New Music Friday: Best albums released Jan. 9, 2026

NPR Music's New Music Friday episode highlights five albums released Jan. 9, 2026, with host Stephen Thompson and guest Celia Gregory of WNXP. The episode features short clips, commentary and links to playlists of singles from the featured albums.

NPR Music's New Music Friday episode for Jan. 9, 2026, presents a short selection of new albums for listeners. The show is built from advance listening to many recent releases so hosts can choose a small set to highlight. Stephen Thompson hosts the episode and is joined by Celia Gregory of Nashville's WNXP. The page accompanying the episode includes links to playlists that collect singles from the discussed albums. Episode details: - The episode spotlights five albums chosen from dozens of new releases around Jan. 9, 2026. - Hosts listen in advance and use clips, context and commentary to introduce each pick. - Stephen Thompson is the episode host and Celia Gregory appears as the featured guest; she broadcasts mornings on WNXP from 6–10 a.m. CT. - The article includes links to New Music Friday playlists with singles from each featured album. - It also lists five additional albums the team wished they could have discussed on the podcast. Summary: The episode offers curated highlights and short excerpts to introduce five albums released on Jan. 9, 2026, and provides context through host commentary and a guest perspective. It includes accompanying playlists so listeners can hear singles from the featured records. Undetermined at this time.