I love this time of year when the release schedule begins to fill up and you start to feel excited for what treasures might be in store for this year. I’ve rounded up the confirmed releases, likely releases and hopes for 2026 below!
- Lucinda Williams – World’s Gone Wrong (23rd January)
The biggest new album in Americana confirmed so far this year is the new one from legendary Lucinda Williams. Since her stroke in 2020 she’s barely slowed down, releasing albums ‘Stories from a Rock and Roll Heart’ and her Beatles covers album plus live shows. This new album ‘World’s Gone Wrong’ seems to be a darker twin to her ‘Sweet Old World’ classic, with collaborators including Mavis Staples, Brittany Spencer and Norah Jones.
2. Courtney Marie Andrews – Valentine (16th January)
Another blog favourite Courtney Marie Andrews has a new album ‘Valentine’ ready to release in the next couple of weeks. The album singles include the beautiful Cons and Clowns, Keeper and Little Picture of a Butterfly. From these songs and her recent interview with Don’t Rock the Inbox it seems likely she’s moving further away from her earlier rootsy, Americana leanings towards softer, indie rock.
3. Emily Scott Robinson – Appalachia (January 12th)
Emily has recorded this new album ‘Appalachia’ with Bonny Light Horseman’s Josh Kauffman (also producer of the brilliant Mary Chapin Carpenter, Karine Polwart and Julie Fowlis album) to be released on Oh Boy records. So far the songs released are stunning including the title track about recent devastating floods in the South and the political anthem ‘Dirtbag Saloon’. She’s also recorded a duet with John Paul White of The Civil Wars fame so listen out for that one.
4. Natalie Del Carmen – Pastures (January 30th)
One newer artist with an album ready to go is Natalie Del Carmen, a young Californian who was inspired to make this album after inheriting a banjo from her grandfather. Her promising singles including poignant ‘June, You’re on My Mind’ and ‘El Cortez’ inspired by a trip to Las Vegas with her father. She played the Bluebird Cafe and Americana fest last year and has already got support from Ricky Ross on BBC Scotland.
Of the other confirmed releases I’m most excited to hear the new one from blog favs Della Mae called Magic Accident (January 23rd), the Ratboys album ‘Singing to an Empty Chair’ (Feb 6th) which sounds promising so far and I’m intrigued to hear more from the return of Juanita Stein’s band Howling Bells (Feb 13th) with an album called ‘Strange Life’.
Other scheduled so far include Elles Bailey (January 16th), Ali Angel (January 16th), Melissa Carper & Theo Lawrence (Feb 9th), Jill Scott (Feb 13th), Megan Moroney (Feb 20th), Hilary Duff (Feb 20th), Peaches (Feb 20th), Katherine Priddy (March 6th), Leah Blevin (March 20th) and Melissa Etheridge (March 27th).
Likely but without confirmed release dates include Alela Diane who has singed to Loose Music, Ashley McBryde who posted a video of herself crying listening to her new music, Ella Langley who will surely want to capitalise on the fact her single ‘Choosin Texas’ is riding high in the charts, Nikki Lane who has told audiences she has an album finished and is looking for a record label, and her friend Lana Del Rey’s whose long delayed and oft-renamed country album Stove must surely be released this year. Others who’ve released new singles lately indicating they may have albums ready include Bella White, Meels, The Womack Sisters, Aubrie Sellers, Courtney Barnett and Maggie Antone.
In terms of who I want to hear new music from there’s only one answer: Rilo Kiley. Since they’ve been doing their reunion tour this year and have dates lined up for 2026 I’m holding out some serious hope that they’ve scheduled some studio time together. And since She & Him have gone viral recently perhaps this will encourage my fav duo to offer us some new original material after a run of wonderful cover albums.
Let me know who you’re excited about / hopeful for hearing more from in 2026!
If you have read this far then perhaps you would consider subscribing to my new Substack newsletter where I will be sharing review of songs, albums and live music, plus news links and other writing. Here is the link: https://substack.com/@highwayqueens?r=2cph34&utm_medium=ios
Highway Queens 
Thank you Michelle. Lucinda, Emily and Courtney are already pre-ordered so the early part of the year is guaranteed to be a huge musical treat. Releases by my favourite artists set for sometime this year are Jess Klein’s new one and a duet album from Amy Speace.
LikeLike