Lil Nas X has been active in the lead-up to his new single “J Christ,” whether he’s maybe (but maybe not) enrolling in a Biblical studies program, showing off some genuine gospel music, or re-creating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. His “J Christ” video is set to drop this Friday, but ahead of then, he has again indulged in attention-grabbing antics with a new video teaser.
The 20-second video shows a long line of people in white robes, walking through a field, which looks like the iconic Windows XP wallpaper, and up a literal stairway to Heaven. In that line are a bunch of celebrity impersonators, of Taylor Swift, Kanye West, Mariah Carey, and Barack Obama, as well as a couple who aren’t quite as perfect a visual match but who appear to represent Ed Sheeran and Oprah Winfrey.
Ever since he first burst onto the scene with “Old Town Road,” Nas has proven that he’s a viral marketing master, and this whole “J Christ” rollout is just another shining example of that.
In response to backlash over his crucifixion image, Nas wrote, “the crazy thing is nowhere in the picture is a mockery of jesus. Jesus’s image is used throughout history in people’s art all over the world. I’m not making fun of sh*t. yall just gotta stop trying to gatekeep a religion that was here before any of us were even born. stfu.”
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
There are many notable things about the year 2024. It is an election year. It is an Olympics year. It is the beginning of the mid-2020s. But I am only concerned with one particular notable thing about 2024: It is the earliest possible moment when it is acceptable to start talking about the best albums of the decade.
Some might disagree. “Only a moron would write about this now,” those people are saying. (Kind of harsh, to be honest.) But they are wrong. Dead wrong. I know this because, as a music writing professional, I am well versed in the science of these lists. And my expertise tells me that my speculation about the most consequential music of the 2020s has arrived precisely on time. We have already eaten up 40 percent of our current decade. Preparation for the act of ranking must commence now.
To clarify: I’m not really thinking about my choices for the decade’s best albums. (At least I’m not thinking all that deeply yet.) I’m more interested in what I think critics overall will pick as the best. I have thought a lot about this. Probably too much. But I believe I have cracked the code.
Let’s begin by looking at recent history. Here is a list of 10 well-regarded albums from the 2010s. I compiled it by looking at a variety of “Best of the 2010s” lists and mentally averaging the most common entries. My process was “imprecise” (my word) and “possibly half-assed” (my editor’s words). But nevertheless I think most people will agree that these are definitely among the most critically acclaimed records of the previous decade.
Here they are, in alphabetical order:
Fiona Apple, The Idler Wheel … (2012)
Beyoncé, Beyoncé (2013)
D’Angelo, Black Messiah (2014)
Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp A Butterfly (2015)
Frank Ocean, Blonde (2016)
Frank Ocean, Channel Orange (2011)
Solange, A Seat At The Table (2016)
Taylor Swift, Red (2012)
Vampire Weekend, Modern Vampires Of The City (2013)
Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)
It’s interesting to note how some of these albums have shifted in terms of their critical reputations. At the 40-percent mark of the 2010s, the consensus choice for album of the decade so far was easily My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Kanye West stood head and shoulders above all other artists as a figure of profound cultural import and intense music-critic obsession. Then Kanye started to lose his mind in the back half of the 2010s and MBDTF slipped a bit — though not completely off the charts. At that point, To Pimp A Butterfly seemed like the album of the 2010s, given Kendrick Lamar’s elevated status as a Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper. But if a website or publication made a best of 2010s list now, I suspect that Blonde would be the new “easy choice” for the top slot, as Frank Ocean in retrospect seems like the defining artist of the decade.
Back to my original point: Half of these albums came out in the first 40 percent of the 2010s, between 2010 and 2013. The other five came out in the mid-2010s, between 2014 and 2016. The late 2010s are completely absent. I am confident that, if you look at most decade lists, you will see a similar pattern. There might be some records from a year ending with 7, but that’s about as late as they generally go. For the most part, these lists are front-loaded with “early decade” music. (In the parlance of “best of the decade” lists, we can liken the “late” part of the decade to December on year-end lists.)
Why does this happen? There are two reasons:
1) Decade lists made in the moment are typically made up of albums that were loved immediately. The “grower” records that rise in esteem over time do better on retrospective decade lists made years after the fact.
2) This “precedent of love and prestige” effect, so to speak, favors albums that were released earlier in the decade. As a critic, you want to feel that the records under consideration have some staying power. Also, it’s easier to assess the importance of an album that’s already been out for several years. Reputation and mystique by then have been banked. And there’s less risk of overrating something that feels important in the moment. This explains why, for instance, Rolling Stone named The Clash’s London Calling as its best album of the 1980s — it came out in America in January 1980, which means it had more precedence of love and prestige than practically any other ’80s album. (It actually came out in December 1979 in the U.K.) The magazine acted similarly when it named Nirvana’s Nevermind (1991) the best album of the ’90s, followed by Dr. Dre’s The Chronic (1992). Nobody was going to argue against Nevermind or The Chronic in 1999 — the influence and impact of those records was undeniable. Time, as always, has a substantial home-field advantage.
Here’s the relevant takeaway: There’s a good chance the album that critical consensus eventually dictates as the best of the 2020s has already come out. But which album? Here are 10 records from the first 40 percent of the decade that have achieved a high level of acclaim, listed in alphabetical order.
Alvvays, Blue Rev (2022)
Fiona Apple, Fetch The Bolt Cutters (2020)
Beyoncé, Renaissance (2022)
Boygenius, The Record (2023)
Phoebe Bridgers, Punisher (2020)
Japanese Breakfast, Jubilee (2021)
Olivia Rodrigo, Sour (2021)
Rosalìa, Motomami (2022)
Taylor Swift, Folklore (2020)
Tyler The Creator, Call Me If You Get Lost (2021)
SZA, SOS (2022)
One might quibble with some of the choices. Perhaps you want to swap in Turnstile, Bad Bunny, or Wet Leg. But these feel like the early critical frontrunners to me. This list reflects the predominant shifts in music culture and critical thinking during the Biden administration, i.e. there’s less big-tent hip-hop and way more female singer-songwriters. As you might have noticed, there are three crossovers from the 2010s list, and two of them are very predictable: Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. The third, Fiona Apple, has established a track record of releasing one critically adored album per decade. (See also: 2005’s Extraordinary Machine.)
Do I like any of these albums personally? Yes. I like four of them. Though the only serious contender for my personal list is Blue Rev. Speaking of my personal list, here are five albums I feel confident about proclaiming as “the best” from the first 40 percent of the 2020s, listed alphabetically:
Big Thief, Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You
Bob Dylan, Rough & Rowdy Ways
MJ Lenderman, Boat Songs
The War On Drugs, I Don’t Live Here Anymore
Waxahatchee, Saint Cloud
To clarify: my determination for “the best” is based on a variety of criteria, including what I listened to the most (I Don’t Live Here Anymore), what makes me happiest when it’s on (Boat Songs), what impressed me the most in terms of songwriting and thematic ambition (New Warm Dragon I Believe In You), what I suspect I will love the most in 20 years (Saint Cloud), and what has the longest song about the Kennedy assassination (Rough & Rowdy Ways).
Now, it’s very possible that the albums we don’t know about (or that don’t even exist yet) coming in the next 60 percent of the 2020s will blow away all of the records mentioned in this column. I actually hope that happens! It’s exciting to think about what’s potentially ahead of us! But let’s assume that at least half of the top 10 records of the decade have already come out. And let’s also say that one of those records ends up being No. 1. And (for the sake of fun and conversation) let’s imagine that we have $1 million to wager on that choice.
