A collage of eight album covers by Asian and Asian American artists is arranged in two rows on a yellow grid background, featuring diverse designs including a cat, abstract shapes, portraits, and various band names and upcoming album releases.

Our 8 most anticipated album releases to add to your calendar

Asian and Asian American artists are dropping some noteworthy projects in the coming months; check out our favorites

2026 has already been a great year for music, and it's only gonna get better.

Design by Ryan Quan

We’re only a full month in, but 2026 has already been quite the year for music. We’ve got acts from all over coming out of the woodwork to put their stamp on this year’s charts. Lately we’ve been listening to Joji’s Piss In The Wind, his fourth studio album and post-88rising debut; Play by MISAMO, the all-Japanese sub-unit of South Korean girl group TWICE; and Chinese singer-songwriter KUN’s self-titled, all-English album, just to name a few. But there’s much, much more to come.

Below we've listed just a few of the most anticipated projects being released by some of our favorite Asian and Asian American artists this year. Whether you’re a diehard K-pop stan or a casual indie rock listener, these albums will certainly shake up your playlists in the coming months.

Charli xcx: Wuthering Heights

Release date: Feb. 13

A close-up of two people at a rustic table; one hand holds a piece of bread above a plate, while another rests beside a wine glass filled with a creamy liquid. The intimate, softly lit scene echoes the anticipation of upcoming album releases.

Ever since Brat took over the world during the summer of 2024, all eyes have been on Charli xcx’s next big move. But despite her sudden mainstream success, the pop star seems to be stepping away from the stage, focusing her attention instead on acting. Her name has been attached to ten different films within the last year and half (including her satirical concert film, The Moment, Gregg Araki’s I Want Your Sex, and Cathy Yan’s The Gallerist). But not all is lost for us music fans. One of these projects is Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights, for which Charli is releasing a full companion album.

Three of its songs have already been released, and the opening track, “House,” appropriately sets the tone. Instead of capitalizing off the hyperactive, club-pop sound of Brat, Charli gives us a haunting slow burn of a song featuring foreboding spoken word poetry by the Velvet Underground’s John Cale. After over two minutes, it climaxes with a grandiose explosion of noise alongside Charli’s distorted, anguished voice screeching, “I think I’m gonna die in this house.” This track alone has us marking the album’s release date in our calendars, and maybe even buying a ticket for the movie, too. — Ryan Quan

IVE: REVIVE+

Release date: Feb. 23

Text reading “IVE THE 2ND ALBUM REVIVE+” in bold red letters on a grey background with embossed star patterns. The IVE logo appears at the bottom center. IVE is entering a new era with their second full-length album REVIVE+, and the runway to release is already generating serious anticipation. The six-member group—Ahn Yujin, Gaeul, Rei, Jang Wonyoung, Liz, and Leeseo—has mapped out a steady stream of teasers, concept films, and striking visuals, all building toward the unveiling of opening track “BLACKHOLE.” If the rollout is any indication, this comeback is designed to be big and inescapable.

Pre-release single “BANG BANG,” co-written by Wonyoung alongside Starship Entertainment labelmate and WJSN member Exy, already arrived with instant impact. Produced by Wavys, the duo behind much of Jisoo’s 2025 EP, Amortage, the track cracked the Top 10 of the iTunes K-pop chart in 21 regions and surged to No. 1 on Melon’s HOT100.

With “BANG BANG” already detonating globally, all eyes now turn to “BLACKHOLE” to pull listeners even deeper into IVE’s orbit. — Daniel Anderson

Bruno Mars: The Romantic

Release date: Feb. 27

Black and white illustration of a man with curly hair, a bandana, and a leather jacket inside a floral border. The text reads The Romantic and Bruno Mars. Bruno Mars is finally ending the ten-year stretch between solo albums. On Feb. 27, the 16-time Grammy winner will release The Romantic, his first full-length effort since 2016’s 24K Magic. The project reunites him with longtime creative partner Philip Lawrence and, notably, has no guest features.

Lead single “I Just Might” sets the tone with glossy, disco-leaning production that feels unmistakably Bruno. He recently performed the track at the 2026 Grammy Awards, delivering the kind of effortless showmanship that has long defined his career. The moment doubled as a preview of what’s to come on The Romantic Tour, which has already shattered records with 2.1 million tickets sold in a single day. It’s the largest one-day sales total in Live Nation history and a new Ticketmaster benchmark.

The 70-date stadium run, his first full headlining tour in nearly a decade, kicks off April 10 in Las Vegas and runs through October. Anderson .Paak will join all dates as his alter ego DJ Pee .Wee, with Victoria Monét, RAYE, and Leon Thomas appearing in select cities. — Daniel Anderson

Mitski: Nothing’s About to Happen to Me

Release date: Feb. 27

A white cat with one blue eye and one yellow eye lounges on a purple rug, while an orange tabby cat in the background appears to be hissing or growling at it. The scene is indoors with a green wallpapered wall. It’s a common joke amongst Mitski fans that listening to her music is a self-sabotaging act that will only have you mourning your last situationship, or fixating on your insecurities. But whether or not this holds any weight is moot, for the singer seems to be hinting at a goofier, chaotic, and overall more joyous era than she’s typically known for. The half-Japanese artist first started teasing this new album on Jan. 12 with a clip of herself part-singing, part-humming while cooking in a cluttered kitchen.

