New Music Friday

The Tampa alternative pop-rock band, Pretty Pity, on leaving Stoned Mary behind, learning to be okay with looking cringe, and why their most vulnerable music is still ahead.

These are 10 incredibly talented breakout artists to keep your eye on and start listening to next to add to your roster of new artists/bands to follow. These are SoundCheck's top 10 biggest breakouts of 2026.

Halfways by benten explores what happens when young love is clouded by uncertainty, mixed signals, and feelings left unsaid.

Marlon Hoffstadt & southstar give liquid courage a BPM.

Good Neighbours, otherwise known as Oli Fox and Scott Verrill, have released their new single “Superstar” to kick off their new sound. The fun and energizing song is perfect for anyone wanting to let go and feel the fresh air.

Twenty-five years later, blink-182 gives the album that defined a generation of skaters, slackers, and screen-staring kids the vault treatment.

Released today, High & Sad is the kind of song that doesn't announce itself; it just finds you. Franklin Jonas and The Byzantines have crafted something that exists in the in-between: not quite a ballad, not quite a confessional, but somewhere more honest than either.

He’s back! Harry Styles releases the first single from his new album ‘Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.’ along with tour dates and a music video! Stepping into a different sound, Harry Styles’ release of “Aperture” leaves many stunned. While it is very clear by the title of the album that it would involve some sort of disco, dance, house or EDM influences it still left many puzzled. Not necessarily in a bad way, but rather, people are left curious about this new direct

Madison Beer’s new album Locket feels like being let into something private. The album moves gently, almost carefully, through heartbreak and loss, never forcing big moments but letting emotion build naturally. There’s a softness to it that makes the heavier moments hit harder, and a sense that every track belongs exactly where it is. This is Madison Beer at her most vulnerable and most confident, all at once.

Panda House, one of the local legends of Detroit, is releasing their sixth album. Formed in 2012, Panda House has been on the circuit for a while, after their 2024 EP, The Means, and their return with their latest album, a self-titled journey spanning their career to date, accompanied by a vinyl release through Third Man Records.

Lila Holler writes like she’s slowly unfastening something fragile inside herself. Her sound shifts between indie pop glow and alt-folk vulnerability, shaped by a life spanning coasts, climates, and now continents. That constant motion shows up in her music as shifting light and quiet self-redefinition, the kind that comes from picking yourself up and starting again in new places until you learn what feels like home.

“i don’t like being left behind” opens in swirls and spirals, an ambient wash of synths that feel almost video game–esque. It is dreamy and atmospheric, yet it carries a pulse that instantly catches your attention. Leyla Ebrahimi’s voice enters with a softness that glows against the production. Even in these early moments, the track makes its intentions clear. This is indie alternative at its core, but it welcomes pop influences with open arms.

Sienna Spiro’s “Die on This Hill” begins with a quiet magnetism that feels instantly inviting. A single piano line opens the door and her voice steps in with striking richness. It is warm, resonant, and full of a clarity that draws you in immediately.

Alex Ray’s Messy is a short, sharp burst of pop-alt emotion, five songs, twelve minutes, and zero filler. It’s a snapshot of chaos polished just enough to shine, but not so much that it loses its edge. Every track feels like an intentional contradiction: raw yet refined, vulnerable yet self-possessed.

Photo by °1824 / UMG Review by SoundCheck Mag Photos by °1824 / UMG Madison Cunningham has always felt like a painter who uses chords and vocals instead of brushes. The California-born singer-songwriter has long been celebrated for her blend of technical precision and emotional storytelling, and on Ace, she delivers what feels like her most cinematic and self-reflective work yet. A Grammy winner and master of subtlety, Cunningham has created an album that feels like walking t

Photo credit: Jack Morgan (IG: @jackmorgan07 ) Contributed by Rebecca McDevitt Photos by Jack Morgan Independent pop singer-songwriter...

Ed Sheeran’s Play is the first in his new “media control” series (Play, Pause, Rewind, Fast Forward, Stop), and it’s the most sonically adventurous he’s been in years. Recorded partly in Goa, the album fuses Ed’s classic singer-songwriter core with Indian percussion, Punjabi and Persian influences, and a heavy dose of dance-floor energy.

Hilary Duff has officially signed with Atlantic Records, marking her first major label deal in a decade. The announcement comes with the promise of a docuseries directed by The Eras Tour’s Sam Wrench, which will document her creative rebirth. After nearly ten years of musical silence, she’s stepping back into the spotlight with a rollout designed to surprise rather than over-explain.

SoundCheck Mag kicks off their first fan-fueled event in Brooklyn with an unforgettable night of memories, music, and magic.

Article by Rebecca McDevitt Back to Where It All Began With Greetings From Your Hometown , the Jonas Brothers are asking us to slow...