What’s the record I would bet on? Punisher.
It is influential for other popular and acclaimed artists in the 2020s. It was made by a person who (like Frank Ocean in the 2010s and unlike Taylor Swift and Beyoncé now) feels native to the current decade. I believe the next generation of music critics (who were in their teens in 2020) will look at it as definitional for its time and their age cohort. It’s the kind of record you pick if you’re trying to make a statement about an era. It’s also — this helps — a really good album. Even with the lack of 17-minute JFK assassination songs.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The French Blonde falls into the early aughts resurgence of cocktail culture — the key giveaway is the use of elderflower liqueur St. Germain. Beyond that, the drink is a shaker that’s part Red Head, part Greyhound, and 100% fresh thanks to vibrant grapefruit juice and dry gin. It’s also not to be confused with the Parisian Blonde which is more akin to a Brandy Alexander (so cream-based).
Since this is a new fav of Swift, I thought I’d break down how to make the tasty cocktail below. Admittedly, this is a kind of fussy cocktail. Some of the ingredients are a tad harder to find and a trip to a very good liquor store will be in order (I link to everything hard to find below for delivery too). Fussiness aside, this is a very tasty, light yet deep, and balanced cocktail that’s — thankfully — not overly sweet.
Let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top Five Cocktail Recipes of the Last Six Months
Bombay London Dry Gin is a great cocktail gin that’s both affordable and available pretty much everywhere. St. Germain (elderflower liqueur) should also be available at most decent liquor stores in large 750ml, 375ml, and small 200ml bottles. Since this is a pretty niche additive for cocktails, I’d recommend grabbing the smaller bottle so that it doesn’t just sit on your shelf for months (or years).
Or, if you’re a huge Swift fan, grab the big bottle and go all in.
Lillet Blanc is a French aperitif that’s in the same vein as fortified wines like vermouth (and it’s usually used in the same way in cocktails). In a pinch, you can use dry vermouth, but you won’t be getting the same subtle sweetness and hint of bitter quinine. Plus, a good liquor store should carry Lillet.
Lastly, there’s the lemon bitters. Only really good full-service liquor stores will carry this. So you might want to just order it online and save a trip to, like, all the liquor stores in your town searching for it.
Zach Johnston
What You’ll Need:
Coupe (prechilled)
Cocktail shaker
Cocktail strainer
Jigger
Fine mesh strainer
Paring knife
Hand juicer
Zach Johnston
Method:
Add the gin, Lillet, St. Germain, grapefruit juice, and bitters to a cocktail shaker. Add a large handful of ice, affix the lid, and then shake vigorously until the cocktail shaker is ice-cold to touch.
Fetch the glass from the freezer and double strain (with the cocktail strainer and fine mesh strainer) into the cocktail glass.
Express the oils from the grapefruit peel over the glass and discard. Serve.
Bottom Line:
Zach Johnston
This is bright and super refreshing, which is a great feel for January sipping. It’s a great change of pace from the heavy winter cocktails that dominate the colder months, and it kind of feels like a good low(ish) alcohol cocktail for a “damp” January.
The grapefruit and lemon bitters make this cocktail pop on the palate. It’s truly vibrant in every way. The gin is there with a fleeting sense of botanicals, but it is never overpowering — you barely get juniper at all.
The overall vibe is soft yet bright and well-balanced between bitter, botanical, herbal, and barley sweetened — the sweetness only comes through with the Lillet and grapefruit (which is one of the sweeter citruses). For my palate, I have to say — it’s a pretty nice sipper.
Hidden Track: Vodka Diet Coke
So this — vodka and Diet Coke — is classically considered Taylor Swift’s favorite cocktail. Watch the video above again. She clearly actually drinks this. Which… are celebrities keeping Diet Coke alive? Why not Coke Zero? I digress.
Anyway, this is a super easy highball that anyone can make in an instant.
Ingredients:
2 oz. vodka
4 oz. Diet Coke
Ice
Lemon wedge
These are easily sourceable ingredients from any store.
Zach Johnston
What You’ll Need:
Highball glass
Jigger
Paring knife
Straw
Method:
Fill the highball glass with ice. Pour the vodka over the ice and top with Diet Coke.
Slice a wedge from a lemon and pop it on the glass with a straw. Serve.
Bottom Line:
Zach Johnston
Okay, bear with me. I like this a lot more than the French Blonde. There’s something that vodka does to amp up the Diet Coke that just works. It’s fresh and vibrant while feeling like a sneaky treat with a hint of alcohol lurking beneath it all. You get the loving feel of the Coke without that acrid Diet Coke taste, which feels kind of like a magic trick. I can see drinking these all the time as end-of-day relaxation highballs, weekend brunch sippers, or just in general — which is saying a lot as I famously hate Diet Coke.
Comedian and actor Jo Koy hosted the 2024 Golden Globes last night (January 7), and his joke about Taylor Swift, but more so her reaction to it, is making headlines.
What did Jo Koy say about Taylor Swift at the 2024 Golden Globes?
At one point during the show, Koy said, “As you know, we came on after a football doubleheader. The big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL: On the Golden Globes, we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift, I swear.”
There was some light, scattered laughter from the audience as the broadcast cut to a shot of Taylor Swift. She was either truly not amused or giving a Globe-worthy acting performance, sporting a stern, glaring expression and taking a sip of her drink.
Taylor Swift takes a sip of her drink after Jo Koy’s joke about her at the #GoldenGlobes.
“The big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL? At the Golden Globes, we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift.” pic.twitter.com/d2TDVcUGv5
Swift recently addressed backlash from NFL fans over the extensive media coverage of her presence at games, saying in a December interview, “I’m just there to support Travis. I have no awareness of if I’m being shown too much and pissing off a few dads, Brads, and Chads.”
Koy himself acknowledged that his jokes weren’t necessarily all landing, telling the audience at one point, “I got the gig 10 days ago! You want a perfect monologue?” Indeed, Koy was a last-minute hire for the show and had less than two weeks to prepare.
Swift, meanwhile, was part of another viral moment from the evening, although it didn’t happen on stage: Videos from the event show Selena Gomez telling Swift and Keleigh Teller something that got animated reactions, which some believe to be about Kylie Jenner refusing to let her take a photo with Timothée Chalamet.
2024 is here. And as the year brings about resolutions of change and a healthy dose of election-year dread, the certainty of a host of new music will help soundtrack the highs and lows that are ahead.
Some of the new albums have official titles and dates — including offerings from Kali Uchis, Usher, and The Smile — while other albums are more in the expected camp than fully confirmed, like new full-lengths from Dua Lipa, Playboi Carti, and Lil Nas X. But, it wouldn’t be a fun most anticipated albums list without some pure speculation, too, and you’ll find plenty of that below. And of course, our hopes are always high for a couple of albums you will not find below, the forever anticipated new releases from Frank Ocean and Rihanna.
Check out the most anticipated albums of 2024 below.
