[2026 Edition] Upbeat Western Music! Latest Hits and Popular Songs

TearsSabrina Carpenter

Sabrina Carpenter – Tears (Official Video)

After making a name for herself on the Disney Channel, singer-songwriter Sabrina Carpenter now enjoys global popularity.

She won a Grammy for her 2024 album Short n’ Sweet, and her momentum carries into this bold new release, whose lyrical perspective is uniquely refreshing.

The track is a sophisticated dance tune where funk and sophisti-pop blend seamlessly.

In a humorous twist that upends conventional ideas of romance, it celebrates a love sparked by domestic gestures—like a partner doing the dishes or assembling furniture.

Released as a single from her highly anticipated new album Man’s Best Friend in August 2025, its stylish sound and witty lyrics make it perfect BGM for lifting your mood.

Cruel SummerTaylor Swift

Taylor Swift – Cruel Summer (Official Audio)

This song, which explores the complex emotions hidden within a passionate summer romance, is one of the signature works showcased by American artist Taylor Swift on her 2019 album “Lover.” While it outwardly depicts a glamorous summer love, its lyrics deftly weave in the anguish and inner conflict of a secret relationship, vividly expressing the duality of joy and pain in love.

Released as a single in June 2023, it became a major hit, reaching No.

1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

It’s a recommended track for solitary summer nights or for those struggling with complicated relationships.

MURDER DRONESThe Living Tombstone

MURDER DRONES – FIGHT TIL’ I’M GOOD ENOUGH (ft. The Living Tombstone) [Official Music Video]

Centered on YouTube, The Living Tombstone has built a passionate following with songs themed around games and pop culture.

The duo—Israel-born Yoav Landau and American Sam Haft—crafts a sound that traverses genres with electronic rock at its core.

Released in October 2025, this track is a collaboration with the CG-animated series Murder Drones.

Racing electro guitars intersect with glitchy digital textures, carrying a bold theme of fighting and the desire for recognition.

The music video, which ties into the show’s world, has also drawn attention, making this a recommended pick not only for fans of the series but also for lovers of game music and anime songs.

PoloKim Petras

Kim Petras – Polo (Official Visualizer)

A fearless club anthem from German-born pop star Kim Petras, who’s even taken home a Grammy! It explodes with such high-octane energy that it’s hard to believe it was made while she had three broken toes.

The track portrays a protagonist stripping off the clothes of others’ expectations and unleashing their true self.

Its provocative message—“Look at me more”—hits hard and shakes listeners to the core.

Premiered at PRIDE festivals and buzzing even before its official June 2025 release, this song might just make you feel unstoppable, ready to smash through any wall.

The Laugh TrackIce Nine Kills

Ice Nine Kills – The Laugh Track (Official Music Video) [Part 1]

Ice Nine Kills, the theatrical core band from Boston, are known for their stage-like world inspired by horror films.

Their new single, released in October 2025, pays homage to the Joker as depicted in Tim Burton’s Batman.

Centered on the madness of “laughter,” the track fuses a gothic orchestral arrangement with a ferocious metalcore sound for a full-on theatrical experience.

The music video features actor Matthew Lillard and delivers cinematic storytelling set in Gotham City.

Blending brutal beauty with deranged humor, this song is highly recommended not only for fans of horror and comic-book heroes, but also for listeners seeking dramatic heavy music.

you’re a starFred again.. & Amyl and The Sniffers

Fred again.. & Amyl and The Sniffers – you’re a star (27th September, 2025)

This track is a collaboration between London-based electronic producer Fred again..

and Melbourne punk band Amyl and The Sniffers.

Fred reworked “Big Dreams,” a song from Amyl’s album Cartoon Darkness, and it was released in October 2025 as the first entry in the USB002 project.

The result blends electronic production steeped in breakbeat and jungle elements with Amy Taylor’s raw punk vocals, creating a chemical reaction that could only come from such an unlikely pairing.

It’s a must-listen for anyone who loves both electronic music and punk rock.

Laugh It OffNew Found Glory

New Found Glory “Laugh It Off” Official Music Video

New Found Glory, the Florida heavyweights who have led the pop-punk charge since the late ’90s, have dropped a new track.

Indispensable when talking about the 2000s scene, the band returns with the lead single from their album “Listen Up!,” set for release in February 2026.

It’s an energetic pop-punk tune that unleashes their signature breakneck tempos and catchy melodies.

Against the backdrop of their guitarist’s battle with illness, the song packs a positive message of laughing off any hardship, delivering a refreshingly uplifting rock number that gives listeners a push forward.