‘Fun, propulsive, full of queer joy’: readers’ favourite albums of 2026 so far, from Muna to Raye and J Cole

After the Guardian’s music critics chose their best of the half-year, we asked you for your picks – from Brian Jackson and Arlo Parks to Maya Hawke, Flea and more The best albums of 2026 so far ‘I saw it seven times in the cinema’: readers’ favourite films of 2026 so far The album is a fun, punchy dance record that will definitely be the soundtrack of my summer. It’s propulsive, full of queer joy, cheeky lyricism, and relatable insecurities as they ruminate on “being past their prime” as pop stars in their early 30s. It will undoubtedly be an amazing live show and is a testament to the importance of artists taking breaks, going out and living and resting before coming back with new things to say and experiences to detail. Jane Tytla, New England, US Maya Hawke’s Maitreya Corso is the first album of this year that reminded me of the joy of just getting really into a record. I’ve seen it dismissed as twee in reviews but it feels like a bit of a (probably mildly sexist) disservice to the record. It definitely has a kind of breathless quality to it, but that, to me, feels much more like an insight into someone’s stream-of-consciousness inner monologue rather than