As the year draws to a close and we start to look back on our favourite records, let’s take a second to talk about the major albums still to come.
With the promise of actually being able to tour on the horizon, 2021’s album calendar keeps kicking well into Q4.
From Lana Del Rey’s second record of the year, to Adele’s highly-anticipated comeback, here are the most exciting releases on the way.
Lana Del Rey – ‘Blue Banisters’
Initially announced just after ‘Chemtrails Over the Country Club’, penned in for June 1 and called ‘Rock Candy Sweet’, Lana’s seventh full length will arrive on October 22. Keeping with the folk direction of ‘Chemtrails’, Jack Antonoff will be returning for a third round of production duties for Lana. It’ll feature her classic love-song-cum-ode-to-USA songwriting and some of her best vocals ever.
Remi Wolf – ‘Juno’
California’s Remi Wolf releases her zany debut album ‘Juno’, named after a dog she adopted in lockdown, this October. It’ll feature singles ‘Grumpy Old Man’ and ‘Quiet On Set’, and transports us to her world, which FYI, looks a bit like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, meets the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and dunked in green gunge.
Self Esteem – ‘Prioritise Pleasure’
Rebecca Lucy Taylor’s second album as Self Esteem brings back her unique version of how to be a pop star. Featuring the incredibly moving single ‘I Do This All The Time’, banger ‘How Can I Help You’ and the empowering title track, you’ll not hear another album like this in 2021.
James Blake – ‘Friends That Break Your Heart’
The follow up to James Blake’s 2019 surprise drop ‘Assume Form’ is almost upon us. After a small hold-up due to vinyl pressing delays (these indies, eh?), ‘Friends That Break Your Heart’ will arrive this month, and features SZA, J.I.D, and more.
Ms Banks – ‘Bank Statement’
UK rapper Ms Banks returns in October with new mixtape ‘Bank Statement’, featuring the Notting Hill Carnival-inspired banger ‘Go Low’. It’ll be her first full length project after her ‘Coldest Winter Ever’ series in 2018 and 2019, and follows collaborations with Stefflon Don, Tinashe and K.Trap. Huge!
Read our interview with Ms Banks
Little Mix – ‘Between Us’
Little Mix’s first album post-Jesy and it’s a greatest hits compilation, and my, what great hits they have! That includes four number ones, and almost every other song on there has hit the top ten! National treasures! There’ll also be new tracks without Jesy for the first time, including new single ‘Love (Sweet Love)’.
ABBA – ‘Voyage’
Mamma Mia, here we go again! ABBA made their long awaited (understatement!!) return after almost forty years, breaking their vow to never reform, and playing a virtual tour (featuring their ‘Abbatars’ *SCREAM*) live from a purpose built ABBA Arena in London. Their comeback single ‘I Still Have Faith In You’ features on ‘Voyage’, plus nine more new tracks.
Courtney Barnett – ‘Things Take Time, Take Time’
Aussie crooner Courtney Barnett is back with a new record in November, recorded at the of 2020, it’s an intimate look at Courtney’s private life. Led by single ‘Rae Street’, it builds on her usual laidback and honest style.
Taylor Swift – ‘Red (Taylor’s Version)’
Hot off the heels of her ‘Fearless’ re-recordings, Taylor’s country-pop crossover album ‘Red’ is next in line for the ‘Taylor’s Version’ treatment. Boasting new tracks featuring Phoebe Bridgers, Ed Sheeran and Chris Stapleton, plus a ten-minute version of standout ‘All Too Well’, we’re absolutely getting back together with this album.
CL – ‘ALPHA’
Legend of K-pop CL has had a rough ride solo, but after over a decade in the industry she’s finally set to release her debut solo album in 2021. She’ll be self-releasing the record later this year after a few pushbacks, with lead single ‘SPICY’ proving why she never stopped being the top dog.
Travis Scott – ‘Utopia’
After ‘ASTROWORLD’ rocketed him to superstar status, all eyes are on Travis Scott’s next move. His forthcoming album ‘Utopia’ is set to arrive sometime this year, and he’s been recording it in his home studio over the course of the pandemic. He’s said to be working with new people and producing a new sound that’ll be different to ‘ASTROWORLD’.
Saweetie – ‘Pretty Bitch Music’
Hitmaker Saweetie has been counting down to her debut album ‘Pretty Bitch Music’ for almost two years, delaying the release to reconstruct some songs, but with no official date, we’re still holding out hope for a 2021 release. Featuring singles ‘Best Friend’, ‘Fast (Motion)’, and ‘Tap In’, it’s set to be a smash.
Read our interview with Saweetie
Kendrick Lamar – TBA
Kendrick Lamar recently wrote a letter to fans about his upcoming record (his last with his label Top Dawg Entertainment). A couple of weeks later he registered twelve new tracks with ASCAP. Are the two connected? We sure hope so! It’ll be his first album since 2017’s Grammy-nominated ‘DAMN.’, and he recently popped up on Baby Keem’s single ‘Family Ties’.
Adele – ‘30’
ADELE IS COMING. It’s official. Like a Bat-Signal in the night, little 30s have been popping up all over the world, and who else could it be other than our Adele. Coming back after her record-breaking album ‘25’ in 2015, it’s been a long wait, and with some speculating Taylor Swift has moved her ‘Red’ rerecording forward a week to make way for Adele, it could be sooner than we anticipated. We’ve had a teaser of a new song called ‘Easy On Me’ – but she did post on her 31st birthday it’d “Be a drum n’ bass record to spite you”.
Read everything we know about the new Adele album, right here.
