Labour Day? Already? Why do June, July, and August feel like one short month while February feels like three? New Music Friday is a bit sparse, but that’s by design. It’s not good marketing to drop new records on a weekend that radio often devotes to countdowns and pre-recorded programming. Yet, there are still a few things that demand our attention. (Oh, and believe it or not, I received my first new Christmas release of 2026. Too soon. WAY too soon.)
Singles
1. The Offspring, I Wanna Be Sedated (Concord Records)
It was 50 years ago that The Ramones released their debut album, so there have been all sorts of tributes drifting around. The Offspring, a band that wouldn’t exist had it not been for The Ramones, have recorded this cover, a fan favourite when they perform it live.
2. The Sammy Rose Band, Blue (Right Coast Records)
Here’s an alt-rock band from Florida that’s a mix of blues, pop, and even country. It’s a somewhat improbable formula, but it works.
Albums
1. Accept, Teutonic Titans 1976-2026 (Napalm)
I’ve always thought of Switzerland’s Accept as an amalgamation of The Scorpions and AC/DC. For this record, they’ve selected 19 songs from their career and re-imagined them featuring almost fifty guest musicians. That includes Billy Corgan, Kirk Hammett, Rob Halford, Phil Anselmo, Billy Sheehan, and more.
2. Dexy’s Midnight Runners, LOVE (Heavenly Recordings)
Quick: When was the last time Kevin Rowland released an album under the name Dexy’s Midnight Runners? If you guessed 1985, you’d be right. Before you click on the video, beware that this is not another Come On Eileen. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
3. Ellie Goulding, I Know Too Much (Interscope)
Ellie is one of my favourite British singer-songwriters of the last fifteen years and she just keeps getting better. This is her sixth studio album and was written between sessions of boxing and exercising. This, she says, somehow allowed for greater emotional depth. Fun fact: She has a classical album that hasn’t been released yet.
4. Gradience, Anomaly (Metal Blade)
Just in case you need something dark and aggressive, this is the debut album from a Danish band that works in the genre of “blackened death metal” that also touches on the experimental. Not for the time. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, either.
5. Personal Trainers, Human A**holes (Bella Union)
If I’m honest, I only picked this album because I knew you’d be curious about the title. This is the Dutch indie collective’s third album. Guitarists will appreciate the lyrics of this single.
6. PRESIDENT, Blood of Your Empire (Atlantic)
I’m throwing this one in because I’m fascinated by anonymous bands. PRESIDENT is a mysterious masked band from the UK that has generated quite a bit of online chatter over the last year. Who are they? What are they up to? Maybe this debut studio album will offer some clues.
© 2026 Corus Radio, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Ad Choices
