New Album Releases May 15, 2026

May 15, 2026 is the kind of Friday where you have to make hard choices. A landmark 4xLP Smashing Pumpkins remaster of one of the great alternative rock albums ever made. Three Lee "Scratch" Perry & The Upsetters records dropping in a single week — yes, three — including one of the foundational dub albums in music history. Two Noah Kahan variants pulling in the indie folk crowd. A Deltron 3030 25th Anniversary splatter pressing for the underground hip-hop heads. And a deep international run threading Brazil, Ghana, Cuba, France, Japan, and Spain through the week's upcoming vinyl releases.

This Friday brings Smashing Pumpkins' Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness 4xLP Remaster, the Lee "Scratch" Perry & The Upsetters triple drop of Blackboard Jungle Dub, Return of The Super Ape, and Scratch & Company Chapter 1, Noah Kahan's Stick Season Black Ice variant, Deltron 3030's 25th Anniversary Splatter pressing, Doja Cat's Planet Her Deluxe Edition, Gnarls Barkley's Atlanta in Green, and Van Morrison's Moondance Rhino Reserve edition. Around those, there's an unusually strong international slate, a major Lily Allen comeback, and the kind of compilation finds that reward careful crate digging.

Here's your complete guide to the best vinyl dropping this Friday — shop the full May 15, 2026 collection here.

Aaliyah - Age Ain't Nothing But a Number Vinyl LP

Aaliyah's Age Ain't Nothing But a Number on Legacy/Jive arrives as the long-awaited reissue of the late R&B icon's 1994 debut, when Aaliyah was just 15 years old. The album's complicated legacy aside, its sound — the Timbaland-precursor production, the early-90s hip-hop-and-R&B fusion, Aaliyah's already-singular vocal poise — makes this an essential entry in any 90s R&B vinyl collection. Pick up Aaliyah's Age Ain't Nothing But a Number on vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• 1994 debut album from the late R&B icon Aaliyah
• Foundational early-90s R&B and hip-hop crossover record
• Released on Legacy/Jive, the official catalog steward

Beach Boys - Pet Sounds Sessions Highlights Vinyl LP

The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds Sessions Highlights on Capitol gathers the most essential outtakes, alternate vocals, and instrumental tracks from the sessions that produced one of the most acclaimed albums in popular music history. For deep-dive collectors who already own Pet Sounds, this is the companion piece that opens up Brian Wilson's compositional process. Order Beach Boys' Pet Sounds Sessions Highlights on vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• Curated sessions highlights from the legendary 1966 Pet Sounds recordings
• Essential companion for any serious Pet Sounds collector
• Released on Capitol, the original label home

Boney M - The Magic of Boney M (Translucent Magenta & Blue Color) Vinyl LP

Boney M's The Magic of Boney M on Sony Legacy gathers the German-Caribbean disco group's biggest hits in this striking Translucent Magenta & Blue Color variant. With Rasputin, Daddy Cool, and Ma Baker all anchoring the compilation, this is essential listening for any funk, soul, and disco collector who wants the 1970s euro-disco sound on a properly pressed variant. Pick up Boney M's The Magic of Boney M Translucent Magenta & Blue vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• Translucent Magenta & Blue limited color variant on Sony Legacy
• Career-spanning compilation including Rasputin, Daddy Cool, and Ma Baker
• Essential 1970s euro-disco and funk vinyl

Buena Vista Social Club - Buena Vista Social Club (self-titled) Vinyl LP

Buena Vista Social Club's self-titled record on World Circuit gets a clean pressing of one of the most influential international albums of the 1990s. Ry Cooder's 1997 collaboration with Cuba's elder generation of son and bolero musicians won a Grammy and reshaped the world's understanding of Cuban music. Order Buena Vista Social Club's self-titled on vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• 1997 Grammy-winning landmark of contemporary Cuban music
• Released on World Circuit, the original label home
• Essential entry for international and Latin music vinyl collectors

Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030: 25th Anniversary (Splatter Color) Vinyl LP

