The Music's Most Anticipated Australian Albums Of 2026
2025 has been another remarkable year for Australian music. Aussie artists have topped charts, performed at international festivals like Coachella and Bonnaroo, and opened for the likes of Pearl Jam and Fontaines D.C. overseas and AC/DC at home.
In terms of albums, 2025 has been an incredibly memorable year for Australian music.
From the long-awaited breakthrough of Ninajirachi, to impressive rock LPs from Teen Jesus And The Jean Teasers, dust, Spacey Jane, and The Belair Lip Bombs, the emergence of hip-hop stars such as BARKAA and Miss Kaninna, stunning pop moves by Mallrat, and much more, we haven’t been able to stop spinning Australian records.
And it already looks like 2026 is shaping up to be another incredible year of Australian music.
With Kisschasy and Karnivool making their long-awaited comebacks, Keli Holiday following the success of Dancing2 with a new full-length, and favourites such as The Paper Kites and Matt Corby set to release new albums next year – plus some artists we think will release new LPs next year, but they’re unconfirmed – these are The Music’s most anticipated Australian albums of 2026.
The Music’s Most Anticipated Australian Albums Of 2026
The Kid LAROI – BEFORE I FORGET – 9 January
In November, The Kid LAROI confirmed that his long-awaited second album, BEFORE I FORGET, is arriving on 9 January 2026. The Gamilaraay man, living in the US, revealed that he made his forthcoming album across four months and scrapped another album he had “completed.”
BEFORE I FORGET is the STAY singer’s “favourite” thing he’s ever made, as well as “the most personal” work he’s created. The record follows The Kid LAROI’s debut record, THE FIRST TIME, released in November 2023, and his mixtape, F*CK LOVE, released in July 2020.
Taking home the Song of the Year award at this year’s ARIA Awards with GIRLS, it already seems like BEFORE I FORGET will continue The Kid LAROI’s momentum.
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DZ Deathrays – Easing Out Of Control – 16 January
DZ Deathrays have built a reputation as one of the country’s most consistent rock bands, and so their forthcoming album, Easing Out Of Control, was a no-brainer for inclusion on this list.
Following their last record, R.I.F.F.’s mantra: “Remember, It’s For Fun,” the garage rock-inspired outfit continues looking to the future. Originally planned as two separate EPs, the album gradually unfolded into a cohesive whole that explores new territory while retaining that classic DZ Deathrays atmosphere.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a DZ Deathrays record without some chaos. But this time, they balance it out with restraint, new textures, and expansive topics, ranging from existentialism to societal criticism of surveillance and environmentalism to familial relationships.
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The Paper Kites – If You Go There, I Hope You Find It – 23 January
In September 2023, The Paper Kites released a concept album of sorts with At The Roadhouse, a record inspired by the collective vision of capturing a real-life roadside property. Next year’s If You Go There, I Hope You Find It is something different once again.
Recorded at Melbourne’s Sing Sing Studios and mixed by multi-Grammy Award winner Jon Low (Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Gracie Abrams), If You Go There, I Hope You Find It is achingly intimate and reflective.
With their new album, The Paper Kites seek connection, simplicity, and emotional clarity. They explore themes of nature, healing, and hope; each track unfolds like a secret conversation, offering comfort through its vulnerability and sincerity. The introspective album still promises to showcase the atmosphere we’ve come to know and love from The Paper Kites, though, still feeling like home.
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sleepazoid – NEW AGE EP – 5 February
After a huge year, sleepazoid will return in 2026 with their second EP, NEW AGE. The Melbourne rockers launched the release with the single, FIG TREE, in November – perfect timing as they’ll be opening for Fcukers in Melbourne in January.
FIG TREE follows the release of the EP’s title track, the latter of which debuted on triple j’s Drive program and was added to full rotation on the station, plus triple j Unearthed. With additions on FBi Radio, SYN, and making a debut on AMRAP’s Metro Charts, NEW AGE has seen sleepazoid receive hundreds of thousands of streams and attention in Australia and abroad. This year also saw them open for Faye Webster and perform at BIGSOUND and SXSW Sydney.
