Albums of the Year... So Far!

Cast an eye back over the best releases from the first six months of 2026.

To borrow the opening line from Kevin Morby's Little Wide Open: "Welcome to the Badlands..." Albums of the Year So Far list!

As we reach the halfway point of the year, we're taking a spin back through the music that has soundtracked Badlands in 2026. From long-awaited returns and breakthrough debuts to records that have barely had time to settle in the racks, it's already been an incredible year for new music. If you're searching for the best albums of 2026, you've come to the right place.

Our Albums of the Year So Far 2026 collection brings together the records that have defined the first six months at Badlands. Featuring our best sellers, shop favourites and staff picks, it's our guide to the top albums of 2026 (first half) and a celebration of the artists who've kept our turntables spinning from January through June.

Best Sellers

These are the albums you've been all over. Whether they've flown out of the shop or become instant online favourites, these records have earned their place among the year's biggest success stories.

Paul McCartney's The Boys of Dungeon Lane has been one of 2026's defining releases, while Boards of Canada's Inferno has more than lived up to the anticipation.

Elsewhere, Katherine Priddy's These Frightening Machines, Gorillaz's The Mountain, RAYE's This Music May Contain Hope, Van Morrison's Somebody Tried to Sell Me a Bridge, Lucinda Williams' World's Gone Wrong and Flea's Honora have all become firm customer favourites. Looking at what's been leaving the racks week after week, it's easy to see why they're considered some of the top-rated albums of 2026.

Shop Favourites

Some records become instant recommendations from behind the counter. These are the albums we've been reaching for time and time again when someone asks, "What's worth checking out?"

Courtney Barnett's Creature of Habit and Ed O'Brien's Blue Morpho have both been on constant rotation in the shop, while KNEECAP's FENIAN has delivered one of the year's most exciting and talked-about releases.

We've also been loving Kurt Vile's Philadelphia's Been Good to Me, Aldous Harding's Train on the Island and Olivia Rodrigo's You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love. Together, they perfectly capture the eclectic mix of artists that make Badlands, well... Badlands.

Staff Favourites

Ask five members of the Badlands team for their album of the year and you'll probably get five different answers and that's exactly how we like it.

From Phil's love of soul and singer-songwriters to Mike's jazz explorations, Lucas' beautifully varied picks, Rob's heavier selections and Alex's indie and Americana gems, our staff choices celebrate the records we've been taking home, recommending to customers and spinning in the shop all year long.

Highlights include Flea's Honora, Boards of Canada's Inferno, Ed O'Brien's Blue Morpho, OSEES' Off Course and, of course, Paul McCartney's The Boys of Dungeon Lane.

The Best Vinyl Records of 2026... So Far

Whether you're looking to discover something completely new, catch up on a release that's passed you by, or add another future classic to your shelves, this collection brings together what we think are the best vinyl records of 2026 so far.

And the best part? We're only halfway through the year.

There are still plenty of exciting releases, reissues and exclusive editions on the horizon, so we'll be keeping this conversation going as 2026 unfolds. Until then, explore our full Albums of the Year So Far 2026 collection, have a browse, and let us know which records have been soundtracking your year so far. 🎶