7 remarkable 2026 alternative albums so far!

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Best 2026 alternative albums so far

EDIT: This list started with 6 releases that are standouts among 2026 alternative albums, which I was inherently uncomfortable with. The number 6 is, historically, terribly unlucky. As a result, I added to the original 6 to present a much more comfortable Top 7 records for 2026!

We’re halfway through a strong year in music, the perfect time to start considering incredible 2026 alternative albums. My listening is lagging only a little bit behind, made possible by unemployment: I have NOTHING BUT TIME to listen. I’m still churning through June releases but this list should be a good marker of top alternative listens through…let’s say early June.

The year 2026 started with a bang. On January 1, The Interpretation Cultures released their debut full length from Indonesia. Things continued apace throughout May with fantastic albums by Kevin Morby and Aldous Harding. And the 2nd quarter included unexpected (by me) returns to form by Social Distortion and Broken Social Scene.

Moreover, I may have identified my favorite record of the year in the first three months of 2026, and that is just not like me.

Evaluating the best 2026 alternative albums so far

Let’s get right to it…I’ve downloaded parts of 125 or so albums so far this year. And I’ve bought 25 or 26 releases from which I compile this list of top 2026 alternative albums. I only put albums on any kind of list I publish if I have bought it to support the artist.

A few records that I really like didn’t make what is honestly a pretty arbitrary Top 7 albums. Some of those are included in a supplemental list at the end of this post.

The albums are not in order of preference, although maybe they kind of are.

Click here to read about my favorites of 2026 so far!

Kilby Block Party parking 2026: Read this to get in and out

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Get info here for Kilby Block Party parking to get north on West Temple as close to the state fairgrounds as you can

UPDATED Kilby Block Party Parking for 2026: Parking has gotten no better near the fairgrounds. But the convenience of Kilby’s UTA options are unmatched. Read on for Day Of, pre-paid and 100% free options to get in and out of the 2026 festival!

Hey you, check it! Kilby artists are included in these 25 albums from 2025!

Kilby Block Party parking: You have options

Have you been to the Utah State Fairpark? Possibly not, you’re an urbane city-dweller with limited interest in competitive lamb grooming. But you have multiple options getting in and out. Here is what to do.

Continue reading for steps on parking

Fust live show played in Salt Lake City video arcade: Show review

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Fust live at Quarters Arcade Bar

Something about the words “Fust Live” doesn’t quite scream video arcade.

That’s what happened in Salt Lake City, though. Wednesday was my first step inside Salt Lake’s Quarters Arcade Bar. Not to play Ms. Pac Man but to see Fust and Merce Lemon on their co-headlining national tour. More later on my Child of the 80’s review of the arcade itself. Let’s focus first, as we should, on the music.

Click for my review and pics of the Fust show!!

25 outstanding 2025 alternative albums. Get this music in your life!

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Slowdive playing SLC's Kilby Block Party on May 16, 2025

25 Outstanding 2025 Alternative Albums

Every year, but moreso in 2025 than recently, I feel like I’m not going to be able to identify truly great albums. This is an ongoing neurosis, I guess, because it wasn’t hard to find a selection of really outstanding 2025 alternative albums.

Nevertheless, I’m not saying 2025 was a great music year. For the first time in awhile, I thought, “this year was a bit off.” Normally I’m the You’re Just Not Listening Enough guy. Generally I think rock and roll improves every year. But it’s not a straight line and 2025 was definitely a strange year for alternative music.

These 25 records, and a dozen or so honorable mentions, were the exception. So let’s have a listen!

Click for my choices for the best 25 alternative albums!

25 way cool alternative songs in 2025

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Check out descriptions and song streams for 25 alternative songs from 2025

How does anyone chose literally the BEST alternative songs in 2025?

Only a professional rock music writer, record store employee or avowed masochist should actually rank the literal best songs in a year. I mean what does that even mean, “Best Song?” There are approximately fourteen billion songs written in year and I’ve only listened to half of them (joke). So I don’t attempt the hubris of canonizing the best songs in a year. These are some of my favorites. I hope you like them enough that you buy from the artists and find something new to love.

Assembling a list of alternative songs in 2025

I pick my favorite songs for this list from albums that I specifically DO NOT expect to be on my favorite records list for 2025. This is a completely arbitrary and irrational way to assemble two dozen plus of the coolest songs for you to hear, but stick with me for a second. My top albums list features a couple of songs from each of those records already. If I didn’t choose from a different pool of songs, you’d be missing out on a ton of great music. So here they are.

Click for short reviews and streams to 25 alternative songs

The Beths Salt Lake City show runs a straight line through Utah

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The Beths Salt Lake City show at Metro Music Hall

The Beths Salt Lake City show warmed a pre-holiday crowd with a mix of power pop favorites. The Beths, featuring Liz Stokes, are touring on their hit August album Straight Line Was a Lie. Stokes and company are touring the U.S., Japan and Australia through next summer. And after four albums, The Beths shared an easy rapport with the packed house at Salt Lake City’s Metro Music Hall.

Keep reading for a touching moment in The Beths show

Elbow Salt Lake City show spans 20 year career of cinematic epics

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Elbow fronted by Guy Garvey

The Elbow Salt Lake City show at the Union Events Center this month marked the Brits’ return to Utah after an absence of 17 years. Holy cats, how could it have been so long. The band played from 2024’s well received Audio Vertigo, one of my favorite records of 2024. They also played from this year’s follow-up EP, Audio Vertigo Echo, and from their Mercury Music prize-winning The Seldom Seen Kid and songs from four other albums.

Click to read about Elbow’s best two songs that night

Big Thief Salt Lake City show highlights one of this generation’s premier songwriters

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Big Thief

The Big Thief Salt Lake City show on September 22, the third in their US tour for Double Infinity, treated the audience to an hour and 40 minutes of hits from past to present. It also included a rollicking new song I am dying to hear again.

Yes it took a month for show deets and photos, but here they are!

Keep reading for the albums Big Thief played from

Pom Poko live show was loud and amazing: Salt Lake City review

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Pom Poko live at Salt Lake City's Kilby Court

Pom Poko live were sooo much louder, weirder and ecstatic in person than I imagined. I loved it. The Oslo math punks played last Wednesday at Salt Lake’s Kilby Court venue to maybe 80 people. Those in attendance will someday be able to tell their grandkids, I saw Pom Poko play in a converted garage shed in front of a few dozen people before they broke out at Wembley Stadium. Here is what they played.

Keep reading for Pom Poko highlights and more photos

20 essential 2024 alternative albums: Holy cats you should already own these records!

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essential
2024
alternative
albums

I had two or three 2024 alternative albums in mind all year and I was SURE one of them was going to be my #1. But no! I ultimately surprised myself with my top choice this year. Still, I’ve never been more persuaded in my favorite record of 2024.

Every year it seems I can inevitably conjure just one or two records that I think will be worth writing about. Then I spend two weeks in rapturous review — oh that was so good! and wow that one was amazing! Canonizing my favorite 2024 alternative albums is really more for me than for you.

Keep reading for 20 super albums from 2024!