With 2016 bringing us a boatload of great music, 2017 looks to do the exact same. Here’s some of the most exciting artists who have suggested they have new music to share this year, in no particular order:
KANYE WEST – TURBO GRAFX 16
Kanye has a lot to prove in 2017. After openly supporting President-Elect Donald Trump at a concert, to canceling the second leg of his Saint Pablo Tour, to being checked into a hospital, West has already been seen back in the studio working on music. The most interesting part of his production process was the list of video games found in his studio. They were either meant to be sampled in songs or actually be used as song titles. Either way, it suggests the album will live up to its title of Turbo Grafx 16, which was the name of a short-lived 1989 game console
LCD SOUNDSYSTEM – UNTITLED
Are you sad? Do you like to dance in your room? Well, LCD Soundsystem might be your favorite band. James Murphy, the legendary producer, multi-instrumentalist and DJ, has released some of the best electronic dance albums of the century such as Sound of Silver and This is Happening. He originally announced the band’s breakup in 2011, but after releasing a Christmas song in 2015 and a reunion tour in 2016, he canceled shows in Australia and Asia reportedly to work on a new album. Hopefully, 2017 will be the year we see the return of LCD Soundsystem.
DRAKE – MORE LIFE
Originally supposed to be released in December of 2016, More Life has Drake attempting to make a “soundtrack to your life.” Instead of billing it as a mixtape, Drake has been calling it a “playlist” instead. Although I was not very happy with Views, any new project from the Toronto rapper will bring excitement. A few songs from More Life have been released already, which you can listen to here.
SUN KIL MOON – COMMON AS LIGHT AND LOVE ARE RED VALLEYS OF BLOOD
The follow-up to the modern classic, 2014’s Benji, as well as 2015’s Universal Themes, Mark Kozelek and Sun Kil Moon have already announced a double album set for release in 2017. Hopefully, it follows the same visceral, raw, stream-of-consciousness style that Kozelek is known for. Expect a long, emotional trip that only Sun Kil Moon can provide.
JAPANESE BREAKFAST – UNTITLED
I’ve already discussed in detail on my Album of the Year List what makes Michelle Zauner’s debut album, Psychopomp, so special. Its short and deceptively dreamy style turns out to be an introspective and devastating perspective on how it feels to lose a loved one. The scariest part about all of it? She’s just getting started. With Zauner teasing her second LP featuring things like robot love songs, expect the unexpected.
ARCADE FIRE – UNTITLED
I legitimately don’t know where to start with Arcade Fire. Although their debut album, Funeral only came out in 2004, they’re already widely considered the greatest alternative/indie rock bands of all time. They recently performed new music, and Will Butler has already suggested a spring release. If you haven’t listened to Arcade Fire already, who are you? I don’t want to talk to you.
PUSHA T – KING PUSH
At the age of 36, Pusha T released one of the best albums of 2014: My Name is My Name. In 2015, he released King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude, a stellar appetizer getting us ready for the main course that would be King Push. In 2016, he was appointed President of Kanye West’s label, G.O.O.D. Music. Now, in 2017, it’s time for the long-awaited album to release.
ST. VINCENT – UNTITLED
Dallas’ own Annie Clark aka. St. Vincent has been lighting up the indie scene since the release of her 2009 breakthrough album Actor. Now, she’ll have to follow up her incredible, grammy-winning 2014 self-titled album, St. Vincent. According to Clark, her new album should be due for a spring release and feature some of her “deepest and boldest” music yet.
G.O.O.D. MUSIC – CRUEL WINTER
The rap label, led by Kanye West and Pusha T, gave us some of the decade’s greatest bangers on its first record, Cruel Summer. After the song “Champions” which released in summer 2016, it showed that the formula still works. Travis Scott suggested the new album would release sometime in February, but knowing his track record with release dates, don’t get your hopes up just yet.
LORDE – UNTITLED
Dear Lord(e), if only one of these albums can release in 2017, please let it be Lorde. It’s been four years since her game-changing debut, Pure Heroine, and since then, apart from a few performance, she’s stayed pretty quiet about new music. I imagine we’ll see a stylistic shift from Pure Heroine since she wrote that record at age 16. Regardless of what she does, I can’t imagine her next project being anything short of fantastic.
