Starting this year, I’ll be sharing what I’m listening to every quarter. The cutoff for Q1 was March 15. See all lists here.

The quarter opened with the Grammys setting the tone — Bad Bunny taking Album of the Year, CA7RIEL and Paco Amoroso winning Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album — and the music that followed kept pace. We covered Bad Gyal dropping her most ambitious album yet, watched Bleachers announce a summer tour that has us counting down the days, and a whole lot more in between.

Now, with Coachella and Sueños around the corner and festival season officially on the horizon, it felt like the right moment to look back at the songs that defined the first three months of my year. What follows is a sweep of the quarter’s best pop, indie, and mainstream releases, based on what I’ve had on repeat. 25 tracks that ranged from Kacey Musgraves returning to her Texas roots and Arctic Monkeys breaking a four-year silence to a Bronx-born R&B icon making her return. Check out Q1 ’26 Quarterly Listening below.

1. PinkPantheress & Zara Larsson – “Stateside”

PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson delivered the visual for fan-favorite “Stateside,” and it’s been a whirlwind ever since, with the song surging to #1 on both the Billboard Global 200 and Spotify Global — the first #1 on either chart for both artists. Pulled from her remix album, Fancy Some More?, the track marks PinkPantheress’s seventh UK Top 40 hit and became Larsson’s first Hot 100 Top 10. Directed by Charlotte Rutherford, it opens in a Fancy That-themed shop window where two mannequins spring to life and face off as PinkPantheress’s world collides with Zara Larsson’s Midnight Sun era in real time, spilling chaos into the street. And if you needed more proof that the song had taken on a life of its own: figure skater Alysa Liu performed to it at the Winter Olympics closing gala after winning gold, wearing an outfit inspired by PinkPantheress’s video look. Stream here.

2. Sienna Spiro – “The Visitor”

Sienna Spiro took nine attempts over two years to write this song, and you can feel every word. Inspired by a chance mention of an art exhibition and a night at Smalls jazz club in New York, where a band introduced a piece about the temporary nature of life, “The Visitor” is a quietly devastating portrait of someone who already knows they’re not permanent to the person they love and keeps reaching for reassurance anyway. Recorded in a single take with a 20-piece string orchestra led by Oscar-winner Peter Rotter and produced alongside Omer Fedi and Michael Pollack, the song holds the self-awareness and the emotional need in the same breath without letting either win. The 20-year-old British singer is currently on a sold-out U.S. headline tour. Stream here.

3. Ayra Starr – “Where Do We Go”

“Where Do We Go” sets up the sneaky link and then watches the situation collapse under its own weight — Ayra Starr is at her best when the emotional stakes are unresolved, and she holds the desire and the morning-after reality in the same breath. Produced by Grammy-winning hitmaker ILYA, it’s built around crisp percussion, snaps, and a bold bassline threading through quiet, somber music box synths. The release follows October’s “Who’s Dat Girl” featuring Rema and a year that saw Ayra Starr surpass 7 billion global streams and 1 billion YouTube views, earn a Grammy nomination, win two MOBO Awards, a BET Award, and more. Stream here.

4. Bebe Rexha & Faithless – “New Religion”

Release Bebe Rexha from Khia Asylum immediately! That Faithless “Insomnia” sample is genuinely insane — and Bebe knew exactly what to do with it. “New Religion,” the lead single from her forthcoming album Dirty Blonde, runs the 1995 dance anthem through a sleek modern club framework, and the result is a testament to Rexha’s club-pop sensibilities and her ability to craft a hit with real staying power. Rexha has spoken openly about returning to dance music as a way out of a difficult personal period, and “New Religion” carries that weight with a real scorcher. Stream here.

5. Kacey Musgraves – “Dry Spell”

Kacey Musgraves unveiled the lead single from her sixth studio album, Middle of Nowhere (May 1, Lost Highway), and it’s obviously fantastic — sharp-witted, emotionally precise, and light on its feet in a way that takes real craft. What else would you expect from Kacey? The video, co-directed by Musgraves and Hannah Lux Davis, matches the track’s honest and casual energy. Stream here.