Deltron 3030's self-titled debut gets a 25th Anniversary Splatter Color pressing on Deltron Partners, marking a quarter century since Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Dan the Automator, and Kid Koala released one of the most singular concept albums in hip-hop history. The dystopian sci-fi narrative arc, Automator's cinematic production, and Del's bar-for-bar storytelling still feel ahead of their time. Pick up Deltron 3030's 25th Anniversary Splatter vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• 25th Anniversary Splatter Color pressing of the 2000 underground hip-hop landmark
• Three-way collaboration between Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Dan the Automator, and Kid Koala
• One of the most acclaimed concept albums in hip-hop history

Doja Cat - Planet Her (Deluxe Edition) Vinyl LP

Doja Cat's Planet Her (Deluxe Edition) on RCA extends the pop and hip-hop star's 2021 breakthrough with bonus tracks and an updated tracklist, including the deluxe-only cuts that fans have been asking for on vinyl. For collectors who came up on Kiss Me More and Woman, this is the definitive physical edition. Order Doja Cat's Planet Her Deluxe Edition on vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• Deluxe Edition with bonus tracks beyond the original 2021 release
• Released on RCA, with characteristically clean pressing quality
• Essential addition for any modern pop and R&B vinyl collection

Dr K.Gyasi & His Noble Kings - Sikyi Highlife Vinyl LP

Dr K. Gyasi & His Noble Kings' Sikyi Highlife on Strut Records is the kind of international reissue that makes vinyl collecting feel essential — a deep cut from Ghana's golden age of highlife music, finally getting a proper pressing for collectors outside West Africa. Strut's reissue program has been one of the most reliable in international music for over a decade. Get Dr K.Gyasi & His Noble Kings' Sikyi Highlife on vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• Reissue of foundational Ghanaian highlife from Dr K. Gyasi & His Noble Kings
• Released on Strut Records, the gold standard for international music reissues
• Essential for crate diggers and West African music collectors

Gal Costa - Gal Costa (self-titled) (Opiniao Records) Vinyl LP

Gal Costa's self-titled record on Opiniao Records is a reissue of one of the great Brazilian albums of the late 1960s, capturing Costa at the heart of the Tropicália movement alongside Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, and Os Mutantes. For collectors building a serious Brazilian shelf, this is foundational listening. Pick up Gal Costa's self-titled on vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• Reissue of the foundational Tropicália-era debut from Gal Costa
• Released on Opiniao Records, specialists in Brazilian music reissues
• Essential entry for any Brazilian and Latin music vinyl collection

Gnarls Barkley(Danger Mouse & Cee-Lo Green) - Atlanta (Green Color) Vinyl LP

Gnarls Barkley's Atlanta on Warner Records arrives in this Green Color variant, marking the return of Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo Green to their collaborative project two decades after Crazy dominated the charts. For listeners who came up on St. Elsewhere and The Odd Couple, this is the unexpected continuation no one saw coming. Order Gnarls Barkley's Atlanta Green Color vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• Limited Green Color variant on Warner Records
• New Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo Green collaborative album
• Return of one of the most acclaimed soul, hip-hop, and pop crossover projects of the 2000s

IDK - Even The Devil Smiles Vinyl LP

IDK's Even The Devil Smiles on Tenthousand Projects is the latest from the Maryland rapper-producer, continuing his run of conceptually sharp, sonically restless hip-hop records. For fans who followed him from USEE4YOURSELF through F65, this extends the catalog into bolder territory. Get IDK's Even The Devil Smiles on vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• New album from acclaimed Maryland rapper-producer IDK
• Released on Tenthousand Projects, supporting the contemporary hip-hop ecosystem
• Essential for fans of conceptual and experimental modern hip-hop

Lee "Scratch" Perry & The Upsetters - Blackboard Jungle Dub Vinyl LP

Lee "Scratch" Perry & The Upsetters' Blackboard Jungle Dub on Clocktower is a reissue of the 1973 album widely considered the first dub record ever made. Recorded at Perry's Black Ark studio in Jamaica, Blackboard Jungle Dubessentially invented the genre by stripping reggae down to drums and bass and treating the mixing board as an instrument. This pressing is foundational reggae — non-negotiable for any serious dub shelf. Pick up Lee "Scratch" Perry & The Upsetters' Blackboard Jungle Dub on vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• Reissue of the 1973 album widely credited as the first dub record ever made
• Recorded at Lee "Scratch" Perry's legendary Black Ark studio in Jamaica
• Foundational text for understanding the entire history of dub and remix culture

