Today we're investigating the most-hyped books and albums of the first half of 2026. We compiled our lists by scouring “Best of Year So Far” rankings and cross-referencing with word of mouth and social media buzz we've heard this year. We listened to the talked-about albums and conducted Kindle and Libby sample chapter tastings of ballyhooed books, and we're reporting back on our experiences.

Music Mentions:

• Twilight of the Golden Star - Zørzha, feat. Harakiri for the Sky and Karg
• Search for Agartha III - Billy Odal
• “Where This World Ends” - The Night Eternal

Most-Hyped Albums:

• Nowhere In Between Forever - Lantlôs
• Coronach - Hellripper
• Pull Like a Dog - The Scratch
• IN VERSES - Karnivool
• DREAMCRUSH - MØL
• An Undying Love for a Burning World - Neurosis
• The Ghost of a Future Dead - At the Gates
• The New Flesh - Sylosis
• silence outlives the earth - Erra
• Der Hjemsøkte Hjertet - Panopticon
• Necropalace - Worm

WRMH would like to hype:

• Seeds of the Formless - The Moon and the Nightspirit (big Trees of Eternity vibes)
• Isle of Bliss - Hanging Garden
• Songs from the Veil - As the Sun Falls

Most-Hyped Books:

• Kin - Tayari Jones
• Yesteryear - Caro Claire Burke
• My Husband's Wife - Alice Feeney
• This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me - Ilona Andrews
• Whidbey - T. Kira Madden
• The Keeper - Tana French
• This Immortal Heart - Jennifer Saint
• The Unicorn Hunters -Katherine Arden
• The Fox Hunt - Caitlin Breeze
• The Last Contract of Isako - Fonda Lee
• Land - Maggie O’Farrell
• Dear Monica Lewinsky - Julia Langbein

WRMH would like to hype:

• Mortedant's Peril - RJ Baker (similar protagonist power profile to that of Celehar in Katherine Addison’s Witness for the Dead)

Also mentioned:

• Trad Wife - Sarah Langan
• Trad Wife - Saratoga Schaefer
• Catherynne M. Valente

Next month’s book: Grab the smelling salts and hold onto your valuables because we're reading Fagin the Thief by Allison Epstein, and we're about to get Victorian AF (As Fagin, that is.) Be there or be a respectable, upstanding member of society.