Loved the 2025 tournament and would love to join in with these but can’t locate them in the tournaments section. Are they elsewhere
Hi! Thanks! Yes, of course—you can start at any time, right here in this thread.
Create three separate rankings: one for music videos, one for tracks, and one for albums.
You may only include releases that have been posted in this thread during 2026.
Additionally, you must personally contribute one release of your own choosing for each category.
The rules, along with links to YouTube collections of tracks and videos, can be found on the LiveJournal website; please let me know if a link doesn't open.
Hi! Thanks! Yes, of course—you can start at any time, right here in this thread.
Create three separate rankings: one for music videos, one for tracks, and one for albums.
You may only include releases that have been posted in this thread during 2026.
Additionally, you must personally contribute one release of your own choosing for each category.
The rules, along with links to YouTube collections of tracks and videos, can be found on the LiveJournal website; please let me know if a link doesn't open.
My own picks in three categories for the round based on the results of January 2026.
Albums Аквариум [Akvarium] - Странные Новости с Далёкой Звезды (15/I-2026/03) (Album)
Странные Новости с Да...[Aquarium]
Tournament ranking – #8
Number of points – «+14»
lead over the nearest pursuer in points – 2
A spot on my list – #1, points – «+10» (awards from me – Release of the Week 2026/03)
Position on the list AOTY - #NR
Position on the list BEA - #642
The album was released literally two weeks into the New Year of 2026. I probably hadn’t even fully recovered from wrapping up 2025 yet. At first glance, it felt like only a couple of tracks truly deserved attention. Therefore, it was completely out of the question to even consider it as a "Release of the Week."
And now, the time has come to look back at 2026. Just like last year, mystical and sometimes heartbreaking events began to unfold. History repeats itself. But while at this time last year, I discovered an album that helped me say goodbye to an old acquaintance, this year brought a different coincidence. Right when I was about to name this record the "Album of January," a wave of personal troubles hit me. To my surprise, this album turned out to be a true elixir for maintaining self-confidence and keeping my spirits high.
So, with a clear conscience, I have retroactively awarded it the title of "Release of the Week."
My review would be completely empty and pointless if I failed to mention one small detail. This album was recorded by the ultimate Soviet and Russian band of all time. This is already the 25th official studio album by the rock band Aquarium.
To put it in terms that English-speaking music lovers can relate to, they are The Beatles and David Bowie combined for me. And it is, of course, a great honor and a stroke of luck that after all these years, I am fortunate enough to enter these artists into our year-end wrap-up tournament.
To firmly set all priorities straight, it's worth introducing a slightly different, grassroots popularity rating system. There are songs you just want to listen to. There are songs you want to know by heart and hum along to. There are songs that make you want to dance. But then, there are songs that make you want to not only sing them yourself, but also figure out their sheet music and learn the parts on musical instruments. Aquarium belongs to this exact, highest tier of widespread popularity.
Аквариум [Akvarium] - Странные Новости с Далёкой Звезды (15/I-2026/03) (Track)
Tournament ranking – #11
Number of points – «+9»
lead over the nearest pursuer in points – 2
A spot on my list – #1, points – «+10»
Position on the list AOTY - #---
Position on the list BEA - #---
I knew next to nothing about this artist, except for the fact that she released an interesting single called "He Said No" back in 2025, which is likely when I subscribed to her YouTube channel. As a result, the release and subsequent popularity of "Outdone"—her best track on the upcoming album—didn't come as much of a surprise to me.
Ultimately, the music video for this song became my release of the week, although it was later dethroned by the new Akvarium album, as I just mentioned.
Quote:
The following interesting facts and meanings lie behind this release:
Lyrical Foundation: The Trauma of Early Fame and Others' Expectations
In this song, Meg looks back at her 21-year-old self—a time when she was just starting her musical journey and had just won the triple j Unearthed competition.
• Lines like "i still think of those who made me sing a song that I never wrote" openly address the pressure the music industry puts on young artists.
