Indie pop duo and 2026 Emerging Artists to Watch After have announced their highly anticipated debut, Fell Asleep in the Sun, out on September 18th. Their latest single, "Take Me to Sunrise," is another dreamy, yearning anthem, equally indebted to Frou Frou (and Imogen Heap) as it is to... Linkin Park? There's a heavy undercurrent to "Take Me to Sunrise" that makes it sound like the eye of the hurricane, a storm howling in the distance while After retain their usual meditative poise. "What you're giving/ ain't enough," sings Justine Dorsey as the stakes rise and the chorus washes in. It's quite remarkable how these two have dusted off an old style of pop rock and blended it beautifully with today's genre-fluid landscape. Their band name may be After, they may sound like from before, but they're eerily attached to the present. — Paolo Ragusa

Leave it to Babehoven to pen a stunner of an indie song and call it "Lasagna." The latest single from their upcoming album, I See Them, I See Me, is as heartfelt and warm-blooded as the best of their previous work. Between the harmonies, the inviting production, and the distorted guitar lines that sit on top of comfy acoustic chords, it's a tune that's impossible not to enjoy — kind of like a well-known layered Italian dish. — Jonah Krueger

Existing somewhere in between Nine Inch Nails, TV on the Radio, and the edgier side of LCD Soundsystem, The Crooked Stuff's "Shallow Shores" swings back and forth between darkwave, dance-punk verses, and anthemic choruses. It's a pretty compelling formula, one fit for both the punks and the dancers.  — J. Krueger

On "Djork," Chicago trio Daundry level up in just about every way. Their first new release in two years, the noisy rock act has continued to develop their grungy, surprisingly hooky post-hardcore sound, coming through with even more impressive performances and hypnotically dynamic songwriting. Fans of the more ominous side of shoegaze, the more accessible side of post rock, and the more experimental side of punk should hop on the Dayndry train immediately. — J. Krueger

Index, the experimental hardcore duo composed of ex-Control Top members Alan Creedon and Alex Lichtenauer, have a new album on the way. It's called Vis Inertiae, it drops September 25th, and judging by lead single "Fractured," it's gonna be nuts. The new song is furious, fast, industrial-tinged, and features an explosive chorus. Throw in some gnarly noise rock guitars and approximately one billion drum notes, and you've got a banger on your hands. — J. Krueger

One of the most evocative images in country music is the wistful farewell, and Jess Williamson approaches the concept with genuine care and concern. "Goodbye to All That," her latest single, brings forth feelings of nostalgia and yearning as she soundtracks the all-too-familiar departure. "Goodbye to the blue nights and the holiday heat/ Goodbye to the sunshine and the friends I didn't meet," the Texas-born, Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist croons with a full heart. The sentimental song feels familiar in Williamson's hands, yet wholly modern and completely her own. — Kiana Fitzgerald

Former CoSign Lava La Rue has linked up with Speedy Wunderground for their latest, dizzying single, "Prince of Bologna." Every bit as genre-blending and creative as we've come to expect from the artist, the track finds them with perhaps more bite to their sound than ever. The drums are ripped straight out of hardcore (with the snare even nearing that lovable dodgeball tone in the back half), while the guitars are jagged and charged. The vocals match the energy, resulting in a pretty fricken' killer two minutes and change. — J. Krueger 

MorMor knows precisely how to tease and entice. The Canadian singer/multi-instrumentalist released a new A/B single today, "Don't Need It / Touch." The two tracks counterbalance each other in a compelling way, but the former pulsates with rave-like energy that ebbs and flows, a sonic adventure all on its own. "Don't Need It" unfolds across nearly six minutes of drum'n'bass, with MorMor deciphering his emotions in real time: "The pain I'm harboring won't end/ Need an answer, I'm falling again and again." The song could be interpreted through the lens of a romantic partner or faith in a higher power, but regardless of optics, MorMor's rapturous voice cuts through like a blade. — K. Fitzgerald

