Key Takeaways
- In 2026, the music charts are dominated by catalog songs and genres like country, with most rappers struggling to break through unless they’re already huge names.
- The first half of the year saw lots of ambitious releases that didn’t necessarily stick commercially, underscoring how crowded and volatile the streaming era remains.
- The best songs of 2026 include tracks from Drake’s run—pulling from Iceman and Maid of Honour—plus cuts from A$AP Rocky, Olivia Rodrigo, Don Toliver, and more.
How would you describe this year in music?
In some ways, the whole game is in flux. For a majority of the year, the top of the charts have been dominated by old catalog jams and new country songs. It's harder for most rappers—and even pop stars—to crack through.
That obviously changed on May 15, after Drake dropped the three-headed monster that is Iceman, Maid of Honour, and Habibti, putting some much-needed energy into the Complex Extended Universe, while giving the world a couple of new song-of-the-summer contenders in the process.
So now there's some momentum. The question is can it build on itself. We'll see. Here are the 25 best songs of 2026 so far.
Lil Uzi Vert, “What You Saying”
Album: N/A
Last time Uzi gave us a Jersey club-inspired hit, we got Pink Tape, one of the more galaxy-brained releases from a rapper this past decade.
We're hoping the results are different this time. "What You Saying" is a nice return to form, carried by loose carnival energy and a killer sample flip of the French pop song "Love Story." —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
Fatt Smaxk feat. Playboi Carti, “Smaxk Or Die (Remix)”
Album: N/A
Nobody knows Playboi Carti's release schedule, and considering Baby Boi's selectivity with feature verses, the fact that he gave bubbling Atlanta rapper Fatt Smaxk the full YVL treatment—with Swamp Izzo in tow!—speaks volumes.
Smaxk's melodic, sing-songy flow meshes well with Carti's venomous deep voice, while Swamp Izzo's extra caffeinated energy makes the whole thing feel like a natural extension of Carti's ever-expanding universe. —Antonio Johri
Tainy, Rauw Alejandro & JHAYCO, "Rosita"
Album: N/A
Tainy pulled off the impossible by extending the olive branch to two heartthrobs of Latin pop, Jhayco and Rauw Alejandro. The result is a raunchy hit with the two trading bars about their latest sexual exploits and all the hijinks that entails.
But Tainy steals the show with a beat carried by addictive, ethereal chimes. The song came with some controversy over a line referencing singer Cazzu. But don't let the drama distract you from the fact "Rosita" is a banger.— Antonio Johri
Brent Faiyaz, “four seasons.”
Album: Icon
Icon features a Brent Faiyaz more open to love and the joys that come with it.
However, on the album's standout, the cinematic "four seasons.," we get a more conflicted Brent—dealing with a lover and how their dynamic shifts season to season.
Shaking the toxic R&B tropes—for now, at least—this is a more high-concept Brent than we're used to, with the sweeping, almost whimsical energy making this one a gem. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
YoungBoy Never Broke Again, “Bruce Wayne”
Album: Slime Cry
YoungBoy Never Broke Again has spent a good portion of 2026 living out his Paris dreams. He's also been crazy consistent, not only killing features but releasing the Slime Cry album earlier in the year.
"Bruce Wayne" is the best song on it, a song that showcases—surprise, surprise—a somewhat conflicted and tortured YoungBoy. That's not new terrain for the rapper. But "Bruce Wayne" also features some of YB's best rapping, especially on the stellar opening verse. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
Yung Miami, “Spend Dat”
Album: N/A
A nursery rhyme-like chorus, a TikTok dance trend and a chance partnership with new Boots Riley flick I Love Boosters were the perfect recipe for Yung Miami to score her first solo breakthrough hit with “Spend That.”
The minimalist production transports listeners to the strip club, where the rapper playfully encourages you to “flip it” and “pop some tags.” Yung Miami’s lively persona is enough on its own, but when she drops heat about getting to the bag? Priceless.—Jaelani Turner-Williams
Drake & Iconic Savvy, “True Bestie”
Album: Maid of Honour
"True Bestie" is the heartbeat of Maid of Honour, carried by its campiness and exhilarating production. Drake samples the pre-chorus of juke jam "PSA" by Chicago rap newcomer Iconic Savvy.
He also takes it to the South, tapping NOLA bounce music legend HaSizzle to deliver a hype introduction. The Boy gives a short verse with uncomplicated lines like "diva throw ass in the club" and "you're brown just like liquor, '42 straight to the face." But who needs needlessly complicated when you're the king of making club bangers? —Jaelani Turner-Williams
Steve Lacy, “the feeling”
Album: Oh Yeah?
