Look, if you logged into Fortnite this week expecting the usual radio-friendly rotation, you probably did a double-take. The January 15, 2026, shop refresh didn't just add a few tracks; it basically blew the doors off the Festival stage with a mix that feels slightly unhinged in the best way possible. We’re talking about everything from legendary virtual idols to 90s industrial rock, and it's making the Season 11 (the Lisa/K-pop crossover era) look like just the warm-up act.
Honestly, the headline everyone is screaming about is the Kizuna AI collaboration. If you aren't familiar with the VTuber world, Kizuna AI is basically the godmother of the entire genre. She’s officially hitting the Item Shop on January 16, but her Jam Tracks are already the talk of the community. We're getting three of her biggest hits: "Hello, Morning," "future base," and "mirai." For those of us who have been playing since the Weeknd started this whole experiment, seeing Japanese virtual pop sitting next to Metallica in the library is peak Fortnite. It's weird. It’s loud. It works.
The New Fortnite Festival Songs You’ll Actually Want to Grind
Beyond the VTuber hype, the actual "new" list for mid-January is surprisingly heavy. If you’ve checked the rotation in the last 24 hours, you’ve probably seen some familiar names that finally made the cut. One of the biggest standouts is "Iris Out." It actually hit number one on the Best Sellers list this week, which is a massive deal for a track that isn't a 20-year-old nostalgia bait song.
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Here is the breakdown of what's currently dominating the "New & Featured" tab as of January 15:
- "APT." by ROSÉ & Bruno Mars: This song is everywhere. If you haven't played the drum chart for this yet, good luck to your wrists. It’s fast, it’s poppy, and it’s arguably the most "Discover-friendly" song in the game right now.
- "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" by Creepy Nuts: This one is a sleeper hit. It’s got that frantic energy that makes the Lead and Pro Lead charts feel like a legitimate workout.
- "OIIA OIIA (Spinning Cat)" by W&W: Yes, the meme is officially a Jam Track. It’s ridiculous, it’s short, and people are unironically using it to win Battle Stage rounds because of the consistent note density.
- "NIGHT DANCER" by imase: J-pop is clearly having a massive moment in Festival right now, and this track is the perfect chill-out song between high-intensity metal runs.
Why the Genre Shift in 2026 Matters
Let's be real: for a while, it felt like Epic was just cycling through the same "Top 40 from 2014" playlist. But the recent additions of tracks like "March of the Pigs" by Nine Inch Nails and "Sad But True" by Metallica—which are still seeing heavy rotation this week—show that the developers are leaning into the "Rock Band" roots of Harmonix.
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The variety is the point. You've got "Fat Lip" by Sum 41 for the pop-punk kids, and then you've got "CHIHIRO" by Billie Eilish for the modern alt-pop crowd. It’s the first time in a while where the "New" section feels like a genuine music festival rather than just a promotional tie-in for whoever has a new album out. Speaking of new albums, the rumors about Gorillaz returning for a "Season 10/11" style encore with tracks like "Orange County" (their brand new 2026 release) are basically confirmed by the sheer amount of Gorillaz tracks being cycled back into the featured shop right now.
Pro Tips for the January Tracks
If you’re trying to climb the leaderboards on these new songs, you need to pay attention to the Pro Lead and Pro Bass charts. Epic has been retroactively adding Pro support to older tracks, but the new ones like "Gimme Chocolate!!" by BABYMETAL (which is still a nightmare to 100%) are designed specifically with the new peripheral controllers in mind.
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If you're playing on a standard controller, the "SLAY!" by Eternxlkz track is surprisingly the best way to farm points right now. It’s short, punchy, and has a multiplier window that is incredibly forgiving. On the flip side, avoid "Snow (Hey Oh)" if you’re tired. That Red Hot Chili Peppers bass line will humiliate you if your timing is even a millisecond off.
What to do next:
- Check the Item Shop at 7 PM ET on January 16: That is when the full Kizuna AI bundle drops. If you want the "Hello, Morning" Jam Track, that’s your window.
- Grind the Battle Stage: Use the newer, shorter tracks like "Song 2" or "OIIA OIIA" to maximize your rewards-per-minute.
- Keep an eye on the "Decade" track: It’s a Hatsune Miku classic that often disappears for months at a time. If you see it in the daily rotation, grab it before it cycles out.
The meta for Fortnite Festival is shifting toward high-tempo J-pop and technical metal. If you’re still relying on slow pop ballads to win your Battle Stages, you’re going to get left behind by the players who are mastering the new, faster charts.