Lee "Scratch" Perry & The Upsetters - Return of The Super Ape (Limted Green, Red, Yellow Split Color) Vinyl LP

Lee "Scratch" Perry & The Upsetters' Return of The Super Ape on Cleopatra Records arrives in this Limited Green, Red, Yellow Split Color variant — the Rastafarian color palette making the pressing itself a tribute to Perry's spiritual lineage. The follow-up to 1976's Super Ape continued Perry's deep dub explorations and remains one of the most beloved entries in his catalog. Order Lee "Scratch" Perry & The Upsetters' Return of The Super Ape Green/Red/Yellow Split vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• Limited Green, Red, Yellow Split Color variant on Cleopatra Records
• Follow-up to 1976's Super Ape — Perry's most acclaimed Black Ark-era album
• Striking Rastafarian color palette for the reggae and dub shelf

Lee "Scratch" Perry & The Upsetters - Scratch & Company Chapter 1 Vinyl LP

Lee "Scratch" Perry & The Upsetters' Scratch & Company Chapter 1 on Clocktower rounds out an extraordinary triple-album week for the late dub pioneer, gathering Black Ark-era collaborations and productions across the Jamaican reggae scene of the 1970s. For collectors looking to go beyond Super Ape and Blackboard Jungle Dub, this is the deeper cut. Get Lee "Scratch" Perry & The Upsetters' Scratch & Company Chapter 1 on vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• Compilation of Black Ark-era Lee "Scratch" Perry productions and collaborations
• Third Lee "Scratch" Perry vinyl release dropping the same Friday
• Essential deeper-cut for serious dub and reggae collectors

Like - Today Sounds Good (Orange Color) Vinyl LP

Like's Today Sounds Good on Squatch Records arrives in this Orange Color variant, continuing the West Coast underground hip-hop producer's run of warm, sample-driven solo records. For fans of Pac Div-adjacent California rap and the broader Stones Throw aesthetic, this is the kind of record that rewards repeat plays. Pick up Like's Today Sounds Good Orange vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• Limited Orange Color variant on Squatch Records
• Underground West Coast hip-hop from the Pac Div-adjacent scene
• Sample-driven production for fans of warm, soulful contemporary rap

Lily Allen - West End Girl (Clear Color) Vinyl LP

Lily Allen's West End Girl on BMG arrives in this Clear Color variant, marking the return of one of the most singular voices in modern British pop after a years-long break from full-length releases. With Allen's characteristic wit, sharp observational songwriting, and that unmistakable London phrasing, West End Girl extends one of the more interesting catalogs in contemporary pop. Order Lily Allen's West End Girl Clear vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• Limited Clear Color variant on BMG
• Long-awaited new album from acclaimed British pop singer-songwriter Lily Allen
• Essential addition for any modern pop and singer-songwriter vinyl shelf

Noah Kahan - Great Divide (Indie Exclusive Translucent Beer Bottle Color) Vinyl LP

Noah Kahan's Great Divide on Mercury/Republic Records arrives in this striking Indie Exclusive Translucent Beer Bottle Color variant, exclusive to independent record stores. The 2022 album that introduced Kahan's New England-rooted indie folk to a mainstream audience finally gets a proper variant pressing that matches the album's lyrical preoccupation with small-town life. Pick up Noah Kahan's Great Divide Indie Exclusive Translucent Beer Bottle vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• Indie Exclusive Translucent Beer Bottle Color variant available only at independent record stores
• Released on Mercury/Republic Records
• The 2022 album that established Noah Kahan as a mainstream indie folk voice

Noah Kahan - Stick Season (We'll All Be Here Forever)(Black Ice Color) Vinyl LP

Noah Kahan's Stick Season (We'll All Be Here Forever) on Republic Records arrives in this Black Ice Color variant, capturing the extended deluxe edition of his commercial breakthrough album that pushed Kahan into stadium territory. For listeners who came in through Stick Season or Northern Attitude, the Black Ice variant is the collector's-shelf pressing. Get Noah Kahan's Stick Season Black Ice vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• Black Ice Color variant of the extended deluxe edition
• Released on Republic Records
• Commercial breakthrough album from contemporary indie folk artist Noah Kahan

Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness (4xLP Remaster) Vinyl LP

Smashing Pumpkins' Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness gets the 4xLP Remaster treatment from Virgin Records, finally giving the 1995 double album its definitive vinyl pressing across four LPs. Billy Corgan's sprawling alt-rock masterwork — 28 tracks, 121 minutes, Tonight Tonight, 1979, Zero, Bullet with Butterfly Wings — is one of the most ambitious albums in 1990s rock history. Pick up Smashing Pumpkins' Mellon Collie 4xLP Remaster on vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• Definitive 4xLP Remaster pressing on Virgin Records
• 1995 alt-rock double album including Tonight Tonight, 1979, and Bullet with Butterfly Wings
• One of the most acclaimed and ambitious rock albums of the 1990s

Social Distortion - Social Distortion (self-titled) (Red Color) Vinyl LP

Social Distortion's self-titled record on Music On Vinyl arrives in this Red Color variant, reissuing the 1990 album that broke the Orange County punk band into mainstream rock radio. With Ball and Chain and Story of My Life anchoring the record, this is essential listening for any punk and hardcore vinyl shelf. Order Social Distortion's self-titled Red vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• Limited Red Color variant on Music On Vinyl
• 1990 album that broke Social Distortion to mainstream punk audiences
• Includes era-defining tracks Ball and Chain and Story of My Life

TNT - Manifiesto Guernika Vinyl LP

TNT's Manifiesto Guernika on Beat Generation is a reissue of the Spanish punk band's politically charged 1983 album, named for Picasso's Guernica and built around themes of post-Franco resistance. For collectors of international punk and Spanish-language rock, this is one of the more compelling reissues of the year. Pick up TNT's Manifiesto Guernika on vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• Reissue of foundational 1983 Spanish-language punk album
• Released on Beat Generation, specialists in international punk reissues
• Essential for collectors of Spanish-language rock and political punk

Toro y Moi - Anything In Return (Rose Quartz Eco Mix Color) Vinyl Lp

Toro y Moi's Anything In Return on Carpark Records arrives in this Rose Quartz Eco Mix Color variant, reissuing Chaz Bear's 2013 chillwave-and-electronic-soul crossover that remains one of his most beloved records. With the eco-mix vinyl using recycled colored remnants to create unique pressings, no two copies look exactly alike. Get Toro y Moi's Anything In Return Rose Quartz Eco Mix vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• Rose Quartz Eco Mix variant with unique recycled vinyl pressings on Carpark Records
• 2013 chillwave and electronic-soul crossover from Chaz Bear
• Essential for indie electronic and chillwave collectors

Van Morrison - Moondance (Rhino Reserve) Vinyl LP

Van Morrison's Moondance gets the Rhino Reserve treatment from Rhino, delivering the cleanest pressing of his 1970 album to date on premium 180-gram audiophile vinyl. With Into the Mystic, Caravan, and the title track all anchoring the record, this is one of the great singer-songwriter albums of the 20th century, finally getting the audiophile pressing it deserves. Pick up Van Morrison's Moondance Rhino Reserve vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• Rhino Reserve audiophile pressing on premium 180-gram vinyl
• 1970 album including Into the Mystic, Caravan, and the title track
• Definitive pressing of one of the great singer-songwriter albums of all time

Various - Far East New Rock Invention 1969-1975 Vinyl LP

Far East New Rock Invention 1969-1975 on 180G is the kind of crate-digger reissue that makes vinyl collecting feel alive — a curated compilation of late-60s and early-70s psychedelic and progressive rock from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, finally collected on wax for Western collectors. Pick up Various - Far East New Rock Invention 1969-1975 on vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• First-ever curated compilation of 1969-1975 East Asian psychedelic and progressive rock
• Released on 180G, specialists in international archival reissues
• Essential crate-digger reissue for international rock collectors

