Indie/Pop/Folk Compilation • July 2026 🏞️ (new discoveries | 2.5-hour playlist)
Video Overview & Insights
Here’s your July 2026 soundtrack, handpicked by us - discover the finest indie, pop & folk music all made by real artists, no AI 👇
Start July with the best new independent music 🏞
Over the last month, we've been busy listening through hundreds of songs to find the very best for you! We're also very careful to only feature REAL musicians - no AI here! So you can enjoy this compilation knowing you're supporting real, talented humans.
We photographed this stunning landscape while hiking the Hoodoos Trail in Banff, Canada last summer. We loved the sense of adventure from this viewpoint, and it felt like the perfect backdrop for your journey of musical discovery over the next 2+ hours.
Now we'd love to hear from you...
🎵 Which song is your favourite?
🌍 Where in the world are you listening from?
❤ Or let us know if you discovered a new favourite artist today!
Have a fantastic July,
Alex & Beth
🎧 Stream the playlist:
Spotify: https://spti.fi/IndiePopFolkJul26
Apple Music, Deezer, Amazon and more: https://onerpm.link/IndiePopFolkJuly26
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/alexrainbirdmusic/sets/july-2026-indie-pop-folk
📍 Hoodoos Trail, Canada
🎵 LISTEN ON SPOTIFY: https://spti.fi/IndiePopFolkJul26
🎶 APPLE MUSIC, DEEZER, AMAZON & MORE: https://onerpm.link/IndiePopFolkJuly26
✨️💫✨️💖✨️💫✨️
🔔 Subscribe to never miss the finest new independent music! http://bit.ly/arbMsubscribe
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In alexrainbird choices we tust
📍 Hoodoos Trail, Canada - photography by Alex & Beth Rainbird
📩 SUBMIT YOUR MUSIC: https://www.submithub.com/to/alexrainbirdmusic or https://alexrainbirdmusic.portal.district.biz/
Your playlists give such main character vibes <3
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💿 Tracklist:
Really nice
0:00 Hills x Hills - ‘Good Old Days’
https://www.instagram.com/hillsxhillsmusic
You should put the tracklist in the comments.
3:19 HAPPY LANDING - ‘10,000 Degrees’
https://www.instagram.com/happylandingxo
Hills x Hills - Ubreakable is really good
6:27 The Hip Aduction - ‘Some Say the Ocean’
https://www.instagram.com/thehipabduction
The song "Mexico City" is really sticky 🤗 it sounds pretty nice and relaxing
10:32 Amistat - ‘like home’
https://www.instagram.com/amistatmusic
can't wait to get on this list someday!
13:35 Edwin Raphael - ‘Ballroom of My Memory’
https://www.instagram.com/edwinrphl
❤❤❤
16:26 Hills x Hills - ‘Unbreakable’
https://www.instagram.com/hillsxhillsmusic
That first song!! ❤
20:15 Rikas - ‘Mexico City’
https://www.instagram.com/rikasband
July is almost here and thank you for another playlist Alex and Beth. Great photo of Banff. Being Canadian I love to see photos from you guys of my beautiful country. To start off, Hills x Hills have two tracks featured here on this July 2026 playlist. The first one, Good Old Days, makes me want to sing along at times. Great song structure throughout and makes me want to go back to the good old days before this phone addicted world took over. Here is to more socializing and putting the phone down. The next track by Happy Landing has a nice banjo sound. 10,000 Degrees also features a quick beat which is cool. Some Say The Ocean by The Hip Abduction has a nice chorus. I like the musical instruments in this song, especially the guitar. Great drum beat. I wonder what Beth's ballcap says in this photo? It is nice to see Amistat featured again. Like Home is a nice calming song. Colour In life was featured back in 2023 and I am listening to the song again on my summer 2023 playlist. Words don't speak as loud as my heart. Great lyrics. That need to go on a t-shirt. Thank you for featuring Ballroom Of My Memory by Edwin Raphael but I already have this song. The chorus is the best part of the song but the intro is what gets me into the song. So the second track by Hills x Hills is even more powerful than Good Old Days. Unbreakable definitely lives up to the songs name. The verses of the song are strong and the chorus is the climax. Hills x hills makes you want to sing along. These songs are like anthems. I am still looking for somebody that I call mine as well. I need that unbreakable love. I need that genuine connection. Who is supporting Mexico at The World Cup? Mexico City by Rikas makes me think of all those large crowds I am seeing in Mexico City lining up for blocks on end to support their soccer team. I still hope Canada does well though. North America is kicking butt as co-hosts at The World Cup. Lets get dressed and ready for the day. What do y'all say. Is that okay? Beautiful Day by Preston Greene is a great song for a beautiful day. It was beautiful in Toronto today but the weather is getting a bit humid. Summer is here people. Summer is here!! I like the whistling in the song BTW. I wasn't sold on Wet Clothes by Tom Harrington even though I like other songs off of his new album Barely The Same. Wet Clothes just wasn't my cup of tea. It is not a bad song though. Second to last track off the album. Did It Change You Chase McBride? Time! It is all about time. Great cool beat like a summer breeze or just sitting in the shade. How about going for a swim in Deep Deep Water? Jacob McCoy wants too. I like the slow drum beat of the base of the snare drum. Great musical structure and makes me truly feel Summer. It is deep deep water that I am swimming in. It is deep deep water that I am