The music gods were good to us in 2025.
The year gave us a Clipse reunion, a Cardi B comeback, and maybe Bad Bunny’s best work to date. From the looks of things, the forecast calls for 2026 to be another scorcher of a year.
We already have confirmed release dates from Ari Lennox, Kanye West and as impossible as it may seem, A$AP Rocky. Predicting a release date may seem like a fool’s errand but there’s no smoke without fire. Several artists whose albums lie in “any day now” territory are certain to soon be pivoting into actual rollouts.
To make things interesting, we’re bringing back our betting odds system from last year’s list. (Twenty four of 42 albums on that list actually dropped last year.) For those unfamiliar with gambling, positive odds show your earnings from a $100 bet, while negative odds show how much you’d need to bet in order to win $100. For example, +500 would indicate winnings of $500 from betting $100, whereas -500 means you would need to bet $500 in order to win $100. An artist with a 99% chance of dropping would have a moneyline of -9900, whereas one with a 1% chance would be at +9900.
From blue chip prospects to dark horses, here are our 50 Most Anticipated Albums of 2026.
1.A$AP Rocky, Don’t Be Dumb
Release Date: January 16
Odds that it drops in 2026: Off the board
Ironically, the title of A$AP Rocky’s second studio album, At. Long. Last. ASAP, encapsulates the excitement for the Rakim Meyers’ long-overdue fourth LP. Lead single "Punk Rocky" seems to indicate the rapper venturing further into experimental territory, building on the exploratory sound he first dabbled with on 2018's Testing.
2.Charli XCX, Wuthering Heights
Release Date: February 13
Odds that it drops in 2026: Off the board
“My next record will probably be a flop which I’m down for to be honest,” dished Charli XCX to Culted in a May 2025 interview, speaking on her lack of pressure to follow up Brat. If singles “House” and “Chains of Love” are any indication, XCX’s soundtrack to Emerald Fennell’s upcoming film will be antithetical to her past release, with a much more downtempo and gothic feel.
3.Joji, Piss in the Wind
Release Date: February 6
Odds that it drops in 2026: Off the board
Everybody’s favorite YouTuber-turned-sad boy songwriter returns with his first album since 2022’s Smithereens. Piss in the Wind, signals a major transition, as Joji moves from 88rising to his newly established independent imprint, Palace Creek.
4.Jill Scott, To Whom This May Concern
Release Date: February 13
Odds that it drops in 2026: Off the board
The Philly soul sensation is set to return with her first new album in over a decade, just in time for Valentine’s weekend. Expect guest appearances from Ab-Soul, JID, Tierra Whack, and Too $hort, the latter rapping what Scott hails as “his best verse ever.”
5.Gorillaz, The Mountain
Release Date: February 27
Odds that it drops in 2026: Off the board
Inspired by their travels throughout India—where much of the album was recorded—Damon Albarn and his cartoon collective keep up their recurring theme of out of the box collaborations. The Mountain will include posthumous features from actor Dennis Hopper, Bobby Womack, De La Soul’s Trugoy, and D12’s Proof, among others.
6.Kanye West, Bully
Release Date: January 30
Odds that it drops in 2026: -1000
Though early, unfinished versions came out in March of last year, a retooled, “full release” of Ye’s Bully is set to drop at the end of January. With co-production from longtime collaborator Mike Dean on every track—and no AI—could this mark West’s return to good graces?
7.Ari Lennox, Vacancy
Release Date: January 23
Odds that it drops in 2026: -900
Following years of friction with Dreamville Records, Ari Lennox departed from the label in April 2025. Backed by singles such as “Under the Moon” and “Soft Girl Era,” Vacancy finds the D.C. native working with heavy hitters of R&B production such as Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox. As much as the January 23 release date seems like a shoe-in, it would be extremely in-character for Lennox to push this back.
8.Bruno Mars, TBA
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -560
The wait is over for new Bruno Mars music. On January 5, the Hawaiian vocalist announced the completion of his fourth solo album, with a first single expected to arrive this Friday. This will mark his first solo outing since 2016’s 24K Magic, which earned Mars the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Don’t let the gambling debt rumors fool you: A Bruno Mars album is always a safe bet for a good time.
