlike atmosphere, with Susman’s signature rhythmic vocals further adding to the trance-like effect. As a longtime fan of Electrelane, it’s so nice to hear Susman exploring familiar territory, but through this collaboration with Simms, pushing it in new and experimental directions. I couldn’t recommend this record enough, and it’s a perfect listen for these colder months.
Alice - Rough Trade Liverpool
EXCLUSIVE: All Clouds Aren’t Electric
31-100
- James Blake - Trying Times
- Ezra Collective - Here Because Of Hope
- Haylie Davis - Wandering Star
- Twisted Teens - The Holy Cross Tigers
- Aldous Harding - Train On The Island
- Angine De Poitrine - Vol. II
- Broken Social Scene - Remember The Humans
- Joshua Idehen - I Know You’re Hurting, Everyone is Hurting, Everyone is Trying, You Have Got to Try
- ear - Rumspringa
- Snocaps - Snocaps
- Blondshell - Violins
- The Avalanches - No Bad Memories
- Fontaines D.C. - Dopamine Chamber
- Underscores - U
- Lily Allen - West End Girl
- Julia Jacklin - The Gem
- Charli XCX - Music, Fashion, Film
- Peaches - No Lube So Rude
- Orville Peck - Mule
- A$AP Rocky - Don't Be Dumb
- Lambchop - Punching The Clown
- Sleaford Mods - The Demise Of Planet X
- Overmono - Pure Devotion
- Jungle - Sunshine
- Queens Of The Stone Age - Perfecth
- Mike D - Thank You
- Mitski - Nothing's About To Happen To Me
- Deary - Birding
- Ceremony - Tell Me Your Dream
- DIIV - ZIRP!
- Greg Mendez - Beauty Land
- Radie Peat - No Human Tongue Can Tell
- MUNA - Dancing On The Wall
- Beck - Ride Lonesome
- Joyeria - Decay Decay Decay
- Digitalism - Optimism
- Max Richter - While The Flood Rages
- Beabadoobee - Pylon
- Lime Garden - Maybe Not Tonight
- Cameron Winter - Live At Carnegie Hall
- The Bevis Frond - Horrorful Heights
- Tommy Lefroy - The Precariat
- Angel Du$t - Cold 2 The Touch
- The Cribs - Selling A Vibe
- Iceage - For Love Of Grace and the Hereafter
- De La Soul - Cabin In The Sky
- Cardinals - Masquerade
- The Delines - The Set Up
- Raye - THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE
- hemlocke springs - the apple tree under the sea
- Brigitte Calls Me Baby - Irreversible
- PVA - No More Like This
- Courtney Barnett - Creature Of Habit
- Dry Cleaning - Secret Love
- Joe Pernice - Sunny, I Was Wrong
- Dagmar Zuniga - in filth your mystery is kingdom / far smile peasant in yellow music
- The Itch - It's The Hope That Kills You
- The Reds, Pinks and Purples - Acknowledge Kindness
- Victoryland - My Heart Is A Room With No Cameras In It
- Robyn - Sexistential
- Arlo Parks - Ambiguous Desire
- Alela Diane - Who's Keeping Time
- Dove Ellis - Blizzard
- The Bobby Lees - New Self
- Modern Woman - Johnny's Dreamworld
- Feeble Little Horse - Bitknot
- MT Jones - Joy
- Julianna Barwick and Mary Lattimore - Tragic Magic
- Dexys Midnight Runners - LOVE
- The Early Years - Modern Moonlight
Further Reading
Rough Trade Books of the Year 2026
In Profile: Why Phoebe Bridgers Matters
Albums of the Year 2025