6. Lana Del Rey – “White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter”

Everything about “White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter” has Lana Del Rey fans (myself included) absolutely gagging. The lyrics are iconic, and the campy homestead video feels like the perfect extension of this chapter of her life — it also proves, again, that Lana’s depth lands whether she’s spending a million dollars or filming in her backyard. The song settles into the kind of unhurried orchestral drift she does better than anyone, and a title like that announces its own mythology before you even press play. Stream here.

7. Jordan Adetunji – “Who Is It”

Jordan Adetunji is serving up something unique, and you need to check it out. The Belfast-born, Grammy-nominated artist broke through with “KEHLANI” — a Platinum-certified worldwide sensation that hit #1 on Billboard’s Rhythmic chart, earned a Grammy nod, and a BRIT Awards nod for Song of the Year. “Who Is It” keeps that momentum going. Produced with Take a Daytrip (Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow), Clams Casino (A$AP Rocky, The Weeknd), and Mingo (Yeat), the track blends hip-hop, R&B, Afrobeats, and hyperpop into a singular globally-minded sound. Keep an eye on him. Stream here.

8. Charlotte Cardin – “The Way We Touch”

On “The Way We Touch,” Charlotte Cardin deploys a sinuous Spanish bass line and builds from there — a notably different palette for the Montreal singer whose alt-pop roots run cool and precise. Her delivery is hushed and tantalizing, designed around the tension of the moment: a serpentine sax solo slowly unfurls as her vocals climb above it, opening the song into something genuinely cinematic. It’s unlike anything she’s made before, and it works precisely because of that restraint — every space is deliberate, every dynamic shift earns its payoff. Since winning Canada’s Polaris Music Prize, Cardin has moved in increasingly unexpected sonic directions, and “The Way We Touch” is her boldest turn yet. Stream here.

9. Dorian Electra – “Fake Denim”

Dorian Electra is taking their sound somewhere new, and it suits them. “Fake Denim,” produced by Boys Noize, trades the baroque hyperpop provocation of their earlier records for something cooler, sleazier, and slower-burning — a 128 BPM dance-pop track with a restrained, almost understated energy that makes the wit land differently. Released alongside b-side “Shutting Up,” it feels like an artist deliberately narrowing the frame to see what fits. Stream here.

10. Fcukers – “Beatback”

Fcukers have been on repeat since “Beatback” dropped. The NYC duo’s lead single from their debut album Ö (March 27, Ninja Tune) runs on an earworm synth loop that feels gloriously nostalgic — the kind of hook that embeds itself deep in your mind after you’ve heard it. Produced by Kenneth Blume (FKA Kenny Beats) across a two-week studio session and mixed by multi-Grammy-winning engineer Tom Norris (Charli xcx, The Weeknd), with additional production from Dylan Brady of 100 Gecs, the video was directed by member Shanny Wise. They recently performed at Charli xcx and Saint Laurent’s Grammys After Party, are opening for Harry Styles on the Together Together Tour in Brazil, and will appear at Governor’s Ball in June. Stream here.

11. Shakira & Beéle – “ALGO TÚ”

Shakira and Beéle are both Barranquilla-born, and “ALGO TÚ” pulls from that shared coastal DNA. Produced by A.C. and Flambo, the track threads contemporary Latin pop through the ancestral timbre of the Colombian gaita — a traditional wind instrument with an earthy, breathy resonance somewhere between a flute and a reed — alongside alegre and llamador drums rooted in Caribbean coastal music, and palmas that surge through the chorus like a signal to move. The result is warm, airy, and effortlessly fun — exactly the kind of song that earns its place at the intersection of tradition and pop to make something timeless. With the LMYNL World Tour already breaking the Guinness record for highest-grossing Latin tour of all time ($421.6M across 86 shows and counting, with U.S. dates kicking off June 13), this jam is the perfect setlist addition. Stream here.

