50 Albums We're Excited To Hear This Year
We don't have to tell you that 2016 might have been one of the most impactful years of music in recent memory. You heard the work. You weighed in. You, like the rest of us, are still shaking it off.
But as we creep into the year of the orange blob, it dawned on us that if 2017 is to live up to its potent predecessor, there's considerable ground to cover. And quickly. Lest we forget, at this time last year we had a clear-cut contender for MVP (Malibu.) This one's off to steadier start, but by week's end we could have this year's equivalent.
You don't have to look too deep into the crystal ball to see 2017's got more than a chance. As it turns out, if all goes according to plan (it never does) this lap round the sun could prove to be just as overwhelming for heads and their hearts, with rumored projects from GZA, Earl Sweatshirt, Joey Bada$$and the gamut of hip-hop's most revered MCs and producers across the generational divide. Who knows, we could even get the now mythical DOOMSTARKS project by the time the ball drops on the year.
Hell, the confirmed projects alone are enough to get us giddy. All of The Internet's moving parts are slated to release respective solo records, Stones Throw's readying their next soul stunner in Gabriel Garzón-Montano's debut full-length, while long-delayed projects from Sampha, SZA, Kehlani,Dirty Projectorsand Nelly Furtado are all landing square in the middle of Q1, sustaining the infinite stretch of r&b's boundaries. Throw in potential showings from Kanye West, Travis Scott and G.O.O.D. Music, and you've got all the makings of another stellar year in music just a few months in.
The following pages compile all we know about these most anticipated albums of 2017. That TBD section is extensive, but we're hoping to fill in the lines as details arrive throughout the remainder of the year. Flip through and get an early peek at what's ahead and brace yourself for another year of excellence from go-to's and newcomers alike.
January
Matt Martians - The Drum Chord Theory
January 27th
Part one of The Internet's piece-by-piece proliferation will arrive January 27th by way of the group's producer and key player. But if we're to go by the bustling bedroom-produced feel of "Diamond in da Ruff," this will not be the radio-ready outing anticipated from lil sis. Martians is after the crew's A1s, fans drawn to the smokey melodies and perfected minimalism of Ego Death. Only this time he's manning the mothership.
Migos - C U L T U R E
January 27th
On the strength of their Donald Glover-endorsed, conquer-all single alone, Migos has manifested, seemingly overnight, into the cultural force their album title and cover tease. Throw in a sure-shot nominee for video-of-the-year, and C U L T U R E, like its lead-off smash, is destined for the top spot, no questions asked.
Kehlani - SWEETSEXYSAVAGE
January 27th
Now a household name, Kehlani's major label debut, like a few records on this list from artists of equal profile, is almost too big too fail. Anchored by raunchy riffs and the Bay Area singer's cool and confident glow, SWEETSEXYSAVAGE is poised to live up to its name and establish Kehlani as a presence beyond the PBR&B sphere.
Gabriel Garzón-Montano - Jardin
January 27th
The Stones Throw debut of Gabriel Garzón-Montano is one we've been keeping tabs on for a minute. With a trio of lush and lucid soul numbers leading the charge and a brimming resumé of subterranean successes, Garzón-Montano's full-length should be on everyone's radar. Don't be surprised if his 2017 bears a glaring resemblance to .Paak's 2016.
February
Big Sean - I Decided
February 3rd
One of G.O.O.D. Music's most consistent young guns strikes back this winter with his fourth studio album, anchored by the certified gold, Metro Boomin-powered single "Bounce Back." And while the second and third tier of singles haven't been quite as gripping as the first, Sean's last two records revealed sleepers galore beyond the promo push. That alone's enough to have us hooked until launch day at the very least.
Sampha - Process
February 3rd
On the heels of his most visible year to date, contributing to best-of-2016 projects from Solange, Frank Ocean and Kanye West, Sampha incepting his way into your musical palette. A debut album from the affectionate, weathered vocalist has been in and out of the works for roughly three years with few, if any, clues as to what could be expected as follow-up to his critic and pedestrian approved Dual EP. But "Blood On Me" and "(No One Knows Me) Like The Piano" are here and serve as stunningly intimate portraits of a soft-spoken recluse on the verge of his big moment. And it seems he's ready for it.
Syd - Fin
February 3rd
As The Internet's leading lady, Syd's likely the most readily-identifiable piece of this prolific puzzle of a production team/band/squad. But for her first solo project, she's slipping away from the group's electric r&b palette, stepping into the world of big, clean productions a la "All About Me" and the new grown and sexy anthem, "Body." It's all about grabbing new ears for Syd, and Fin seems to be a necessary and proper means of getting to them, sophisticated and swaggering straight through.
SZA - CTRL
February 3rd
2016 commenced on rocky ground for TDE's First Lady. Label troubles and creative anxieties almost derailed a career just easing into its sweet spot. So when the siren rang and signaled SZA's return with a grip of private shows and a stud single, we were happy to learn that the raspy r&b queen was back on track to deliver her debut full-length project. What shape it'll take has yet to be revealed, but with as many features as she's gifted artists over the years, a little reciprocation is both necessary and proper. Exciting time in the Top Dawg camp.
Dirty Projectors - Self-Titled
February 10th
A group that once comprised a legion of pop experimentalists is now down to a lone scientist, but Dirty Projectors' forthcoming self-titled album isn't nearly as thin as its roster. The swells of nostalgia in "Up In Hudson" and the lo-fi lonerism of "Little Bubble" prove a one-man-show (Dave Longstreth) to be as rich, emotionally and musically, as any Dirty Projectors outing.
