February is when things start getting real, and you’re no longer shaking off the exhaustion of the holiday season. From heavy, chest-rattling new songs to melodic gut punches and indie tracks that linger, these are the best new alternative, metal, rock, and indie songs worth your time right now.
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Differences — “Void”
Brace for impact because Differences are about to become your favorite new metal/metalcore band! Comprised of Sean-Anthony Todd (vocals), Gene Ramirez (guitar), Levi Henderson (electric bass guitar), and Nicholas Brandon Miller (drums), the band’s latest single, “Void,” hits with equal parts fury and clarity, balancing bruising screams with moments of melodic reflection that actually breathe. Through piercing shrieks and drum fills that nod to the work of Rage Against The Machine or early FEVER 333, the band questions across the chorus, “Can you see me?… Can you hear me?” There’s no doubt you’ll be seeing and hearing a lot more from Differences in 2026. —Paige Owens
Koyo — “Irreversible”
Pop-punk and hardcore act Koyo are back and better than ever with “Irreversible,” the lead single from their forthcoming second LP Barely Here. “A lot of bands think their second album has to be this magnum opus epic that sews so many things together, and I think we’d actually taken more of that approach with our first LP. So with Barely Here, we wanted to do the opposite of that trajectory – we wanted to refine our strengths instead of doing this purposeful departure. It’s a snapshot of what our band is in its most no-frills, perfected form.” Pre-order your record here. — Maria Serra
Whitney Whitney — “A Man Written By A Woman”
Following the releases of her 2025 debut EP and “Isabelle,” Los Angeles-based rising pop artist Whitney Whitney released “A Man Written By a Woman” via Atlantic Records. The ethereal offering showcases the artist’s ability to effortlessly intertwine thrilling pop vocals with classic folk sonics. She says of the single, “This one sticks out to me because of how real it sounds and how much time we spent on it. I wanted to go for a bit of ‘dad rock’-sound to mix with the realness of the lyrics. It took longer than the others [on the project] as we rewrote the verses like six times and went back and forth on the tempo, too. Please enjoy!” — Maria Serra
Ezra — “VIOLET”
Pulled from Ezra’s debut album Spoke Too Soon, “VIOLET” arrives as a bright, clear snapshot of who he is right now—and where he’s headed. In a recent post, he shared, “this project means everything to me… this album is the story of why i am who i am and how i got here,” and that sentiment runs straight through “VIOLET.” It’s upbeat and emotionally open, leaning into a sound that feels cut from the same cloth as Every Avenue, The Maine, and The Band CAMINO, with hints of Harry Styles and The 1975 woven throughout the album. The collection featuring “VIOLET” arrives as Ezra is hitting the road with Braden Bales. —Paige Owens