12. ZAYN – “Die for Me”

ZAYN‘s vocals have always been something to lock in for, and on the lead single from his fifth solo album Konnakol (April 17, Mercury Records), he’s not holding back. An R&B-pop number that signals a return to the high-concept emotionalism of Mind of Mine, “Die for Me” builds around his voice cinematically without distracting, and the dystopian video, directed by Frank and Ivanna Borin, matches the track’s stakes. Konnakol draws on the South Asian vocal percussion tradition of the same name. Stream here.

13. Manuel Turizo & Maluma – “Apambichao”

Manuel Turizo and Maluma connect on “Apambichao,” the lead single from Turizo’s album by the same name, releasing on April 9. The track draws its name and inspiration from pambiche — a slower, more intimate variation of Dominican merengue known for its smooth cadence and close-connection dance style often reserved for the most memorable moments at the end of a celebration. Produced by CASTA and released under La Industria INC, the record achieves a seamless balance between traditional Caribbean and contemporary Latin pop, with Turizo and Maluma’s voices blending effortlessly over a magnetic, sensual groove. The music video is genuinely cinematic — Colombia becomes a living character in it, its streets, colors, and everyday energy transformed into the visual heart of the song. Two of Colombia’s most influential voices, at their most culturally specific and most universally fun. Stream here.

14. Malcolm Todd – “Breathe”

“Breathe” is Malcolm Todd‘s first move of 2026, arriving after a year that put him squarely on the map: “Chest Pain (I Love)” earned his first Hot 100 entry, Don Toliver sampled it on “E85” (which hit #15 and tops Hot Rap Songs), and the sold-out Wholesome Rockstar Tour moved 85,000 tickets in the U.S. before continuing through London, Berlin, Paris, and Australia. Co-produced by Todd and directed by longtime collaborator Aidan Cullen, the track recounts a night in a hotel suite with two friends — and the video matches that energy: two women jumping on the bed and singing the lyrics back while Todd sits on the floor nearby, tied up in a microphone cord. Pure chaos and fun with choreography by Lexee Smith. Stream here.

15. Arctic Monkeys – “Opening Night”

Arctic Monkeys are back after four years, and “Opening Night” is a genuine return — not a placeholder. The track leads HELP(2), the War Child charity album recorded predominantly in a single extraordinary week at Abbey Road Studios in November 2025 under producer James Ford. It’s a great track and always an absolute joy to get new music from Arctic Monkeys. The full HELP(2) tracklist also features Olivia Rodrigo, Depeche Mode, Fontaines D.C., Big Thief, and Pulp, among others. Stream here.

16. Dua Saleh – “I Do, I Do”

Dua Saleh opens “I Do, I Do” with an oud played by Malek Vossough, nodding to their Sudanese heritage, and expands into a meditation on societal collapse, environmental destruction, and post-apocalyptic survival framed through Sudanese colloquialisms and a proverb about poison. It’s a preview of their album Of Earth & Wires, out May 15 on  Ghostly International. Executive produced by Billy Lemos and featuring Bon Iver on multiple tracks, Saleh sets her sights on a new level. Stream here.

17. Yot Club – “Here & Now”

Yot Club built “Here & Now” from scratch after losing the original demo on a crashed laptop — and the rebuild, co-written with Kevin Patrick Sullivan of Field Medic, is gold. The track weaves a subtle shift to ¾ time into an otherwise stripped-back framework, blending the math-leaning instincts Ryan Kaiser started with into something more focused and emotionally direct. It’s the second single from his upcoming album Simpleton (April 17, Amuse), a record that dismantles the utopian view of American suburban life. His 25-date North American headline tour hits DC’s Black Cat on May 16 and Chicago’s Thalia Hall on June 10. Stream here.