The last time Steve Lacy was at the center of pop culture he had a TikTok hit that he looked completely exhausted by. Maybe that's why there is a melancholy driving his excellent new single "The Feeling." The song, which is about yearning for a partner, has an almost electric early-2010s Miguel sound with a truly emotive vocal performance—an antidote to the situationship-fatigue that dominates zeitgeisty conversations. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
Pooh Shiesty, “FDO”
Album: N/A
Before Pooh Shiesty got locked up, the industry was his for the taking. And it was all because of "FDO," maybe the best display of rapping in a modern day single in years.
Shiesty sounds possessed—rapping like he was trying to get out of the deal he later allegedly strong-armed Gucci Mane into releasing him from. From “reorganized my whole gang, on Sundays, we work on our aim” to “them tear drops played out, go get your favorite bullet on your face,” every line laughed in the face of reform and let the world know he was still on all types of bullshit—he'd just gotten better as a lyricist during his time away. —Trey Alston
Max B & French Montana, "Ever Since U Left Me (I Went Deaf)"
Album: Coke Wave 3.5: Narcos
Yes, French Montana and Max B's "Ever Since U Left Me (I Went Deaf)," which flips the KC and the Sunshine Band classic, is a blast to listen to—a retro-sounding mixtape cut that overindexes as a radio hit.
But the song has grown into something more: not only did the remix with Remy Ma become the unofficial song of the New York Knicks' championship run, but the moment also symbolizes the truly one-of-one partnership between the two that's run strong since the 2000s, surviving even Max B's long prison stint. —Trey Alston
EsDeeKid & Yeat, “Made It On Our Own”
Album: N/A
The crossover we all knew was coming.
King Tonka and EsDeeKid—the masked Scouse prince out of Liverpool—link up over anthemic brass and slow-rolling drums for a moment so undeniable it earned Drake's blessing to film the video at his Toronto mansion.
Yeat's quirky ad-libs and straining voice play off EsDeeKid's thick accent. The track is a victory lap for two rap weirdos, almost a throwback to the triumphant, anthemic rap of the 2010s. —Antonio Johri
Olivia Rodrigo, “stupid song”
Album: you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love
How hilarious—the best song on Olivia Rodrigo's new album is literally titled "stupid song."
It hides in plain sight, but swells in emotion and sonic texture. Rodrigo's vocals are on point, continuing her ascent as one of pop's biggest stars. "stupid song" is a slow-burn confession that sees Rodrigo's passions burst like a secret she's kept for far too long, and it's where her songwriting shines brightest. "I want you more than any other stupid song could ever say," she croons, crafting an adventurous, confessional pop anthem that captures the ethos of her new album itself. —Jon Barlas
BossMan Dlow, “Motion Party”
Album: Chicken Talkin Bastard
Yes, there are still rappers out there making classic, old-school ass-shaking music.
BossMan Dlow's Khia-sampling single "Motion Party" is a jam that clocks in at under two minutes but hits with boisterous, high-octane force.
The beat and hook are infectious, but it's really BossMan Dlow's charisma that carries the song to greatness. During a time when genuine club bangers are becoming sparse, who knew it would be BossMan Dlow coming to save the day. —Jaelani Turner-Williams
J. Cole, “The Fall Off is Inevitable”
Album: The Fall Off
The Fall-Off is just as much a love letter to Cole's influences as it is a retrospective of his career. And on "The Fall-Off Is Inevitable" he pays homage to one of his biggest rap heroes, Nas, reworking the classic storytelling track "Rewind."
Cole raps about his entire life in reverse, with a lyrical precision that matches the Stillmatic original. It's the perfect set piece for an album that details the ups and downs on the journey to the top. —Jordan Rose
T.I., “Let Em KNow”
Album: Kill The King
"Let Em Know," the first single off what's been billed as his final album, Kill the King, is a Pharrell-produced banger that matches the spirit of the classic DJ Toomp era.
T.I. is older now, but he's still spitting with a mix of that King-era bravado and that Trap Muzik hustle, dropping lines like “Atlanta know, before I was booking shows for a grand or so/I was sellin' grams right on Campbellton, lettin' hammers go.” —Trey Alston
Drake, “Make Them Cry”
Album: Iceman
"Make Them Cry" is Drake's State of the Union.
Fans and naysayers alike were clamoring for a glimpse inside the rapper's mental state post-rap war, and he digs deep into those thoughts right at the top of Iceman.
Over three lush beat switches, he traces how a piece of himself died in 2024. "This album better have some big features/Well sorry to burst your bubble but I'm all alone for my mental," he raps, shifting from speaking outward to his audience to turning the lens inward. —Jordan Rose
Latto feat. GloRilla, “GOMF”
Album: Big Mama
It's not easy being a woman in rap. No one knows this better than Latto and Glorilla, two of the most celebrated female rappers in contemporary rap. And on "GOMF"—which stands for "get out of my face"—the two challenge all of the haters who have something to say about everything from their looks to their music. The two share a chemistry that comes across more collaborative than combative, which really strengthen song. Also shout out to the sample, which is a flip of the Soulja Boy classic "Yahhh!”
