The best albums of the year (so far): Music to stop the doomscrolling

Instead of sinking into despair, we turned to these albums for joy, empowerment, healing and hope

venerdì 5 giugno 2026 New tab

3,536 words~16 min read

Instead of sinking into despair, we turned to these albums for joy, empowerment, healing and hope

Published

June 5, 2026 12:00PM (EDT)

(Illustration by Salon / Getty Images / Jazz Life / KONG / Hybe / BigHit Entertainment / Rough Trade Records / Zinadelphia / The Orchard)

You, dear Salon reader, are discerning and responsible, ready to face the reality of the world we’re living in, for better or for worse. Unfortunately, that may result in feelings of anger, frustration, anxiety or hopelessness. It’s an unfortunate byproduct of caring deeply.