The 2026 Albums of the Year... So Far, Picked by Radio Garden State Hosts
We're officially past the halfway point of 2026, and that means it's time for one of our favorite traditions here at Radio Garden State. We asked our hosts one simple question: what's your album of the year so far?
The answers came back exactly the way you'd expect from this crew, which is to say all over the map. Punk, metal, synthwave, electronic, Americana, garage rock, and a few records you've probably never heard of but absolutely should. That range is the whole point of Radio Garden State. Every host brings their own corner of the music world to the station, and this list is proof.
Here's what they picked.
Sour Ops - Bikers Make Better Lovers Picked by Rich Temple, host of Temple of Sound. All energy, no limits, and this record fits the bill.
Sincere Engineer - Probable Claws Picked by M.B., host of Tidbits. Chicago punk with heart, and one of the most talked about records of the year in the scene.
Emerson Woolf - The World Is Your Oyster Picked by Melissa, host of Telegraph Hill Radio and the Gen X Jersey Show. A standout from the Asbury Park orbit that Melissa has been championing all year.
Boards of Canada - Inferno Picked by Mark B., host of Theory of Anything. The kind of record you put on with headphones and disappear into.
Economy Flights - Redux Picked by Kelly Branco, host of The Sound. A favorite around the station since the day it dropped.
The Rolling Stones - Foreign Tongues Picked by Pattie Patton, host of The Mix at 6. Proof that some bands just refuse to slow down.
Marmozets - CO.WAR.DICE. Picked by Timmy Good Tunes, host of Movie Tunes. The long awaited return, and it did not disappoint.
Wired - Basement Picked by Jules, host of The Scene Ain't Dead. Because the scene ain't dead, and this record proves it.
Chris LeCompte - Chained and Changed Picked by Ron Santee, host of Sonic Boom. A raw, honest singer-songwriter record that stuck with Ron all year.
The Black Keys - Peaches Picked by Sal Rozzi, host of Cool Clatter. Fuzzy, punchy, and right at home in the punk rock garage.
ME. - All Good Things Picked by Elena Stevens, host of Riot + Reverie Radio. From basement shows to the bands you love, and this one earned its spot.
Metal Church - Dead to Rights Picked by Chris Natalini, host of the Rock n Wrestling Radio Hour. Classic metal doing what classic metal does best.
Angine de Poitrine - Vol II Picked by DJ Crash Doll. A deep cut pick from one of our most fearless crate diggers.
Vandal Moon - Die Happy Picked by Mortician Joseph K., host of Mortuary. Dark, moody synth for the after hours crowd.
Ecca Vandal - Looking for People to Unfollow Picked by Chris Vaglio, host of Vinyl Verdicts, That NJ Hardcore Show, and Saturday Detention. Genre-hopping, loud, and impossible to ignore.
Kevin Morby - Little Wide Open Picked by Paul A., host of Sunday Ramble. Warm, wide open songwriting that fits a Sunday morning perfectly.
Haute & Freddy - Big Disgrace Picked by Scott, host of Somewhere in the Skies of Jersey. Theatrical, weird, and wonderful. A perfect midnight record.
Now It's Your Turn
That's 18 hosts and 18 very different answers, which sounds about right for this station.
So what's YOUR album of the year so far? Let us know in the comments or tag us on social. Bonus points if it's a Jersey band.
And if you want to hear the people behind these picks, you can catch every one of these hosts on Radio Garden State, streaming 24/7 on Live365 and at RadioGardenState.com.
New Jersey's independent internet radio station, playing the music the big stations won't.