It’s the last New Music Friday of August 2026, and we can’t be the only ones feeling the seasonal energy beginning to shift.
Sure, the official start of fall isn’t for almost a month, but we’re feeling a big musical transition coming on, starting with a new era from Olivia Rodrigo, a bold new Swae Lee music video and so much more.
Eager to start listening? Keep scrolling to discover the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of Aug. 28, 2026.
(Photo credit: Marissa Lomis)
1. Kareen Lomax Is at War With Herself in ‘WARFARE’
Kareen Lomax is back with “WARFARE,” the second single off her upcoming debut album, NAJI, out Sep. 18. Short for “spiritual warfare,” the track captures that very specific tug-of-war between wanting to protect your peace and understanding that someone still has a hold on you, and Kareen fully embraces the mess of it.
The lyrics blend vulnerability with wit as she learns to sit with that heartbreak, backed by a vibey bossa nova beat.
“I dropped a song called ‘WARFARE’ on Friday and honestly, I’ve done a questionable job ‘promoting’ it,” Kareen revealed in an Instagram post. “Ironically, I think it’s because I’ve found myself in almost the exact same headspace I was in when I wrote it. Overwhelmed. Fighting doubt. Feeling like there’s a war happening in my spirit while still trying to keep everything moving. Maybe this is the ‘promotion.’ Just being honest about where I’m at.”
2. chandol Gets Nostalgic With ‘LAKEVIEW CT’ Music Video
chandol just dropped the new music video for “LAKEVIEW CT,” the latest visual chapter from his debut album, Mercurial. The video creates a bittersweet moment, stitching together scenes from the album’s previous videos to reflect on the moments that have built up to where he is today.
It’s the perfect match for the nostalgic indie track, which shows the artist caught up in the childhood memories that won’t let go while contemplating the man he needs to become someday.
“Mercurial is a collection of songs I wrote to talk about who I am and where I come from,” chandol explained in a press release. “For this project, I’ve kept both the songwriting and production of the music as intimate as possible, with minimal outside interference and influence. There was a lot of experimentation and discomfort in getting so vulnerable, but it was all necessary. I’ve felt like a lot of my previous work misrepresents the kind of artist I want to be, so it was very refreshing to be able to work on something so honest. This project was something I’ve wanted to create for so long, and finally, I’ve reached a point where I can properly execute it.”
Also read about: Charley Yang on His New Artist Project, chandol, and Eclectic Debut Album Mercurial
3. Presley Reigier Wishes Dreams Were Reality With ‘Shuteye’
Presley Regier is keeping his steady momentum going in 2026 with the release of his moody synth-pop single, “Shuteye.” Propelled by hazy ’80s synths and his yearning vocals, it’s a track about wanting someone who doesn’t want you in return, and wishing with your entire heart that things could be different. It’s stripped-back fuzz is intentional, oozing with the same rawness as its lyricism.
“’Shuteye’ is a song that compares unrequited love with having a dream that you wish was real,” Presley shared in a press release. ” I made it with my executive co-producer Luka Kloser in L.A. When we made it we wanted to purposely not overthink it and keep it minimal so that it felt raw. The hook you hear on the final version was never re-recorded because Luka and I wanted to preserve the magic from the very first take of the song.”
Also read about: Everything You Wanted to Know About ‘If I Was With You’ Singer-Songwriter Presley Regier
4. Dahi Shares His Mission Statement With Debut Album Black Boy (Alternative)
Dahi is an artist who describes his sound as “Black Radiohead,” and he’s living up to that lofty description with the release of his debut album, Black Boy (Alternative).
The Grammy-winning producer is ready to show us who he is as an artist, and we’re hooked. Its 11 tracks are as eclectic as they are listenable, fusing Dahi’s varied influences, and featuring everyone from Vince Staples and Kendrick Lamar to Amber Mark, Childish Gambino and Fousheé.
“This album is basically a love letter to my younger self, the kid who was obsessed with rock, soul and West African music way before he knew any of that would turn into a career,” Dahi shared in a press release. “Growing up, I poured myself into everyone else’s vision, and now it was finally time to have some fun and make something that’s just me. This is what happens when you throw all of that into a blender: the grit of rock, the heart of soul and rhythms from West Africa that have always lived in me. It’s playful, it’s personal, and honestly, it’s just me finally getting to show you what I’ve been vibing to my whole life.”
5. flowerovlove Brings Us Into Her Diary With Debut, MINI SKIRT WARRIOR
21-year-old flowerovlove‘s debut album MINI SKIRT WARRIOR is finally here, and it’s basically a shimmery pop diary recounting the last four years of her life as she’s left her teens behind, fallen in love, gotten her heart broken and figured out who she is on the other side of it.