Four days later, she dropped “Where’s My Phone?”, the album’s cascading, anxiety-inducing lead single, alongside an equally disorienting video. This track is the first new music we’ve gotten from Mitski since 2023’s The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We (and besides its live version, released last October). It’s a fresh reminder of what we love most about Mitski: lyrics rife with symbolism, an unwavering dedication to storytelling, layered instrumentation used to convey the most complex of emotions. According to a press release, this new era “finds Mitski immersing herself in a rich narrative whose main character is a reclusive woman in an unkempt house.” — Ryan Quan

BLACKPINK: DEADLINE

Release date: Feb. 27

A black image with thin pink lines dividing it. At the top, BLACKPINK is written in a pink box, and at the bottom, the word DEADLINE is written in large pink letters. After singular solo breakthroughs, BLACKPINK reunites for DEADLINE, their third mini album and first group project since each member carved out her own lane. Jennie delivered sleek pop ambition on Ruby, Rosé scored a chart-smashing global hit with “APT.” alongside Bruno Mars, Jisoo unveiled the love-leading Amortage, and Lisa introduced bold new personas on Alter Ego. Now, the quartet channels that individual momentum back into the collective unit that made them global icons in the first place.

Named after their massive 33-date, all-stadium world tour, DEADLINE arrives full circle. The five-track release includes the already unveiled “JUMP,” a surging blend of EDM, eurodance, and high-gloss electronic pop co-written by Diplo and longtime BLACKPINK architect Teddy, fresh off a Grammy win for his work on KPop Demon Hunters.

Rosé has hinted on the Call Her Daddy podcast that the project stays in that same high-voltage lane, with opening single “GO” poised to set the pace. Deadlines usually carry a sense of looming pressure on the horizon, but this one can’t arrive soon enough. — Daniel Anderson

BTS: Arirang

Release date: March 20

Three stylized red circles with geometric cutouts forming abstract shapes, placed side by side on a white background. The letters BTS are written in black below the circles. BTS is officially back. On March 20, the global supergroup will release Arirang, their fifth studio album and first group project since all seven members completed South Korea’s mandatory military service.

The title carries deep cultural resonance. Arirang shares its name with Korea’s most cherished folk song, often described as an unofficial anthem of longing and resilience. Passed down for generations with thousands of lyrical variations, the song has soundtracked moments of hardship and unity across the peninsula. By choosing the name, BTS signals a return that is both personal and proudly rooted in the boy band’s heritage.

The 14-track album also boasts heavyweight collaboration. Producer Diplo, who worked on the project, recently teased its scale, calling it “the craziest album ever” and saying it’s going to “shock the world.”

The septet will follow the album release with a world tour named after Arirang. For those unable to attend a show in person, the BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG concert show will stream live exclusively on Netflix on March 21. This will then be followed by a documentary detailing the making of the album. — Daniel Anderson

ZAYN: KONNAKOL

Release date: April 17

A grayscale image showing half of a mans face blended with half of a leopards face, creating a seamless fusion down the center. The word ZAYN and KONAMI appear in green text at the center. Ten years since they announced their indefinite hiatus, One Direction is back, in more ways than one. Not only have members been seen together filming an upcoming Netflix docuseries, but all four surviving bandmates have either released a new album this year or are slated to, including the part Pakistani Zayn Malik.

The singer, who has been releasing solo music under the mononym ZAYN since 2016, started teasing his fifth studio album in September. During his seven-show Las Vegas residency at the Dolby Live amphitheater at Park MGM, he performed five unreleased songs. He has since announced the upcoming album, KONNAKOL, and dropped its closing track, “Die for Me,” a R&B-driven dark pop song in which Malik guilts a lover for not staying true to their word.

The term “konnakol” refers to the practice of vocalizing rhythmic patterns through syllables, a tradition founded in South Indian Carnatic music. This album title is undeniably tied to his South Asian heritage, and the singer's website describes KONNAKOL as ZAYN’s "most culturally inspired project to date." — Ryan Quan

Young the Giant: Victory Garden

Release date: May 1

Black-and-white photo of a woman raising her arms joyfully in a crowd. Above, colorful flowers and bold text read, Young The Giant Victory Garden. Trees line the background. Maybe I’m biased because the band was born in my hometown, but nothing says “we’re so back” like a new album by Young the Giant. For those unfamiliar, the Southern California alternative rock band has been active since 2004, once competing in local battle of the bands competitions, and now a staple act of the 21st century’s alternative and indie music scenes.

Over the years, Indian American frontman Sameer Gadhia has been vocal about his experience as a first-generation immigrant and the whiteness of the music industry, particularly the rock genre. The band’s music has always explored the concepts of identity and belonging, but it was their most recent album, American Bollywood, that centered Gadhia’s South Asian heritage in both its musical influences and thematic through lines.

On Feb. 6, Young the Giant dropped a new single, “Different Kind of Love,” and announced their upcoming sixth album, Victory Garden. In an Instagram post about this new era, the band explained: “Victory Garden is an emotion we call RADICAL EMPATHY — choosing life over death, love over fear. It’s shaped by what we learn when we see a complicated world through the eyes of our young children. In uncertain times, radical empathy can become its own form of resistance.” — Ryan Quan

Published on February 12, 2026

Words by Ryan Quan

Ryan Quan is JoySauce's social media manager, associate editor, and all-around visual eye. This queer, half-Chinese, half-Filipino writer and graphic designer loves everything related to music, creative nonfiction, and art. Based in Brooklyn, he spends most of his time dancing to hyperpop and accidentally falling asleep on the subway. Follow him on Instagram at @ryanquans, and check out his work on his website.

Words by Daniel Anderson

Daniel Anderson is a disabled Chinese American adoptee based in Seattle. His freelance writing specialties include K-pop, entertainment, and food. He believes that any restaurant can be a buffet, and the key to success is to take a nap each day. Follow his adventures on Instagram @danzstan.