Barking at the sun? Sure, we've all done it! Well, not the way No Joy are doing it on their new song "Barking at the Sun," which shapeshifts and expands in surreal fashion. There are blast beats, ambient crawls, DJ scratches, drum machine rhythms, and No Joy's usual shoegazing guitars, somehow seamlessly combined. Like their great 2025 album Bugland, "Barking at the Sun" was produced by Chicago artist Fire-Toolz, who knows very well how to integrate disparate styles into one psychedelic cocktail. It's a little soothing, a little freaky, and an intriguing return from the Canadian act. — P. Ragusa

Retro punks Perennial have shared the title track for their upcoming album Modernism, and coming in around 90 seconds, it's an absolute blast. While the song is certainly not short on visceral energy, the production on "Modernism" is particularly satisfying; the drums are poppy and crisp, the guitars rattle with distortion, and Chad Jewett and Chelsey Hahn's dueling voals are appropriately fuzzy while also remaining front and center. They may throw it back to the days of proto-punk as far as their aesthetic is concerned, but "Modernism" is all about prepping for the future. Luckily, with these three still churning out bangers, the future is indeed looking bright. — P. Ragusa

Rick Ross — you know, The Boss after The Boss — usually spends his time flexing his wealthy lifestyle over luxurious beats. He does exactly that on his new album, Set in Stone, but he also takes some time to pay homage to the legends who came before him. "Living Large" sees Ross collaborating with Texas frontrunner BigXThaPlug, over production borrowed from Memphis rap pioneers 8Ball & MJG's 1993 underground classic "Mr. Big." Together, Rick Ross and BigX remind us of their stature and status, through self-congratulatory observations: "Way before I was the biggest in them streets, we did it big." — K. Fitzgerald

We know and love Steve Lacy for his ability to play with hues of brightness, but on his new album Oh yeah?, the Los Angeles artist revels in both light and darkness. "pure colour" with Erykah Badu is overcast and dusky, as Lacy trawls through feelings of outside expectations and his own self-reflections. Near the song's end, Badu shares a moment of contemplation: "I can feel fly inside/ Gotta try harder/ 'Cause I know it works." Lacy and Badu are among our freest artists; hearing them work through their personhood, with hope in tow, is an experience that shouldn't be taken lightly. — K. Fitzgerald

Taken from the band's full-length debut which dropped in full today, "Seeds" is one of indie up-and-comers Swapmeet's most effectively dynamic tracks yet. What starts out as a piece of melodic slowcore opens up into a fuzzed-out rocker complete with crashing drums, hooky guitar lines, and screaming that's tastefully buried deep in the mix. I mean, hell yeah. I say again, hell yeah. — J. Krueger

Sweeping Promises have always had a knack for danceable, fun-loving post-punk, but "Accent" might be one of the finest examples of their capabilities yet. Anchored by a bouncy three-note bass line and a jittery hi-hat groove, the tune propels itself forward with a frenetic, twitchy energy. Just try and stay still while it's on. — J. Krueger

Syd released her new album, Beard, today. The James Fauntleroy-assisted "Any Time" is a lovely standout, and it captures the "will they, won't they" energy that comes at some point with the vast majority of relationships. Over true-to-form R&B production, courtesy of Syd and neo-soul icon Raphael Saadiq, Syd assures her partner that she's not going anywhere. "Every time I'm running from you, I lose, yeah/ Any time I'm falling, just for you, yeah." James Fauntleroy offers an emotionally-vivid verse that similarly finds him appreciating his partner for spoiling him with exquisite memories. As he comes to the end of his verse, he reaches a crescendo that feels as blissful as love itself. — K. Fitzgerald

The kids are loving grunge these days, and that's in part thanks to the rockin' efforts of new bands on the block like wilt. The California outfit's latest, "bundy," features everything a young, flannel-wearing whippersnapper could possibly want: huge guitar tones, a Pixies-esque song structure, singable guitar leads, and the kind of hard-hitting beat that'll have you air drumming. — J. Krueger