Fenix Flexin, “RUBBERZ”
Album: N/A
Fenix Flexin, who cut his teeth as a member of Shoreline Mafia, did the swerve of the year when he released his sunny, The Smiths-inspired, 80s-coded bop “RUBBERZ”—a song so off-kilter a good portion of fans think it's AI.
For the record both Fenix and the song's producer, Purps, deny the claim. We'll take them at their word. "RUBBERZ" is a delight, a much-needed sprinkle of confetti on a rap scene that has, in a lot of ways, become gray with its predictability. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
Kanye West & André Troutman, “All the Love”
Album: Bully
There is a subdued nature to the rapping featured on most of Bully, which, as a whole, makes for a spotty listen. There is one exception, which comes in the excellent "All the Love," which is carried by a "Black Skinhead"-inspired drum pattern and a genuinely emotive vocal performance from Ye. And that comes before we even get to the chorus, which shows that even if sometimes his lyrics have dulled, his sense of melody has not. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
ASAP Rocky feat. Brent Faiyaz, “Stay Here 4 Life”
Album: Don't Be Dumb
A collabo between ASAP Rocky and Brent Faiyaz just makes sense.
Flacko's suave flows and Faiyaz's captivating falsetto melt together seamlessly, and the duo strikes a balance on both sides of their lover boy personas.
Released on Don't Be Dumb, "Stay Here 4 Life"—which doubles as "full moon (fall in tokyo)" on Faiyaz's Icon—is a trippy night out followed by a calm morning. The track expertly samples Ken Carson's "Mewtwo," as Rocky's variation brings forth more energy and feels natural to DBD's versatility. —Jon Barlas
Baby Keem feat. Kendrick Lamar, “Good Flirts”
Album: Ca$ino
Anytime Keem and Kendrick link on a track, we get a banger. For this album, though, they flip the playbook. "Good Flirts" is maybe the most romantic song on the record—an interesting mix of yearning and spite. The first verse features Keem almost mocking an ex for leaving, while Kendrick's verse is more playful and romantic, written as someone trying to coax a lover to come over. (It also includes the hilarious “Shit, I gossip with my bitch like I'm Young Thug too” line.) Given how epic their past collaborations have been, it's kinda cool to see their chemistry translate to something more intimate and lighthearted. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
jim legxacy, “idk idk”
Album: N/A
We are going on a year since jim legxacy released his breakthrough project Black British Music. And yet grief still stands at the center of his music. On "idk idk," warm, nostalgic production drives the track but there is sadness in the lyrics. "Fightin' with my thoughts, I know/I've been tryna find the cure," he raps on the chorus. If anything, it's Jim at his best—turning conflicting emotions into something whole. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
DaBaby, “POP DAT THANG”
Album: Be More Grateful
If pop music had a comeback player of the year award it would easily go to DaBaby, who caught his first real hit since the height of the pandemic with "POP DAT THANG."
The song features a typically efficient and dexterous rapping performance from DaBaby mixed with an almost warm house-inspired beat and maybe the most NC-17-coded chorus seen on a chart hit since "WAP."
It ends up being a perfect mix. —Trey Alston
Don Toliver, “E85”
Album: OCTANE
The smash single “E85” blurs the lines between rap, rock and pop on, while blasting listeners into the thrilling machinery of OCTANE. T
he song operates as a love song and appropriately samples the refrain from Malcolm Todd’s "Chest Pain (I Love).” Toliver's knack for melodies can shape a song, but instead of competing with the song's overpowering production, he matches its gritty charm with distinct vocal reverberations that position him among the leaders of rap's new stars. —Jaelani Turner-Williams
Drake, “Janice STFU”
Album: Iceman
Everything is back to normal. The owl is hooting again—Drake is back on top.
A good amount of that success comes in the form of "Janice STFU," a gloomy, at times even angry, song that features maybe one of the stickiest choruses in recent memory. Like most of Iceman, this is a song of subs, not direct shots. "We know how you OGs rockin' already, my n***a, the jig is up," Drake raps, which awoke Jay-Z out of hibernation and baited him into retaliating at the Roots Picnic.
He also lands a sly dig at Kendrick Lamar, spitting, "White kids listen to you 'cause they feel some guilt, and that's how your soul gets fulfilled."
This song doesn't have the joyous energy of, say, "God's Plan," but most of the components of a global hit are in there, ranging from the catchiness of the chorus, which interpolates Lykke Li's "I Follow Rivers", to his vocal modulation, sounding like a cyborg-baritone.
At last, The Boy has reclaimed his crown—and demands that you STFU. —Antonio Johri