If 2025 was the year of sleepazoid, then we predict 2026 to be even bigger.
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Karnivool – In Verses – 6 February
It’s been twelve long years since we’ve experienced a new Karnivool album. In 2026, the Perth progressive rockers will return with an expansive, heavy album, In Verses.
The long-awaited follow-up to 2013’s Asymmetry, In Verses is the band’s fourth album, following Themata (2005), Sound Awake (2009), and the ARIA Award-winning, #1 record, Asymmetry. Of course, each member of Karnivool has their own creative pursuits, most notably vocalist Ian Kenny, who also fronts Birds Of Tokyo.
“In Verses is a culmination of the last decade of life experiences that have brought Karnivool to this point,” a statement about the album reads. “Meticulously formed and delivered, the album’s ten tracks journey collective feelings of frustration, catharsis and a rediscovery of identity.
“In Verses not only provides a fitting moment of reintroduction for longtime and casual Karnivool fans but for newcomers, the new album marks a striking gateway to a body of work built on an intense love for the craft.”
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Keli Holiday – Capital Fiction – 6 February
It’s been a breakout year for Adam Hyde, who’s one-half of the Australian dance music duo, Peking Duk, and makes music as a solo artist under the moniker Keli Holiday.
Capital Fiction, arriving in February, is Holiday’s second album, but will serve as a fresh introduction for those who discovered his music through the #1 single, Dancing2. Both Dancing2 and his latest single, Ecstasy, will appear on the album.
“This album feels like the first Keli Holiday offering that is true to who I am,” he explained. “It explores themes of longing for more, finding love in a crowded room, and the union of sex. I have spent the majority of my days since the birth of Keli Holiday focusing on what I want to say, how I want to say it, and what I want it to sound like. Capital Fiction captures the essence of who Keli Holiday truly is.”
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Kisschasy – The Terrors Of Comfort – 13 February
Like Karnivool, fans have been waiting a long time for a new Kisschasy album. In November, the Aussie pop-rockers announced that they’d be releasing their first album in 16 years in February.
The Terrors Of Comfort follows the release of new singles Lie To Me and Parasite, which are the band’s first taste of new music since their third album, 2009’s Seizures.
“The title came from an old ‘70s Museum of Modern Art exhibition called The Pleasures And Terrors of Domestic Comfort,” said frontman Darren Cordeux. “I’d rediscovered the catalogue on my bookshelf and thought to myself, ‘That’s the common thread to all these songs.’
“Lie To Me, Parasite, Uncomfortably Numb, are all about where you end up when you seek comfort above all else.”
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Donny Benét - Il Basso – 13 February
One of Australia’s most prolific artists, Donny Benét, is continuing his instrumental streak with another chapter of the series, Il Basso. The album pays tribute to the instrument that acts as the foundation for music itself: the bass.
For his forthcoming album, Benét has revisited some of his favourite bassists, including Paul Jackson, Bernard Edwards, Freddie Washington, Leon Sylvers, Stanley Clarke, Eberhard Weber, and Mr Pastorius.
Written, performed, recorded and produced by Benét, the album came together at his vintage-equipped studio, Donnyland Records. He said of the record:
Rather than presenting a ‘bass heavy’ record full of tricks and illusions, I wanted to create a body of complementing songs that allowed various instruments to equally shine at their given moments. I had so many great memories and a fondness associated with my favourite 70’s jazz fusion records, which can simultaneously fit into the background or draw in the listener at any given time.
I hope that Il Basso can serve the listener in the same way, drawing them into the beauty of the bass in its various roles!
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Chet Faker – A Love For Strangers – 13 February
Chet Faker is back with another new record. The follow-up to 2021’s Hotel Surrender, which emerged from a sense of personal reflection and rediscovery after the tenth anniversary of his debut full-length, Built On Glass, A Love For Strangers again captures the spirit of reinvention.