21 Savage
In the five years since his last solo album, I Am > I Was, 21 Savage has showcased his versatility. Through smooth, melodic grooves on his Drake collaborative album Her Loss, and scorching rhythmic beats on his Metro Boomin’ collab Savage Mode II, 21 proves that he can switch it up with ease, matching the energy of those he works with. But fans are long overdue for a reminder of what he can do at his own discretion. – Alex Gonzalez
Adrianne Lenker
Do we know for sure that an Adrianne Lenker album is coming in 2024? No. Does it look like one is? Absolutely. In December, the Big Thief leader, who has maintained an active solo career for the past decade, shared a new song, “Ruined,” and announced 2024 tour dates. All that’s left is an album announcement, and given that those tour dates start in late March, that news could arrive at some point before then. – Derrick Rossignol
Anitta
Brazilian superstar Anitta has been taking the world by storm. Through sexually-empowerment and pure, vulnerable, love, her music has made fans smile, cry, and most importantly, dance. Last August, Anitta released her EP Funk Generation: A Favela Love Story, a bridge signaling an era of groovy, funk-inspired tunes. If we’ve learned anything about Anitta throughout her illustrious career, it’s that she’s a survivor, and her upcoming sixth studio album will instill confidence and power on the dancefloor. – A.G.
While being the coolest dad in the world and working through an unfortunately-timed assault case, ASAP Rocky has also apparently been working on his fourth studio album, Don’t Be Dumb. Throughout the year, he has released a handful of previews, premiering a new song at Rolling Loud Miami just days after dropping the single “Riot (Rowdy Pipe’n).” In January of last year, he said he was putting the “finishing touches” on the album, so at this point, it’s all a matter of timing. – Aaron Williams
You heard it here first: Ayra Starr will become a global star in 2024. She has all the talents that her successful peers Tems and Tyla have displayed in their respective rises to the top. Whether it be singing, songwriting, or dancing, Ayra Starr can do it. All that’s left for the Nigerian singer to do is release her debut album, which she said was “80%” complete back in July. With “Sability” and “Rhythm & Vibes” as the presumed lead singles from her debut, we can expect it to be just as good, if not better, than her 2021 EP 19 & Dangerous. – Wongo Okon
Bartees Strange
There’s not currently much to know about Bartees Strange’s next album. It hasn’t even been officially announced, but that doesn’t mean it’s not coming: In response to his inclusion on a most-anticipated albums list, Bartees responded on X/Twitter with a wall of smiling devil emojis. A couple days later, he asked his followers for recommendations for the “best guitar shop in Toronto for older guitars, weird synths, etc.” So, let’s prepare, perhaps, for Bartees to continue expanding on his sound, which has made him a favorite since first emerging a few years ago. – D.R.
Billie Eilish
Finneas recently estimated that Billie Eilish’s next album is “85 percent done,” and I have never cared more about the 15-percent gap between 85 and 100. Eilish’s 2023 musical contribution was the multi-nominatedBarbie soundtrack standout “What Was I Made For?,” which helped her crack the code on crippling post-Happier Than Ever writer’s block. At the Barbie premiere, Eilish told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe that she’s aesthetically “trolling these b*tches,” and we’ll have to see how (or if) that translates sonically. – M.A.
Bleachers – Bleachers (3/8)
With two singles — “Alma Mater” (which features Lana Del Rey on guest vocals) and “Modern Girl” — already out, Bleachers have built some serious anticipation for the upcoming self-titled album. Although it won’t be out until March, the record includes four bonus tracks, making it 18 songs in total. Fans will also get to hear the new tunes on the road, with both a UK and North American tour planned next year. – Lexi Lane
Brittany Howard – What Now (2/2)
Soul rocker Brittany Howard announced her sophomore albumWhat Now in October, sharing its sinuous title track along with a slew of tour dates extended well into the new year. In November, she followed up with the more experimental “Red Flags,” which suggested she’d continue the more left-field divergence from her bluesy work with Alabama Shakes which she began on her debut album Jaime. – A.W.
Camila Cabello
Save for a voice role in the movie Trolls Band Together, 2023 was mostly quiet for Camila Cabello. It turns out, though, that she was busy behind the scenes. Before the year ended, Cabello shared a series of social media posts looking back at 2023, and they indicated she’s been busy working on new music, which will seemingly be unveiled in the new year. In one telling Instagram Story featuring a selfie with a microphone, she wrote, “mostly the year of this [zippered mouth emoji] see you next year b*tches.” So, it certainly appears 2024 will yield Cabello’s first album since early 2022’s Familia… b*tches. – D.R.
Cardi B
For the past several years — at least since 2020 — there has perhaps been no more anticipated album in all of hip-hop than Cardi B’s expected follow-up to Invasion Of Privacy, which carries over from last year’s most anticipated list. In many ways, we have her history-making debut to thank for the delay; Cardi herself has said that she’s intimidated by the prospect of falling short of the insanely high bar the 2018 album set. Debuting at No. 1 and spawning two diamond-certified No. 1 singles, Invasionbroke every record there was for a woman-led rap album to break. So far, we’ve gotten a single, the Megan Thee Stallion-featuring “Bongos,” and a lot of promises from Cardi that she’s been in the studio working to ensure she tops her debut. – A.W.
Charli XCX
Charli XCX took a trip to Barbie world with a her infectious pop banger “Speed Drive,” and then her Sam Smith collaboration “In The City” demonstrated that the vibe could continue across her upcoming music. Although it is unclear when the next project will hit streaming platforms, Charli doesn’t typically stay dormant for long. And with Charli set to perform at Primavera Sound Barcelona 2024 in May, it wouldn’t be surprising if it was anytime in the next few months. – Flisadam Pointer
Childish Gambino
Donald Glover is a pretty busy guy. Even with the end of Atlanta and the turmoil surrounding his Lando spinoff, he’s got Mr. And Mrs. Smith and the Community movie coming up. So it was probably fair to believe him when he said he wanted to retire from music. And yet, here we are: with Glover promising a new album “soon” but otherwise remaining cryptic, despite Tyler The Creator’s advice. The best thing, though, is we have no idea what we could get. Will it be Camp rap? Awaken, My Love soul? 3.15.20-esque experimentation? Anything could happen, and that’s why we can’t wait to find out. – A.W.
Doechii
Doechii appeared on last year’s most anticipated list, with TDE founder/CEO Top Dawg Tiffith saying Doechii’s debut album was planned for a 2023 release along with projects from TDE OGs Jay Rock and Schoolboy Q, as well as her fellow freshmen Ray Vaughn and Reason. Then SZA’s second album happened, and a lot of attention was rightly diverted to keeping the gravy train rolling. But now that things have calmed down on that front, fans are undoubtedly hungrier than ever for the Florida rapper’s full-length — especially after she stole the show as an opener on Doja Cat’s Scarlet tour. Doechii hasn’t revealed when her album will drop just yet, but she has released a stream of strong singles, including “Booty Drop,” “Pacer,” and “Universal Swamp Anthem.” – A.W.
Dua Lipa
“Houdini” is the perfect (presumed) lead single for Dua Lipa’s forthcoming third studio album because the album has been eluding us for what feels like forever. Dua has teased it several times, dating back to early 2022, and the vision had “taken a complete turn” by the end of that year. Most recently, Dua shared she was “going for more of, like, psychedelic-pop vibe” when making it with Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker, Tobias Jesso Jr., Danny L. Harle, and Caroline Ailin. – M.A.