9.Stove God Cooks, Goat Stamp
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -500
Stove God Cooks follows his monstrous features run of 2025 with his first album since 2020. After opening up about label interest from the likes of Def Jam, Roc Nation and Shady Records during a guest appearance on Joe and Jada, the “F.I.C.O.” hook man’s final release on Babygrande Records marks a victory lap of his underground era before what is sure to be an imminent ascent into the big leagues.
10.DON TOLIVER, OCTANE
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -400
DON TOLIVER's Psycho Tour raked in $24.8 million across 43 dates, the eighth highest-grossing hip-hop tour of 2025. The crooner wrapped the year with previewing new music during a concert in Saudi Arabia, signalling that his fifth album is nigh.
11.Drake, Iceman
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -400
The Iceman cometh, but when? Fresh off his $ome $exy $ongs 4 U joint album with PartyNextDoor, Drake has slowly been rolling out material for his first solo release since 2023’s For All the Dogs via mysterious livestreams.
“I have been dying to act and have been dying for a challenge,” the Toronto rapper told Complex via email. “The game is extremely calm seas right now. Nobody is rocking any boat on the water and so once we discussed a live stream rollout, it just sounded like the perfect mix of risk and reward for me.”
The many shades of Drake across singles “What Did I Miss?," "Which One?,” and “Dog House” suggest we will be revisited by Views-era Drake, an artist adept in avoiding pigeonholing his sound.
12.Yeat, A Dangerous Lyfe
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -400
A Dangerous Lyfe will mark Yeat’s tenth project in five years. Speaking to Complex for his October 2025 cover story, the Oregon rapper dished that fans could expect the unexpected.
“I'm always pushing boundaries and always setting the wave. I'm never scared to go out of any comfort zone and try different sounds…I've been singing more and figuring out new ways to use my voice. I always want to come with the weirdest melody on the beat. Something you would never expect.”
13.Rod Wave, Don’t Look Down
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -400
“A lot of people that we in, bro, and they fumble it by just thinking too hard,” Florida rapper Rod Wave told Complex in an October 2025 while revealing his album title and its meaning. “Just keep going up, keep shooting for the stars, even though you've reached these heights and did all this stuff, don't get comfortable, don't get scared.”
14.Kehlani, TBA
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -400
Kehlani celebrated a multitude of milestones in 2025, including Grammy nominations and earning his first Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit with “Folded.”
"This is the first album where I've ever know exactly what I was making the second I decided [to record]," the Bay Area songstress told The Cruz Show in November, while declaring her intent for a spring release.
15.Olivia Rodrigo, TBA
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -340
“I won't say too much, but I think 2026 is going to be a busy year for me,” teased Olivia Rodrigo in an October 2025 interview with NYLON. The singer’s GUTS era was nothing short of spectacular, an earnest exploration of finding oneself both as a young adult, as well as a young musician departing the Disney machine. Recent studio selfies indicate that new music from O-Rod is imminent.
16.AZ Chike, N.R.F.T.W. (No Rest for the Wicked)
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -300
AZ Chike made his scene-stealing introductions to the world on Schoolboy Q’s “Movie” and Kendrick Lamar’s “peekaboo” in 2024, and shows no signs of slowing down. The South Central MC is set to drop his major label debut via Warner Records, with confirmed guest appearances from Pharrell Williams and Tyler, the Creator.
17.Doechii, TBA
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -250
After earning the Best Rap Album Grammy for her Alligator Bites Never Heal mixtape, Doechii aims to keep the momentum going. The Tampa talent has remained tight-lipped about her formal debut album, telling Us Weekly, “it’s an experience.”
18.Denzel Curry & Working on Dying, Strictly for the Scythe
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -250
Denzel Curry scored the biggest hit of his career in 2025 with “Victory Lap Five,” his collaboration with Fred again.., Plaqueboymax and a plethora of others. There is no evidence of creative fatigue in Curry, with collaborative effort between his ULTRAGROUND collective and Working on Dying in the near future. According to a post in the ULTRAGROUND Instagram channel, production has already begun on music videos for the album.