• The phrase "I have been outdone" reflects her early identity crisis, a time when external manipulation, fortune tellers' advice, and fake friends ("people don't come with warning signs") caused her to lose control over her own life.
The album that followed didn't quite live up to my expectations, though its three standout tracks might just be enough to secure a spot on my top 100 list of the year.
Tournament ranking – #12
Number of points – «+7»
lead over the nearest pursuer in points – 1
A spot on my list – #1, points – «+10» (awards from me – Release of the Week 2026/05)
Position on the list AOTY - #--- (Single)
Position on the list BEA - #---
Unfortunately, I have absolutely nothing to tell you about this artist, her track, or her music video. Except for the fact that back in January, I chose her video as the release of the week, and now it has become the video of the month for January 2026.
When that happened—already two weeks ago—I had no idea that I would actually encounter the dancing of Vestal Virgins around a bonfire where my virtual legacy would be crucified.
After watching the video once again, I noticed that I felt the song lacked progression.
Quote:
"Call Me The Witch" is the title track and manifesto of German indie artist and producer lùisa (Luisa Ortwein) from Hamburg, released in early 2026.
Concept: Female Rage as a Superpower
The track is based on the idea of "magical female rage." Luisa reimagines the historical image of the witch: she connects persecutions, bonfires, and attempts to suppress women's voices and bodies to the modern struggle of women for their rights and identity.
"This track is about female rage as our magical power, about resistance, resilience, and turning pain into empowerment," the artist herself comments.
lùisa - Call Me The Witch (10/IV-2026/15) (Album)
After looking for additional information online, I found out that she released a self-titled album in April 2026, but I didn't find anything else of interest to me on it.
Below are new applications for the current round, which ends on October 29. October 27 is the last day to make changes to the current round's charts.
Music Videos: Guide (A-Z) (NEW)
1. Big Big Train - Counting Stars (14/I) Progressive Rock
2. Fontaines D.C. - Marianne (18/VIII) Alternative Rock
3. The Bevis Frond - Romany Blue (19/V) Indie Rock
4. The Manic Boys And Girls Club - Hate You To Death (7/X) Indie Rock
Tracks: Guide (A-Z) (NEW)
1. Big Big Train - Cut and Run (6/II) Progressive Rock
2. Deep Forest - Antipolis (2/X) Ethnic Electronica
3. Fontaines D.C. - Mimesis (16/X) Alternative Rock
4. Hawkwind - There Are Fairies In The Garden (12/VI) Psychedelic Rock
5. The Bevis Frond - That's Your Lot (20/I) Indie Rock
Albums: Guide (A-Z) (NEW)
1. Flea - Honora (27/III) Jazz
2. Fontaines D.C. - Dopamine Chamber (16/X) Alternative Rock
3. Julia Cumming - Julia (24/IV) Soft Rock
4. The Love.Craft Band - We Are The LCB (9/X) Indie Pop
My thoughts on the winners in the three categories of the third round—tentatively labeled #2*
Albums Genesis Owusu - Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge (15/V-2026/20) (Album)
Redstar Wu & The Worldwide Scourge (2026) by Genesis Owusu
Tournament ranking – #3, (rewards: a star (☆) and the right to an additional entry in a category; a team star (★) and the right to a "super entry" in any category)
Number of points – «+25»
lead over the nearest pursuer in points – 4
A spot on my list – #5, points – «+6»
Position on the list AOTY - #047
Position on the list BEA - #019
This is the third time I’ve engaged with this artist’s releases as part of the tournament, and each time I discover something new. The first two instances centered on the song "Stampede" winning in the "Tracks" and "Music Videos" categories.
Initially, I acknowledged the high quality of the video; later, upon reading the translated lyrics, I was struck by their overtly revolutionary tone. Now, having delved even deeper into the narrative, I’ve formed an even more complex and ambiguous impression of the project.
As it happens, I also stumbled upon an advertisement in which the single "Stampede" serves as the official soundtrack for the presentation and global promotional campaign for the new iPhone 18 Pro.
