Which new music release this week do you like the most? Cast your vote!

Some of the music industry’s biggest names wasted no time making their presence felt in 2026, delivering a diverse slate of new releases just weeks into the year. From long-awaited returns to surprise albums and genre-spanning collaborations, the first full release week of the year arrived with momentum across pop, country, R&B and hip-hop.

Leading the week’s highlights, Bruno Mars officially returned to the solo spotlight with “I Just Might,” the lead single from his forthcoming studio album The Romantic. The track marks Mars’ first solo album rollout in a decade, with the nine-song LP scheduled to arrive Feb. 27. The project will also serve as the foundation for his upcoming Romantic stadium tour, which is set to feature special guest appearances from Leon Thomas, Victoria Monét, RAYE and Anderson .Paak, performing as DJ Pee .Wee. Released alongside the song, the official music video was co-directed and co-choreographed by Mars himself, underscoring his hands-on creative return.

Country star Zach Bryan also made headlines with the release of With Heaven on Top, the follow-up to 2024’s The Great American Bar Scene. The 25-track album continues Bryan’s prolific output and includes “Bad News,” a song that gained viral attention last year for its politically charged lyrics referencing ICE immigration raids. Additional country releases this week came from Luke Combs with “Sleepless in a Hotel Room,” Jason Aldean’s “Her Favorite Color,” and a new live version of “Hell Of A View” from Eric Church.

On the pop side, The Kid LAROI shared his new album Before I Forget, which features collaborations with Lithe, Clara La San and Andrew Aged. Meanwhile, Robyn unveiled “Talk to Me,” the latest single from her Sexistential era. Other notable pop releases included Mumford & Sons’ “The Banjo Song,” Yung Bleu’s 16-track album Therapy, and a new duet titled “La Morrita” from Carín León and Xavi.

R&B offerings were equally strong, highlighted by Ari Lennox’s smooth and soulful “Twin Flame,” Jill Scott’s brass-heavy “Pressha,” and a surprise full-length project, Chapter 1, from SAULT. Hip-hop fans also saw a wave of new material, with releases including A$AP Rocky’s “Punk Rocky,” IDK and Pusha T’s collaboration “Life 4 a Life,” and Chief Keef’s “Harry Potter.”

Collectively, these releases capped off a transitional chart week that saw holiday songs finally exit the Hot 100, creating room for rapidly rising hits such as Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas,” which climbed to No. 5 on the Jan. 10 ranking. With the new year now fully underway and major artists already setting the pace, listeners are being asked to weigh in: which new song or album stands out as the best release of the week?