13 January 2026
Here's how it works: The Recent Releases chart brings together critical reaction to new albums from more than 50 sources worldwide. It's updated daily. Albums qualify with 5 reviews, and drop out after 6 weeks into the longer timespan charts.
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Our archive of chart news from the past, and present.
Julianna Barwick & Mary Lattimore Tragic Magic
Each creative filament feels fully charged, dancing across tides of mercurial water. Lattimore’s harp echoes and elevates a time that harks back to a more distant past and Barwick’s synths and siren-calls keeps us in the glass-edged moment The Quietus
The combination of ambient luminary Julianna Barwick and celestial harpist Mary Lattimore makes for gorgeous listening The Skinny
Lattimore's harp is beautifully clean, and Barwick's vocals less affected than usual. Print edition only Uncut
By turns numinous and spectral. Print edition only Mojo
Courtney Marie Andrews Valentine
The beauty of ‘Valentine’ lies in Courtney Marie Andrews’ unique ability to shift between multiple vocal textures. Her aching pain is felt in her vocals and unguarded lyricism, a looseness that gives the album its emotional weight Clash
An explicitly confessional record attempting to make sense of, and give vent to, a degree of personal turbulence. Print edition only Uncut
An ornate folk album that brims with rich orchestration and incisive lyrics. Print edition only Record Collector
Music that's moving, beautiful and uplifting. Print edition only Mojo
The Sha La Das Your Picture
It makes for a great story as well as great music, and if you're looking for the perfect soundtrack for quiet storm night in your home, Your Picture is worthy of your consideration All Music
If you like your teen dreams served a la Smokey Robinson And The Miracles, you'll find plenty to swoon along to here. And no nonsense. Print edition only Mojo
Your Picture is full of love, radiating Beach Boys bliss with that killer thread of melancholy, and evoking Pastor TL Barrett's choral devotionals. Print edition only Uncut
Jenny on Holiday Quicksand Heart
Brilliantly bittersweet walk on pop’s melancholy side The Irish Times
Dry Cleaning Secret Love
Dry Cleaning sound more expansive and present than ever on Secret Love, transcending their role as sprechgesang post-punk standard-bearers to become innovators whose surreal, poetic expressions of emotion reveal hearts as open as their eyes All Music
The Cribs Selling A Vibe
There is a lyrical and performative change in the record that evidently sees The Cribs turning a corner in their career and driving off into something of a sunset, buoyed by an acceptance of their poppier tropes Far Out
For a band that started out as snarky bohemians, even doomsday romanticists, collapsarians who nevertheless believed in the redemptive properties of art, that’s a pretty defeatist position Beats Per Minute
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"With shades of Jeff and Tim Buckley, the Galway-born artist writes tunes so strong they seem as familiar as old friends" (10/10 - The Guardian). "The sound is entirely his" (8/10 - DIY)
Since we've been around, that is. So, the highest-rated albums from the past twelve years or so. Rankings are calculated to two decimal places.
Kendrick Lamar To Pimp A Butterfly
Fiona Apple Fetch The Bolt Cutters
Rosalía Lux
Kendrick Lamar Damn.
D'Angelo And The Vanguard Black Messiah
Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds Ghosteen
Spiritbox Tsunami Sea
Self Esteem Prioritise Pleasure
Hayley Williams Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party
Bob Dylan Rough and Rowdy Ways