It may be Friday the 13th, but the day is bringing some undeniably good news for your playlists, from a long-awaited indie-rock album to holiday songs arriving right on schedule.
We rounded up all of our favorite music releases so you can queue up something new before the weekend.
Keep scrolling to discover the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of Nov. 13, 2026.
(Photo credit: KQ Entertainment)
1. Wavves Returns With New Album Cherry Soda
Indie-rock project Wavves released their new 12-track album, Cherry Soda, today.
Nearly two decades after Nathan Williams emerged as a defining voice of the late-2000s indie scene, the record finds the star exploring the space between late-’90s emo, melodic noise and grunge pop.
The focus track, “Layover in Dublin” is a melodic but urgent rock track with Nathan’s vocals perfectly embodying the angst of its lyrics. Elsewhere, fan-favorite “We Get Around” echoes the frenetic energy of his earlier work and “Pinesol” paints a moody, detailed picture of a post-murder cleanup.
“18 years into doing this, and the week before a record comes out, it still feels exactly the same. Which is pretty cool, because usually when you do something enough times, the excitement or fear starts to fade,” Nathan shared in a press release. “You get numb to it. Somehow, I haven’t. A friend once described putting out a record as walking naked in front of everyone. I think that’s probably true, especially with WAVVES, because the songs tend to be pretty personal, sometimes almost uncomfortably autobiographical.”
2. Grey Oakes Announces His Debut Album With ‘Summer Winds Back, Again’
Grey Oakes’ new single, “Summer Winds Back, Again,” has arrived alongside the announcement of his self-produced debut album, Whatcha doin’ for the rest of your life?
The North Carolina native grew up on a farm outside Greensboro, picked up the guitar in a small country church and spent years playing gigs around the state. Today he’s defined a sound all his own, mixing sprawling Southern guitars with glitchy drum machines, pitched-up vocals and layers of R&B harmonies.
The video for the new track wanders through hometown hangouts like CookOut, an old Raleigh mall and a local skatepark after dark, all captured on a Sony Hi8. The song itself closes with the sound of cicadas he recorded outside the farm he grew up on.
“My album, ‘Whatcha doin’ for the rest of your life?’ is dropping on January 15,” Grey shared in a post on Instagram. “Been working on it with my squad for over two years. The final single, ‘Summer Winds Back Again’ comes out tonight at midnight. I can’t wait for y’all to hear this record. North Carolina through and through.”
3. 54 Ultra Shares ‘Honeymoon’
54 Ultra is back with a new single, “Honeymoon,” which he recorded this summer at Electric Lady Studios.
The groovy, evocative track is a delicate take on craving and longing, with soft vocals, restrained percussion and a few sweet whistles woven in.
It lands as the New Jersey artist closes out a busy year on the road. This weekend’s Camp Flog Gnaw is his last North American stop, following 2026 sets at Coachella, Lollapalooza and Sea.Hear.Now and his biggest headline shows yet.
He’ll head overseas in February for shows in the U.K. and Europe, then join Leon Bridges on the Australian leg of his tour.
4. Maeta Gets Real About Her Artistic Journey in ‘Superstar’
Maeta opens up about the cost of chasing her dreams on “Superstar,” a cinematic and deeply personal new song.
The track looks back at the sacrifices and setbacks she’s faced in the music industry, from the early days of finding her footing to the moments that made her who she is now.
Coming after “Decimate,” it’s another step in her long-awaited return to music and a sign of a new chapter built on honesty and growth.
“One of the biggest changes for me has been being able to share my story in my own way,” she shared in an interview with Sweety High. “For the first time, I feel fully in control of what I put out and how I tell it. That said, I haven’t made a dramatic shift in my sound or completely changed genres just yet.”
Also read about: Maeta on Making a Triumphant Return to Making Music With Sleek New Single, ‘Decimate’
5. Sarah Kinsley Expands Fleeting With ‘The Look That Never Ends’
Sarah Kinsley is giving her February 2026 EP an even bigger send-off with Fleeting (Forever), an expanded edition that adds a new song, “The Look That Never Ends.”
The dreamy track opens with a cinematic spoken word passage. She began writing it during the Fleeting sessions and recently wrapped it up with longtime collaborator Jake Aron.
In a press release, Sarah shared that the songs is about, “A look between two people that encapsulates an entire memory, and a look we return to and chase in the aftermath of something ending.”
To mark the release, she’s throwing “A Fleeting Night,” a sold-out party at New York’s Nublu with DJ tallboy, Naomi asa, mesa and art angel on the lineup alongside Sarah herself.
Next year, she’ll also hit the road across North America as Carly Rae Jepsen’s opener on the Day and Night Tour, play shows in Australia in February and start work on her second album.
6. EJAE Celebrates the Holidays With ‘Christmas in New York’
EJAE, the songwriter behind KPop Demon Hunters‘ “Golden” and voice of Rumi, is getting festive with a new holiday song, “Christmas in New York.”
