Most Anticipated of 2020

most-anticipated-2020

Last month we shared our favorite albums of 2019, and now that 2020 is upon us, it’s time to look at what we’re anticipating throughout the year. What records do we think we’re going to fall in love with over the next few months? What albums can we just not wait to hear? A bunch of contributors have written up blurbs about the albums and artists we’re most excited about, and we’d love to hear what’s on your most anticipated list as well.

Every Time I Die – TBA

Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by: Drew Beringer

It’s been four years since Every Time I Die unleashed Low Teens – their heaviest and most focused effort yet – making it the longest gap between album releases from the Buffalo metal legends. That’s not to say the band hasn’t been active during the interim, using the time off to work on other passions – Keith Buckley released his second novel, Jordan Buckley made even greater strides with his art, and Andy Williams debuted as one-half of All Elite Wrestling’s most fearsome tag teams. Seemingly entering recording refreshed and recharged, one has to believe that ETID is laying some of the most buttery and nazzzty riffs in preparation for their ninth full-length, easily resulting as one of our most anticipated records of 2020.

Brian Fallon – Local Honey

Release Date: March 27th, 2020
Anticipated by: Jason Tate

I can’t think of many artists who have captivated my musical attention over the past decade more than Brian Fallon and Brian Fallon related projects. He has this songwriting knack that always ends up speaking to me no matter where my musical tastes may be at the time. This year he’s back with his third solo album under his own name, and this time he’s written a slowed down, moody, Americana album. It may only be eight songs, but it packs an emotional punch during each of its thirty-two minutes. This isn’t the first time Brian’s music has bent in this direction, the last being on one of my favorite albums of all time, The Horrible Crowes’ Elsie, but here it feels even more pronounced. These are songs of growing up, being a father, being in love, and still searching for one’s place within the world. Brian Fallon continues to delight me in his musical choices, and I see no reason why he won’t have my undivided attention for however many years he’s making music.

Hayley Williams – Petals for Armor

Release Date: May 6th, 2020
Anticipated by: Mary Varvaris

Paramore fans have long anticipated the solo debut of Hayley Williams. When she began teasing her debut solo album, Petals for Armor, on her 31st birthday in December 2019, speculation ran rife. What would a solo Hayley Williams album sound like? Would her past collaborations with B.o.B and Zedd point to the emergence of a fully-fledged pop star? Would she team up with mewithoutYou vocalist Aaron Weiss again? Would she incorporate the new-wave influence of Paramore’s 2017 album and the Chorus.fm Album of the Decade, After Laughter? With the release of her first solo song, “Simmer,” Williams sidestepped all of that conjecture and offered up a curveball.

“Simmer” is more trip-hop and Thom Yorke-inspired than anything resembling Paramore’s blend of punk, pop, and rock. Beneath its dark grooves, “Simmer” sees Williams finding peace in her femininity as a means to survive. Following After Laughter, she found herself needing to write and let out the anger bubbling inside her. Perhaps the words “simmer down” hold a double meaning: a mantra to calm Williams down, as well as a scathing remark to all the men who beg for women to be constantly gentle or watered-down versions of men, even when our anger is justified.

In the new music video, “Leave It Alone,” Williams is brought out of her chrysalis and embodies a druid resembling Stevie Nicks as she wanders the woods. “Leave It Alone” is warmer than its counterpart, “Simmer,” featuring layered guitar with slick basslines. Of course, her voice is smooth as ever, and she’s hitting it out of the park with highly personal songwriting. If “Simmer” is the result of finally letting go of the controlled rage, “Leave It Alone” explores another facet of Williams’ psyche.

Now, Hayley Williams has revealed that Petals for Armor will roll out in a series of three EPs before its May 6th release, the first of which is out now. Watching Williams test further test the bounds of wrath and mercy will surely be an electrifying ride.

Jason Isbell – Reunions

Release Date: May 15th, 2020
Anticipated by: Craig Manning

I’m not sure anybody had a hotter streak in the 2010s than Jason Isbell. After getting sober and getting married, Isbell elevated himself from a premature has-been—a title that crueler critics might have applied to him after he was ejected from Drive-By Truckers at the age of 28—to a leader in an exciting Americana revitalization. Now nearly seven years past Southeastern, the album that resuscitated his career, Isbell has settled into a dependable streak of quality albums. He’s been away for a while: the three-year gap between 2017’s The Nashville Sound and his as-yet-untitled 2020 release is the most extended break he’s taken since he embarked on his solo career in 2007. But the hiatus, it seems, has been a fruitful one: on Twitter, he’s touted the album as “start to finish…the best album we’ve made yet.” Count me in.