Sinkane - Life & Livin It
February 10th
New year, new groove from the London transplant. The follow-up to 2014's Mean Love was announced with the arrival of "Telephone," a pristinely clean two-stepper that promises extra polish and potency in this next batch of funk and boogie explorations.
Lupe Fiasco - DROGAS Light
February 10th
Some records don't pique your interests based on their potential for success. Some records are that car already wobbling down the freeway at 80mph chipping away at its body as it speeds to imminent doom. Sadly, with two pop-leaning singles that landed way off the mark, DROGASLight seems to be that car. And we're just holding up traffic trying to catch a glimpse.
Jonwayne - Rap Album Two
February 17th
The Stones Throw alum occupies rare space in the rap world. Part dynamo, part weirdo, part label chief, part et al. Now sober and with renewed purpose, his sequel to 2013's Rap Album One, is marked by new trajectory and musical depth, readily-apparent on the album's tranquil lead-off "Out Of Sight." If the rest of the project stacks up, Rap Album Two may be one of 2017's quietest victories.
Maggie Rogers - Now That the Light Is Fading
February 17th
The girl who nearly brought Pharrell to tears has been stirring up buzz in a big way throughout the last year. Her breakout single "Alaska" is still getting heavy rotations, now as an auxiliary cut next to "On + Off" and "Dog Years," each delivering a new shade in the young songwriter's arsenal. We'll see how many tears are shed over her debut.
Oddisee - The Iceberg
February 24th
It took two years for Oddisee to resurface in the wake of 2013's brilliant Tangible Dream. But ever since, he's been as prolific as they get, doing it all and doing it damn-well as both MC and producer. With three stellar albums out in less than two years, the dynamo has little left to prove. But that won't stop him from giving your favorite rappers a run for their check.
Thundercat - Drunk
February 24th
When Brainfeeder announced a new solo album from their resident bass sage late last year, the shape and scope of the project was difficult to pinpoint. The last few years have seen him lend low-end theories to Kendrick Lamar,Ab-Soul, I CED, Terrace Martin and damn-near anyone that wanted a piece, but Thundercat's follow-up to 2015's acclaimed mini-LP, The Beyond/Where The Giants Roam, could outshine them all, linking with lifelong yacht rock heroes like Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald on "Show You The Way" and promising guest spots from Kendrick Lamar and Pharrell on a 23-track epic.
Karriem Riggins - Head-Nod Suite
February 24th
Another one from from the Stones Throw camp. Riggins, the principal producer behind Common's stirringly poignant Black America Again, will follow his 2012 solo debut Alone Together, with another near-30 track suite. One that, judging by its title, might leave you soar in the neck from the seismic swing only a drummer can wield.
March
Valerie June - The Order of Time
March 10th
Though it's been a minute (roughly four years) since we last caught up with her, frequent readers of these pages need no intro to this Tennessee songbird. And with two stone-cold blues-infused cuts leading the march towards her fourth full-length studio album, it's clear no steps were lost along the way.
Chaz Bundick Meets The Mattson 2 - Star Stuff
March 31st
The Toro y Moi frontman has been dying to scratch his psych-rock itch for years now. And with his latest project, a collaborative effort with brothers in blood and arms, The Mattson 2, Bundick will get to shoot his shot. The title-track, "Star Stuff," not just for its Lebowski-channelling aesthetic, already feels like a big step towards that end; as much a departure from the duo's jazzy ways as Bundick's pop and electronic experiments.
Nelly Furtado - The Ride
March 31st
Then there's the curious case of Nelly Furtado, who hasn't released an album since 2012, but has been spotted in-session with Dev Hynes and David Byrne as of late. For her sixth studio album, Furtado's going indie, and has the imprint to prove it. In a recent interview, she explained that much of the album was recorded at the helm of heralded producer/engineer, John Congleton, making this one of the year's most oddly compelling offerings in theory alone.
April
Father John Misty - Pure Comedy
April 7th
On his 2015 release, Father John Misty pulled at political and cultural threads with grace and an uncommon bite. His follow-up to the critically-adored I Love You, Honeybear promises to carry a more cutting tone, taking aim at current affairs with hallmark snark and sarcasm, woven into thick tapestries of psychedelic folk and sprawling rock balladry. The title track says it all.
TBD
And now for some wishful, albeit informed, thinking. Below you'll find strictly rumored projects and their tentative titles, some more likely than others to actually materialize. Keep your head on a swivel for more details. They're arriving steady by the day. Also, be sure to peep the playlist below with all of the tracks in these pages. A little primer on all that lays ahead.
Amber Coffman - City Of No Reply
Chic - It's About Time
Drake - More Life
Earl Sweatshirt
Gorillaz
GZA
Haim
Joey Bada$$
Kanye West - TurboGrafx16
Kelela
King Krule
LCD Soundsystem
Lil B - Black Ken
Lil Wayne - The Carter V
Lil Yachty - Teenage Emotions
Lorde
Mac DeMarco
MGMT
Nick Hakim - Green Twins
Pusha T
Quasimoto
Raekwon - The Wild
Sky Ferreira - Masochism
St. Vincent
Starchild & The New Romantic
Steve Lacy
Stormzy
Travis Scott - Astroworld
Tuxedo
Zack de la Rocha