New Music Friday – August 14, 2026

August 14, 2026 Ben Pagani

This New Music Friday takes a deep dive at one of the most highly-anticipated albums of not just 2026, but the decade. Scroll down to view a complete list of new records out today.

The Best of New Music Friday:

Phoebe Bridgers – Lost Weekend

Let’s cut to the chase: Phoebe Bridgers’ new album (and first in six years) Lost Weekend could be the most critically acclaimed album released this year. It’ll certainly rival its predecessor Punisher when “Top Albums of the 2020s” lists come out. If you can handle emotionally mature lyrics and have the patience to hum along to slow but purposefully orchestrated tracks, it might even be near the top of your rankings. From discussing loss to reintroducing beloved musicians and featuring her dog on a bonus track, this album gets creative with good reason.

Phoebe Bridgers hasn’t gone completely silent in the last six years. There was of course the record, a tour and an appearance in an A24 movie.

On the album opener “The Outside,”Bridgers filters her voice through a vocoder on the verses creating an ethereal vibe when matched with painful sounding piano playing.

Bridgers also continues sharing her thoughts over the complicated relationship she shared with her late father. That father and daughter relationship was the key focus of Punisher, and it makes appearances on Lost Weekend, most notably on the two songs “Never Going Back” and “Still Standing.” “Never Going Back” samples a voicemail from Bridgers’ late dad during its conclusion. “Hey Phoebe, it’s your dad… I know you’re busy being a rock star… give me a call if you get a chance. Love you.”

“Still Standing” goes a little deeper, as Bridgers recognizes the struggles her father faced. “Just to be thrown in the street when you dressed like a girl,” she sings. But while she understands her father’s past, she refuses to excuse his bad behaviors and habits. “You tried to make me afraid,” she calls out. “I found her bleeding over the sink/ But when you said sorry, you were looking at me,” she recalls of physical violence.

Bridgers continues to not hold back on uncomfortable subjects throughout this album. She even addresses her highly speculated but never confirmed relationship with comedian Bo Burnham on the song “Bobby,” which lists Burnham as a co-vocalist (Robert is Burnham’s legal name, aye, Bobby).

“I Can’t Wait,” the third-to-last song on Lost Weekend, brings the whole album together with its various musical styles. Bridgers loves to talk about the deepest and darkest emotions and feelings she holds. It’s a bold and brave thing to put forward. The length of time it took her to outwardly express these emotions led to the highly anticipated build up to Lost Weekend, and for many, this record will be viewed as more than well worth the wait.

New Music Friday Top Picks:

Carly Simon – Comes in Waves [Iris]

Grace Cummings – Bloodhorse! [ATO]

Hovvdy – Big World [Arts & Crafts]

Icona Pop – Ritual [Ultra]

James Ellis Ford – Lost in Another World [Domino]

L’Rain – Fata Morgana [Mexican Summer]

Open Mike Eagle and Kenny Segal – Doomed! [Backwoodz]

Sweeping Promises – You Say I Romanticize [Sub Pop]

Which of these tracks from New Music Friday will you add to your favorite playlists today? Any we missed? Let us know in the comments or on Instagram!

Author
Recent Posts

Ben Pagani

Music Projects Manager at Beyond The Stage Magazine

Ben is a music journalist living and working in Chicago. They joined Beyond The Stage as an intern and have stayed on the staff for several years. Now serving on the editorial board, Ben is proud to be BTS' Music Projects Manager, coordinating coverage between international record labels and our staff. Ben has interviewed, photographed and written about bands from across the world. Ben has lived all over the United States working in television and media. They are an Emmy Award-winning writer. Ben can be found spinning records as 'DJ Wearing Sunglasses' in clubs and basements across the US.