FKA Twigs
No two FKA Twigs albums sound alike, but that’s part of the allure. Over the years, she’s transported us into haunted club scenes, magical haunted forests, and technological, robotic soundscapes. It may be a bit until we get the next FKA Twigs project — due to the fact that 85 of her demos leaked to the internet last October and she scrapped what she was working on — but we look forward to where she’ll take us next. – A.G.
FLO
FLO made their mark as a British girl group set on impacting R&B, and in 2023, they did just that. Whether it be songs like “Fly Girl” with Missy Elliott, collaborations with Stormzy, or their The Lead EP which shot them into the mainstream light, FLO has proved their talents through these instances and others. Next up on the agenda for the girls is releasing their debut album, which they teased and updated fans on throughout 2023. FLO spoke about their album during an interview with Uproxx last summer. “That’s also what our album gonna be about,” Stella said, “just us and our journey and being honest about everything.” – W.O.
Flo Milli
When Flo Milli first burst onto the scene in 2018 with her breakout single “Beef FloMix” and its 2019 follow-up “In The Party” (thanks in large part to TikTok, natch), rap fans and music publications alike proclaimed great things for her future. She has, in most respects, lived up to those expectations, with two cheekily titled mixtapes — Ho, Why Is You Here? and You Still Here, Ho? — as well as a well-attended national headlining tour to her name. However, the true test will be whether her official debut album, Fine Ho, Stay, can live up to the hype. Her well-earned confidence is clear in its definitive title. – A.W.
Future & Metro Boomin
Future and Metro Boomin have long been one of rap’s most celebrated dynamic duos. In addition to gifting Metro one of his iconic producer tags (“if young Metro don’t trust you…”), Future has delivered some of his most storied performances on Metro’s beats, including “Jumpman,” “Mask Off,” and the fan-favorite mixtape Monster. Meanwhile, Metro is on a hot streak, coming off his second solo album, the latest Spider-Verse soundtrack, and Young Thug’s most recent album from behind bars. In January, Future called the project the “album of the year” (studiously avoiding noting which year), while Metro teased part of a new song in June. Although they didn’t finish by the end of 2023 (by this writing), Metro did promise that this album is his top priority — which is impressive, considering he’s also heavily producing ASAP Rocky’s upcoming album. – A.W.
Future Islands – People Who Aren’t There Anymore (1/26)
Future Islands reached their commercial crest with 2014’s Singles, and they’ve remained consistent since then, busting out a new album of high-quality, synth- and bass-driven indie rock every few years. (Speaking of what band members have been up to, props to Samuel T. Herring for his role in the 2023 Apple TV+ series The Changeling.) Their latest was 2020’s As Long As You Are, meaning they’re due. Right on schedule, People Who Aren’t There Anymore is set for January, which they announced in October with “The Tower, a driving and evocative single that fits nicely in the band’s soaring oeuvre. – D.R.
Glorilla
2024 is shaping up to be the year of the hip-hop it-girls, with expected releases from Ice Spice, Flo Milli, and more in the works. GloRilla slots right into that list thanks to her stellar breakout in 2022 with “FNF” and “Tomorrow 2.” Fans expecting her to release her debut album in 2023 wound up a little disappointed that she put it off for a year — but that might turn out to be a wise move. After all, it gave her a year to live and write, polishing her debut, which she teased in August in an interview with Good Morning America. – A.W.
Grandaddy – Blu Wav (2/16)
Grandaddy broke up in 2006, leaving behind Just Like The Fambly Cat as their final album. They later reunited, though, and dropped another album, Last Place, in 2017. Seven years later, the comeback continues with Blu Wav, the title of which represents a mash-up of “bluegrass” and “new wave.” Indeed, when sharing “Watercooler,” Jason Lytle said, “Listeners will also notice the pedal steel on this track and eventually on many others from the forthcoming new album. It’s a first for Grandaddy, and I couldn’t be more thrilled about this fact.” – D.R.
Green Day – Saviors (1/19)
Green Day made perhaps the defining political rock album of its era with 2004’s American Idiot, but they mostly kept that stuff out of the conversation with their latest album, 2020’s Father Of All Motherf*ckers. They have Saviors set to drop in January, though, and they’re getting back in the political saddle, with Billie Joe Armstrong saying, “This time, we brought it out, and we felt like it was the perfect time for it,” he said. “It takes those special, inspired moments to have a moment like ‘The American Dream Is Killing Me.’” – D.R.
Grimes
Grimes unveiled Miss Anthropocene in early 2020, and since then, it appears she has deprioritized her music career: Aside from becoming an AI influencer, she declared in early 2023 that music is currently her “side quest.” Still, she did promise to release her upcoming project, known as Book 1, and she did deliver new music in 2023 with songs like “Welcome To The Opera” and “I Wanna Be Software.” – D.R.
Halsey
Fresh out of the longstanding beef with their former record label and nestling into a new recording home, fans are eager to see what’s next for Halsey. According to them, new music is atop the list. With the creative blockage removed, Halsey’s next project is sure to shoot to the top of the charts. – F.P.
Helado Negro – Phaser (2/9)
Helado Negro broke through in 2019 with the album This Is How You Smile and followed it nicely in 2021 with Far In, his first album for 4AD. Now he’s got Phasor coming in 2024. He announced the project in October and explained that it was inspired in part by Lupe Lopez, a Mexican-American woman known for building amplifiers for Fender Guitars in the ’50s. Fans won’t have to wait long to hear the new batch of songs live, as Helado has a tour kicking off right after the album’s February release. – D.R.
Ice Spice
2023 was the year of Ice Spice. The breakout rapper weathered a tidal wave of criticism as she garnered an equally large wave of attention behind high-profile collabs with Nicki Minaj, PinkPantheress, and Taylor Swift. Her Like…? kept her momentum going but also merely whet fans’ appetites for the main course. Although she hasn’t said anything concrete about when her official debut album is coming, a viral video of an Ice Spice flag flying over the Capitol Records building in Hollywood suggests that the “Ice Age” is soon to begin and blanket the world in a cloud of Spice. – A.W.
Idles – TANGK (2/16)
British indie darlings Idles are turning up the heat on their upcoming fifth album, TANGK. With production by Kenny Beats, Nigel Godrich, and Idles’s own Mark Bowen, TANGK is shaping up to be unlike anything the band has ever done before — from the bravado displaying “Dancer” to the smooth, downtempo “Grace.” According to lead vocalist Joe Talbot, TANGK was born out a need for love, which will reflect in the album’s 11 tracks. – A.G.
J Balvin
J Balvin fans can expect a ton of new music from the Colombian superstar. In December, he released a new single, “Amigos,” which was accompanied by a cinematic arctic visual. He is also set to embark on the international Que Bueno Volver Al Verte tour, which will see him visit various arenas across the world. In addition to music of his own, Balvin also plans to drop a collaborative album with Ed Sheeran. – A.G.
J. Cole – The Fall Off
Philip Cosores
J. Cole’s upcoming, constantly-teased album is another holdover from 2023’s list as it appears it needed a bit more time in the crock pot to hit all the notes Cole is apparently looking for from his possible swan song. In November, he explained the title on an episode of Lil Yachty’s podcast A Safe Space, he hinted that “the fall-off” is a phase he never wants to actually enter, instead going out at the height of his powers and popularity. That’s a good indicator this one might be his last, as well as a prompt of what to expect: his best. – A.W.