sinking in. I already have Time Rolls On but thank you for featuring the song by Garrett Kato. His album Whenever I Go released earlier on in 2026, has produced a flurry of great tracks. Time Rolls On is one of them. Track 9 off of Whenever I Go. All The Wheels by Matt Hartke is another nice summer chill song with some cool whistling. Owes You Nothing by Zach Seabaugh has an underlying message about life in general. The world certainly has everything to offer but it owes you nothing. Gonna keep on going. I can try to stop the train but the train keeps coming. Great lyrics and great song! Another song by swimming is next with So We Swim by Hayden Everett. So The Sun Can Pour is the album that features his song So We Swim. I actually have the song among three others. This song sold me with its calming demeanor like you are just chilling in the water on a hot summer day. So We Swim is track 7 off of So The Sun Can Pour. Bird Eye View, Angela, and Roll On Thru are the other songs I like off the album. What is better or worse or should I say worse or better? For Worse Or Better by Emily Coulston likes to switch words around but the song itself is nice and calming. Genna Matthews song Out Of Sight/Out Of Mind has a nice rock beat. It almost has an '80s feel. Keep Me Ollie by Raquel Norland has a nice piano sound throughout the song. Wasted On Myself by Luke Noa & Tjels has a nice soft guitar sound and has another life meaning. Like you are going nowhere without the other person in your life or something along those lines. My future significant other has to save me from myself. I am wasted on myself without her. Ella Jones has nice vocals. Her song Just Because I'm Leaving is very nice to listen too. Just because I'm leaving doesn't mean I'm not coming home. Lowe Minor's song French Region has this nice soft beat. I just want to close my eyes and listen to this song. Countdown by Emily Hackett has a nice cool beat but it is almost a sing along song as well. Great chorus! The verses are good too. I want to Wake Up Dreaming like Graham Candy & bandcalledbeach. listening to this song makes me feel like I am in the lake, cooling off from the summer heat. By Design by Arms Akimbo has a nice dance like beat which I love. Great lyrics too. I need to find some peace of mind and I redefined it by design. Cool! Spenard by Wendlo is like you are expecting someone to show up and take you on a journey up north to a cottage and a lake for a weekend. What an escape! This is a music song. The Fall by Solomaria has this nice intro like you are falling into a body of water or something like that. Cool beat! The song builds and builds with the introduction of a guitar and synthesizer. This is a journey person's song. Spin by Bella Cloud is another nice calming song to fall asleep too. Give Her My Life by Companion is a nice song about love. It has a great piano intro and outro which I love. Parachute by Jordan Frye featuring Meaghan Maples is a nice chill song when you are with your partner. Great fade out at the end. Who is Sweet As Zack Ely? This song is one you can dance too in the summer sun or during those warm summer nights. Rollercoaster by Ben Higginbotham is another song with a life perspective. Life is like a rollercoaster for sure. I am proof of that. The bridge of the song is great. Nothing good comes easily. We are on a rollercoaster. Great song. Looking For You by Trinity Mei is a late night chill song like many on this playlist. I am also listening to this song late where I am in the world but its worth it. Run by Our Violet Room makes me picture myself in a bedroom of a house in the countryside. Unique sounding song. Caleb Hearn's new album LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND from earlier on in 2026 features quite a few gems but sadly WHENEVER YOUR'E READY didn't make my list. The song just didn't sell me like the others did. Still it is not a bad song. Track 9 off of LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND. I know everything is capitalized on his album from album name to song titles. Maybe it is a meaning to something. I don't know. I may download the song after all. Tom River is back with Missing You. I have Crossroads which was also featured on Alex's playlists. Great banjo sounding song and light drum beat. Sounds like a song to bring back memories of a good time gone by. Thank you for featuring You Don't Belong Here by The Franklin Electric. I have that song and it's great. This song should be on a movie. David McCredie's song Maybe Time Will Help Heal has a nice beat with life meanings. the song is like reminiscing about times gone by and summers gone by. Great assortment of instruments in this song too. I already have Barely Holding On from a previous Alex playlist. I don't know if Shower Beer would taste good but Won't Even Try sounds good. Great guitar sound on Maybe by Connor Brondes. This is a true summer song. This song also relates to the photo in this thumbnail. Maybe we should fly away. What d'ya say? We don't have all of the answers. Maybe we are just human. Great lyrics. Nice drum beats toward the end of the song. Finally, Better by Alan Fiore is a great closing track to this awesome playlist with a banjo sound and a harmonica. I feel a sense of peace listening to this track. Great playlist Alex and Beth and great photo as always. I look forward to the Indie/Alternative/Rock playlist soon. Have a great weekend everyone and take care for now. I'm Better now!
