It seems that no matter how long we wait, our favorite artists will always leave us wondering when they will release their next anticipated masterpiece. With COVID-19 guidelines in place, the music industry has had to find ways to keep their artists and crew workers safe. Nonetheless, some of the most prominent artists in the game have promised new music will be released this year.
While some artists have announced confirmed release dates for these projects, others have only announced the possibility of such albums coming out in the near future. Regardless, it still gives fans something to look forward to. While most of these album releases do not have set release dates, the potential of them coming out is more than enough to keep the fans’ momentum going.
Here is a list of the top six anticipated albums of 2021 from some of the most prominent artists in the game:
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LORDE
Album: TBA
Release Date: TBA
Indie pop singer-songwriter Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor, known by her professional name Lorde, is one of those artists that likes to take their time with their music before releasing it. Her 2017 hit album “Melodrama” came four years after her 2013 debut album “Pure Heroine,” which both earned their own Grammy nominations. Lorde hinted at the beginning of quarantine that she would be working on new music following her February 2019 trip to Antarctica that inspired her to start writing. She tweeted at “Melodrama” producer Jack Antonoff before lockdown started, revealing that the two were beginning sessions together.
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BILLIE EILISH
Album: TBA
Release Date: TBA
The “Bad Guy” singer and her singer-songwriter brother Finneas announced in a Vanity Fair article from last December that the two were actively working on her new 16-song LP. Eilish discussed her and her brother working on the album on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert back in February as well but kept details of the album light. The two artists have never failed to make captivating albums from their childhood home in Los Angeles, such as 2019’s “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” and “Don’t Smile at Me” EP.
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RIHANNA
Album: “R9”
Release Date: TBA
Now this is one artist who has been antagonizing fans with the prospect of new music for years. In March, Rihanna confirmed that we would be hearing new music “soon” after a fan commented on a post asking the artist when it would be coming out. Alongside her beauty line Fenty Beauty and lingerie line Savage X Fenty, the artist has a lot to focus on. However, us fans cannot take the teasing any longer. Rihanna has even posted a video stating that she was listening to “R9” on her own, so now it is just a matter of time until she releases her ninth studio album.
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LANA DEL REY
Album: “Rock Candy Sweet”
Release Date: June 1
Pop-Americana singer Del Rey is notorious for teasing fans with new releases, considering it took years for “Chemtrails Over the Country Club” to be released on March 19. Following the release of “Chemtrails,” Del Rey took to social media to comment on the Vanity Fair review of the album which stated that her career was built off of “glamorizing domestic abuse and cultural appropriation.” In response, Del Rey stated, “I will continue to challenge those thoughts on my next record on June 1 titled Rock Candy Sweet.”
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KENDRICK LAMAR
Album: TBA
Release Date: TBA
Lamar has been dropping hints at a new album since early 2020 but has continued to keep a low profile on the matter. Following the Pulitzer-Prize winning album “DAMN.” from 2017, a follow-up album has been discussed. Fans speculated that the release would come soon after seeing him film a music video in September of last year. Lamar even confirmed that the upcoming album might boast a different sound from his previous works, with it having more “rock influences.”
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TRAVIS SCOTT
Album: “Utopia”
Release Date: TBA
Despite the singles and collabs Scott has worked on in the years following the release of “Astroworld” in 2018, fans are excited for his next album release. The rapper stated that he felt “productive” while in quarantine and that new content would be coming soon. Scott even ended his two-year anniversary letter to “Astroworld” by saying “See you in Utopia,” which leads fans to believe this would be the new album’s title and that it would be released soon.