19.Lana Del Rey, Stove
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -200
In an August interview with W, Lana Del Rey anticipated her forthcoming album would arrive at “the end of January.” With production from longtime collaborators Jack Antonoff and Drew Erickson, along with adding country legend Luke Laird into the fold, the newly-married Del Rey describes the songs on the Western-inspired Stove as “more autobiographical than I thought, and that took more time.”
20.Steve Lacy, Oh Yeah?
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -190
In an August 2025 Rolling Stone cover story, Steve Lacy announced a new album titled, Oh Yeah?, a nod to the Kool-Aid Man, who in turn is featured on the cover. “I took his face out the glass. Hopefully I don’t get sued,” Lacy joked.
Elsewhere in the profile, Lacy describes the project as more lyrically-oriented than his past releases.
21.Veeze, Worst Tape
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -185
Justin Timberlake imposter Veeze is set to return with new music in 2026. Lil Baby is expected to feature on the track, “Miami,” which leaked in late 2025.
22.Erykah Badu & The Alchemist, Abi & Alan
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -180
Erykah Badu and The Alchemist’s Abi & Alan album was originally set to arrive on August 29, 2025. The “On & On” singer announced its delay the day of, jokingly blaming her producer for the hold up. Lead single "Next to You," earned considerable controversy for its AI-generated cover art. In any case, Alchemist has confirmed the album’s completion, describing the body of work as “incredible.”
23.Blackpink, BP3
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -180
With the Deadline World Tour coming to a close at the end of the month, the K-Pop girl group are widely expected to return to the studio for their first studio album since 2022. Tons of formidable solo material from each of the members in the time in between—most notably the runaway success of Rosé’s Bruno Mars duet, “APT.,”—and first single “JUMP” indicates the natural evolution of their high-energy sound.
24.DJ Khaled, Aalam of God
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -150
It’s strange to think that this is the longest stretch we’ve gone without an album from the omnipresent and prolific DJ Khaled. The We the Best mogul’s first release via Republic Records is rumored to include Jay-Z, Rihanna, and two Drake features, the latter of which the Canadian rapper has downplayed.
25.YoungBoy Never Broke AgainSlime Cry
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -150
The Louisiana rapper was set to cap off an already prolific 2025 with Slime Cry, his ninth studio album. Initially set for a November 28 release, YoungBoy joked that he “forgot” to drop it, and would instead be preparing the project as a surprise release at a later date.
26.fakemink, Terrified
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -150
The EsDeeKid collaborator and friend of Frank Ocean is due for a breakout 2026. The rapper revealed that recent hate directed his way added fuel to the fire towards his strive for greatness. “Terrified would not be the album that it is if I did not get all this hate. I had a whole draft album, but as soon as I got this hate, I realized, damn, I have to prove myself even more,” fakemink shared via IG Live.
27.Big Boi, Boomiverse 2
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -140
Fans can look forward to not one, but two projects from newly-inducted Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member Big Boi in 2026. The OutKast rapper has announced sequels to both 2017’s Boomiverse, along with a follow-up to 2015’s Big Grams project alongside electro rock duo Phantogram.
28.The Game, The Documentary 3
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -125
Upon Complex revealing its 50 Best LA Rappers of All Time ranking, The Game voiced his disdain with placement at the No. 11 spot. “All the motivation I needed to finish The Documentary 3!!,” he stated in an Instagram story. “Y’all got Game f#%ked up!!” Could Complex expect some bars aimed at us on the forthcoming release?
29.Roddy Ricch, The Navy Album
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -120
Originally slated for a December 2024 release, Roddy Ricch’s third studio album has since been pushed back on six different occasions. Here’s to hoping The Navy Album escapes development hell in 2026.
30.Peso Pluma, TBA
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -120
Despite dropping a collab album with his cousin Tito Double P, DINASTÍA, on Christmas Day, Peso Pluma confirms he is hard at work on additional new music. Génesis, from 2023, made him the most streamed Mexican artist of all-time. Last year’s Éxodo took him to new touring heights. Whatever’s in store for 2026 is certain to continue the trailblaze.