Jay Rock – Eastside Johnny
Jay Rock’s long-awaited follow-up to 2018’s Redemption was slated for release in 2023, but you sort of have to give the artists of Top Dawg Entertainment a lot of leeway in that regard. The recent successes of Isaiah Rashad’s The House Is Burning and SZA’s SOS are all the validation you could ask for regarding their “tortoise” approach (as opposed to the “hare” from the fable). Rocky started rolling out Eastside Johnny in June with the raucous single “Eastside,” continuing in July with “Too Fast,” then “Blowfly.” with three singles out, it wouldn’t be a surprise if this wound up being a first-quarter release, but a much later one wouldn’t be out of the question at all. – A.W.
The 2020s have proven to be rough, and Jhené Aiko’s most recent album, Chilombo dropped almost four years ago, a week before the world went into lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot has changed between now and then, but Aiko’s music continues to be a timeless source of energy. By the grace of her magical Pisces energy, we’re sure a new project will give us the collective healing we all need. – A.G.
Jin
BTS’ ongoing hiatus was announced in October 2022 because, in part, the K-pop pioneers needed to fulfill their mandatory military service. Jin was the first to enlist, and BTS’ Army faithful missed him so much that BigHit had to formally request they stop sending any more letters and gifts. Jin recently shared a video message in which he expressed excitement about what he’ll be able to resume doing after completing his service in the coming months, including “working hard.” That could mean any number of things, but making music feels like a safe assumption, as does the possibility that his next release will be his most warmly received yet. – M.A.
Joanna Newsom
Joanna Newsom has been quiet recently, but she has been patiently starting to reemerge in recent months. She was a surprise support act for Fleet Foxes in March, which was her first public performance since 2020. She’s also on the Kilby Block Party 2024 lineup, and she doesn’t make festival appearances every day. So, you can’t blame a fan for hoping that her first album since 2015’s Divers is actually, finally coming. – D.R.
Joyce Wrice
Nearly three years ago, Los Angeles-based singer Joyce Wrice released her debut album Overgrown, and the project was met with critical acclaim. In fact, many would say it is one of the strongest debuts that R&B has received in that timespan. Since then, she released her Motive EP with production alongside Kaytranada, collaborated with Mahalia, performed on NPR’s Tiny Desk, and recorded the new theme song for The Proud Family: Louder & Prouder series. Now, it’s time for Wrice’s next album and we can expect that in 2024 as she announced on X last fall that she is in “sophomore album mode.” – W.O.
Justin Timberlake
While nothing is on the record yet, it appears Justin Timberlake has some major plans for 2024. In September, there were reports of a potential NSYNC reunion tour. However, Billboard debunked those, with the cited reason being that Timberlake is planning his own solo tour, in support of a new solo album. If a new JT album indeed does materialize in 2024, it’ll be his first in a while, since 2018’s Man Of The Woods (although he was all over the Trolls World Tour soundtrack in 2020). – D.R.
Kacey Musgraves
Kacey Musgraves stamped 2023 without releasing solo material. The six-time Grammy winner notched two Billboard Hot 100 entries as the featured artist on Zach Bryan’s “I Remember Everything” (No. 1) and Noah Kahan’s “She Calls Me Back” (No. 76). Most recently, Musgraves teamed with Madi Diaz for “Don’t Do Me Good,” a single from Diaz’s forthcoming Weird Faith album. Perhaps Musgraves’ collaboration choices instruct what direction her fifth LP will take, but we need her to confirm an album is en route before we can make any predictions about it. Whatever it is, whenever it arrives — hopefully, in 2024 — it will be her first since her 2021 “divorce album”star-crossed. – M.A.
Kali Uchis – Orquideas (1/12)
Colombian singer Kali Uchis came through on her word, promising two albums in the span of a year — one in English and one in Spanish. On 2023’s Red Moon In Venus, Uchis heals by way of nature and spirituality. On her upcoming second Spanish album (and fourth overall), Orquídeas, fans will get to hear Uchis navigate sex, heartbreak, and fame in her native tongue. If the songs “Muñekita” and “Labios Mordidos” are of any indication, Orquídeas may be a special gift crafted to empower the ladies. – A.G.
Katy Kirby – Blue Raspberry (1/26)
Kirby became an indie favorite with 2021’s Cool Dry Place, but now, she’s onto her third LP, Blue Raspberry. In a recent Uproxx interview, she said of the album, “I felt like I should honor the spirit of these songs, and let them be big, beautiful love songs, and not try to complicate that or to be squeamish about it. I think it would have been easier for me to make them a little smaller. But I was like, ah, they’re queer love songs; they deserve to sound like a big, romantic deal.” – D.R.
Kehlani
Kehlani has yet to go more than two years without a project which makes it likely that 2024 will present a new album from the Oakland native. This year is a special one for Kehlani as this August will mark ten years since she released her debut mixtape Cloud 19. Though she’s yet to release a single from this upcoming project, a post on her Instagram to close 2023 let us know that music is indeed on the way. “The labor of pure joy in the last 6 months provided a rebirth, there’s been break through, a redefinition,” she wrote. “When it’s time for Her, she will arrive,” later adding, “felt like i owed u an update. i’m almost done.” – W.O.
2023 was supposed to be Lil Baby’s year. Unfortunately, touring issues and subtle feuds clouded his artistic shine. However, with a string of new singles out, his recently announced social media break until his next album is done, and his 4PF label signee, 42 Dugg, getting out of prison, the chips are stacking up in Lil Baby’s favor to have an epic 2024 run. – F.P.
Lil Nas X
wrote AND directed my own music video for the first time. excited for y’all to see. it’s the best one yet!
A lot’s changed since “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X’s 2019 viral breakout single, both for him and the music business as a whole. “OTR” was arguably the song that put TikTok on major labels’ maps, upending decades of established marketing strategy and touching off the ongoing arms race for the latest viral sensation (to seemingly diminishing returns for all parties involved). Meanwhile, Nas himself has become a superstar; his debut album Montero peaked just short of the top of the Billboard 200 at No. 2, its title song (subtitled “Call Me By Your Name“) skyrocketed to No. 1 on the Hot 100, and Nas has become a charismatic controversy magnet whose trolling doubles as both forward-thinking music promotion and incisive commentary on his critics’ outstanding hypocrisy. He’s already teased some tidbits about his next album, such as a projected summer release date. We can’t wait to see what mischief (heh) his next album will bring. – A.W
Lil Uzi Vert – Luv Is Rage 3
The original Luv Is Rage, Lil Uzi Vert’s debut mixtape, landed in 2015, sparking a seismic shift in the hip-hop landscape. Its 2017 sequel constituted Uzi’s official debut album spawning the star-making single “XO Tour Llif3,” becoming an instant classic and fan favorite of the so-called SoundCloud era. In November, Uzi confirmed the third installment after teasing it for months prior while hinting that it could be their last album ever. Later, they doubled down on the claim, predicting a future career in women’s fashion. Rappers are constantly threatening retirement but rarely do they actually follow through. Whether or not Uzi does so after releasing Luv Is Rage 3, the Philadelphia rapper does have one thing such a heavily-anticipated swan song can afford them: the opportunity to go out on top. – A.W.
Lorde
Lorde has taken fans to the beach, a house party, and even the tennis courts. And while it’s unclear where she’ll be sonically driving fans next, they are all still strapped in for the ride. The pop star said previously that she takes quite a bit of time to research while making a new album. (It was about six years between her sophomore hit, Melodrama, and 2021’s Solar Power.) Yet, her social media activity has convinced fans that it might not be nearly as long, with a post recently teasing that she was “listening to myself.” – L.L.