Nick Murphy’s first record as Chet Faker in four years, he utilises moonlit saxophones and earworms, pulling from The Blue Nile and David Gray in equal measure.
The 12-track LP finds Murphy ruminating on heartbreak and uncertainty on a grand scale, asking questions of humanity – how we relate to each other and what happens when we don’t – and finding hope in repairing relationships.
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Telenova – THE WARNING – 27 February
Telenova have been on the up and up since forming in 2020. Consisting of lead vocalist, writer and filmmaker Angeline Armstrong, and multi-instrumentalists and producers Edward Quinn and Joshua Moriarty, the trio were formed by Chris Walla of Death Cab for Cutie fame during the APRA AMCOS SongHubs initiative.
Their first album, Time Is A Flower, arrived in August 2024, following a string of impressive, dance-ready singles and their EP, Tranquilize. Before the album’s release, Telenova had already racked up hype, winning the Breakthrough Independent Artist of the Year award at the 2022 AIR Awards.
With so much excitement around them, THE WARNING drops in February to growing hype. The album strips away the group’s cinematic mystique to display raw, chaotic, yet deeply human truths: it’s gritty, uneasy, and vulnerable – the headspace of some of the best music.
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Matt Corby – Tragic Magic – 6 March
Matt Corby is releasing his fourth album next March, channelling Motown on Tragic Magic.
Featuring 13 tracks, Corby co-produced Tragic Magic with Chris Collins (Middle Kids, Old Mervs), which contains the already-released singles Long And Short and Burn It Out, the latter of which was co-written with Collins and Meg Mac.
An example of what’s to come on the record: Corby can be heard playing drums, bass, piano, percussion, and mellotron, and arranging the string section alongside Collins and Stephen Mowat.
“It’s awesome to finally be telling everyone about this album, Tragic Magic,” Corby said. “We’ve been working on it for about 18 months, and I’m really proud of it. It feels very reflective of where my life is at right now; how my family, my kids, are the most important thing and watching them grow up has completely rewired my brain and outlook on life.”
One of Australia’s most powerful voices, Corby broke through with the single Brother, which has been certified 10x Platinum by ARIA. He’s consecutively received Top Ten albums in Australia with his first three albums and received ARIA and J Award nominations, to name a few.
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Pacific Avenue - Lovesick Sentimental – 6 March
Pacific Avenue are touring across the country in support of their forthcoming album, Lovesick Sentimental, set for release next March.
Lovesick Sentimental marks the highly anticipated follow-up to Pacific Avenue’s 2023 debut album, Flowers.
For that album, the band experienced major breakout success, scoring #1 on the ARIA Australian Albums Chart, #2 on the ARIA Albums Chart, #4 on the ARIA Vinyl Chart, and received two nominations at last year’s ARIA Awards for Best Rock Album and Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist.
Lovesick Sentimental is the album released by a band coming into full bloom and one of the country’s most dynamic live acts.
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Morgan Evans – Steel Town – 20 March
Australian country music star Morgan Evans will return to the spotlight with a return to his roots next March. Evans’ forthcoming album, Steel Town, marks his first full-length in two years.
The time away from the stage and the studio allowed Evans to reset and come up with a heartfelt new album that features collaborations with singer Laci Kaye Booth and William Barton, one of Australia’s most recognised yidaki players, on the track Back To Country, which will no doubt be a powerful nod to Australian culture.
Speaking on the inspiration of the album, Evans shared, “I had to get outta this town. I needed something real. Old mates, familiar places, and salt water. I reconnected with where I came from, who I was, and who I wanna be. This record is a journey, and it all started with a beer back home.”
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Dream On Dreamer – Heavens – 1 May
It’s been five years since Melbourne heavy outfit Dream On Dreamer announced that they’d be disbanding, which they marked with the release of their album, What If I Told You It Doesn't Get Better.
In 2023, Dream On Dreamer returned—albeit on a smaller scale. And next May, they’ll release their first new album in six years, Heavens, which has already been preceded by killer singles such as Focused On Heaven, All My Life, and White Room.
