Charli XCX has officially entered a new era.
Less than two years after Brat became one of pop culture’s defining records, Charli is already moving in a new direction. Early singles, studio footage and recent interviews have begun sketching out the shape of her next album… one that appears louder, stranger and more guitar-driven than anything she has released before.
While key details remain tightly guarded, here’s everything we know so far about Charli xcx's next record. As well as the fact there is a hmv exclusive ;)
The project marks Charli’s first proper studio album since 2024’s Brat and its deluxe and remix follow-ups.
Throughout 2025 and early 2026, Charli kept busy beyond the Brat universe, releasing the Wuthering Heights soundtrack album and taking on several film projects before beginning to hint at entirely new material. The first signs of a new era emerged through her b.sides Instagram account and studio snippets recorded in Paris.
Then came the statement that immediately sparked conversation.
“I think the dance floor is dead,” Charli said earlier this year. “So now we’re making rock music.”
Whether literal or deliberately provocative, the line set the tone for what followed.
Album title: Music, Fashion, Film
Release date: 24th July
Cover: Featuring John Cale (Music), Marc Jacobs (Fashion), Martin Scorsese (Film)
One thing has remained consistent throughout Charli’s career: collaboration.
The new album sees her reunite with longtime creative partners A.G. Cook and Finn Keane, the duo behind much of Brat and several of her most influential releases. Recording sessions reportedly took place in Paris during Fashion Week, with Charli describing the process as “our version of analogue.” Auto-Tune appears to be used more sparingly than on previous releases, while guitars and live textures have become increasingly prominent.
Despite headlines describing the project as a “rock album”, Charli has already complicated that narrative.
She later clarified online that she is “not actually making a rock album”, framing “Rock Music” less as a genre declaration than a playful provocation. Rather than abandoning club music entirely, the new material appears interested in twisting familiar formulas and “flipping the form”, pulling rock imagery and live instrumentation into Charli’s digital world rather than replacing it altogether.
The tension between sincerity and trolling has become part of the rollout itself. “Rock Music” feels simultaneously serious and tongue-in-cheek; a declaration and a joke at once.
Three releases have already begun introducing the sound and aesthetic of the new era.
The lead single from the forthcoming album, “Rock Music”, pairs distorted guitars with hyperpop production and self-aware lyricism. Written by Charli, A.G. Cook and Finn Keane, the track was recorded at Rue Boyer studio in Paris.
Its accompanying Aidan Zamiri-directed video featured Charli joined by A.G. Cook, Finn Keane and George Daniel acting as her rock band.
If “Rock Music” introduced the sonic direction, “SS26” sharpened the visual language.
Named after fashion-season shorthand, the single leans into runway imagery and fashion-world aesthetics while continuing the guitar-heavy palette of the era. Produced and written by Charli, A.G. Cook and Finn Keane, the song premiered alongside a Torso-directed video featuring Charli on the runway and backstage during a fictional fashion week scenario. (B-Side: Playboy Bunny)
Lyrically, “SS26” touches on online backlash, image-making and public scrutiny.
Released: 10 May 2026 (limited release)
Released as the B-side to “Rock Music, I Keep on Thinking About You Every Day and Night” offered a softer counterpoint to the era’s abrasive lead single.
Produced by A.G. Cook and Finn Keane, the track was released on vinyl and on Charli’s b.sides Instagram account rather than traditional streaming platforms. Sonically more restrained and emotionally intimate, it hinted that the album may be broader than the “rock” label initially suggests.
A.G. Cook’s role may be one of the defining aspects of the project.
Cook and Charli have collaborated for over a decade, helping shape the sound of modern experimental pop through projects stretching from Pop 2 to Brat. But this time, his contribution appears to extend beyond electronic production.
Recent reports and studio footage suggest Cook has been playing guitar during sessions, reinforcing Charli’s comments about making something more analogue and performance-oriented.
Rather than abandoning hyperpop entirely, Cook appears to be helping translate it into a rougher, more tactile form.
With Music Fashion Film, Charli XCX appears to be pushing beyond the world of Brat and into something broader… an album shaped as much by image and performance as sound itself.
The title reflects the three spaces that have increasingly defined Charli’s creative output in recent years. Music remains central, but film work, fashion imagery and world-building have become equally important parts of her artistic identity. Early singles like “Rock Music” and “SS26” already point toward a project that feels deliberately interdisciplinary, blurring the lines between pop record, aesthetic statement and cultural commentary.
Many details surrounding Music Fashion Film remain under wraps. But the direction itself is becoming clearer. Rather than revisiting the dancefloor dominance of Brat, Charli appears focused on reshaping her sound once again - turning toward guitars, experimentation and a more analogue energy without abandoning the digital chaos that made her one of pop’s most influential artists.
If the rollout so far is any indication, Music, Fashion, Film may be less a reinvention than an expansion - Charli XCX building her biggest and most ambitious world yet.
Pre-order your copy below!