31.J. Cole, The Fall Off
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: -110
Did the Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef delay J. Cole’s new album? On a recent episode of The New Rory and Mal Podcast, Mal shared insider intel that suggests both rappers were on the album—two features apiece—with Cole heading back to the drawing board after their feud.
The Fall Off could be shaping up to be J. Cole’s very own Detox, a final album with near-impossible expectations to meet. It’s a coin toss as to whether or not the Dreamville head honcho will fulfill his retirement promise this year.
32.Rema, TBA
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: +100
Rema’s Sade-sampling “Baby (Is It A Crime)” earned the rank of the most streamed Nigerian song of 2025, with over 14.2 million on Spotify alone. Twenty twenty-six is poised to be another exceptional year for the Afrobeats powerhouse, with new music expected in the coming months.
33.Nicki Minaj, TBA
Release Date: March 27
Odds that it drops in 2026: +120
We need a “Make Nicki Minaj Great Again” campaign. From X crashouts aimed at Cardi B, Jay-Z, and SZA, to going full MAGA at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest, 2025 saw the Queens MC going out sad. Minaj has previously teased a March 27 release date, along with a purported Sabrina Carpenter collab. However, as we near the date, it seems likely that the project will be pushed back.
34.2 Chainz & Statik Selektah Collab Album
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: +130
Last year’s Life Is Beautiful album with The Alchemist and Larry June exhibited 2 Chainz as buttery smooth across sample-heavy, minimalistic instrumentals.
His long-awaited joint album with Statik Selektah was teased for a 2025 release, and set to include features from the likes of Lil Wayne, Mary J. Blige and Westside Gunn. Alas, the year concluded with the project nowhere to be found. Could 2026 be the year that finally changes?
35.Baby Keem, Child With Wolves
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: +150
It’s hard to wrap your head around Baby Keem dropping only a handful of songs since 2021’s The Melodic Blue and its deluxe edition. Initially hinted at in 2024, producer Scott Bridgeway has hailed the follow up as the rapper’s best work to date.
Will it drop this year? Him appearing on the lineup of Governors Ball is a strong sign that it is on the way.
36.Yung Miami, TBA
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: +150
Yung Miami spent most of 2025 keeping a relatively low profile, particularly following allegations of drug trafficking and prostitution by Sean "Diddy" Combs associate Lil Rod. Will the City Girl set the record straight on her debut solo outing?
37.Ken Carson & Destroy Lonely, OPM Twins
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: +150
Longtime collaborators Ken Carson and Destroy Lonely are set to take their chemistry to new heights with a full-length mixtape together. Playboi Carti confirmed the tape’s existence during a recent Fortnite livestream, stating, "That motherfucker a trip," of the new music.
38.JID & Metro Boomin, God Doesn't Like Ugly
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: +150
Once believed to be called JIDTRO, JID has since confirmed God Doesn't Like Ugly as the title of his forthcoming album with Metro Boomin, a follow up to last year’s Grammy-nominated God Does Like Ugly. Speaking to Complex’s Jordan Rose, the Atlanta rapper described Boomin’s production as "Metro chopping samples [in] the craziest type of way, on some-almost like Alchemist vibes."
39.Beyoncé, Act III
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: +200
Cowboy Carter arrived two years after Renaissance, should we expect the pattern to repeat for the third installment in the trilogy? Little is known about the release. Some have speculated that Act III will be a rock album. Whatever the outcome, safe to expect a monumental release once again.
40.D’Angelo’s Posthumous Album
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: +200
During a red carpet interview at the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Questlove confirmed that the final album of the late D’Angelo was on the way. “It’s always the sound of yesterday, but for the future,” Quest added. “This record is no different,” dished his longtime collaborator. Elsewhere, singer Raphael Saadiq stated he believes a track between him, Q-Tip and D’Angelo would appear on the project.
