Crucial Releases: Rest of January 2026

January slipped away as I worked on re-vamping this here blog, but the music going into my ears never stopped! And that means our first big roundup post of 2026 for the remaining weeks of January.

Just Missed

First up I have a trio of records that just missed making it into the Featured section for this issue. I suspect all three will make it into the top 50 or 60 for the year, so don’t sleep on these releases if the teasers sound good.

Death in the Business of Whaling by Searows

💿 Released: 23 January on Last Recordings on Earth
🤘 FFO: alt folk, if Phoebe Bridgers fronted a post-rock band, Soccer Mommy, Ethel Cain, Lizzy McAlpine
🎧 Your first song: “Dearly Missed”
💰 Support: Bandcamp | Listen Official Website

My Heart Is A Room With No Cameras In It by Victoryland

💿 Released: 23 January on Good English Records
🤘 FFO: Animal Collective, Pavement, experimental indie rock/pop
🎧 Your first song: “No Cameras”
💰 Support: Bandcamp | Listen

e.t.d.s. A Mixtape by .idk

💿 Released: 22 January on broke records
🤘 FFO: Childish Gambino, Kendrick, JID, Vince Staples, Kanye, late 90s/early 2000s hip hop
🎧 Your first song: “DEVIL”
💰 Support: Listen

Honorable Mentions

Valentine by Courtney Maria Andrews

💿 Released: 16 January on Loose Future
🤘 FFO: alt-country, folk, Fleetwood Mac, Adrianne Lenker, Cassandra Jenkins
🎧 Your first song: “Keeper”
💰 Support: Official Shop | Listen | Bandcamp

Don’t Be Dumb by A$AP Rocky

💿 Released: 16 January on RCA Records
🤘 FFO: Experimental hip hop, psychedelic
🎧 Your first song: “Punk Rocky”
💰 Support: Official Site

self-titled by Jana Horn

💿 Released: 16 January on Cole World / Dreamville
🤘 FFO: alt-folk, Florist, Naima Bock
🎧 Your first song: “It’s alright”
💰 Support: Bandcamp

Also considered:

Perfect by Immaterialize
656 by Roc Marciano
Not Like Everybody Else by The Damned
Visions by Alice Merton
I Am by Lexa Gates
The Demise of Planet X by Sleaford Mods
Stand On My Shoulders by Ya Tseen