SHOP NOW
While key details remain tightly guarded, here’s everything we know so far about Charli xcx's next record. As well as the fact there is a hmv exclusive ;)
Background
The project marks Charli’s first proper studio album since 2024’s Brat and its deluxe and remix follow-ups.
Throughout 2025 and early 2026, Charli kept busy beyond the Brat universe, releasing the Wuthering Heights soundtrack album and taking on several film projects before beginning to hint at entirely new material. The first signs of a new era emerged through her b.sides Instagram account and studio snippets recorded in Paris.
Then came the statement that immediately sparked conversation.
“I think the dance floor is dead,” Charli said earlier this year. “So now we’re making rock music.”
Whether literal or deliberately provocative, the line set the tone for what followed.
Album title: Music, Fashion, Film
Release date: 24th July
Cover: Featuring John Cale (Music), Marc Jacobs (Fashion), Martin Scorsese (Film)
Production
One thing has remained consistent throughout Charli’s career: collaboration.
The new album sees her reunite with longtime creative partners A.G. Cook and Finn Keane, the duo behind much of Brat and several of her most influential releases. Recording sessions reportedly took place in Paris during Fashion Week, with Charli describing the process as “our version of analogue.” Auto-Tune appears to be used more sparingly than on previous releases, while guitars and live textures have become increasingly prominent.
‘Flipping the Form’
Despite headlines describing the project as a “rock album”, Charli has already complicated that narrative.
She later clarified online that she is “not actually making a rock album”, framing “Rock Music” less as a genre declaration than a playful provocation. Rather than abandoning club music entirely, the new material appears interested in twisting familiar formulas and “flipping the form”, pulling rock imagery and live instrumentation into Charli’s digital world rather than replacing it altogether.
The tension between sincerity and trolling has become part of the rollout itself. “Rock Music” feels simultaneously serious and tongue-in-cheek; a declaration and a joke at once.
Already Out
Three releases have already begun introducing the sound and aesthetic of the new era.
“Rock Music”
Released: 8 May 2026The lead single from the forthcoming album, “Rock Music”, pairs distorted guitars with hyperpop production and self-aware lyricism. Written by Charli, A.G. Cook and Finn Keane, the track was recorded at Rue Boyer studio in Paris.
Its accompanying Aidan Zamiri-directed video featured Charli joined by A.G. Cook, Finn Keane and George Daniel acting as her rock band.
“SS26”
Released: 21 May 2026If “Rock Music” introduced the sonic direction, “SS26” sharpened the visual language.
Named after fashion-season shorthand, the single leans into runway imagery and fashion-world aesthetics while continuing the guitar-heavy palette of the era. Produced and written by Charli, A.G. Cook and Finn Keane, the song premiered alongside a Torso-directed video featuring Charli on the runway and backstage during a fictional fashion week scenario. (B-Side: Playboy Bunny)
Lyrically, “SS26” touches on online backlash, image-making and public scrutiny.
“I Keep on thinking about you every day and night”
Released: 10 May 2026 (limited release)
Released as the B-side to “Rock Music, I Keep on Thinking About You Every Day and Night” offered a softer counterpoint to the era’s abrasive lead single.
Produced by A.G. Cook and Finn Keane, the track was released on vinyl and on Charli’s b.sides Instagram account rather than traditional streaming platforms. Sonically more restrained and emotionally intimate, it hinted that the album may be broader than the “rock” label initially suggests.
A.G. Cook Working
A.G. Cook’s role may be one of the defining aspects of the project.
Cook and Charli have collaborated for over a decade, helping shape the sound of modern experimental pop through projects stretching from Pop 2 to Brat. But this time, his contribution appears to extend beyond electronic production.
Recent reports and studio footage suggest Cook has been playing guitar during sessions, reinforcing Charli’s comments about making something more analogue and performance-oriented.
Rather than abandoning hyperpop entirely, Cook appears to be helping translate it into a rougher, more tactile form.
Conclusion
With Music Fashion Film, Charli XCX appears to be pushing beyond the world of Brat and into something broader… an album shaped as much by image and performance as sound itself.
The title reflects the three spaces that have increasingly defined Charli’s creative output in recent years. Music remains central, but film work, fashion imagery and world-building have become equally important parts of her artistic identity. Early singles like “Rock Music” and “SS26” already point toward a project that feels deliberately interdisciplinary, blurring the lines between pop record, aesthetic statement and cultural commentary.
Many details surrounding Music Fashion Film remain under wraps. But the direction itself is becoming clearer. Rather than revisiting the dancefloor dominance of Brat, Charli appears focused on reshaping her sound once again - turning toward guitars, experimentation and a more analogue energy without abandoning the digital chaos that made her one of pop’s most influential artists.
If the rollout so far is any indication, Music, Fashion, Film may be less a reinvention than an expansion - Charli XCX building her biggest and most ambitious world yet.
Pre-order your copy below!
SHOP NOW