41.Travis Scott, TBD
Release Date: TBD
Odds that it drops in 2026: +200
Despite not releasing an album in 2025, Travis Scott still had a productive year. We expect that momentum to continue into 2026, this time with an album. When we spoke to him last year, he told us he was working on a solo project. He discussed embracing production, saying, “I’ve been really into beatmaking. Because I think a lot of beats are kind of the same. Like, you’re hearing a lot of the same beats and the same drums. So that process [of beatmaking] is what makes it exciting to make the songs.”
42.Freddie Gibbs & Kaytranada, TBA
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: +220
Following the release of the Grammy-nominated Alfredo II alongside The Alchemist, Freddie Gibbs revealed that his next rapper-producer collab album would be with Haitian-Canadian beatmaker Kaytranada. If it’s anything like their past collaborations like “My Dope House,” “Alexys,” or “Insecurities” we are in for a treat.
43.Lil Uzi Vert, TBA
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: +230
Lil Uzi Vert finished the year with a prolific run. A free agent following his departure from Generation Now/Atlantic, the “XO TOUR LIif3” artist launched his own Cor(e) label with distribution from Roc Nation and dropped four singles across November and December. Knowing Uzi, there are equal odds he keeps the momentum going with more music as there are him vanishing into the night.
44.Offset & Gunna, Collaborative Album
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: +230
Offset has been one of the few US rappers to embrace working with Gunna following the YSL trial. During a “One Night Only” event with Apple Music, Gunna confirmed a full project in the pipeline with the former Migos member. “It's in the works, but like, we spacing it out. You know, he dropped this album. I dropped my album. I was on his. He was on mine, and I feel like that was sprinkles and breadcrumbs for us to get that meal soon.”
With both rappers having dropped solo releases last year, this one seems like a toss up.
45.Yasiin Bey & The Alchemist, Forensics
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: +300
Yasiin Bey might just be the rap game’s Where’s Waldo?
Despite revealing an album title, cover and performing the project live last winter, a release remains to be seen. Knowing the elusiveness of Bey, it wouldn’t be a total surprise if 2026 came and went without it dropping. Or perhaps it will be another Luminary exclusive.
46.Eminem, TBA
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: +460
An Us Weekly article detailing a lawsuit filed by Eminem against The Real Housewives of Potomac stars Gizelle Bryant and Robyn Dixon confirmed that the rapper is currently hard at work on “various projects.” Only time will tell if his last outing, The Death of Slim Shady, serves as a true curtain call for his beloved alter ego…
47.Playboi Carti, Babi Boi
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: +500
Is it wishful thinking to believe that we could get back-to-back years of Playboi Carti albums? In an April 2025 interview with Complex, DJ Swamp Izzo confirmed the follow-up to MUSIC was complete, with 50 to 60 songs in the vault.
48.The Roots, End Game
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: +620
It’s hard to believe that we’ve gone nearly 12 years without a new album from The Roots. An ever time-consuming gig as The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon house band, Questlove’s foray into directing, and the death of longtime manager Richard Nichols can both be attributed to the delay. During an August 2025 interview on Score: The Podcast, Questlove revealed features from Syd and Benny the Butcher, with the intention of completing End Game by November.
49.Rihanna, R9
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: +1500
Despite celebrating 20 years since her debut album, Music of the Sun, the only new Rihanna music to come out in 2025 was by way of “Friend of Mine,” from the Smurfs soundtrack. During an interview with Entertainment Tonight on the Met Gala red carpet, Rih assured that her pregnancy had not delayed her recording process. “Maybe a few videos, but I could still sing,” she asserted. A decade removed from the tour de force ANTI, could 2026 at long last mark the return of the Bad Gal?
50.Frank Ocean, TBA
Release Date: TBA
Odds that it drops in 2026: +100000
Last April, billboards en route to Coachella fueled speculation that Frank Ocean may be making a musical comeback. Alas, it was a false alarm. A November photo of the singer rocking a Marty Supreme appears to be taken in the studio. With Endless and Blonde turning ten this August, is it wishful thinking to believe this mark the year of Frank’s comeback? Probably.