Now Hear This! - March 2026

Produced by Ethan Johns (Paul McCartney, Ray LaMontagne); The Wake brings Vance�s gritty vocal to a potent convergence of folk, soul and Southern blues. In his intimate exploration of the human condition, the result is the purest distillation of his truly singular artistry, imparting defiant joy into songs of longing and loss and hard-won acceptance.

Wall of Voodoo
Museums
Label 51

Buy Now

Museums is a collection of previously unreleased demos (recorded 1983) from the transitional period between vocalists Stan Ridgway and Andy Prieboy and features Marc Moreland and Joe Nanini. It showcases a darker, more goth and stripped-down, eerie sound while acting as a "lost album" proof of concept for the band's continuation.

Needtobreathe
The Long Surrender
MCA

Buy Now

On their 10th album, NEEDTOBREATHE sound renewed rather than retrospective. Produced by Dave Cobb, these songs strip back to conviction and craft, with Bear Rinehart�s candid solo writing carrying real weight. Highlights glow with warmth and grit, including the soulful assist from The Red Clay Strays.

Charli xcx
Wuthering Heights
Atlantic

Buy Now

Charli xcx abandons Brat�s neon chaos for a windswept gothic glare. Industrial electronics grind against violin, cello, and dread, conjuring Emily Bront�s bruised passions. With John Cale�s ghostly cameo, the music claws history into modern flesh�far grimmer, and truer, than director Emerald Fennell�s gloss, a bold, punishing, unexpectedly tender triumph overall.

Hilary Duff
luck... or something
Atlantic

Buy Now

Wiser, not wistful, Duff returns with acoustic-pop warmth and dance-floor ease framing candid reflections on fame, family, and millennial fatigue. It�s vulnerable without wallowing, catchy without retreating. Pop instincts matured beautifully, turning nostalgia into something sturdier, braver, and genuinely lived-in.

Anik Khan
Onēk
Thirty Tigers / The Foreign Affair

Buy Now

Onēk is crystallizes identity into sound. Across 12 songs and seven languages, heritage, struggle, and self-belief interlock with globe-spanning production. Released in phases, it unfolds like a manifesto with tradition meeting innovation, past fueling confidence, voice sharpened into legacy.

Erik Vincent Huey
Fort Defiance
CEN

Buy Now

On Fort Defiance, Erik Vincent Huey trades autobiography for raw momentum. Produced by Eric Ambel, it snarls with outlaw twang, punk bite, and roots-rock drive. Coal-dust origins meet escape velocity with streetwise songs built to be cranked loud, scars proudly showing, engines running.

Black Swan
Paralyzed
Frontiers New Recordings

Buy Now

Black Swan sound leaner, louder, and fully self-defined here. Towering vocals, razor-wire riffs, and melodic muscle lock in with veteran precision. Polished yet punchy, it honors classic hard rock without nostalgia, proving this isn�t a side project, it�s a band hitting its stride.

Altered Five Blues Band
Hammer & Chisel
Altered Five LLC

Buy Now

An honest, no-nonsense, sonically coherent collection of truly well-written songs covering a wide range of styles and dynamics all put together with great taste and musical maturity. Top-notch musicianship, blues vocals masterclass, and undeniable band chemistry makes this record something special.

Cardinals
Masquerade
Communion Group Limited

Buy Now

Hooks gleam, but dread lingers, gothic, bruised, and tightening with every track. Sidestepping lazy Fontaines D.C. parallels, Cardinals pace tension masterfully, letting brighter moments crack before the darker truth takes over. It�s the weaponization of unease, making for a gripping, confident debut.

Rush
Grace Under Pressure
Mercury Records / UMe

Buy Now

This Super Deluxe box set proves Rush�s mid-�80s pivot still crackles. New mixes, a fully restored Toronto �84 show, and Atmos upgrades sharpen its cold-war edge. Lavish packaging and deep archival care make this less nostalgia, more definitive statement. Precision, pressure, perfected.

LISTEN HERE

LISTEN HERE

Harry Styles
Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.
Columbia Records

Buy Now

Harry returns after four years with an album that balances nostalgic shimmer and fresh sonic turns. Infusing disco-sparked grooves with emotional weight, it�s a record that�s both reflective and ready for the dance floor. Produced with longtime collaborator Kid Harpoon, the 12-track set feels like a celebration of connection and rhythm, even as it probes deeper pop textures and stylistic risks. A confident, evocative chapter in Styles� solo evolution

Megan Moroney
The Cloud 9 Tour

Buy Now

Megan Moroney is taking her music worldwide with The Cloud 9 Tour, kicking off May 29. The 43-date run will showcase tracks from her new album, Cloud 9, a blend of heartfelt country storytelling, upbeat hooks, and polished modern production that has quickly become her signature sound. Audiences can expect high-energy performances, singalong moments, and Moroney�s trademark warmth as she hits arenas across the US and Europe.

Luke Combs
My Kinda Saturday Night Tour

Buy Now

Luke Combs is hitting the road this spring for his �My Kinda Saturday Night Tour,� bringing his high-energy live show to stadiums across North America and Europe. The tour will feature a rotating lineup of top-tier openers, including Dierks Bentley, Thomas Rhett, The Script, and more. �This year has been awesome,� Combs said. �While festivals are great, there�s nothing like a full headline tour with all my fans. I can�t wait to bring new music and the full show to audiences across 8 countries.�

Mumford & Sons
Prizefighter
Glassnote

Buy Now

On Prizefighter, Mumford & Sons step away from foot-stomp anthems toward something bruised and beautiful. Banjos linger, but restraint, collaboration, and emotional weight take center stage. Somber, confident, and devastating at its core, it�s a mature reinvention that lands its heaviest blows quietly.

The Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS) is a national level organization comprised of the best independent record stores in America. CIMS was founded in 1995 with the goal of uniting like minded independent store owners, giving them a more powerful voice in the music industry. The stores that make up CIMS are all very different, but we share the same desires � to be the heart of our communities, to super-serve our customers, to support and develop artists, and to share our love of music.

For more information about CIMS and the stores in our organization, please visit cimsmusic.com or find us through social media with the #cimsmusic hashtag. And please remember to always shop local by supporting your neighborhood record store.

Featured Genres

Now Hear This! - March 2026