23:33 Preston Greene - ‘Beautiful Day’
https://www.instagram.com/prestongreenemusic
Superb! Thank you a lot❤️💓❤️💓❤️💓
25:54 Tom Harrington - ‘Wet Clothes’
https://www.instagram.com/tomharringtonmusic
❤
29:57 Chase McBride - ‘Did It Change You’
https://www.instagram.com/chase.mcbride
❤🌞🌻
33:58 Jacob McCoy - ‘Deep Deep Water’
https://www.instagram.com/jacobmccoymusic
❤Grosses bises à Alex et Beth ❤
37:57 Garrett Kato - ‘Time Rolls On’
https://www.instagram.com/garrettkato
❤ j'adore vos choix musicaux qui me font découvrir de nouveaux artistes. Je vous écoute de France plus précisément d'alsace. J'aime beaucoup vos photos toujours aussi belles. ❤
40:23 Matt Hartke - ‘All The Wheels’
https://www.instagram.com/matthartkemusic
43:18 Zach Seabaugh - ‘Owes You Nothing’
https://www.instagram.com/zachseabaugh
46:15 Hayden Everett - ‘So We Swim’
https://www.instagram.com/hayden.mp3
50:06 Emily Coulston - ‘For Worse or Better’
https://www.instagram.com/emilycoulston
53:31 Genna Matthew - ‘Out of Sight / Out of Mind’
https://www.instagram.com/gennamatthew
56:47 Evan Crommett & Caroline Sky - ‘Calliope’
https://www.instagram.com/evancrommett
https://www.instagram.com/carolinesky
59:47 Raquel Norland - ‘Keep Me Ollie’
https://www.instagram.com/raquelnorland
1:03:26 Sidney - ‘anything’
https://www.instagram.com/yourgirlsidney
1:07:17 Luke Noa & Tjels - ‘Wasted On Myself’
https://www.instagram.com/lukenoasings
https://www.instagram.com/tjeeels
1:10:11 Ella Jones - ‘Just Because I'm Leaving’
https://www.instagram.com/ellajjonesmusic
1:14:04 Lowe Minor - ‘French Region’
https://www.instagram.com/loweminor
1:17:30 Mini Trees - ‘Sludge (Acoustic)’
https://www.instagram.com/minitreesband
1:22:10 Emily Hackett - ‘Countdown’
https://www.instagram.com/ms_emilyhackett
1:25:54 Graham Candy & bandcalledbeach - ‘Wake Up Dreaming’
https://www.instagram.com/grahamcandymusic
https://www.instagram.com/bandcalledbeach
1:28:05 Runaway Mornings - ‘Weekend’
https://www.instagram.com/runawaymornings
1:31:27 Noonzy - ‘Easy’
https://www.instagram.com/noonzy_
1:34:39 Arms Akimbo - ‘By Design’
https://www.instagram.com/armsakimboband
1:38:07 Wendlo - ‘Spenard’
https://www.instagram.com/wendlomusic
1:42:13 solomaria - ‘the fall’
https://www.instagram.com/solooomaria
1:46:28 Bella Cloud - ‘Spin’
https://www.instagram.com/bella.cloud
1:50:14 Companion - ‘Give Her My Life’
https://www.instagram.com/companiontheband
1:53:08 Jordan Frye - ‘parachute (ft. Meaghan Maples)’
https://www.instagram.com/jordanfryeofficial
1:56:38 Zack Ely - ‘Sweet As’
https://www.instagram.com/zackely22
1:59:46 Ben Higginbotham - ‘Rollercoaster’
https://www.instagram.com/benhigginbotham
2:03:05 meka - ‘Something Strange’
https://www.instagram.com/meka.laments
2:06:50 Trinity Mei - ‘looking for you’
https://www.instagram.com/trinitymeimusic
2:10:54 Our Violet Room - ‘Run’
https://www.instagram.com/OurVioletRoom
2:14:54 Caleb Hearn - ‘WHENEVER YOU’RE READY’
https://www.instagram.com/calebhearnmusic
2:18:13 Tom River - ‘Missing You’
https://www.instagram.com/tomrivermusic
2:21:04 The Franklin Electric - ‘You Don’t Belong Here’
https://www.instagram.com/franklinelectric
2:24:36 David McCredie - ‘Maybe Time Will Help Heal’
https://www.instagram.com/dmccredie_
2:27:32 Late Hala - ‘In Your Hands’
https://www.instagram.com/latehala
2:30:21 Shower Beer - ‘Won't Even Try’
https://www.instagram.com/showerbeermusic
2:32:49 Connor Brondes - ‘Maybe’
https://www.instagram.com/cbrondes
2:36:00 Alan Fiore - ‘better’
https://www.instagram.com/alanfi0re
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🎧 Stream
Spotify: http://spoti.fi/350QXar
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/profile/alexrainbirdMusic
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❓ About alexrainbirdMusic: Since 2011, Alex and Beth Rainbird have been finding and sharing the finest independent music! From 2026, we’re also pairing each video with our own original photography to create a unique audio-visual experience. We feature over 100 incredible new songs every month - subscribe to hear them first!
#July #NewIndie #IndiePlaylist