New York death metal institution Immolation return with their twelfth studio album Descent, unveiling the record's first single Adversary and detailing a release that further consolidates their legacy as one of extreme metal's most enduring forces. by Paul Cashmere

As Cosmic Psychos push deeper into the final stretch of their sprawling 40-plus date Australian tour, the band's momentum shows no sign of easing. The run, launched in support of their latest album I Like Beer, has coincided with a parallel creative outlet for frontman Ross Knight, whose podcast How Ya Goin? has quietly become one of the most engaging music discussion series currently circulating in Australia.

David Byrne opened his Australian tour with a tightly choreographed, career-spanning set in Brisbane on Saturday, 17 January 2026, reminding the crowd just how wide and restless his musical world still is.

Matchbook Romance have announced a digital deluxe reissue of their seminal 2006 album VOICES, marking its 20th anniversary with the release scheduled for February 13 via Epitaph. The reissue, titled VOICES | VISIONS, expands the original record with two previously unreleased tracks that were first recorded during the album's initial sessions but left unfinished for nearly two decades.

Silents Synced, the cinema experience that pairs iconic silent films with landmark alternative rock albums, is set to return to Australian screens in February 2026, this time pairing Buster Keaton's 1924 comedy classic Sherlock Jr. with R.E.M.'s mid-1990s albums Monster and New Adventures in Hi-Fi. The nationwide screenings begin on 5 February 2026, promising a reimagined cinema event that blends early 20th-century filmmaking with the era-defining sound of 1990s alternative rock.

The Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition has announced the winners of its 2025 edition, spotlighting songwriting excellence from across Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Scotland, the Netherlands and the United States. With more than 4,000 songs entered from 52 countries, the competition again demonstrated its reach as one of the world's most significant platforms for discovering and supporting contemporary songwriting talent.

Ralph McTell will return to Australia in May for what has been confirmed as his final tour of the country, marking a significant moment in the shared history between the British folk icon and Australian audiences. The Somewhere Down The Road farewell tour arrives almost fifty years after McTell first toured Australia, closing a chapter that has seen generations connect with his songs, stories and distinctive finger-picking guitar style.

Split Enz will return to Australian stages in May 2026 for their first full tour in almost two decades, confirming the Forever Enz Tour as one of the most significant live events on the local music calendar next year. With overwhelming demand already evident, the first Melbourne show has sold out and a second date has now been added at Rod Laver Arena.

Canadian pop-rock artist LØLØ has confirmed the release of her sophomore album God Forbid A Girl Spits Out Her Feelings, due out April 17 via Fearless Records, marking a significant next step in a career that has steadily gathered global momentum. The announcement arrives alongside the release of a new single, 007, which sets the tone for an album rooted in diaristic songwriting, sharp emotional detail, and a refined balance between pop immediacy and alternative rock grit.

Cavetown, the long running project of UK born artist Robin Skinner, has released his new album Running With Scissors, out now via Futures Music Group and Virgin Music Group. The record arrives as a defining chapter in Skinner's evolution, expanding the intimate bedroom pop foundations that first drew listeners to his work into a broader, more confrontational and emotionally layered statement about adulthood, responsibility and self definition.

The Red Hot Summer Tour has once again expanded its footprint across Australia, confirming four new dates that will see the festival land in Mornington, Hervey Bay, Hillarys and Sandstone Point. The 2026 run will continue the event's long-standing tradition of delivering a star-studded, all-Australian bill across some of the country's most scenic outdoor venues, and this year's edition is anchored by one of the nation's most revered storytellers, Paul Kelly.

Taylor Swift had 10 Top 10 singles; Australia had none by Jeff Jenkins No Australian song hit number one in 2025. In fact, an Australian single failed to crack the Top 20. It’s believed to be the first time in chart history that a homegrown hit has not reached the Top 20.

A previously unreleased recording from the late Mike Finnigan has emerged, offering a powerful preview of a long awaited final statement from one of American music's most respected behind the scenes figures. My Credit Didn't Go Through is the first track released from Mike Finnigan, a posthumous, self titled album due on March 20 via Forty Below Records.

Swedish theatrical rock institution Ghost have opened another chapter in their meticulously curated mythology, officially releasing their cover of Pet Shop Boys' Its A Sin to digital streaming platforms for the first time. The track, long considered a collector's item, was previously available only as a 7-inch vinyl bonus single included with deluxe editions of Ghost's 2018 album Prequelle. Its arrival on streaming services now places the song firmly back into the band's active canon, coinciding with the launch of the latest instalment in Ghost's ongoing webisode series.