“When Dream on Dreamer ended in 2019, we were burnt out and unsure of who we were becoming. Some of us were about to be dads, some were struggling with what the band meant to us,” the band shared.
They added, “We had just started to regain our footing off the back of It Comes and Goes, which today is our highest performing work. Yet despite this success, there was an element that felt dishonest. Perhaps it was the unknown expectations we were putting on ourselves as soon-to-be fathers. Or maybe in the face of things going well, not being able to fully devote ourselves to what should be a passion became too daunting, all whilst having the realisation that our love had to be focused elsewhere. In any case, we weren’t in it 100% so we stepped away.
“Time gave us perspective. We reconnected not just as a band, but as friends who still love making music together. We spent some time to find what felt like a more honest way to approach the band and a way to enjoy the process together as brothers.”
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BONUS: Artists who have teased new music but haven’t officially announced an album
Peach PRC
With Peach PRC recently announcing her massive Wandering Spirit Tour, her largest Australian shows to date, we can’t help but think her debut album might be on the way in 2026.
In 2023, she released her debut EP, Manic Dream Pixie, which debuted atop the ARIA Albums Chart in May 2023. Last November, she released the compilation, Chapter 1: Singles Collection.
Then, this year, Peach PRC released two new singles. Sweet n Low arrived in July, and last month, she released Miss Erotica, two songs that signify the next era of Peach PRC. We have to say, Miss Erotica would be a pretty great album title.
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Genesis Owusu
Over the last few months, Genesis Owusu has treated fans to electronica, punk-inspired new tracks, such as PIRATE RADIO and DEATH CULT ZOMBIE.
His 2021 album Smiling With No Teeth won the Australian Music Prize and ARIA Awards, including Album of the Year, Best Hip Hop Release and Best Independent Release, with Owusu’s effortless blend of funk, punk, and rap proving him to be a genre-defying artist.
In 2023, Owusu dropped the follow-up album, STRUGGLER, another huge success. Last year, he shared the standalone singles Good Times and WUTD, with performances at Vivid Sydney, Spilt Milk, and more, showcasing his reputation as one of Australia’s most visceral performers. With a bunch of standalone singles, we can’t help but wonder if they’ll feature on a new album.
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Ecca Vandal
Ecca Vandal has enjoyed an incredible year, opening for Limp Bizkit and Deftones at huge international shows—while also releasing some of her strongest music to date.
With singles such as MOLLY, CRUISING TO SELF SOOTHE, BLEED BUT NEVER DIE, and THEN THERE’S ONE released in the last twelve months, fans have waited patiently for an announcement of a new album, which would mark Vandal’s first full-length since 2017.
2026 might just be her (and our) year, though, with a recent press release noting that MOLLY is “a taste of a larger body of work.” We can’t wait.
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Polaris
It’s been two years since we heard new music from Polaris.
The Sydney metalcore group dropped their third album, Fatalism, in September 2023. The last album to feature lead guitarist Ryan Siew, who tragically passed away in June 2023, was released posthumously and received widespread praise, including nominations for the Australian Music Prize, ARIA Awards, AIR Awards, and J Awards.
Earlier this year, vocalist Jamie Hails confirmed that the band had begun songwriting sessions for a new studio project, post-Fatalism, in an interview with The Music. In a separate chat, they added that they’re “deep in the creative process” for their forthcoming fourth album.
Levelling up with each album, what comes next from Polaris is sure to be a thrill.
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ONE MORE BONUS: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
What good is a list of most-anticipated Australian albums without King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard? Australia’s most prolific band, the psych rockers have released 27 albums in 13 years. And while they’ve seemingly slowed down – they released two albums in 2023 and just one in 2024 and this year – even if they release one album a year, they belong on this list.
The last few King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard albums can make arguments for the most diverse period of their career, from heavy metal to electronica to orchestral tunes; you never know what you’re going to hear next from the group. We’ll just have to wait and listen to whatever comes next.
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