Lucky Daye
You’ll be sure to find Lucky Daye atop the Mt. Rushmore of today’s day R&B landscape. His first two albums Painted and Candydrip are filled with evidence for why he holds that position and his upcoming third album will only add to it. Led by the Bruno Mars co-written and co-produced single “That’s You,” Lucky Daye has seemingly begun the rollout for album No. 3 with a project-defining single that should be as impactful as “Roll Some Mo” and “Over” were for Painted and Candydrip, respectively. – W.O.
Madi Diaz – Weird Faith (2/9)
Diaz earned herself some new fans in 2022 after opening for Harry Styles on his Love On Tour. She had just released the Same History, New Feelings EP at the time, and when she embarks on her own tour in February, she’ll be supporting a new album, Weird Faith. She has clearly earned favor in the pop world, as aside from the Styles nod, she collaborated with chart-topper Kacey Musgraves on “Don’t Do Me Good.” – D.R.
Mannequin Pussy – I Got Heaven (3/1)
In May, Marisa “Missy” Dabice told Uproxx that Mannequin Pussy doesn’t “necessarily want to be playing live because we’re just sitting on all these new songs and a new set that we are excited about playing but can’t just yet.” Months later, the band made the news official by announcing I Got Heaven in October. They’ve shared a couple singles so far, “I Don’t Know You and the title track, and both have a shoegaze-y vibe that’s gonna sound terrific in 2024. – D.R.
Megan Thee Stallion
New Year, new Stallion. The Hot Girl Coach finds herself in a much better place to begin 2024; she’s put both her legal dispute with her label and the Tory Lanez shooting case in her rearview, and she’s newly independent, meaning she’s the one calling all the shots on her next album. She kicked off her new era with the confessional return to form, “Cobra,” and predicted in September that her next album will contain “a lot of rawness, a lot of realness, a lot of sh*t talking,” while a more recent live stream promised she wouldn’t hold back, answering anyone who has called her out over the past couple of years. – A.W.
MGMT – Loss Of Life (2/23)
It’s been over 15 years since MGMT took over the indie landscape with hits like “Electric Feel” and “Kids.” That was essentially forever ago now, but through the years, the duo has continued to (relatively infrequently) bust out quality psychedelic jams. Their last album, their fourth, was 2018’s Little Dark Age, and they got Loss Of Life coming this year, which they teased in 2023 with Mother Nature and “Bubblegum Dog.” – D.R.
Miguel – Visera
If Miguel’s upcoming album, Viscera, boasts timeless classics like his breakthrough single, “Sure Thing,” fans know they are in for a treat. Over the past few months, the elusive singer has teased his fifth studio album by way of wild stunts, including hanging in midair through hooks pierced into his back. This, and surely his upcoming music, will prompt a visceral reaction. – A.G..
Omar Apollo
It seems unfair to expect Omar Apollo’s next album to find him more vulnerable than he’s already been, whether on his 2022 debut album, Ivory, which earned him a Best New Artist nomination at the Grammys, or across the four tracks of his October 2023 EP, Live For Me, especially his coming-out anthem “Ice Slippin” and its visceral video. But you also will never catch me questioning Apollo’s ability to do anything. It’s fitting that his first Billboard Hot 100 entry was 2022’s “Evergreen” because that’s the only word suitable for his artistry. Apollo hasn’t confirmed a 2024 album, but he captioned his Instagram post upon releasing Live For Me, “Love these songs so much. They’re a perfect transition for what’s to come.”- M.A.
PartyNextDoor – P4
PartyNextDoor’s 2020 third album PartyMobile came three years after PartyNextDoor 3, and with it, fans hoped that they wouldn’t have to wait as long for the OVO crooner’s next album, PartyNextDoor 4. The bad news on that is it’s been four years since PartyMobile, but the good news is that 2023 delivered two singles from the album, “Her Old Friends” and “Resentment.” Both Drake and PND himself have confirmed that the album is on its way, so it’s only a matter of time until PartyNextDoor 4 is in our hands. – W.O.
Playboy Carti – Music
Playboi Carti, hip-hop’s rebel child as many might call him, is days away from making another splash in the music industry. The rapper’s third album, tentatively titled Music, is moments from dropping as Carti released four YouTube-exclusive singles: “Different Day,” “2024,” “HoodByAir,” and “Backr00ms.” There’s no word on when Music will be released, but we can expect it to be as eccentric as pretty much everything that Playboi Carti has delivered to the world. – W.O.
Pusha T & DJ Drama
DJ Drama’s “Gangsta Grillz” mixtapes are a hip-hop institution, denoting either the highest levels of achievement at the craft of creating certified rap hits or the DJ’s seal of approval for up-and-coming bar smiths. Pusha T falls into the former category, but with the fervent fanbase of the latter. So when they revealed on Twitter Spaces (RIP) last Christmas that they’ve been working on a Gangsta Grillz installment, the announcement rightfully generated plenty of excitement. Considering the success Drama’s most recent work with fellow iconoclast Tyler The Creator and Pusha’s own improbably improving output after 20-plus years in the game, that excitement can certainly be considered justified. – A.W.
Real Estate – Daniel (2/23)
Real Estate fans have been eating. The breezy indie rockers released The Main Thing in 2020; Alex Bleeker had a solo album, Heaven On The Faultline, in 2021; and Martin Courtney dropped his second solo album, Magic Sign, in 2022. Now the group is getting back together for Daniel, their sixth album. That’s set for February and Real Estate announced it in November with “Water Underground,” which arrived alongside a delightfully nostalgic, The Adventures Of Pete & Pete-inspired video. – D.R.
Schoolboy Q
Top Dawg Entertainment fans have plenty to look forward to as the LA label moves into its post-Kendrick Lamar era. The roster has grown, with increasing emphasis being placed on its rookies and sophomores like Reason, Ray Vaughn, and Doechii, but that doesn’t mean they’ve forgotten about the OGs. Now that Ab-Soul has made a triumphant comeback, the Black Hippy focus has shifted to impeding returns from both Jay Rock and Schoolboy Q, both of which Top has said are on the docket — although, true to form, they weren’t released quite on the original planned timeline. In June, Q said his new album — his first since 2019’s Crash Talk — is being mixed, which could mean a summertime release, if all goes according to plan. – A.W.
Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez was happy — thrilled, even! — to be rid of a relationship in her pop bop “Single Soon” from August, but she seems even happier now with rumored boyfriend Benny Blanco, which bodes well for Gomez’s previously stated goal to “have some fun” with her next album. Gomez earned her first-ever Grammy nomination with her 2021 Spanish EP, Revelación, but we haven’t enjoyed a full-blown album rollout since 2020’s Rare, and we’d need a full season of Only Murders In The Building to cover everything Gomez has been through since then. Luckily, Gomez plans to fill us in soon, as she confirmed via Instagram comment in early December that SG3 is due “in 2 months” (as per Forbes). Soak it up because it could very well be her final musical output, as she explained on the Smartless podcast. – M.A.
serpentwithfeet – GRIP (2/16)
serpentwiftfeet’s upcoming third studio album, GRIP is a love letter Black queer nightlife. Over the course of the album, serpent steps into his R&B bag delivering a captivating queer love story by way of smooth tunes. GRIP is also set to feature Ty Dolla $ign, Orion Sun, and Mick Jenkins, creating an alternate universe through modern hip-hop and soul grooves. – A.G.
