2026 is now upon us, which means a new year full of new music and moments to go down in pop culture history. With the impending Grammys gaining traction, people are wondering who will be the face of music for the next Grammy cycle. Here are 10 artists fans are hoping to hear from in 2026.
Harry Styles
It’s been almost 4 years since Styles last released an album, and the fans are hungry. If you’re on any social media platform, you may have seen fans of Styles trending #HS4atMidnight at any sign that the artist may be making an announcement. As a fan myself, I have also been aching for any new music from Harry Styles.
Styles ended 2025 with an eight-minute video titled Forever, Forever. The video was a short documentary of Styles’s last tour, and sparked fans to believe this was the year Styles was set to return. Additionally, Billboard recently confirmed that the industry chatter has hinted at not only a new album, but also a tour. Are they right? Is this the year Harry Styles comes back to the music industry? I sure hope so.
Olivia Rodrigo
Speaking of artists who took a break from music, Olivia Rodrigo has also not released music for a long period of time. 3 years since her sophomore album Guts, and fans are eager to see what she has planned next. While Rodrigo has not gone completely ghost, playing festivals and touring, she has been focusing more on spending time with friends. However, that does not mean she hasn’t been in the studio.
In a message sent to fans on her email list, Rodrigo said she “can’t wait to see what’s to come in 2026!” The singer also posted a photo of a golf cart with “The Album” detailed on it. Could this be her hinting at her return? Who’s to say.
Chappell Roan
For the second year in a row, Chappell Roan has received Grammy nominations. However, in 2025, Roan only released two songs. Her singles “The Giver” and “The Subway” both charted relatively well, and “The Subway” secured her a nomination for Record of the Year. However, after her launch to mainstream stardom in 2024, many fans are hoping to hear another album from her.
Roan has not made any announcements or hints at planning an album release for 2026, but that does not mean there’s not a chance. She shared that this year she wants to take time offline to focus on herself and engage in her community, but who’s to say she won’t surprise us.
Olivia Dean
The end of 2025 was an amazing year for Olivia Dean. After the release of her sophomore album, The Art of Loving, launched her into the spotlight, new and old fans are aching to hear more from her. Nominated for Best New Artist, and having the public deem her album the best of 2025, things can only go up from here for Dean.
2026 will be dedicated to her tour, but that doesn’t mean she won’t be in the studio. Can we expect to end 2026 with another album? It would be a shame not to capitalize on her momentum, but also, perfection takes time, and the Art of Loving truly was an amazing album. Fans will be eagerly waiting to see what she has next. Let’s just hope it will happen this year.
Beyoncé
Beyoncé is one of the biggest artists in the world, and fans are always speculating on what she will do next. Coming off a successful run of Cowboy Carter, the only logical next step is for her to continue with Act III. It is speculated in the industry that Act III will happen in 2026, and it’s possible that she has already started dropping hints.
Making her first appearance at the Met Gala in a decade, and as a co-chair, clearly, something is in the works. Fans believe Act III will be a rock album, and while there has been no official confirmation, I would love to see what genius Beyoncé creates.
Bruno Mars
It has been 10 years since Bruno Mars’s last solo project, and he has recently announced that his album is finished. After the magic of Silk Sonic and multiple collaborations over the years, there’s no doubt that whatever Mars creates will be an iconic piece of music.
Mars’s last studio album was 24K Magic in 2016. The album gave us hits like “Versace on the Floor” and “That’s What I Like.” Songs that still get radio plays and online streams. I believe this album will have equally as many hits, and fans can’t wait for his return.
SZA
SZA’s last project, SOS, has charted on the Billboard charts since its initial release in 2022. In 2024, SZA released a deluxe edition of the album with new songs and collabs, but what’s next? After ending 2025 with a collaboration with Doechii, it’s not absurd to speculate that SZA may be working on some projects herself.
Many fans and I would love to hear new music from SZA. She’s nominated for a few Grammys for her collaborations with Kendrick Lamar, but could 2026 bring a new solo album for SZA?
Adele
Every year, I hope that Adele will grace us with a new album. While she is known for taking gaps between her projects, as each one encapsulates an important year for her, it’s been four years since the release of 30. Logically, I would not fault her for waiting until 40 to release, but surely some monumental moments have happened to curate an album.
Fans online are speculating she may return, but there have been no signs as of yet. However, like many of these artists, Adele has been known to surprise fans.
Miley Cyrus
It’s the 20th anniversary of Hannah Montana, and Miley Cyrus is working overtime. She said in a recent interview that she wanted to get back into acting, but she’s also rumored to be releasing something new. Will it be under her former alias, or is a new album in the works?
Cyrus released an album at the beginning of 2025 and a new song for Avatar: Fire and Ash. She has also told the press she would love to release a song for Heated Rivalry season 2, but that might be something for future years.
Rihanna
Last but certainly not least, fans mostly want to hear from Rihanna. It’s a bit of a stretch considering she has not released music for quite some time now. However, that does not stop fans from speculating about new releases.
Ten years without an album, but that does not mean Rihanna has been on hiatus. From the success of Savage X Fenty and Fenty Beauty. As well as her Super Bowl performance in 2023, Rihanna has not been sleeping. But could this ten-year mark be the push she needs to give fans what they want?
All of these artists are staples in the music industry, even without recent releases. However, that does not stop fans from pleading for more music. Could 2026 be an epic year for music? We sure hope so.