Rising American pop artist Audrey Hobert has confirmed her first full North American headline tour, marking a major new chapter in a career that has rapidly moved from behind-the-scenes songwriting to centre-stage performances. The tour follows a run of intimate, completely sold-out club shows across the United States and Canada late last year and positions Hobert as one of the most closely watched emerging artists of 2026.

Jay Buchanan has stepped further into his own creative orbit with the release of True Black, the second song revealed from his forthcoming debut solo album Weapons Of Beauty, due on February 6, 2026. Best known as the voice and primary lyricist of Grammy nominated rock band Rival Sons, Buchanan's solo work finds him exploring a more intimate, spiritually charged sound that draws deeply on American roots music and personal reflection.

Fresh from an extraordinary run of sold out documentary screenings across Canada, Bif Naked has returned with new music that draws a direct line between reflection and confrontation. The Canadian icon has released the new single and music video Snowblinded, lifted from her 2025 studio album Champion, extending a period of renewed creative focus that has reconnected her with audiences on multiple fronts.

Black Stone Cherry have joined forces with Theory Of A Deadman frontman Tyler Connolly for a new recording of ‘Don't You (Forget About Me)', placing a distinctly modern hard rock lens over the Simple Minds classic. The track arrives as the latest preview from the band's forthcoming EP Celebrate, due for release on 6 March via Mascot Records.

Polaris are stepping into new territory with the launch of Life’s A Beach, their first-ever curated summer event, set to take over the Riviera Beach Club in St Kilda next month. Designed as a one-day celebration of heavy music by the band themselves, the event brings together a carefully selected lineup of Australian and international artists and marks another major milestone in a period of extraordinary momentum for the Sydney metalcore outfit.

The Devil Wears Prada have officially released Play The Old Shit, the previously hidden track that appeared exclusively at the end of the vinyl edition of their ninth album Flowers, bringing a long-rumoured moment into the open for fans worldwide. The song is now available across all streaming platforms, extending the life and conversation around an album that has marked a significant creative chapter for the Ohio metalcore veterans.

Madison Beer has entered a defining new chapter with the release of her third studio album Locket, arriving alongside the official video for the new single Bad Enough. Issued through Epic Records, the album positions Beer firmly in the upper tier of contemporary pop, reflecting both artistic growth and the commercial momentum she has built steadily over the past decade.

ARIA No.1 artist Meg Mac has revealed details of her fourth studio album, It's My Party, set for release on February 20, 2026. The Australian singer-songwriter also prepares to embark on a national theatre tour in support of the record.

The life and career of rock icon Billy Idol is set to be explored on the big screen in the feature-length documentary Billy Idol Should Be Dead, which will receive a wide theatrical release in early 2026. Evan Saxon Productions has acquired the global theatrical rights to the film, which was directed by three-time Grammy winner Jonas Åkerlund and produced by Live Nation Studios.

Multi-platinum pop superstar Kesha has unveiled a brand-new version of her fan favourite “Glow.” featuring Melbourne trio Blusher, released today via Kesha Records.

Australian rock icon John Brewster of The Angels delivered a career-spanning moment last night in Adelaide, joining Brisbane punk-garage trio Dune Rats during their support set for Yungblud's Idols Tour at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Together, they performed the legendary pub rock anthem “Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again,” creating a historic moment that bridged generations of Australian rock fans.

Melbourne punk legends The Meanies are back in action this March, bringing their frenetic live energy to venues in Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle, Woy Woy and Aireys Inlet. The March run includes appearances at regional festivals Lawncore and the Aireys Music Festival, marking the band's first shows since the release of their new single, “Shutdown,” last October.

Japanese indie rock favourites DYGL, pronounced Day-glo, are set to make their long-awaited Australian debut next week, with their new album Who's In The House? now officially released locally via Cheersquad Records & Tapes. The timing could not be better, arriving just days before the Tokyo four-piece touch down for their first ever Australian shows as part of the East Coast Who's In The House? tour in January 2026.

Empire Of The Sun have revisited one of the defining moments of their catalogue with the release of Alive (Reimagined) EP, a new collection that reframes their 2013 global hit through five contemporary remixes designed for modern dancefloors while preserving the emotional core that made the original endure.

Harry Styles has confirmed the release of his fourth solo studio album, Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally, marking the end of a carefully staged return that has unfolded quietly, deliberately and with global precision. The album will be released on 6 March 2026 through Erskine and Columbia Records and follows a four year gap since his last studio release.

Surfbort have unveiled their new single “Jessica’s Changed”, offering the latest insight into their forthcoming album Reality Star, due for release on March 6 via TODO Records. The track arrives alongside a striking new video directed by Pooneh Ghana and continues the band’s long tradition of blending raw punk energy with personal narrative and cultural observation.