By Michael Bonsangue
2024 is turning out to be a packed year for music from artists across all genres. Some have announced projects dropping as soon as next month while others are still in the studio merely teasing their eager fans.
CONFIRMED
SZA
With the performance and subsequent release of “Saturn,” SZA is finally working towards the release of her forthcoming album, “LANA.” She formerly announced it as a deluxe to her record-breaking album, “SOS,” but has since stated it has become a world of its own. She posted a few album covers not too long ago, but that is still no guarantee the album will drop soon given her track record. We can only hope it releases before the end of the year, yet it’s safe to say it will most likely add another acclaimed and successful project to her discography.
Lana Del Rey
Out of nowhere, Lana Del Rey announced that she is releasing a country album titled, “Lasso,” in September when giving a speech at a pre-Grammys event. Lana is another artist known for not quite sticking to her word, so only time will tell if she sticks to this title, concept and release window given that all of her last albums had a previously announced scrapped name before its re-branded official release. Lana stepping into this genre was somewhat unexpected, however her recent cover of “Take Me Home Country Roads” and time spent with friend and country artist Nikki Lane may have been hints all along.
Beyonce
Over two decades into her career, Beyonce is having her biggest streaming hit yet with “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM,” her country song that was released as a complete surprise during the superbowl. The track along with its fan-favorite b-side “16 CARRIAGES” serve as the first two singles from the highly anticipated act ii album, still untitled. The house-infused and Grammy-winning “Renaissance” was act i, and there have been rumors going around ever since its release that act ii would be a country album. The album will drop March 29, so there is not much longer of a wait until we hear what Beyonce has to bring to the country genre.
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift is undoubtedly not only one of the most successful artists of our time, but also the most prolific. She will be releasing her 11th studio album (of new material) titled “The Tortured Poet’s Department” on April 19 with features from Post Malone and Florence and the Machine. The project was announced during her acceptance speech for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2024 Grammys, similar to how “Midnights” was announced at the VMAS in 2022. There are plenty of guesses from her fanbase as to what it will sound like, but we will most likely not have an official answer and not have any single before its full release in April if it follows the rollout of her last handful of releases.
Dua Lipa
Following up the massive “Future Nostalgia” must have been a daunting task for Dua Lipa, however she has started the journey and released two singles, “Houdini” and “Training Season” from her forthcoming third album. She has been in the studio with Kevin Parker crafting a darker and more psychedelic take on pop music, which has been well received so far. Both singles will probably continue to perform successfully and rise on the charts leading up to the album which is speculated to have a late spring or early summer release date. For now, the two singles are plenty for fans to enjoy during the wait.
Billie Eilish
The wait for Billie Eilish’s next full-length album has been long, and will hopefully be worth the wait. “Happier Than Ever,” which is arguably her most experimental music to date, came out almost three years ago in 2021. Since then, Billie and her musical partner Finneas have only given updates to the progress of the album and nothing about its sound, visuals or inspirations. She recently confirmed that it’s mastered and finally ready to go, which means it’s only a matter of time until the official announcement of a single or the album itself.
Ariana Grande
After one of the longest music breaks of her career, Ariana Grande shocked fans by revealing that she had completed her album later last year. It all happened pretty fast, considering that just a couple months after confirming she had been in the studio, she released her seventh album’s lead single. “Yes, and?” is the first song released from the upcoming “Eternal Sunshine” which will be out on March 8. It seems she will be infusing more house and 90s elements into this new project, but her label has since promised that it will have her signature R&B touch to it as well. Not all fans were pleased with “Yes, and?” but it seems Ariana is gearing up to release a sonically diverse album that will have something for everyone.
Kacey Musgraves
Artists from plenty of other genres are diving into the trend of making country music, but Kacey Musgraves’s fifth album will be from an artist who’s been mastering the genre for years. She started teasing the album at the top of the year with its earthy photoshoot and didn’t wait too long before giving fans more information. She’s released two new singles so far, “Deeper Well” and “Too Good to Be True” which are off of the forthcoming album also titled, “Deeper Well,” out March 15.
