New Music Friday: Fresh Faves of the Week - October 9, 2026 – What Songs Came Out This Week? (Find New Releases) All new EMO.
OCTOBER 9th, 2026 –– Just in: this week's hottest new alternative and emo music releases. All the fresh faves in one place.
From Oso Oso to Wage War, here are our top picks of the week.
Starting off strong, LA's Kiss The Scientist is back yet again with 'Idyllwild, CA' – after releasing 'Life You Want', we've been eager for more, and the band didn't disappoint. First things first, in our opinion, it isn't possible for Kiss The Scientist to release a bad song.
They haven't yet. This track has the perfect blend, with hints of those raw, unpolished Midwest emo vocals mixed with rock vibes; Kiss The Scientist is doing emo right. " ''Idyllwild, CA.' is about a friendship breakup, if you will. To me, I think it's about some of the emotions you cycle through immediately following a fallout with one of your closest friends. You're gonna regret the things you said, you're gonna regret the way things ended, and you're never gonna want to open up to somebody again when they use personal things against you. - Vocalist Max Tomack-Villalobos shares. The track is paired with a music video directed by Matty Vogel, who has worked with names like Billie Eilish and Pierce The Veil. Rain City Drive hit this week with 'Slither,' the alt-rock band dropped this heavy, guitar-filled banger. It's catchy and has hypnotic vocals throughout the track, and the chorus is bound to get you moving. “RCD 4 is ready to go! We’ve got so much new music we’re excited to share with you. Our new single, “Slither,” is a sneak peek of what’s to come. Catch us playing it live on the Sleeping With Sirens: An Ending In Itself Tour,” vocalist Matt McAndrew shared.
Selfish Things dropped their album Receptivity today, a 10-track project that wasn't supposed to be an album, according to Alex Biro: "It’s still not really an album to me, or to any of us. More just… closure, I guess." The album was inspired by some of the harder times in Biro's life, including addiction, and then COVID-19 hitting; the album discusses these themes and the journey it took him on. The song 'Cracks' showcases wanting to cut the cord; the song has a catchy chorus that will get stuck in your brain for a long time, with intentional instrumentals that don't overdo it. This builds into something that straight-up hits. Another track recommendation? 'Liability', the entire album is catchy and extremely well put together; you can really understand what Alex went through with that track. Four years later, Alex is sober, using his experiences to help others, and sharing what he went through with the world.
Brackish and Prop House released a split EP on the 2nd; you guys already know how much we love Brackish. They're heavy in the best way, and will melt your brain with their sound, but we're totally happy this EP introduced us to Prop House. The band is equally as heavy and speaks to your soul. Killer vocals on this EP on both ends. Our fave tracks from each: 'Your Sister's Apartment' – Brackish & 'Hedgerow Society' – Prop House. If you're looking for something new in the underground, go spin this EP, and thank New Jersey for giving us this gem of a split.
Here are our HEAVY HITTERS of the week:
Powehouses FOXHAUNT released 'Absolution '; we are definitely keeping an eye on this one because it's a heater. We love the heaviness of the track and the important message it brings. Next up, we have Resolve casually dropping 'Godtier.' Even though there is nothing casual about this track, it's honestly everything you can ask for in the genre. If you haven't heard of Resolve, make sure you check them out.
Check out the full list of our fave new releases of the week below:
Fave New Releases of the Week
Split (EP) — Brackish, Prop House
Idyllwild, CA — Kiss The Scientist
it's all bait — Oso Oso
Dirt — Fit For A King
Slither — Rain City Drive
Absolution — FOXHAUNT
Cracks — Selfish Things
Under Construction Forever (Album) — wakelee
Warrior Spirit — The Interrupters
we are unpeople (Album) — unpeople
PARTY'S OVER — Sueco
Landfall (Album) — Wage War
way too close — Lost In Hollywood, Archers
Spiral Head — Orbit Culture
Crown In The Grave — Trivium
At Work In The Fields Of The Bomb (EP) — Deafheaven
Godtier — Resolve
Ride Of The Valkyries — Mental Cruelty
Higher Ground — Enter Shikari
Bari Bari Buddy— HANNABIE
Unwelcome Guest (Album) — Left to Suffer
FRESH FAVES is a weekly updated Spotify playlist where we throw together some of the coolest recent drops strictly for your ears.
Featuring tunes in the emo, pop-punk, post-hardcore, and alternative-adjacent world, we're covering the entire scene. Make sure to stop by weekly; we'll update the playlist every Friday with our top favorites of the week.
From breakout singles to underrated drops, FRESH FAVES is your go-to place to discover the best new sounds worth spinning.
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TOP8 Scene's FRESH FAVES playlist will keep you updated with what’s happening across the scene week by week. It's built for music lovers searching for new tracks, up-and-coming artists, and fresh releases worth having on repeat.
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