Sky Ferreira – Masochism
Although Sky Ferreira has made the anticipated lists at music publications for years for her sophomore album, Masochism, it seems like 2024 might actually be a possibility for its official arrival. During her sold-out NYC show and other recent stops, she played new songs called “Innocent Kind” and “All My Lovers Die.” Last month, there was also speculation that Ferreira left Capitol Records, and it only took years of fighting since her 2013 debut. – L.L.
Sleater-Kinney – Little Rope (1/19)
The Sleater-Kinney reunion is nearly a decade old now (their comeback album, No Cities To Love, dropped in 2015). While there has been some change (the band’s latest album, 2021’s Path Of Wellness, was their first following the departure of longtime drummer Janet Weiss), Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker are trucking on in 2024 with Little Rope. They previewed the upcoming LP in October with “Hell,” a raucous lead single that impactfully plays with loud-quiet dynamics. – D.R.
Snoh Aalegra
Since dropping her debut album Feels in 2017, Swedish R&B sensation Snoh Aalegra has maintained a consistent release schedule of dropping an album every two years. However, she deviated from this schedule last year, two years after the release of her third album, Temporary Highs In Violet Skies. Still, she did drop some breezy singles, including “Wait A Little Longer,” “Sweet Tea.” and “Be My Summer.” With a promising three-pack, fans are waiting on pins and needles for new Aalegra music. – A.G.
SZA – Lana
While the wait was long between SZA’s first two albums, CTRL and SOS, it looks like SZA’s next project will arrive sooner rather than later. In recent weeks, SZA has taken to social media to tease Lana, her third album, which originally began as an expansion upon SOS. While making the album, SZA explained to Variety that the album has become its own musical universe. “It’s outtakes and new stuff, too — I added a couple of songs,” she said. – A.G.
Taylor Swift – Reputation (TV)
Taylor Swift’s original Reputation album served as a rebirth for her in a way, channeling the intense internet scrutiny into an energetic body of work. Now, it is one of the last two records she has to re-record, with many fans believing this will be her next Taylor’s Version drop. There have also been some snippets from “Delicate (Taylor’s Version)” and “Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor’s Version)” in different television shows, suggesting the record is just waiting until the right release time. – L.L.
Tems
Tems delivered her last project in 2021 with If Orange Was A Place, but in 2024 that drought should end. She’s already shared two singles with “Me & U” and “Not An Angel,” which are truly promising signs of what’s coming for the Nigerian singer. Remember, Tems earned a Grammy and a collaboration with Rihanna in 2023, all in a year that saw her release three songs. So just imagine what could come out of 2024 for Tems. – W.O.
The Internet
It’s always a good year when The Internet drops an album. Nowadays, those years are far and few as the group’s last album arrived in 2018 with Hive Mind. Since then, members Syd, Steve Lacy, Patrick Paige II, and Matt Martians all released solo projects. Now it appears that it’s time for the band to reunite and their fifth and final album. The Internet shared images from a studio session all the members could be seen working hard and enjoying the process of creating new records. We’ll have the wait and see if this upcoming project is indeed the group’s last, but all we can do for now is enjoy the ride as there’s a good chance that the fifth album will arrive in 2024. – W.O.
The Smile – Wall Of Eyes (1/26)
Radiohead? Never heard of it! Not in the past few years, anyway. While the band has been on a sort of unofficial hiatus since 2016’s A Moon Shaped Pool, Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood have been teaming up with Tom Skinner for a new endeavor, The Smile. The band has one well-received album under its belt, 2022’s A Light For Attracting Attention, and another one that’ll presumably be similarly lauded is on the way: The Smile announced Wall Of Eyes in November with the title track, an atmospheric number that’s an eerie sign of things to come. – D.R.
Tierra Whack
Quite frankly, it’s time for Tierra Whack to shit or get off of the pot. Although her EPs Pop?, Rap, and R&B? are just two years old, the last robust body of work Whack has released (Whack World) is nearly six. From her viral online freestyles to her shout-out from Beyoncé, 2024 is the optical time for Whack her highly anticipated album (even if it is to simply shut me up). – F.P.
Twenty88
It’s been a while since we’ve heard new music from either Big Sean or Jhené Aiko. But all for good reason. In the past year, Aiko launched her own label, Allel Recording. She’s also released self-care mantras on streaming platforms. With Sean, the two welcomed a baby boy, Noah, who recently celebrated his first birthday. All of this makes for plenty of inspiration for new music. – A.G.
Tyla – Tyla (3/1)
On March 1, South African singer Tyla will release her self-titled debut album. It will be both the crowning moment and the start of a new chapter for the artist who saw her stock shoot up toward the stars in 2023. Her “Water” single became her best-selling release to date thanks to a remix from Travis Scott and a TikTok challenge that was the savory spice to an already flavorful song. “Water” helped put eyes from near and far on Tyla, and she used that opportunity to show them her versatility with another amapiano release in “Truth Or Dare,” the tender “Butterflies” which leans more on R&B, as does the upbeat and flirtatious “On & On.” All of these will accompany “Water” on Tyla, which by the looks of it, will be a project that taps into all sides of the singer. – W.O.
Usher – Coming Home (2/11)
Now that Usher has completed his Las Vegas residency (and attempting to woo seemingly every celebrity that came through, to wildly various effects), he’s turned his attention to his upcoming Super Bowl Halftime Show headlining performance — and the album, Coming Home, scheduled to coincide with it. He explained the album’s title in an interview with Zane Lowe, saying, “In a sense, I’m coming home because I am in that comfortable space.” His single “Good Good” with fellow Atlantans Summer Walker and 21 Savage suggests that the release will see him employing his vocal gifts over contemporary production that is sure to please — the song peaked at No. 25 on the Hot 100 and No. 7 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. – A.W.
Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend’s last album was back in 2019, making it a few years since they released a project. However, through the group’s latest newsletter, they had a truly promising update for fans. “LP news by the end of the year,” band member Chris Tomson wrote. “It’s close to done and I feel like it just might be our best yet. 10 songs, no skips.” As for what to expect, lead singer Ezra Koenig had been taking raga singing lessons in Japan and writing seven of his all-time favorite songs for this record. – L.L.
Waxahatchee
Officially, there’s no word of a new album from Waxahatchee set to drop in 2024. But, there’s reason to hope. For one, she tends to drop something every year or two: Saint Cloud came in 2020, then she and Jess Williamson teamed up as Plains for I Walked With You A Ways in 2022. So, you could say she’s due. Furthermore, she’s on the 2024 Shaky Knees festival lineup for this May, so maybe that means she’ll have an album out by then. This is all speculation, of course, but new Waxahatchee is worth speculating about. – D.R.
Wisp
Wisp had a better 2023 than most other newcomers: The 19-year-old, San Francisco-based artist released their first song, “Your Face,” last year, and it’s currently sitting at over 30 million Spotify streams. She’s described her music as “like being underwater,” and that’s definitely accurate for the immersive shoegaze gems she’s released so far (just three songs so far). Back in May, Wisp indicated she had an EP on the way, and based on how promising her start has been, more new music can’t come soon enough. – D.R.