Selena Gomez
Since earning her first Emmy nomination, becoming the owner of a billion-dollar company, being announced as the star and producer of a Linda Rondstat biopic, and more, it seems that music has been put on the back burner for Selena Gomez’s career. However, after a four year wait since her last full-length album “Rare” in 2020, she has released a new single “Love On” after saying multiple times that her new album is coming. However, she seemed to retreat on the assumed notion that the album will come shortly after and stated how she likes taking her time with projects while choosing songs to release with “no pressure.” If this really will be her last album like she claims, it makes sense that she wants to take the time to make sure it’s perfect, but for now “Love On” is a catchy earworm that can hold fans over in the meantime.
Doja Cat
Following the trend of deluxe albums, Doja Cat confirmed on Instagram live that she will be releasing a deluxe to her 2023 album “Scarlet” with an interesting title of “Claude Frollo,” the antagonist in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. It’s clear that Doja is done with conforming to cookie-cutter pop star habits, so it’s really anyone’s guess as to what this extension of her last album will sound or look like. She has performed and played snippets of plenty of unreleased songs recently, so there is already some speculation as to which ones will be included.
Shakira
Another major comeback this year will come from global superstar Shakira, set to release her first album in seven years titled “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” on March 22. The album will include her recent hit “Bzrp Music Sessions: Vol 53” which broke the record for the biggest debut for a Spanish song on global Spotify. She stated how the album is an ode to the circle of women that have supported and empowered her over the years.
Khalid
Khalid is another big artist who has taken plenty of time to craft a new album. He’s been around since 2017 after dropping his infamous debut album “American Teen.” After years of standalone singles and slowly revealing album details, such as its name being “Everything Is Changing,” he’s made it clear that he’s finally ready to fully dive into the era. There’s no official word on which previously released songs, if any, made the final cut or when the release date will be, but it will nonetheless be a triumphant return for a beloved hitmaker.
Bleachers
While Jack Antanoff is widely known for his behind-the-scenes work producing for some of the biggest artists out there, he has an artistic identity of his own with his band that’s set to release their next album in the coming weeks. The Bleachers’ self-titled fourth album will be out March 8 and has been preceded by a few singles such as “Alma Mater,” an uncredited collaboration with Lana Del Rey. The record is so far going along with the 80s-infused sound the band is known for with an ambient twist.
Girl in Red
Indie-pop star Girl in Red announced her second album “I’m Doing it Again, Baby” just before she dropped its lead single “Too Much.” Her comeback has been much anticipated by those who enjoy her minimalist and airy music, but it seems like she is going for a heavier sound this time around. “Too Much” is an explosive punk-infused pop song that seems to indicate that her next album will be an intense collection of songs centered around heartbreak. We won’t have to wait too long to find out as the full album will be out on April 12.
Omar Apollo
Omar Apollo served up his “Live For Me” EP just last year, but he’s ready to start a new era already. He’s been teasing a new song on TikTok with a groovy snippet, and a phone number linked to information on the new project. He could very well be leading up to a second full studio album. “Live For Me” was a really solid project of experimental and thought-provoking songs, so fans are eager to hear even more artistic growth with new music.
Katy Perry
While she was one of the biggest pop artists of the 2010s, Katy Perry has been less of a force in recent years when it comes to mainstream music. However, fans and pop culture fanatics alike are curious to see what she has in store after confirming that 2024 will be a packed year for her. Her last two albums, “Witness” (2017) and “Smile” (2020) were panned by critics, so it will be interesting to see if she can come back to the charts with more positively received music and earn her acclaim back. The fact that she’s dropping music is the only thing Katy has directly said about it so far, but it’s only safe to assume it will be in the pop realm she is known for.