18. flowerovlove feat. Madeline Argy – “Casual Lady”

Twenty-year-old flowerovlove‘s first single of 2026 via Capitol Records is built around a very specific feeling: the quiet humiliation of accidentally catching real feelings when you’ve staked your entire identity on being emotionally unavailable. Madeline Argy opens the track with a voice note that functions like a group chat confession — “God gave me the power to love women, and I genuinely just caught myself finding dandruff on this guy’s t-shirt collar sexy” — and flowerovlove runs with it from there. Co-written with Justin Tranter, Russell Chell, Skyler Stonestreet, and Ryland Blackinton, the 2014-coded track vacillates between empowerment and embarrassment in a bracingly honest way. flowerovlove makes her Coachella debut on April 12. Stream here.

19. horsegiirL – “only the best”

horsegiirL‘s “only the best” is an ethereal club-pop banger built around a quietly devastating premise: someone who has everything the material world offers and still can’t get love. Released via RCA Records on the first day of the Year of the Horse by the German DJ and producer canonically known as Stella Stallion — a half-horse, half-human from Sunshine Farms — the track opens ONeEARTH, her new conceptual world described as a radical center for transcendental belonging. The flute hook, improvised in the studio by collaborator Casey MQ, gives the track an unexpected lift that makes the loneliness underneath it hit harder. Stream here.

20. María Isabel – “Suiza”

Fully done with sad-girl R&B, Queens-raised, Dominican-American María Isabel‘s “Suiza” is a dembow-inflected pivot into something more self-assured and a lot more fun. Produced by El Guincho (Rosalía, FKA Twigs, Camila Cabello) and filmed in the Dominican Republic, the track carries a lyrical IDGAF energy — “Menos mal que no me casé” (“Thank goodness I didn’t get married”) — that lands like a breath of fresh air. It’s exciting to see María take this new direction in her artistry. Stream here.

21. Tainy feat. Rauw Alejandro & Jhayco – “Rosita”

Three Puerto Ricans at their most effortlessly fun. “Rosita,” directed by Stillz, arrives as Tainy is on arguably the hottest run of his career — he just won both a Grammy and a Latin Grammy for Album of the Year for his production on Bad Bunny‘s DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, and served as Music Director for Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance. None of that weight shows up in this song, which is kind of the point. It’s sun-soaked, playful, and built for a specific kind of afternoon — a preview of Bestia that follows “Única” with Karol G and “MONSTRUO” with Feid, and confirms the album is going to be something unmissable. Stream here.

22. Mýa – “ASAP”

Mýa may have delivered one of her best singles in years with “ASAP,” and it’s been on repeat since it dropped. The Grammy Award-winning singer opens her tenth studio album era with a smooth mid-tempo R&B track produced alongside Lamar “MyGuyMars” Edwards that blends classic soul and funk with a modern groove — built around the urgency of honest communication in a relationship at a crossroads. It debuted as one of the most-added records at R&B radio. This year also marks the 25th anniversary of “Lady Marmalade,” and the legacy is still being written. Stream here.

23. Bedelia – “Valley Sadness”

Bedelia is Marisa Shirar of Fleshwater, Miles Morris of Bad Suns, and Dakota Floeter of Ethel Cain, and my first intro to their new effort, “Valley Sadness,” arrives with an expansive production that makes the song feel grand without ever overpowering the smooth vocals gliding through it. Their debut EP, Never Change, Love You Always, followed on March 5. Stream here.

24. Arlo Parks – “Get Go”

Arlo Parks pivots toward a more upbeat energy on “Get Go,” the lead single from her forthcoming second album Ambiguous Desire (April 3, Transgressive Records). The track carries a 90s breakbeat and trip-hop chill melody that feels like a natural evolution rather than a reinvention — warm, confident, and arriving alongside the announcement of a global headline tour. Stream here.

25. Cruz Beckham – “For Your Love”

Cruz Beckham arrives with his Republic Records debut, and there’s a great indie vibe ringing through it. “For Your Love” is high energy, carefree, and comes with a great video. Beckham is clearly enjoying himself, and that ease is infectious. Stream here.