One of the most vulnerable moments on 12-track project is “girls will be girls,” the closing track featuring WILLOW, which finds her reflecting on how her first love shaped her and why female friendships matter just as much.
“There’s so much more to life than this one heartbreak in this one situation. I just want to be a girl,” said flowerovlove in a press release. “I feel so empowered when I have some skin out.”
Also read about: Playful flowerovlove Lyrics to Use as Your Next Instagram Caption
6. Alabama Shakes Calls for Change in I Must Be Dreaming
It had been over 10 years since AAlabama Shakes released a full-length album, and I Must Be Dreaming was so, so worth the wait. The trio’s third studio album is a fiery, richly textured body of work that blends their signature alt-rock, blues and soul with a psychedelic soul sound, exploring love, mortality and human connection in the process.
It’s made up of 11 transcendent tracks about togetherness and the urgent need for change in this world, with the healing power of music at the center of it all. We’re especially enamored with the funky “Time,” a reflection on the meaning of time and the futility of trying to hold on to it.
“There’s a double meaning to it,” frontwoman Brittany Howard explained of the title in a press release. “It could be saying, ‘I must be dreaming, because the world is so f***ing crazy right now.’ But it could also mean, ‘I must be dreaming, because the world is so incredibly beautiful.’ Both those things can be true at once.”
Also read about: Emotional Alabama Shakes Lyrics to Use as Your Next Instagram Caption
7. Angélique Kidjo ‘Bando’ Featuring Pharrell Williams and Quavo
Angélique Kidjo just delivered a sweeping new orchestral version of “Bando,” the standout from her album HOPE!!, and it’s even more powerful than the stirring original. Produced by Pharrell Williams, the new rendition brings in the gospel choir Voices of Fire and the Paris-based L’Orchestre du Pont Neuf, turning the song’s recurring line “We’ll survive” into a full-blown anthem.
The name “Bando” comes from a term for an abandoned house, looking deeper to suggest the creativity that blossoms within communities impacted by poverty and inequality, reminding us that the art that moves us can come from anywhere.
“So much of the art that we love comes from people who created something out of nothing,” Angélique said in a press release. “When you have so little, making art becomes a way to have agency and protect your humanity. It proves that you have something of value to share with the world.”
8. Max McNown Yearns to hit the Road in ‘Comets’
Country-pop sensation Max McNown just blessed us with the perfect windows-down summer anthem in the form of “Comets.” The track is his next single off his upcoming third album, Leave On A Light, out Sep. 25.
“Comets” blends unmistakable ’80s pop touches with folk-inspired production to create a feel-good track that makes us want to hit the road one last time before the summer ends, with that coming-of-age vibe that hits hard.
Also read about: Everything You Wanted to Know About ‘A Lot More Free’ Singer-Songwriter Max McNown
9. Swae Lee and French Montana Let Go of All Their Worries in New ‘SUITCASE’ Music Video
This week, Swae Lee dropped the official video for “SUITCASE” featuring French Montana, bringing to life the standout track from Swae’s debut solo studio album, SAME DIFFERENCE, which came out in April.
The track highlights Swae’s range across melodic and genre-blending production, also serving as a reunion between the two artists following their Diamond-certified hit “Unforgettable.” It’s a swoony, playful track but with artists telling the object of their affections to kick back, forget their worries and start treating life like a vacation while they’re together.
Also read about: 40 Confident Rae Sremmurd Lyrics to Use as Instagram Captions
10. Olivia Rodrigo Teases Her Music Festival With ‘serena joy’
Olivia Rodrigo surprised is this week with the release of “serena joy,” a dark ’80s-tinged gothic rock track that serves as an angsty call to arms. The track is actually an outtake from Olivia’s most recent album, you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love, offering something different as she urges listeners not to be obedient just for the sake of it and to take a deeper look at their actions.
The release comes ahead of Daisy Chain Fields, Olivia’s sold-out all-women music festival taking place tomorrow, Aug. 29, at Great Park in Irvine, California. A portion of the proceeds from “serena joy” will be donated to the Daisy Chain Fields Fund.
“Truly never felt more excited to share a piece of news with you all,” wrote in an Instagram post. “I’ve had a dream of doing this festival for years and i am so ecstatic its finally coming true! Daisy Chain Fields features an all-women lineup and 100 percent of the net proceeds will go to charities dedicated to advancing and advocating for women and girls. The lineup is truly insane and full of my heroes and friends. I firmly believe that joy, community and music can be the drivers of meaningful change and I’m hopeful this festival will be just that. I absolutely cannot wait to scream and dance and sing with you guys August 29th!”
Also read about: 125+ of the Best Lyrics From Across Olivia Rodrigo’s Discography to Use as Your Next Instagram Caption
Missed our favorite tracks last week? Click HERE to check out our top 10 favorite releases for the week of Aug. 21, 2026.
