The Soundtrack to 2024: Most Anticipated Music Releases of the Year
2023 was a year full of tunes and grooves, from debut albums like Boygenuis' The Record, to critically acclaimed albums like Travis Scott's Utopia. The music industry saw a diverse range of genres thriving, with artists pushing boundaries and experimenting with new sounds to captivate audiences worldwide. Featuring releases from massive artists like Drake and Taylor Swift, 2023 was a year for the musical history books.
But it seems that 2024 is going to be bigger and better for music. With exciting and long-awaited comebacks and collaborations on the horizon, fans of every artist and genre can expect to be blown away by the creativity and innovation that will define the sound of the year.
Get ready to experience a musical journey like no other. These are the most anticipated music releases of the year!
Ariana Grande - eternal sunshine
March 8, 2024
Arianators have been waiting a long time for this. After 4 long years of waiting, Ari is finally dropping her seventh studio album, eternal sunshine. The album, which was announced after the wrapping of Wicked (which Grande stars in), is going to showcase a whole new side to Ariana. Apple Music described the album as 'Introspection and fun in an overwhelming mix of pop, house, and R&B', which is sure to grab the attention of both fans and critics alike.
The anticipated album was preceded by just one single, 'yes, and?', which instantly became her top song on Spotify and topped the Billboard charts. The single got its own remix, featuring the one and only Mariah Carey. With the eternal sunshine release right around the corner, fans are eager to see what other surprises Ariana has in store.
Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign - Vultures
Vol. 2: March 8, 2024 | Vol 3: April 5, 2024
The Vultures release schedule has been too hectic for fans to keep up with. Originally, this collaboration album was set to be released back in December, but due to some controversial comments made by Kanye, it was delayed to New Year's Eve. When New Years Day came around, fans were disappointed to see that the album was once again delayed to the first week of February. Once again, as February came around, it was delayed again. At some point, the Ty Dolla $ign and Kanye collab album seemed like just another album that would never be released. Eventually, on February 10th, the first volume of the album dropped, receiving mixed reviews.
Now, we have intended release dates for the next two volumes, one of which is coming on the 8th of the month. Vultures Vol. 2, which will be succeeded by Vol. 3 on the 5th of April, is set to be bigger and better than the previous installment, promising more collaborations and innovative productions. In fact, it seems that the delay in scheduling has increased the hype and excitement regarding the next releases. So whether it drops next week or next month, fans will absolutely be tuned in!
Justin Timberlake - Everything I Thought It Was
March 15, 2024
JT is back after 6 years! His 6th studio album, titled 'Everything I Thought It Was', comes after a long run in the Trolls Franchise and some controversy with Britney Spears. Through all of that, the fans have prevailed and have been patiently waiting for the album since the announcement back in January.
The album, which is set to have a total of 18 tracks, features collaborations with producers like Pharrell Williams and even an NSYNC feature for those who miss the old days! Preceded by two singles; Selfish in January and Drown in February, Timberlake describes this album as his 'most straightforward' album yet, leaving fans excited to see what's in store.
Kacey Musgraves - Deeper Well
March 15, 2024
Deeper Well marks the Grammy-Award-winning singer's sixth studio album. In this album, Kacey Musgraves (or as she likes to call herself, Spacey Kacey) goes deep into her life, calling it 'a collection of songs that's very dear to [her] heart'.
Kacey dropped two singles for this album, including the title track, and even performed them both on Saturday Night Live. Musgraves has won countless awards, including seven Grammy's and three Country Music Awards. With this brand-new album, she's definitely going to have to make room on her award shelf.
Shakira - Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran
March 22, 2024
After 7 long years, the queen of Latin music is back to reclaim the genre with Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran. The album, which translates to ‘Women No Longer Cry’, will be her twelfth album!
Over the course of two years, Shakira has dropped 5 singles that will be featured on the album, including her song with Latin artist Rauw and El Jefe, which was released back in September. After over half a year since the last single, fans are excited to see what this 17-track LP has in store.
Tyla - Self-Titled
March 22, 2024
You may have heard her on the acclaimed single Water, but trust that she’s not going to simply be a one-hit wonder! The South-African-born artist Tyla is dropping her self-titled debut album after a year full of achievements and success.
Though she started her career back in 2019, the year 2023 saw her breakthrough, rising on the charts and gaining fame overnight. In fact, she was nominated for Best African Performance at the Grammy’s (and won!). Now, with a newly gained status and fanbase, Tyla is ready to give the world more hits with her debut album.
Beyonce - Act II
March 29, 2024
Queen Bey is finally giving the Beyhive what she promised: Act 2! After the drop of the critically acclaimed Renaissance, which served as the first installment of her three-act project, fans have been begging for more!
In this album, Bey has decided to take a completely different path. Straying away from the previous album’s House genre, she’s going back to her Houston routes and making a country album.