All of this points to a close collaboration between the musician and the very global corporations he critiques on his album. In effect, these corporations have sponsored a vivid simulation of rebellion—all to promote yet another consumer product.
Does this mean the world is so thoroughly controlled by capital that there is no chance left for real change? Or perhaps, from the perspective of the current world order, any genuine change is a dead end—and the only thing preventing total anarchy is a periodic, controlled release of pent-up pressure?
Regardless, I was once again struck by a "mystical" parallel: the shift from cars and motorcycles to horses in the "Stampede" video mirrors the image of a calm horse standing before a burning vehicle on the cover of the album:
Shedfromthebody - We Fly into Windows (23/X-2026/43) (Album)
Finally, I must note that the album’s closing track is quite melodic—a quality I always appreciate—and it’s enough to keep the album in my good graces, despite everything mentioned above.
My thoughts on the winners in the three categories of the third round—tentatively labeled #2*
Tracks The Rolling Stones - In The Stars (5/V-2026/19) (Single)
Tournament ranking – #3, (rewards: a star (☆) and the right to an additional entry in a category)
Number of points – «+22»
lead over the nearest pursuer in points – 1
A spot on my list – #4, points – «+7»
Position on the list AOTY - #1046
Position on the list BEA - #---
And once again, mystical intersections emerge. Because the first thing that came to mind after engaging with the lyrics was the slogan from the single "Relax" by the band Frankie Goes to Hollywood (1983/1984):
"Now's the time, it's party time (Hey)"
Perhaps "Relax" serves as the quintessential, foundational model for how the corporate industry learned to manufacture an artificial, controlled form of rebellion for the sake of super-profits.
Exactly one month after the single’s release, an official remix—"In The Stars (Remix)"—was launched, becoming the primary anthem for the FIFA World Cup 2026™.
As a football fan, I find this kind of promotion far more impressive than an advertisement for a new Apple smartphone!
And yet, the song is truly well-crafted—as is the rest of the material, a point I already touched upon when sharing my impressions of the album as a whole.
Music Videos The Rolling Stones - In The Stars (14/V-2026/20) (Video)
Tournament ranking – #3, (rewards: a star (☆) and the right to an additional entry in a category)
Number of points – «+18»
lead over the nearest pursuer in points – 1
A spot on my list – #3, points – «+8»
Position on the list AOTY - #1046 (Single)
Position on the list BEA - #--- (Track)
To be honest, this isn’t quite the kind of video I would have liked to see for this song. That said, the merits of the song itself were enough for me to give it a very high rating. Besides, there wasn’t much of a selection among the other videos on offer.
I’ll admit, I wanted to believe in miracles again—to think that the creators of the video had managed, through a tremendous amount of work, to actually find young lookalikes for the members of The Rolling Stones. Everything else on screen didn’t really interest me. In short, there’s simply no limit to my old-man naivety.))
Below are new applications for the current round, which ends on November 5. November 3 is the last day to make changes to the current round's charts.
Music Videos: Guide (A-Z) (NEW)
1. Deep Purple - Arrogant Boy (12/V) Hard Rock
2. Friko - Seven Degrees (3/II) Indie Rock
3. Julia Cumming - I Dream of a Fire That Stays Burning When Nobody Tends It (27/V) Indie Pop
4. Чезария [Chezariya] - Живи (20/III) Art Pop
Tracks: Guide (A-Z) (NEW)
1. Friko - Still Around (31/III) Indie Rock
2. Nicholas Allbrook - Forrest Chase (13/III) Psychedelic Pop
3. Raye - Click Clack Symphony. (ft. Hans Zimmer) (20/III) Orchestral Pop
Albums: Guide (A-Z) (NEW)
1. Deep Purple - Splat! (3/VII) Hard Rock
2. Friko - Something Worth Waiting For (24/IV) Indie Rock
3. Haute & Freddy - Big Disgrace (13/III) Dance-Pop
4. Hawkwind - Psychedelic Selection (12/VI) Psychedelic Rock
5. Tedeschi Trucks Band - Future Soul (20/III) Blues Rock
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