New songs for February 23rd 2026

here they are:

“Different Kind of Love” by Young the Giant: Young the Giant have always been one of the more heartfelt groups of the 2010’s indie-pop movement, and their sincerity has continued into the 2020’s with their latest song, “Different Kind of Love.” Gentle synths combine with soaring yet friendly electric guitars in this song. This song is full of yearning, especially during the chorus. Sameer Gadhia seems to be saying that he wants love to survive even in difficult conditions (e.g. “Living in a house that’s not your home/Living on a prayer you used to know.”) He reassures himself towards the end of the song that he’ll “be okay,” but I sense more vulnerability in that comment than the phrase suggests there is.

“Hummingbird” – Colony House: This song’s organ, gentle acoustic strum, and overall psychedelic-influenced sound remind me a little of The Beatles (One YouTube commenter also compared this song to The Flaming Lips, which I also think is accurate). Much like the titular bird of Colony House’s latest song, “Hummingbird,” there’s something so sweet, mellow, and kind of nature-y about this tune. “Hummingbird” seems like more than just a neat-sounding song title in this context, too. It seems like it could be a metaphor for hope during hard times. For instance, when Caleb Chapman sings, “But the times we live in can make me wonder/If things are looking up or if I’m going under,” the lines following that are the simple yet powerful act of observing a hummingbird. There’s something so healing about this song! 

“I Did This to Myself” by Thundercat: Funkaayyy!! That’s what I gotta say about Thundercat’s latest! Late last year, he released the surprisingly vulnerable “I Wish I Didn’t Waste Your Time,” but I don’t think that’s the kind of thing Thundercat has become known for musically. His trademark sound seems closer to thumping, danceable basslines and groovy “wah wah” guitar licks, which this song has! Underneath the party vibes of this song, though, are lyrics that talk about how a woman is cheating on Thundercat. Rapper Lil Yachty lays down guest vocals on this track, countering the notion of cheating with how this woman should spend more time with Thundercat since the woman’s job is not a “real” one. What Thundercat “did to himself,” it seems, is set himself up for failure in terms of the relationship he’s talking about in this song. Not exactly a song for everyone since swears are tossed about freely in this tune, but that almost seems par the course for rap music these days. Normally, that wouldn’t be my go-to genre, but “I Did This to Myself,” even with the rapped second verse, is enough of a throwback to mid ‘70s funk that I can appreciate it. 

“I Got You” by The Tedeschi-Trucks Band: The TTB’s unique brand of blues-rock tends to go in either a soulful direction or more of a roots-y country one. “I Got You” would be the latter, but it’s a surprisingly upbeat, uplifting tune! Full of Derek Trucks’ trademark blues guitar licks with an acoustic guitar softly strumming in the background, “I Got You” is a song that only has two verses but says a lot with just a few words. It’s a sweet song of love and reassurance. 

“Javelin” by Kevin Morby: This song’s mellow yet jaded folk-rock is compelling to me. It references things like Middle America and the Bible Belt, and it almost seems to be a nostalgia-driven song. It’s not exactly a sweet nostalgia song, though. There’s an undercurrent of darkness here, but I can’t quite put my finger on what it is. Maybe it’s how Kevin is questioning his life’s worth in the second verse, with lines like “Am I a has-been? Am I a husband? Could this be our life, babe? Could you be my wife when everything ending now into a beginning now?” Almost seems like snarky commentary about how married life might not be as romantic as society often portrays it to be. 

“Penny in the Lake” by Ratboys: The super-catchy power pop of Ratboys’ breakthrough song, “Anywhere,” had a strong hold on the adult alt radio charts in late 2025 and early 2026! Their second single, “Penny in the Lake,” is a bit more of a country-rock tune, but it is in the key of G major just like “Anywhere” was, so it might sound a bit familiar to fans of that song. The song only has two verses, and the verses are somewhat abstract in their lyrical content, but the chorus makes it clearer as to what the song is about. The titular penny in the song is, as Julia Steiner puts it, “someone’s wish they forgot.” I suppose that means the song is about opportunities that people regret missing out on. 

“Song of the Future” by U2: Musically, this song’s gentle acoustic A minor strum combined with neo-psychedelic electric guitar riffs could easily make it into “Staring at the Sun Part 2” among U2 fans, but the lyrics reveal so much more to this song! The song is actually a tribute to Sarina Esmailzadeh, an Iranian teenager whose life was cut tragically short when she was a teenager during Iran’s protests in fall of 2022. Though the song is upbeat, Bono and co still wear their hearts on their sleeves with this powerful composition! 

“Twisted on a Train” by King Tuff: Last but not least, fans of garage rock will probably enjoy this song! There’s more than a passing resemblance to groups like The Black Keys in the way this song sounds, but it almost seems to have a sound even more raw and primitive than bands like The Black Keys do! Much like a lot of actual classic rock songs, this future classic rock tune is about getting high (specifically on an Amtrak train, of all things). The raw sound of the song is also deliberate, as King Tuff feels that real rock and roll music is, as he puts it, “the music of rodents and bugs.” Rock is dirty, dingy, and dusty…and that’s just the way he likes it!