2026 is almost halfway over, and there have already been so many incredible new releases. Hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot share their personal best albums of 2026 so far. Plus, they'll hear picks from the production staff.

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Featured Songs:

Twisted Teens, "Circus Clown," Blame the Clown, Jazz Life/ Chain Smoking, 2026

The Beatles, "With A Little Help From My Friends," Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Parlophone, 1967

Courtney Barnett, "Sugar Plum," Creature of Habit, Mom + Pop, 2026

Ora Cogan, "Bury Me," Hard Hearted Woman, Sacred Bones, 2026

Lucinda Williams, "The World's Gone Wrong (feat. Brittney Spencer)," World's Gone Wrong, Highway 20 and Thirty Tigers, 2026

Ye Vagabonds, "Mayfly V3," All Tied Together, River Lea, 2026

Robyn, "Blow My Mind," Sexistential, Konichiwa and Young, 2026

The Twilight Sad, "GET AWAY FROM IT ALL," It's the Long Goodbye, Rock Action, 2026

Kacey Musgraves, "Everybody Wants To Be A Cowboy," Middle of Nowhere, Lost Highway, 2026

Ratboys, "The World, So Madly," Singin' to an Empty Chair, New West, 2026

Blood Sucking Maniacs, "Red Leg Boy," Blood Sucking Maniacs, Paradise of Bachelors, 2026

Ora Cogan, "The Smoke," Hard Hearted Woman, Sacred Bones, 2026

Squarepusher, "K7 Museum," Kammerkonzert, Warp, 2026

Dry Cleaning, "Cruise Ship Designer," Secret Love, 4AD, 2026

Genesis Owusu, "STAMPEDE," Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge, Ourness, 2026

Peaches, "Panna Cotta Delight," No Lube So Rude, Kill Rock Stars, 2026

Jill Scott, "Right Here Right Now," To Whom This May Concern, Blues Babe, Human Re Sources, and The Orchard, 2026

Golems of the Red Planet, "Hadrial," Surf Masala, Heyday Again, 2026

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In this bonus episode, Jim spotlights a beloved blues and soul singer whose name has been in the Sound Opinions conversation since the show's earliest days—going all the way back to episode five.

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Hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot talk with music journalist and author Barry Walters about his new book Mighty Real: A History of LGBTQ Music 1969-2000. They discuss how gay artists, industry execs and audiences changed mainstream music. They also chat about artists like R.E.M., Pet Shop Boys, Donna Summer and more.

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Featured Songs:

David Bowie, "Rebel Rebel," Diamond Dogs, RCA, 1974

The Beatles, "With A Little Help From My Friends," Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Parlophone, 1967

Sylvester, "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)," Step II, Fantasy, 1978

Pet Shop Boys, "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)," Please, Parlophone, 1986

R.E.M., "Pretty Persuasion," Reckoning, I.R.S., 1984

Gang of Four, "Call Me Up," Songs of the Free, EMI, 1982

Prince, "Controversy," Controversy, Warner Bros., 1981

Grace Jones, "Warm Leatherette," Warm Leatherette, Island, 1980

Laura Nyro, "Stoned Soul Picnic," Eli and the Thirteenth Confession, Columbia, 1968

Donna Summer, "Queen For a Day," Once Upon a Time, Casablanca, 1977

Indigo Girls, "Closer to Fine," Indigo Girls, Epic, 1989

Michael Jackson, "Childhood," HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, Epic, 1995

The Smiths, "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out," The Queen Is Dead, Rough Trade, 1986

David Bowie, "Space Oddity," David Bowie, Philips, 1969

Frankie Goes to Hollywood, "Relax," Welcome to the Pleasuredome, ZTT, 1984

Robyn, "Blow My Mind," Sexistential, Konichiwa and Young, 2026

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In this bonus episode, Greg pays tribute to American record producer Jack Douglas. Douglas earned the admiration of countless artists, perhaps none more than Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick, who called him his favorite producer of all time. Jack Douglas died on May 11, 2026, at the age of 77.

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This week, hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot are digging into the Sound Opinions archives to share some rare tracks recorded in live sessions for past episodes. They'll share songs by Sleater Kinney, Courtney Barnett, Drive-By Truckers and more. The hosts will also review the new album from JPEGMAFIA.

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Featured Songs:

Courtney Barnett, "Scott Says (Live on Sound Opinions)," Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, Mom + Pop Music, 2015

JPEGMAFIA, "babygirl," Experimental Rap, AWAL, 2026

JPEGMAFIA, "The Ghost of Emmett Till," Experimental Rap, AWAL, 2026

Mudhoney, "1995 (Live on Sound Opinions)," My Brother the Cow, Reprise, 1995

Hüsker Dü, "Diane," Metal Circus, SST, 1983

Zola Jesus, "Hunger (Live on Sound Opinions)," Taiga, Mute, 2014

Sleater-Kinney, "Get Up (Live on Sound Opinions)," The Hot Rock, Kill Rock Stars, 1999

Torres, "Ferris Wheel (Live on Sound Opinions)," Sprinter, Partisan, 2015

Hüsker Dü, "Pink Turns to Blue," Zen Arcade, SST, 1984

Drive-By Truckers, "What It Means (Live on Sound Opinions)," American Band, ATO, 2016

Against Me!, "True Trans Soul Rebel (Live on Sound Opinions)," Transgender Dysphoria Blues, Total Treble, 2014

Diana Ross, "I'm Coming Out," Diana, Motown, 1980

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