Hades (album)

On the Q&A opened in Martinez's Instagram Stories on October 10, 2025, she revealed that her upcoming project would be a double album, set to be released in 2026.^[1][2] She also shared that the recording of the albums has been finished,^[3] and that she is planning to film an upcoming movie related to it,^[4][5] featuring a new character other than Cry Baby.^[6] On January 23, 2026, Martinez cleared her social media as well as her official website, sparking speculation that her new album was coming.^[7]

Hades is a dark pop album,^[8] incorporating synth-driven elements and drawing on alt-pop styles.^[9] It continues Martinez's use of elaborate conceptual storytelling, incorporating characters, surreal imagery, and a distinctive sonic style. It employs allegory to address themes such as religion, power, gender, and societal systems, including critiques of religious hypocrisy, exemplified by the line "Catholic, Christian, kissing Jesus, licking AR-15s".^[10] According to Martinez, the theme of the simultaneous release is both utopian and dystopian;^[11] she stated that the project began as a "futuristic dystopia" but came to be understood as a reflection of present reality, describing Hades as "a cracked mirror" that, despite its underlying anger, resists emotional detachment and instead encourages engagement and the possibility of creating "something beautiful from the chaos".^[12] She emphasized that the album was less about imagining a distant dystopian future than about recognizing destructive power structures that already exist, where "control" is masked as "protection" and "exploitation" is framed as "opportunity".^[9]

Expanding on the themes of her earlier work, which explored childhood and transformation, Hades adopts a darker perspective, examining contemporary issues such as corruption and capitalism through a mythological framework, according to Riff Magazine.^[10] She explained that each song in Hades examines different "traps" created by an "evil, patriarchal energy".^[9] Danielle Holian of Atwood magazine believed that Hades "appears poised to explore the underworld that follows. Not rebirth, but reckoning. Not fantasy, but the machinery beneath it."^[13]

Martinez released the lead single of Hades, "Possession", on January 28, 2026.^[14][15][16] On February 1, she revealed the album's title and its release date,^[17] with pre-orders available on February 4.^[18][19] "Disney Princess" was released on February 25 as the second single from the album.^[20] The third single, "Uncanny Valley", was serviced to radio stations on the same day of the album's release.^[21] On May 22, Martinez released "The Vatican" as the album's fourth single.^[22]

In March, Martinez announced a live performance of Hades, titled the Hades Ritual. It began on the day of the album's release at United Palace in New York, concluding at the United Theater on Broadway in Los Angeles.^[23] In late June, Martinez performed various songs on The Today Show.^[24]

Korean artist Cho Giseok designed the photoshoots for the Hades era.^[19] The 18-track standard edition was released on cassette,^[25] CD^[26] and LP.^[27] Martinez also shared a box set which contains a signed artcard, CD and hoodie, as well as 32-page storybook which "brings the Hades story to life, following the journey of Circle".^[28]

More information Aggregate scores, Source ...

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	74/100[32]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[33]
Riff Magazine	8/10[10]
Rolling Stone	[34]
Slant Magazine	[8]
Variety	92/100[a]

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According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Hades received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 74 out of 100 from 4 critic scores.^[32]

Writing for Riff Magazine, Vera Maksymiuk characterized Hades as "not designed to be easy listening", highlighting its chaotic and theatrical presentation as central to its intent.^[10] Michael Savio of Slant Magazine remarked that, as the album is envisioned as the first installment of a dystopia–utopia diptych, its eventual counterpart would ideally do more than mirror "our tumultuous times", expressing hope that it might also "make them a little more bearable".^[8] Variety's Jem Aswad described Hades as dense yet musically accessible, built on a melodic electronic pop framework that occasionally turns menacing. He also emphasized the intensity of the vocal performances and characterized the record as a powerful and socially resonant statement.^[35] Writing for Rolling Stone, Julyssa Lopez described Hades as featuring a narrative that is "often hard to follow", noting that the second half "loses some of its momentum". Nevertheless, Martinez was praised for bringing "a new way into every song without repeating herself", with the album ultimately viewed as an imaginative and creatively driven work.^[34] Rae Bozeman of Melodic Magazine noted that Martinez "will never shy away from controversial topics", highlighting how the album brings attention to issues "many tend to avoid". Bozeman also emphasized Martinez's use of an "evolving" sound to convey these themes, ultimately describing Hades as a "masterful and touching" work.^[36]

In a fan poll conducted by Billboard, Hades was ranked as the most popular new release of the week, receiving 67% of the vote and outperforming releases by Conan Gray, Raye, Charlie Puth, and Miley Cyrus.^[37]

Hades debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200. It also reached the number 1 spot on the US Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart with 84,000 album-equivalent units in its first week.^[38]

All tracks are written by Melanie Martinez and CJ Baran and produced by Baran, except where noted.

Credits were adapted from the album's liner notes.^[40]