All Songs Considered: New Music Friday – The Best Albums Out Feb. 13, 2026

Host: Stephen Thompson (NPR Music)
Guest/Co-Host: Nastya Voinovskaya (KQED, San Francisco)
Date: February 13, 2026

Episode Overview

This week's New Music Friday episode dives into the most notable albums released on February 13, 2026. Stephen Thompson and guest Nastya Voinovskaya discuss a diverse slate of artists—ranging from mainstream pop icons to indie storytellers—exploring genre shifts, autobiographical songwriting, and new expressions of emotional vulnerability across today’s music landscape. The episode touches on creative pivots, personal journeys, and cross-generational sounds, providing recommendations for every taste.

Key Albums & Discussion Highlights

Charli XCX’s "Wuthering Heights" Soundtrack

• Charli XCX returns, not with a typical studio album, but with a film soundtrack for Wuthering Heights.
  • "It's super interesting how Charli has pivoted away from the success of 'Brat Summer.' ... She’s instead kind of pivoted into this film and soundtrack work. And I think it’s a really cool creative challenge for her." – Nastya Voinovskaya [01:10]
• The album blends chamber pop and 80s ballad styles to echo Wuthering Heights' themes of tortured love.
  • "She really takes it into this dark, intense sort of chamber pop direction with these lush, elaborate strings, big anthemic drums ... reminds me a bit of 80s ballads." – Nastya Voinovskaya [02:28]
• Songs were written during the Brat tour, reflecting Charli's creative versatility.

Auguste Pontier – Everywhere Isn't Texas

• Auguste Pontier, a Texas-born singer-songwriter, explores gender, self-acceptance, and the complexities of leaving home.
  • "They debuted a new name. They also are now going by they/them pronouns. And there’s this self-assuredness that comes with that ... poignant, really hard-hitting songwriting." – Nastya Voinovskaya [04:23]
• Comparisons drawn to Chapel Roan’s career rebirth and queer narratives.
  • "It feels like Auguste Pontier has more momentum than ever even after being dropped by a label." – Stephen Thompson [04:55]
• Sonically, Pontier moves to more stripped-down, acoustic arrangements.
  • "This more stripped-down musical vibe I think really allows the lyrics to breathe." – Nastya Voinovskaya [06:10]
• Standout song: “Handsome”
  • "I love the line in that song. ‘I don’t know if I want to be with you or be you.’ I think that speaks to so much queer confusion that is so deeply relatable." – Nastya Voinovskaya [08:13]
• Themes are both LGBTQ-specific and universally relatable: heartbreak, moving, vulnerability.
  • "There are also songs ... about being human and having a moment, emotions and kind of coming unglued in a public place that anyone can relate to." – Stephen Thompson [08:37]

Brent Faiyaz – Icon

• Maryland’s Brent Faiyaz delivers his most mature, emotionally nuanced album to date, with heavy hitters Raphael Saadiq and Chad Hugo producing.
  • "He evolves beautifully on this album, especially in how he talks to and portrays women ... emotionally vulnerable portrayal of masculinity." – Nastya Voinovskaya [10:35, 11:23]
• The sound pulls from 80s and 90s R&B, with trap and lush pop edges.
  • "One vibe that I kind of picked up ... was this record reminded me how much I miss Frank Ocean ... his proficiency with a falsetto ... this totally timeless, gorgeous voice." – Stephen Thompson [11:47]
• Highlight: "Butterflies"
  • "I loved Butterflies. ... this beautiful line where he’s talking to a woman ... ‘I appreciate how much you give to others, but I can’t help but wonder, do they do the same for you?’" – Nastya Voinovskaya [13:19]

Jill Scott – To Whom This May Concern

• Jill Scott emerges from a decade-long hiatus with a bold, sprawling, and liberated record.
  • "This record feels very liberated ... the work of somebody who doesn’t really have anything left to prove, but still has tons and tons and tons of ideas they want to explore." – Stephen Thompson [18:58]
• Album traverses empowerment ("Be Great"), self-connection, and demonstrates her ever-evolving versatility.
  • "Throughout her discography and especially on this album, there’s this theme of connecting to yourself, coming home to yourself, but also just pumping yourself up to do something amazing." – Nastya Voinovskaya [20:04]
• Notable tracks:
  • "Be Great" – Empowerment anthem with Trombone Shorty [19:48]
  • "Pressure" – Theme of self-acceptance; arrangement by Oakland's Kev Choice [21:47]
  • "Northside" (feat. Tierra Whack) – Proof of Scott’s impressive rapping chops in a lively Philly collaboration [21:55, 22:29, 23:00]
  • "She’s just so good at so many things and this album proves that." – Nastya Voinovskaya [22:40]