The exciting and anticipated album is preceded by two singles: 16 Carriages and Texas Hold ’Em, each of which charted on Billboard immediately. In fact, Texas Hold ‘Em became Beyonce’s thirteenth number-one song. With all this success with only two singles, there’s no telling how many records Bey will break with this album!
Conan Gray - Found Heaven
April 5, 2024
After the success of his previous two albums, Kid Krow and Superache, Conan Gray is back to give more. Originally, Conan started off as just another cover artist on YouTube. Then, overnight, he rose to fame after his song Heather blew up on TikTok, garnering millions of views and streams. His unique blend of indie pop and heartfelt lyrics has resonated with fans worldwide, solidifying his place as a rising star in the music industry.
His third album Found Heaven is set to have 13 tracks, and fans have already gotten sneak peeks with four different singles including Killing Me and Winner. With his growing popularity and dedicated fan base, Conan Gray's upcoming album is highly anticipated and expected to be a huge success in the music industry.
Taylor Swift - The Tortured Poets Department
April 19, 2024
Not even a world tour can stop her from writing; Taylor Swift is dropping yet another album! The album, which was surprisingly announced after Tay won her 13th Grammy, was a complete shift from what fans were expecting. After teasing the announcement by changing all her social media layouts to B&W, fans immediately jumped at the possibility that she would be announcing reputation (Taylor's Version). Of course, Taylor once again diverted the public's expectations and announced The Tortured Poets Department.
The highly anticipated album features some brand new features, including Post Malone and Florence and the Machine, leaving fans excited to see what vibe this album brings. Calling it her 'lifeline' album, Taylor Swift leaves fans wondering if this album will address her recent breakup with actor Joe Alwyn, as well as talking about her new beau Travis Kelce.
Twenty One Pilots - Clancy
May 17, 2024
Following Scaled and Icy, their 2021 album that divided the fandom, twenty one pilots is ending their concept story of the fictional Dema with Clancy. In 2018, the two-person band dropped their album Trench, which introduced fans to a fictional and dystopian world of Dema and an unnamed protagonist as he tries to escape. Now, we know that the character's name is Clancy, and the namesake album will continue his story.
The lead single Overcompensate, which was dropped on February 29, was full of easter eggs and cryptic messages that hint at Clancy's upcoming adventure as he tries to return to Trench after escaping Dema. Fans are eagerly anticipating the release of the full album to see how the narrative will wrap up.
SZA - Lana
TBA
SZA has been teasing the album Lana since 2022. Though it's unclear whether the album will serve as a deluxe to her record-breaking 2022 album SOS or just a stand-alone album, fans are eagerly anticipating it either way.
At this year's Grammys, SZA was the most nominated artist, scoring 9 different noms! After sweeping her awards, she surprise-dropped the album's lead single Saturn, which immediately rose on the charts and became one of her most popular songs on Spotify. The dreamy single is leaving fans excited and impatient for more!
Normani - Dopamine
TBA
After six very long years since she claimed to have her album title, Normani finally gave us the title: Dopamine. The album, which is yet to have a release date, has been anticipated by fans worldwide since the breakup of Fifth Harmony in 2028. Through years of trolling and being meme'd, Normani prevailed and is ready to show the world her exciting debut album.
Lana Del Rey - Lasso
September
After a successful year for her ninth studio album Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, which includes multiple Grammy nominations, Lana Del Rey has been teasing a brand new album coming soon. Diverting from her alternative sound and going into country, Lana's tenth album is eagerly anticipated by millions of fans worlwide.
Dua Lipa
TBA
The pop icon Dua Lipa is planning to drop her unnamed third album this year. Already dropping two singles, Houdini and Training Season, the songs have left fans wondering how she'll top the award-winning Future Nostalgia.
With her previous album receiving critical acclaim and multiple Grammy wins, anticipation is high for what Dua Lipa has in store for her upcoming release.
The Weeknd
TBA
The Weeknd has been teasing his upcoming album for a while. Though we don't know anything yet, Abel has hinted at a final part of his previous After Hours til Dawn project. Some speculate that this may even be his final album (unfortunately). The mysterious unnamed album will serve as the final part of his trilogy, symbolizing death, afterlife, and rebirth, as he teased on X (formerly Twitter). And although we don't have any info on this album yet, everyone is 100% sure that the album will be breaking records all over the world.
Ice Spice - Y2K
TBA
Just one year into her career, Ice Spice came guns blazing into the industry. Not only did she go viral on her social media for her unique flow and clever ad-libs, but she also managed to score a collab with Taylor Swift on Karma (which was even nominated for a Grammy) and immediately got signed to Nicki Minaj's new label Heavy On It! Now, she announced her brand new album Y2K, which is yet to have a release date. With all these achievements in just 365 days, it's clear that Ice Spice is here to stay.