29 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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Detroit post-punk rockers return with their second album
7.4
An already incredible band moving even further forward in their development, approaching the same instant classic standards of their best contemporaries and turning in their most intricate work so far Read Review
It is massive in scope and meaning, a raging punk album that’s too intricate to be considered such, and surely one that swells with a potent synthesis of tenderness and staggering resilience Read Review
The disjointed nature of Under Color’s thrust somehow catapults its enjoyability Read Review
This time around, the band's embraced a consistent ebb and flow, continually shifting back and forth from simmer to full-boil Read Review
It's the sound of Detroit disintegrating. Print edition only
Thirty-five minutes of Casey's sardonic recriminations feels like a bit much, but he stumbles onto a few melodic gems here Read Review
They released a bilious debut in 2012, but its follow-up is a more subtle piece of social commentary Read Review
Packs a dynamic punch from starting to finish, never outstaying its welcome at any point Read Review
Joe Casey sings every line like he's the drunkest guy in the bar, fighting to keep on his feet for one more round Read Review
A collection of hot-and-bothered post-post-punk songs that convey a world-weary melancholy without ever wallowing in it Read Review
Protomartyr’s influences tightened their post-punk screws after their debut, and if this is Protomartyr’s Pink Flag, their Chairs Missing will be stellar Read Review
This is safe, masculine post-punk with a rock edge Read Review
Although it may be here where we find this sound, the entire album is a constant nod to the punk that went before them Read Review
There are tunes aplenty, making this second Protomartyr album a surprisingly pleasurable dose of swaggering anomie Read Review
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Protomartyr: Under Color of Official Right
Ari Lennox Vacancy
Neo-soul elegance and late-night vibes define the R&B star’s most inviting record to date NME
Lennox’s music often nods to the past, but her new album feels more in tune with the zeitgeist Slant Magazine
The singer’s first album for Interscope is honey-sweet, grown-up R&B that’s looking for a little something missing Pitchfork
Lennox balances jazz-soaked tradition with flashes of unruly humour and a surefire viral hit The Guardian
Jenny on Holiday Quicksand Heart
Feels more like a steady progression than a revolutionary rebrand No Ripcord
Megadeth Megadeth
Megadeth's self-titled swan song is weighted down by its own sense of importance No Ripcord
The Cribs Selling A Vibe
They're truly at their best when their tuneful choruses come paired with a raw, stripped-down treatment No Ripcord
Westside Cowboy So Much Country ‘Till We Get There
Island imprint Adventure Recordings appears to be giving Westside Cowboy a hefty push, and the early signs are that they have the chops to make the most of it No Ripcord
Cast Yeah Yeah Yeah
This is Cast sounding comfortable, confident, and settled. The songs are strong, the production is polished without being overworked, and the band sound like they know exactly who they are at this stage XS Noize
With as many albums in this century as in the last, ‘Yeah Yeah Yeah’ finds Cast building on the momentum of the previous two years with both confidence and quality. Refusing to trade solely on nostalgia, it’s a beefed-up version of their best selves. Long may their positivity last Clash
The Liverpudlians’ eighth album is the sound of a band determined to prove they’re more than a Britpop legacy act musicOMH
Power's voice is improving with age, especially confident and commanding on the closing, psych-baroque "Birds Heading South". Print edition only NME
The excellent PP Arnold featuring lead single Poison Vine is a good indicator of the move towards a very Stones-y type of uplifting soulful rock and blues; the swelling gospel rock of Don't Look Away is the most stirring thing they've done yet. Print edition only Record Collector
Instead of going out with a nuclear bang, Megadeth serves lean sides that won’t clog the final tour’s setlists Beats Per Minute
Louis Tomlinson How Did I Get Here?
The songs on the former One Direction member’s over-referential, sometimes uneven third album don’t shrink down for anyone, and he sells his disappointment and anxiety with nuance, refusing to bemoan his own celebrity Paste Magazine
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