kulturnews Picks Ten Best Albums of First Half 2026
Kulturnews, a prominent German music publication, has unveiled its selection of the top ten albums from the first half of 2026, showcasing a mix of German and international artists. Among the standout titles is Friko's 'Something worth waiting for', which is expected to mirror Geese's success from 2025. Boards of Canada's 'Inferno' has received acclaim for its significant impact on the vaporwave genre. Olivia Rodrigo's 'You seem pretty sad for a Girl so in Love' resonates with both critics and fans. Tricky's 'Different when it's silent' is considered a strong contender for album of the year. Other notable mentions include ear's 'Rumspringa', Steve Lacy's 'Oh yeah?', Chanel Beads' 'Your Day will come', Nils Keppel's 'Super Sonic Youth', James Blake's 'Trying Times', and Kelela's 'New Avatar'. The editorial team curated this list during a focused session.
Key facts
- kulturnews released its list of the ten best albums of the first half of 2026.
- The list includes 'Something worth waiting for' by Friko, 'Inferno' by Boards of Canada, 'You seem pretty sad for a Girl so in Love' by Olivia Rodrigo, 'Different when it's silent' by Tricky, 'Rumspringa' by ear, 'Oh yeah?' by Steve Lacy, 'Your Day will come' by Chanel Beads, 'Super Sonic Youth' by Nils Keppel, 'Trying Times' by James Blake, and 'New Avatar' by Kelela.
- Carsten Schrader predicts Friko will replicate the success of Geese in 2025 and calls Niko Kapetan 'spokesman of a generation'.
- Matthias Jordan praises Boards of Canada's 'Inferno', noting their influence on vaporwave and analog horror despite a 13-year hiatus.
- Overmono cited ear's 'Rumspringa' as a major influence on their new album 'Pure Devotion'.
- Steve Lacy's 'Oh yeah?' deals with queer identity and Gen Z dating, blending breakbeats with breakup anthems.
- Nils Keppel's 'Super Sonic Youth' is a German post-punk album, with Keppel based in Leipzig.
- Kelela's 'New Avatar' is described by Matthias Jordan as defying R&B and rock genres, sounding uniquely like herself.
Entities
Artists
- Friko
- Niko Kapetan
- Boards of Canada
- Michael Sandison
- Marcus Eoin
- Olivia Rodrigo
- Tricky
- ear
- Jonah Paz
- Yaelle Avtan
- Overmono
- Steve Lacy
- Chanel Beads
- Shane Lavers
- Nils Keppel
- James Blake
- Kelela
- Carsten Schrader
- Matthias Jordan
- Felix Eisenreich
Institutions
- kulturnews
Locations
- Scotland
- New York
- Leipzig
- Germany