Flagpole Market Share Analysis for May 2026

Some will say it was a terrible year for music, while others will say it was amazing, and personally, I side with the latter. There are still musicians pushing boundaries, building on the foundation of decades of influence for certain, but nonetheless delivering quality and inventive music. There are also musicians who fit squarely within their genre and do it well, keeping traditions alive. All of this is to say, the comparisons and reviews found here are based on one music editor’s ears—try not to take it too seriously or literally. However, if you enjoyed any of these more mainstream album releases this year, then I’ve got some recommendations in the local music scene that you may have missed. Across […]