The jazzy old-school pop holiday track is a love letter to the city at Christmastime. It name-checks a glowing Empire State Building, black and white cookies, skating rinks tucked between skyscrapers, holiday markets and the skyline as seen from the Brooklyn Bridge.
“‘Christmas in New York’ is my love letter to New York City and the magic that can be felt in the holiday season there,” EJAE shared in a press release. “Some of my favorite childhood holiday memories take place in New York, and having been a resident for over 12 years now, the city holds such a special place in my heart. My songwriting and producing collaborators on the song (Victoria Zaro, Gian Stone, Hal Rosenfeld) all have deep ties to New York, so creating this song together in honor of the city we all love was such a special moment for all of us,” EJAE shared in a press release.
To celebrate, she’s playing a sold-out, one-night-only show at New York’s Bowery Ballroom, her first solo concert, with proceeds going to the nonprofit WIN. She’ll also appear in the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Also read about: EJAE Songs: 11 K-Pop Tracks She Co-Wrote Beyond ‘Golden’
7. LNGSHOT Caps Off Their Rookie Year With S.W.I.S.H.
LNGSHOT‘s rocket to fame has been quite the story in 2026, and they’re wrapping up their breakout rookie year with S.W.I.S.H., a new five-track EP led by the upbeat dance-pop single “Bananas.”
The title is short for “Swag With Integrity Shapes History,” and OHYUL, RYUL, WOOJIN and LOUIS all had a hand in making it. Along with “Bananas,” the lineup features earlier release “Masterpiece” and the songs “Wanna Go,” “Up & Away” and “Beep Beep.”
In the “Bananas” video, the group tips its hat to K-pop’s past while showing how far the group has come come. It follows the “Masterpiece” video, which hit No. 1 on YouTube’s trending chart.
Also read about: LNGSHOT Is Changing the K-Pop Rookie Playbook With a New Kind of Authenticity and Jay Park Brought ‘Serenades & Body Rolls’ Tour to a 3-Hour Los Angeles Finale With LNGSHOT
8. Ella Langley Lends Her Voice to The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, Out Now
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping (The Album) is out now, and featured artist Ella Langley‘s contribution is in the spotlight for release day.
The collection features 29 artists from across genres, including Mckenna Grace, Noah Cyrus, Violet Grohl and Whitney Peak. Earlier previews included Noah Kahan’s lead single “Draw You Out” and tracks from The Smashing Pumpkins, Gigi Perez and Lizzy McAlpine.
“This was such a cool song to create!” she shared in a press release. “Me, Aaron Raitiere and Ernest wrote three in two hours, and this one by far was the most special. Then I got to record it with the one and only Dave Cobb. Bucket list studio day for me. We wanted it to feel live, real, and raw so me and the band sang and played it until we got the full take that felt right. No tune, no cuts, just real music, real musicians, a real vocal. Been such a fan of these movies, so it is so cool to get one on there. Hope y’all enjoy it,”
The movie itself, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, arrives in theaters Nov. 20.
Also read about: The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping Album Reveals Its Tracklist and Ella Langley Just Broke Mariah Carey’s All-Time Billboard Record
9. Feid and DJ Premier Reunite for ‘Bello Love’
DJ Premier and Feid have teamed up again on “Bello Love,” a new single and video featuring Lil Supa.
The smooth collab arrives after the pair performed together at the 27th Annual Latin Grammy Awards in Las Vegas, where Divino, Baby Ranks and Lil Supa joined them onstage for a medley.
This is their second song together, following “Le Pido A DIOS,” which earned a Best Rap/Hip Hop Song nomination at the 24th Latin Grammys and which they also performed at the 2023 ceremony in Seville, Spain.
“The experience with Feid always comes out excellent when we collaborate,” DJ Premier shared in a press release. “I must credit my keyboardist Carlos Homs and producer Marco Polo who created the sample that I converted into another Boom Bap Banger! Salute to Lil Supa for adding his raw lyrics to complete the final outcome.”
10. ATEEZ Returns With GOLDEN HOUR : Part.6 and ‘UP’
ATEEZ has released their 15th EP, GOLDEN HOUR : Part.6.
The five-track project leans into an expansive version of the group’s sound, mixing dreamy melodies with heavy trap beats, booming bass and cinematic touches.
It opens with “ANEMIA,” which sets soft melodies against weighty percussion to capture the confusion of losing yourself. “DRIP” follows with some of the group’s boldest energy yet.
The title track, “UP,” channels their determination to push past their limits with big brass and explosive bass. “FAITH” keeps that resolve going with marching-band-style drums, while closer “Hollow Victory” looks at the emptiness behind success chased out of greed.
The group also recently performed “DRIP” on The Jennifer Hudson Show.
Missed our favorite tracks last week? Check out our top picks for the week of November 6.