Megan Thee Stallion
With her new single “HISS” spreading all over social media, it doesn’t seem like Megan Thee Stallion will be losing any momentum anytime soon. It seems like the singles she’s been putting out recently will be part of a full project after a hiatus away from the spotlight. She made the announcement that she will be dropping an album then touring over the summer, much to the delight of her die-hard fans. This will be her third studio album following “Good News” (2020) and “Traumazine” (2022).
Camila Cabello
Camila Cabello kicked the year off with new bleached hair and plenty of teasers of a new era for her music. She has been in the studio with Playboi Carti and spotted spending time with Drake indicating a darker trap sound for the pop star, but the first snippet of new music she has teased was more along the hyperpop route. Either way, it seems we’re getting a whole new sound for her fourth album that will probably begin rolling out in the first half of the year.
Ice Spice
Coming off of a huge year of stardom, Ice Spice is set to release her debut studio album in 2024. There is no confirmation of if any previously released singles will be on it, but she announced that its title will be “Y2K” in honor of her birthday being January 1, 2000. Without giving too many details, she also confirmed that it will be out this year.
Normani
There was almost all hope lost that Normani would ever put out a full album after years of stand-alone singles since her debut. An infamous tweet of her saying she has her album name chosen dates back to 2018, but the day has finally come to say that its title is “Dopamine” and will be released in 2024. She posted the cover along with a 30-second snippet that sounds like she’s going full R&B for her debut effort. This has been a long time coming and has the potential to put Normani back on the map.
Wallows
One of the most unexpected drops of the year so far came when Wallows put out their new single, “Your Apartment,” at the beginning of February. The indie-rock band’s last album was not too long ago, but they’re ready to kick off a new era as they promised there’s more to come following the single release. Hopefully we can look forward to more summer anthems that are signature to the band’s catalog.
Charli XCX
A new Charli XCX era is underway as she has been putting out snippets of her new single “Von Dutch” for weeks now, which finally dropped on February 29. Just before releasing its lead single, she announced her sixth album will be called “Brat,” contain fifteen songs, and be out this summer. She played the new album for fans at a private listening event who reportedly received it very positively. She promises it to be a “club” album with even the sadder songs being danceable.
Lil Nas X
Lil Nas X’s debut album “MONTERO” was a pretty big commercial success, thanks to his commitment to never being scared of a little controversy. His daring visuals and subject matters haven’t gone anywhere for his new music, with the video for the newest single “J Christ” going as far as including actors that are meant to impersonate notable celebrities such as Oprah and Taylor Swift lining up to praise Lil Nas. It’s an interesting concept for a song that doesn’t do much sonically, but he’s continued to tease new songs on TikTok that sound more promising. The album doesn’t have an official date but it could be right around the corner.
Justin Timberlake
Another artist who’s been around for a while is having a comeback with his first album since 2018 titled “Everything I Thought It Was.” Timberlake has released two singles from the album so far, and previewed a third for one of his SNL performances from a few weeks back. The full album will be out March 15.
Sia
Speaking of comebacks from veteran artists, “Sia” will be releasing her tenth album titled “Reasonable Woman” on May 3. While she has remained active in the industry releasing other projects, “This Is Acting” released in 2016 was her last solo studio effort. The album became a classic for its numerous hits such as “Cheap Thrills” and “Chandelier,” so it will be interesting to see if she achieves the same mainstream success eight years later.
SPECULATED
The Weeknd
The Weeknd is gearing up to release the final installment of an album trilogy, marking a full-circle moment from “Trilogy,” his debut project. This upcoming project will come as the final part to “After Hours” and “Dawn FM,” and apparently be his last album as The Weeknd. As far as release date, sound and direction go, there is no official word. However, he has been in the studio with his partner-in-crime producer Mike Dean which can lead to assumptions that this next record will have the same sonic direction as his last two albums.