Wizkid
In the final weeks of 2023, Wizkid fired off a buzzer-beater with the release of his S2 project, short for Soundman 2, a follow-up to his 2018 EP. The four songs, which cover everything from amapiano to afro-fusion, are just a warm-up to his upcoming sixth album which we can expect to arrive at some point in 2024. It remains untitled and without a release window, but that won’t be the case for long. – W.O.
Zara Larrson – Venus (2/9)
A Zara Larsson project is guaranteed to have bops. But this summer, the Swedish pop sensation made a vulnerable reintroduction with her dance ballad “End Of Time.” We spoke with her via Zoom, as she was spending the summer at home, where she teased her upcoming third album, Venus. With Larsson’s peachy pop prowess, and Rick Nowels and Danja at the helm of production, Venus promises to be an incredible body of work. – A.G.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Ice Spice had a crazy 2023, and it could just be the beginning. In an interview with Billboard, her go-to producer, RiotUSA, revealed more is on the way. What is more? Ice Spice’s debut album.
“Fans should know I produce and record too, so look out for my music,” said RiotUSA. “Also look out for new classics with Ice in 2024. We’re working on her debut album as we speak.”
Ice Spice is officially a Grammy-nominated artist. The list of nominations was announced last month, with Ice Spice’s biggest nom in the category of Best New Artist.
Additional nominations for the “Munch” rapper were Best Rap Song and Best Song Written for Visual Media for “Barbie World,” and her collaboration with Taylor Swift, “Karma,” for Best Pop Duo or Group.
Hitting Instagram, Ice Spice shared the list of noms, writing “grATEful ^.^.”
The year is 2009: Obama is president, James Cameron is gearing up to release his little passion project Avatar, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is the number one show amongst nursing homes and doctor’s offices everywhere. It also happened to be Taylor Swift‘s favorite show. She was 19 at the time.
“For about three years I’ve been saying to everyone that my favorite show is CSI,” Swift told Rolling Stone back then. It was her “dream” to die on the show, and it ended up coming true all those years ago, before she singlehandedly changed the friendship bracelet industry.
Rolling Stone journalist Vanessa Grigoriadis revisited an interview with Swift for the Infamous podcast (caught by People). In the resurfaced interview, Swift described how her on-screen persona was different from her 2009 self, who had just released her second album Fearless. “I’m black-haired, have a nose ring, earrings, spikes, combat boots…” Swift told Grigoriadis. This is the opposite of what Swift’s 2009 persona was.
She continued, “And you end up figuring out that there’s this whole back story, and that my parents had a child that ended up dying and I was the second replacement child. And my mom never really loved me… and there are so many different intricate storylines that come into play,” she added. Swift knows a thing or two about intricate storylines so she was right at home.
The interview also revealed that Swift’s mother Andrea was not a fan of her (spoiler alert) corpse scene after she ended up dying in the episode. “My [own] mom was a little freaked out. I was open-eye dead, literally had to stare off into nothing and not breathe during the close-ups… not flinch or anything,” she said. That would have been a whole other show if she had flinched.
Nowadays, Swift is really good at acting. She acts like she cares about her boyfriend’s little ball game every week.
The Kansas City Chiefs had a very lackluster showing during their Christmas Day matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, and it left Taylor Swift and Patrick Mahomes’s wife, Brittany Mahomes, shocked.
Swift was present at the game in a Santa hat with her bae Travis Kelce’s number 87 on it. After a game-sealing run from Lamir White of the Raiders, Mahomes covered her face in shock as Swift held her. The Chiefs would fall 20-14 at Arrowhead Stadium, dropping their record to 9-6.
Taylor Swift had to comfort Brittany Mahomes after the Chiefs loss
Patrick Mahomes is looking at the rest of the season positively. “I still believe that we can go do what we want to do,” he said in postgame.
Mahomes added, “We’re two games left that are guaranteed and then you talk about the playoffs and so all you can do is move on to that next day, get better then and try to be better the next time we step on the field.”
Mahomes was 27-for-44 for 235 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. On the other end, quarterback Aidan O’Connell only threw for 62 yards, but the Raiders’ defense continued to make brilliant plays to get the win.
The Kansas City Chiefs could lock up the AFC West on Christmas Day when they host the Raiders, but Patrick Mahomes had bigger things to talk about as he sat down with CBS Morning’s Nate Burleson: Taylor Swift.
Mahomes said that Swift was basically a part of Chiefs Kingdom at this point, going as far as to call her “part of the team.”
CBS Morning tweeted out a teaser video of Burleson’s sitdown with Mahomes where he asked the quarterback about “the elephant in the room:” the Chiefs’ talented tight end Travis Kelce’s romance with the global superstar.
How are the Kansas City Chiefs handling Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s high-profile romance?@PatrickMahomes told @NateBurleson about Taylor’s influence on the team: “She’s just part of Chiefs Kingdom and she is part of the team.”
“Everybody else is talking about who (Kelce is) talking to,” Burleson said. “Did you guys address the elephant in the room in the beginning or was it something that you guys stayed away from in the locker room?”
“For us, there was a couple of jokes here and there at the beginning but now it’s just — she’s part of Chiefs Kingdom now. She’s part of the team,” Mahomes said.
Mahomes also said it was “cool” that Swift built a friendship with his wife, Brittany.
The two-time league MVP added that there was a lot he could learn from Swift. “It’s been cool to kind of interact with her and see, because she’s top-tier at her profession, and see how she drives and she becomes that. It’s really cool to hear about and to see. Now, I have a firsthand look at that through Brittany and Travis’ eyes. So it is really cool.
“I’m glad that she’s the person that she is and that’s why I think her and Travis match so well.”
Nicki Minaj answered some fan questions on Twitter, particularly if she would ever jump into the studio to collaborate with Taylor Swift. The answer was, obviously, yes, as Minaj didn’t hesitate to shower Swift with praise.
She responded that she would love to work with her “in a heartbeat.”
“The QUEEN TAYLOR DESERVES!!!! PERIOD!!!!!” Minaj wrote in a separate tweet. “She takes months & years off then comes back with great music & fans who’ll never leave her!!!!”
The SAG QUEEN TAYLOR DESERVES!!!! PERIOD!!!!!
She takes months & years off then comes back with great music & fans who’ll never leave her!!!!
The END!!!!!!!
I was simply discussing vinyls w/the barbz due to questions they had for me…
“The point is that we have something to aspire to as we watch the SAG QUEEN Taylor & the swifties & Republic Records,” she added, as she also discussed her own vinyl sales.
This is a CELEBRATION!!!!!
I’m about to thank each & every artist on this album.
But!!!!
The point is that we have something to aspire to as we watch the SAG QUEEN Taylor & the swifties & Republic Records.
Except for a brief 2015 feud, Swift and Minaj have been longtime friends. When the rapper dropped her song “Super Bass” years ago, as she was just getting started, Swift gave it a boost in listeners by promoting it.
A few months ago, fans had speculated if the two were actually working on music together for Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version). The theories started after Swift included the word “Sagittarius” in her puzzle on Google, which was tied to the album. Considering the two both share the same star sign, it seemed like a possibility.
“That’s my favorite Sagittarius over there,” Swift also described about Minaj at this year’s Video Music Awards.
Check out Minaj’s recent tweets about her love for Swift above.
pic.twitter.com/s4V2vgpUdu