Various - Fight The Fire: Digital Reggae, Conscious Roots and Dub in Nigeria 1986-91 Vinyl LP

Fight The Fire: Digital Reggae, Conscious Roots and Dub in Nigeria 1986-91 on Soundway Records is the kind of compilation that completely reframes a music history you thought you knew — Nigerian digital reggae from the late 1980s, capturing the West African end of the Caribbean diaspora's influence on Lagos music culture. Order Various - Fight The Fire Nigerian Reggae 1986-91 on vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• First-ever curated vinyl compilation of 1986-91 Nigerian digital reggae and dub
• Released on Soundway Records, a top-tier international music label
• Essential for reggae, dub, and West African music collectors

Various - Sampladelia 2025 Vinyl LP

Sampladelia 2025 on Vinilos Enlace Funk gathers the best of contemporary international sample-based production into a curated annual compilation. For collectors of the bridge between classic crate-digging and modern beat-making, this is the kind of release that captures where the sound is heading right now. Get Various - Sampladelia 2025 on vinyl.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• Annual curated compilation of contemporary international sample-based production
• Released on Vinilos Enlace Funk, specialists in funk and sample-based crate digging
• Essential for hip-hop production heads and modern beat-making collectors

Zara Larsson - Midnight Sun: Girls Trip (Limited Edition) CD

Zara Larsson's Midnight Sun: Girls Trip (Limited Edition) on Epic is the Limited Edition CD release of the Swedish pop star's latest era. For collectors who prefer the CD format or want the additional packaging and bonus content of the limited edition, this is the definitive physical edition of the Midnight Sun: Girls Trip release. Pick up Zara Larsson's Midnight Sun: Girls Trip Limited Edition CD.

Why it's worth purchasing:

• Limited Edition CD format with bonus packaging content
• Released on Epic, with characteristically clean production quality
• New album from acclaimed Swedish pop singer Zara Larsson

Standout Restocks From Recent Weeks

A handful of last week's most-grabbed records continue to flow through this collection, including both pressings of Earl Sweatshirt & MIKE & Surf Gang's POMPEII // UTILITY on standard black and the Indie Exclusive Gumby Greenvariant — the most-anticipated underground hip-hop drop of the spring is still moving fast. Both pressings of Muna's Dancing on the Wall (Saddest Factory standard and the Clear Red variant) remain in stock for the indie pop crowd, as does Basement's Wired and its First Run Club Edition Swirl variant. The full run of last week's color-variant standouts is still available, including Aldous Harding's Train on the Island Indie Exclusive Blue, Kacey Musgraves' Middle of Nowhere in Rodeo Clown Red, and Yasunori Mitsuda's Chrono Trigger Official Soundtrack. And the Camera Obscura - Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi 25th Anniversary on Merge continues to flow through for any indie pop collectors who missed it last Friday.

See You Friday

This week's May 15, 2026 vinyl releases are anchored by some of the most significant catalog moves of the spring: a 4xLP remaster of a foundational 1990s alt-rock album, three Lee "Scratch" Perry & The Upsetters records dropping in a single week, two Noah Kahan variants, a Deltron 3030 25th Anniversary pressing, and a deep international slate threading Ghana, Brazil, Cuba, and Spain through the drop. If there are a few records likely to sell out quickly, keep your eye on:

• Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness (4xLP Remaster)
• Lee "Scratch" Perry & The Upsetters - Return of The Super Ape (Limted Green, Red, Yellow Split Color)
• Lee "Scratch" Perry & The Upsetters - Blackboard Jungle Dub
• Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030: 25th Anniversary (Splatter Color)
• Noah Kahan - Great Divide (Indie Exclusive Translucent Beer Bottle Color)
• Gnarls Barkley - Atlanta (Green Color)
• Toro y Moi - Anything In Return (Rose Quartz Eco Mix Color)

Whether you're after the new Smashing Pumpkins 4xLP remaster, the foundational dub of the Lee "Scratch" Perry triple drop, or a Noah Kahan variant for the indie folk shelf, this drop is worth a careful pass through. Browse the full May 15, 2026 collection and lock in your picks before the variants are gone.

It's all in GOOD TASTE.