Lorde
While Lorde herself has not stated explicitly that her next album is dropping this year, she has given plenty of teasers indicating that her fourth album is just around the corner. She performed a couple new songs on her tour for “Solar Power” which sounded like she dipped back into the more electronic and industrial sound of her second album, “Melodrama.” They are not confirmed to be on the record, but when speaking about the project she has mentioned how she is excited for her fans to “dance again” to the music. While it will be hard to top the cult classic that is “Melodrama,” the shift away from the polarizing beachy haze of “Solar Power’s” sound could mean a more positive reaction from fans and critics alike.
Halsey
Halsey released her fourth album, “If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power,” almost three years ago which was met with an immense amount of critical acclaim but received a lack of attention from the general public. Now, it seems like they will be stepping back towards their more mainstream sound found throughout most of their discography. However, it seems that it will still be infused with plenty of new influences as she’s been in the studio who’s worked with artists such as Frank Ocean and Rosalia. Halsey has been teasing this comeback for a while now, and it could be right around the corner as she has begun teasing on social media despite the fact that there’s no confirmation it’s coming this year.
Sabrina Carpenter
Popstar Sabrina Carpenter had the biggest year of her career yet in 2023. After dropping the deluxe to her fifth album “Emails I Can’t Send” which is still receiving millions of daily streams and opening on one of the biggest tours of all time for Taylor Swift, she’s ready to keep pushing her career forward. With an increased audience and more hits under her belt, she has confirmed that she’s working on her sixth album and plans on dropping new music this year. There is no official announcement yet, but she has expressed excitement for how she’s trying to dive into new genres and continue to grow as an artist.
Miley Cyrus
While it’s unlikely we’ll be getting another full studio album from Miley Cyrus who just put out the Grammy-nominated “Endless Summer Vacation” last year, it seems like she has a couple singles lined up for release this year. Her collaboration with Pharell titled “Doctor” was previewed at a Louis Vuitton fashion show, then officially just released on March 1. The song was apparently made almost a decade ago around Miley’s “Bangerz” era, fuelling rumors she will spend 2024 putting out unreleased and leaked music her fans have been asking for.
Cardi B
It’s been quite some time since Cardi B released her record-breaking debut album, “Invasion of Privacy,” almost seven years to be exact. After plenty of features and stand-alone singles, she decided to release a new freestyle with its music video on March 1. “Like What Freestyle” is unlikely to be an official lead single, but it could easily mean that more music is on the way from the rap star.
Clairo
It’s entirely in the air as to what sound Clairo will go for with her third album, but what’s for sure is that it’s coming soon. The artist took to Instagram to tease the follow-up to her 2022 album “Sling” with a post captioned “maybe this year 🎵.” It’s very possible she’s finished the record as she’s been posting pictures from the studio for a while now.
RUMORED
A$AP Rocky
A$AP Rocky has taken quite some time to craft a follow-up to his 2018 album “Testing.” Since its release, he’s released singles such as “Sundress” and “DMB” and has done plenty of features for other artists as well. He announced his new album to be titled “Don’t Be Dumb” a while back without any indication of when it would come out. However, many people are convinced 2024 could be the year he finally comes back with a full project since the material has been in the works for so long.
Playboi Carti
Playboi Carti took a decent amount of time away from the spotlight since his last album came out in 2020, but gradually re-appeared in the industry last year with features on Travis Scott’s “UTOPIA” and a collaboration with legends The Weeknd and Madonna for “The Idol’s” soundtrack. He’s another artist who has given his album name first without any further details; his next project will be called “I Am Music.” His comeback is highly anticipated, and his recent surprise features have had a strong reaction from fans eager to hear new solo music.
FKA Twigs
FKA Twigs fans getting new music this year might have to just be pure luck at this point, but it’s extremely logistically possible. Dozens of new songs have recently been released, some of which she’s performed at recent gigs, but it was much to the dismay of FKA Twigs herself. After discovering the leaks, she tweeted how she was going back to the drawing board for material composing a new studio album. If she changes her mind, a new album could be around the corner. If not, it may be a much longer wait.
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