Melanie Martinez has just announced her fourth studio album, “HADES,” which comes out on March 27th. Martinez has been on a three-year break from releasing new music.
Hades comes right after her first single release since 2023, “POSSESSION.” This single has been an enormous success, with over 2.7 million streams in the first 24 hours and over 10 million overall, making it her fastest song yet and the biggest female debut of 2026 so far, according to Spotify.
According to the Pop Editor at Spotify, Talia Kraines, the vibe of the single is a perfect mix of sweet and dark, and Martinez’s mix of both is intentional and is what makes her different as a pop star. Martinez is calling her new album “HADES” a concept album, and it’s more about observing society than about science fiction and the future.
In her announcement about the upcoming album, she explained that the songs explore “a different trap set by the kind of evil, patriarchal energy that is HADES.”
She went on to say, “It isn’t about predicting a dystopian future. It’s about recognizing destructive patterns that already exist. The same dynamics are repeating in different places. Control disguised as protection, cruelty framed as logic. Exploitation is sold as an opportunity. Once you start noticing those threads, it becomes hard to ignore them.” Martinez, staying true to her style of not just making music but also creating a world around her songs, has given the upcoming album a cinematic, dystopian feel, which is relevant to today’s world.
Since making her breakthrough in 2012, the Latin American artist, born in New York, has achieved over 30 billion global streams, 5.54 billion official YouTube views, and over 62 million followers. Her 2015 debut album “Cry Baby” was a cultural phenomenon, achieving double-platinum certification and featuring multiple multi-platinum singles, including “Dollhouse,” “Pity Party,” “Play Date,” and “Mad Hatter.” The album peaked at number 6 on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the charts for over 200 non-consecutive weeks.
Her subsequent albums, “K-12” (2019) and “Portals” (2023), both debuted in the top three on the Billboard 200 and number 1 on the Alternative Albums chart. “K-12” also came packaged with a feature-length musical film that debuted at number 6 worldwide at the box office. Martinez also donated $1 of every ticket sold on tour to The Trevor Project.
Her third album, “Portals,” debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200 and provided the world with “VOID” and “DEATH,” the first original songs to enter the Billboard Hot 100.
Martinez also expanded into the world of fragrance, launching “Cry Baby”-scented perfume in 2016 and collaborating with Flower Shop Perfumes in 2023 on a larger line of scents, candles, body sprays, and perfume pendants. This collection ranked among the top five bestsellers at ScentBar, a leading indie perfume store.
Her first world arena tour, “The Trilogy Tour,” launched in 2024 and sold out many of the world’s most prominent venues, including multiple nights at Madison Square Garden. She also headlined some of the world’s biggest festivals, including Chicago’s Lollapalooza and Mexico City’s Corona Capital.
“Hades” is available for pre-order now, and “Possession” is the first official release from the album.