STAYC – Stay Alive

• South Korean K-pop girl group STAYC releases its first full-length, a vibrant and energetic collection described as “teen fresh.”
  • "When I heard this album, the first thing I thought of was this is just a sugar rush in the form of music." – Nastya Voinovskaya [25:01]
• The album includes infectious synth pop, EDM, and hyperpop influences, with tracks sung in Japanese and Korean.
  • "They really lean into a more house derived sound on this album." – Nastya Voinovskaya [26:03]
  • "This is a full length record full of these just impeccable 3 minute slabs of youthful synthy pop." – Stephen Thompson [25:01]
• Fan response: Passionate, rooting for the band as underdogs [27:28]

The Paranoid Style – Known Associates

• D.C. indie rockers The Paranoid Style, led by journalist Elizabeth Nelson, fuse musicological curiosity with sharp political and historical references.
  • "They actually take their name from this 1964 essay ... about how a small minority can leverage anger and fear for political gains." – Nastya Voinovskaya [29:24]
• The songwriting is densely layered, requiring close listening for full appreciation.
  • "The way these songs kind of unfurl in these complex, wordy bundles where it’s like everything she has to say cannot fit into a single line of a song." – Stephen Thompson [30:02]
• Standouts:
  • "A Barrier to Entry" – Tackles meritocracy and American systems in a country rock groove [32:01]
  • "Tearing the Ticket" – A tribute to D.C.’s musical history [32:55]
  • "It's a Dog's Breakfast" – Nods to Linda Ronstadt and mid-career chaos [33:30]

Lightning Round: Other Recommended Albums

Timestamps: [34:30]–[39:18]

• The Olympians – In Search of a Revival
  • "A slab of cinematic orchestral instrumental soul ... would sound fresh in really any of the past 60 years." – Stephen Thompson
• Hemlocke Springs – The Apple Tree Under the Sea
  • "She became known as this awkward, kind of quirky bedroom singer songwriter ... and there’s this new dark intensity." – Nastya Voinovskaya
• Neba Solo & Benego Diakité – A Djinn and A Hunter Went Walking
  • "These two instruments aren’t typically heard together, but on their new album they are used to hypnotic, beautiful celebratory effect." – Stephen Thompson
• Aaron Shaw – ...And So It Is
  • "This album is a personal reckoning. ... enveloped in this sort of dark fog ... arrives at this moment of clarity and transcendence." – Nastya Voinovskaya
• Ásgeir – Julia
  • "Continues in that lovely tradition ... full of beautiful, sweet weeping, elegant swoony folk pop." – Stephen Thompson

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Charlie, if nothing else, Charli XCX contains multitudes and that I think is going to be one of the themes of this year in music.” – Stephen Thompson [03:13]
• “So much pressure to appear just like them.” – Jill Scott, "Pressure" [21:43]
• “You don’t know if I want to be with you or be you.” – Auguste Pontier, "Handsome" [08:13]
• “It’s sugar rush in the form of music.” – Nastya Voinovskaya on STAYC [25:01]
• “You inspire me.” – Brent Faiyaz, "Butterflies" [14:17]

Segment Timestamps

• Charli XCX / Wuthering Heights: [00:42]–[03:13]
• Auguste Pontier: [03:13]–[09:59]
• Brent Faiyaz: [09:59]–[14:17]
• Jill Scott: [17:39]–[23:13]
• STAYC: [23:13]–[27:53]
• The Paranoid Style: [28:38]–[34:30]
• Lightning Round (The Olympians, Hemlocke Springs, Neba Solo & Benego Diakité, Aaron Shaw, Ásgeir): [34:30]–[39:18]

Tone & Closing Thoughts

The hosts maintain an engaging, conversational tone—balancing expertise, personal connection, and a shared enthusiasm for music’s emotional and cultural power. Throughout, the episode underscores themes of artistic risk, personal transformation, and the richness of diverse perspectives in music today.

“Everybody should have a playlist for every emotion that our brains can muster.” – Stephen Thompson [20:31]

For more coverage and reviews, check out:

• NPR.org/music
• KQED.org/art for Nastya’s stories and interviews

(Note: Ads, promos, and extended intros/outros have been omitted from this summary to focus solely on music content.)