Key Takeaways
- New Releases: The Rolling Stones will release their album Foreign Tongues in July 2026.
- Deep Purple’s Concept: Their upcoming album Splat! presents a hopeful take on an end-of-the-world theme.
- Retrospective Collections: Expect collections from artists like Foreigner and Frank Zappa alongside expanded reissues.
- Live Recordings: The Grateful Dead’s early live recordings will be featured in an upcoming LP.
Two more legendary classic-rock acts return with new music, just weeks after well-received albums by fellow stalwarts Paul McCartney, Peter Frampton, Ringo Starr and Yes. July 2026 will also see another raft of expanded reissues, hits packages and signature concert recordings.
Foreign Tongues will be the Rolling Stones’ first album since 2023’s Hackney Diamonds – and the second without Charlie Watts. The late drummer makes a special appearance, however, through sessions recorded before his death. Other guests include Paul McCartney, Steve Winwood and the Cure’s Robert Smith and Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Deep Purple also has new music on the way. Splat! follows 2024’s =1 and extends their run of albums produced by Bob Ezrin to six. The new LP is based on an end-of-the-world concept from frontman Ian Gillan that trades the typical apocalyptic nightmare for a more hopeful metamorphosis.
Who’s Issuing New Rock Records in July 2026?
Michael Sweet, Joel Hoekstra, Tommy Aldridge and Marco Mendoza are back with Iconic II. Their first album together, also featuring Nathan James on vocals, dates back to 2022. Jack White began building toward a follow-up to 2024’s No Name with a pair of stand-alone singles. “G.O.D. and the Broken Ribs” and “Derecho Demonico” will now be part of the 13-track Frozen Charlotte, recorded with White’s most recent touring group.
Look for the arrival of retrospective collections from Foreigner (The Eye of the Storm), Frank Zappa (ZAPPAtite: Frank Zappa’s Tastiest Tracks) and Night Ranger (Best of Night Ranger), among others. Albums by Alice Cooper (Welcome 2 My Nightmare), Gentle Giant (In a Glass House), Motorhead (Kiss of Death) and Roxy Music (Flesh and Blood) also return as expanded reissues.
READ MORE: The Huge Rock Acts Who Aren’t Touring in Summer 2026 – And Why
July 2026’s upcoming concert releases are highlighted by an LP featuring the Grateful Dead’s earliest live recordings. Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco, CA [7/3/66] was recorded nearly a year before their debut arrived. Meanwhile, King Crimson’s 2014 NYC was compiled from four nights of multi-track recordings. This is the first in a new live series focusing on the band’s final era of shows.
More information on these and the rest of May 2026’s rock albums can be found below. Remember to bookmark our continuously updated list for details on records to be issued throughout the year.
July 3
Deep Purple, Splat!
Glenn Hughes [Deep Purple/Black Sabbath], Justified Man: The Studio Albums 1995-2003 (6CD box set reissue)
Grateful Dead, Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco, CA [7/3/66] (digital, 2CD and 3LP releases)
L.A. Guns, Live From the Guild Theatre
Motorhead, Kiss of Death (expanded 20th anniversary 2CD or 2LP reissues)
Status Quo, The Early Years, Vol 2. (1970-1972) (5CD box)
Tangerine Dream, The Bootleg Box, Vol. 2 (remastered 7CD box)
Various artists, Now Yearbook: ’72 – Extra (companion 3CD set with Elton John, Paul Simon, Rod Stewart, The Kinks, T. Rex, Elvis Presley, Moody Blues, others)
July 10
Adam Lambert [Queen], ADAM
Alice Cooper, Along Came a Spider (with Ozzy Osbourne and Slash); Welcome 2 My Nightmare (expanded and remastered digital, compact disc and 2LP reissues)
Doobie Brothers, Takin’ It to the Streets (50th anniversary vinyl reissue)
Howard Jones, Original Studio Albums 1984-1992 (5CD box); “Stand Up” (7-inch black vinyl single)
Jack White, Frozen Charlotte
King Crimson, 2014 NYC (2CD, 2LP or 2CD/2LP box set live releases)
My Chemical Romance, Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (expanded CD, cassette and various colored 2LP vinyl reissues)
Pride of Lions [Survivor/Ides of March’s Jim Peterik], Unbridled
Rolling Stones, Foreign Tongues
Roxy Music, Flesh and Blood (expanded Blu-ray reissue with Dolby Atmos and 5.1 mixes)
Scritti Politti, Cupid & Psyche 85 (2LP deluxe edition vinyl reissue)
Suede, Antidepressants (expanded 3CD edition)
Sweet, The Answer (expanded CD and vinyl reissues of 1992’s A)
Various artists, Now Yearbook: ’60s Vol. 3 – 1965-1966(4CD or 3LP sets with the Beach Boys, Simon and Garfunkel, Byrds, Bob Dylan, Mamas and the Papas, Stevie Wonder, others)
July 17
Foreigner, The Eye of the Storm
Frank Zappa, ZAPPAtite: Frank Zappa’s Tastiest Tracks (first-ever vinyl release)
Incubus, If Not Now, When? (2LP vinyl reissue)
Lenny Kaye [Patti Smith Group],
Goin’ Local (digital, compact disc, black or blue vinyl editions)
New Order, The Best and the Rest of New Order (4CD box)
Tesla, Homage (digital, compact disc and 2LP vinyl editions)
The Waterboys, Atlantic Rain: The Lost Fisherman’s Blues Recordings (3CD box set)
Yes, Live at Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City, 17 June 1976
> July 24
Echo and the Bunnymen,<i>Songs to Learn and Sing</strong>(yellow and black marble vinyl reissues)
Goo Goo Dolls,<i>Let Love In</strong>(expanded 20th anniversary digital,&nbps;<i>2CD,</strong>(black or red vinyl reissues)
Hawkwind,<i>Sonic Assassins: Live 1977</strong>(compact disc and vinyl releases)
NRBQ,<i>Workshop</strong>(expanded <i>(remastered digital <i>(and CD reissue)
Robyn Hitchcock,<i>The Confuser</strong>(digital, p;<i>(compact disc, p;(black or green vinyl editions)
Sleater-Kinney,<i>Call the Doctor</strong>(white pearlescent vinyl reissue)
>
July 31
Collective Soul,Touhch (Touhch &Touhch &Touhch &Touhch &Touhch &Touhch &Touhch &Touhch &Touhch &Touhch &Touhch &Touhch &Touhch &Touhch &Touhch &Touhch &
Chris Caffery [Savatage/Trans-Siberian Orchestra],An Extraordinary Life(8CD solo box set)
Dead Kennedys,The Confuser(remixed compact disc reissue)
Gentle Giant,The Eye of the Storm(CD,u black or clear(180g vinyl reissues<u deluxe CD/Blu-ray with stereo,u5.1<u Dolby Atmos mixes)
Iconic,I(featuring Michael Sweet,uJoel Hoekstra,uTommy Aldridge<uMarco Mendoza)
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts,The Quiet Celebration Concert(audio companion for concert movie)
Various artists,A Strange Light From the East:(Eastern Influenced Western Music<u1965-72)
Why These Classic Rock Acts Hate Their Own Records
This lengthy career has its pitfalls as well — band members leave or songs become one-hit wonders as sounds go out of fashion. This leads to artists disliking their own records.
Gallery Credit: Nick DeRiso
