10 albums that we’re seriously looking forward to in 2026, including Sexistential
The 2026 LGBTQ+ albums to look forward to. (Cybele Malinowski/Republic Records/Futures Music Group/EMI)
The 2026 LGBTQ+ albums to look forward to. (Cybele Malinowski/Republic Records/Futures Music Group/EMI)
Looking for some new music to soundtrack your 2026? If so, we’ve got you covered.
From LGBTQ+ legendary icons to new voices breaking through, here is every upcoming album that should be on your release radar this year:
Running With Scissors by Cavetown
Cavetown, the artist name of Robin Skinner, is returning with his fourth album. The 27-year-old singer-songwriter is an indie staple and Running With Scissors is set to see the lo-fi artist break out with a new sound. Also, the album is described as “a record that pairs his signature lo-fi intimacy with fuller, more expansive indie rock arrangements.”
Cavetown’s lyricism has always been peppered with confession and catharsis, something that his listeners bask in. Though, this new chapter is said to revolve around musings on growing into yourself. Following the release of the album, Cavetown heads out on his Running With Scissors tour. He’s performing shows in New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, the UK and also Europe.
Running With Scissors by Cavetown is out January 16.
Hyperlove by MIKA
Eurosvision prince and pop icon MIKA is welcoming in a new era with his seventh studio album, Hyperlove. The multi-platinum, Brit award-winning artist’s next release sees his catchy melodies and colourful theatrics fuse with pop bangers. The album’s description also details that “it is as bold and heartfelt as it is timeless, a celebration of emotion, identity, and imagination in their most vivid forms”
The “Grace Kelly” hitmaker is said to be adventurous on Hyperlove, co-produced with Australian producer Nick Littlemore. Also, the album is said to include narration from iconic LGBTQ+ filmmaker John Waters.
Hyperlove by MIKA drops on January 23.
Kiss Big by Ailbhe Reddy
Irish indie folk singer-songwriter Ailbhe Reddy’s forthcoming third album is set to be a heartbreaker. Notably, because the album is all about the end of a long-term relationship. She cites Big Thief and Jeff Buckley as music inspirations, so prepare for your heart to hurt after listening.
“It explores feeling untethered from them, yourself, who you thought you were and the world,” Kiss Big’s description reads. “As well as how, with time, everything rearranges and restarts. The cyclical nature of love and endings. The way we keep beginning again, regardless of how we say we won’t.”
Kiss Big by Ailbhe Reddy is January 30.
Laughter In Summer by Beverly Glenn-Copeland and Elizabeth Copeland
Trans singer-songwriter Beverly Glenn-Copeland and theatre actor and writer Elizabeth Copeland are a married couple and Laughter In Summer is a collaborative album between the pair. Glenn-Copeland began publicly identifying as a trans man in 2002, since he has continued to make music. The Copelands met in 1992 when Elizabeth was a back up singer for Beverly. However, their romantic relationship began in 2007.
Laughter In Summer was born out of love. When Beverly was diagnosed with dementia 2 years ago, the couple’s relationship with music became increasingly important. This album is their “love letter to one another: a tender ledger of memories, shared devotion, grief and joy.”
Laughter In Summer by Beverly Glenn-Copeland and Elizabeth Copeland is out February 6.
You Wish by Dream Nails
Dream Nails’ forthcoming alternative rock album You Wish is the exciting third chapter from English punk/riot grrrl band. The band is composed of vocalist and guitarist Anya Pearson, drummer Lucy Katz and also Mimi Jasson on bass and backing vocals. Additionally, Dream Nails identify themselves as punk witches, their music underscored by feminist sentiment.
The band have announced this is their most vulnerable and abstract to date. Furthermore, they are stepping away from their punk-rooted sound to something “more introspective, spiritually curious, and emotionally resonant.”
You Wish by Dream Nails drops on February 6.
No Lube So Rude by Peaches
Canadian electroclash musician and producer Peaches, whose real name is Merrill Nisker, returns for her first album in a decade. The bisexual artist’s album is said to be an unapologetic blend of electronic, dance, punk, industrial, and pop music. Taking on the personal and the political, Peaches’ music has always explored notions of gender identity but it seems this new album will specifically target identity, sexuality, and bodily autonomy.
Speaking to the Guardian about the new music, Peaches explained: “No Lube So Rude is the name of one of the songs, which is about how we can help the friction of the world. We need to smooth it around a little because we have so much irritation and dryness.”
No Lube So Rude by Peaches is being released on February 13.
Lean In by Art School Girlfriend
Polly Louise Mackey, better known by her stage name Art School Girlfriend, is one of the most exciting gay, alt-pop voices in the UK. Lean In will mark Art School Girlfriend’s third album, a body of work created in “a period of time when everything around me felt fragile,” she details in the album description.
The album’s lyricism is described as “desperate and widescreen, the production and arrangement are designed to overwhelm, with peaks and troughs, offering moments of deep calm amidst the waves of relentless beats and stuttering synths.”
Lean In by Art School Girlfriend is being released on March 13.
Porcelain by Peach PRC
Lesbian artist Peach PRC is set to release her debut studio album in March. This is a very exciting time for the Australian singer-songwriter who first blew up on TikTok but has proven she has staying power with the hype around her first album. The 28-year-old, whose real name is Shaylee Curnow, is set to deliver a “transformative” 12-track album.
The album is set to explore “identity, evolution and self-acceptance through elevated visuals and a sound with a more vulnerable creative lens.” The description also continues the body of work features “moments hyper-feminine fantasy and pop escapism interlaced with intimate, unfiltered storytelling from the woman underneath it all.”
Porcelain by Peach PRC is out on March 20.
Rise by Melissa Etheridge
Singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge rose to fame after her 1988 debut album was loved far and wide, winning the hearts of many lesbians. The 64-year-old musician came out in 1993. Since, she has been a vocal gay rights activist and used her platform for campaigning.
Etheridge has stated that this new album is a container for heartfelt and triumphant songs at this time in her life. She also added: “sometimes you’re gonna taste the dirt, but then you’re gonna rise.”
Rise by Melissa Etheridge is being released on March 27.
Sexistential by Robyn
Gay icon Robyn is back with the much-anticipated Sexistential. The “Dancing On Your Own” Swedish hitmaker returns for her ninth studio album, the first major release since her critically acclaimed 2018 album Honey. The upcoming album is set to be Robyn’s playful take on exploring her sexuality and the sensual side of her life.
Speaking about the album’s title, the artist explained it came from a sexual realisation. “I feel like the purpose of my life is to stay horny,” states Robyn in the album press release. “It’s such a beautiful kind of sensitive vibration that takes so much work to keep afloat. It doesn’t even have to be about sex, but it’s feeling sensual and attracted to things that I enjoy, and not letting anything take over that.”
Sexistential by Robyn is out on March 27.