Ellie Goulding – TBA

Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by: Garrett Lemons

Two years ago, I wrote about my excitement for the upcoming EG4 album only for time to pass without any confirmation of a release date. Across that period, she released a run of singles spanning the run of pop–ballads, covers, EDM bangers, and pure pop songs. Matt Healy of 1975 accused her of not making albums–ignoring the billion-plus streams and fan acclaim of both Halcyon and Delirium.

In response to the feedback of her singles and diverse, Ellie explained she was having fun while writing her new album (2020 release confirmed on New Year’s Day on her twitter). She explained how the collection would be a return to the style she felt more her own, closer to Halcyon and the singles “Flux” and “Sixteen” released in early 2019.

In the years since she released Delirium, she’s had a global tour, gotten married, taken the charts even more by storm, and finally achieved rest after years of endless grinding. I can’t wait to see what she brings us; she hasn’t let me down yet.

Empty Country – TBA

Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by: Zac Djamoos

One of the most underappreciated bands of the past decade was Cymbals Eat Guitars. Their quiet dissolution last year was doubly upsetting, then, because it meant they’d never get the credit they deserved. Fortunately, vocalist, Joe D’Agostino has a new project in the works, Empty Country, that promises to pick up that mantle. The songs he’s released so far sound like a fair continuation of Cymbals’ knotty indie rock, and for a veteran songwriter like D’Agostino there’s little doubt Empty Country be an impressive debut.

Soccer Mommy – Color Theory

Release Date: February 28th, 2020
Anticipated by: Trevor Graham

So the saying goes, “you’ve got your whole life to write your debut album.” Luckily for us, Sophie Allison (aka Soccer Mommy) didn’t take very long, and she didn’t just release a hodge-podge of her best songs either. Instead, at 19 years old she recorded a very intentional and dynamic record that sent indie rock fans everywhere flying head over heels. So, we can be reasonably sure that when she was able to find time between headlining tours, playing festivals, and joining the likes of Kacey Musgraves and Paramore on the road to promote Clean, Allison was busy figuring out how to reel in the anchor at the back of her mind: album number two. And now, with a pleasantly short six-week rollout, Color Theory was announced earlier this year for a February 28th release.

Along with it came “circle the drain,” a sun-kissed daydream of a track that feels plucked straight from a “Best of the 90’s” compilation album. In it, Allison organically lays out career-topping vocal melodies to deliver a look inside her head — nearly disguising the incredibly personal content itself. Openly depicting her depressive behavior, she confesses that “I’m trying to seem strong for my love / for my family and friends / but I’m so tired of faking / Cause I’m chained to my bed when they’re gone / watching TV alone til my body starts aching.” It’s a glimpse of the heartbreaking truth that many of us have come to learn about each other, as mental health continues to occupy the spotlight in conversations of social and self-awareness. On top of that, it’s a clue-in that color theory is an album you’d be wise to not overlook in 2020.

Butch Walker – American Love Story

Release Date: May 6th, 2020
Anticipated by: Craig Manning

Shortly before his last album, 2016’s Stay Gold, Butch Walker mused on Twitter about potentially not making any more albums in the future. At the time, he felt like he’d put just about everything he had into Stay Gold. The good news is that Butch ultimately did head back into the studio to make a follow-up. The bad news is that, by the time this album (titled American Love Story) drops on May 6th, it will have been three years and nine months since we last heard from Butch—the longest between-album gap in his career. Freshly 50 years old as of November, Butch is touting American Love Story as a true departure: an ’80s-tinged rock opera that charts “a love story about hate.” If that doesn’t sound like an album for the election year we’re about to have; I don’t know what does.

Bleachers – TBA

Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by: Jason Tate

Jack Antonoff’s career arc has been one of my favorites to watch over the past twenty years. From those early Steel Train albums, to the superstardom of Fun., to writing songs and producing hits for some of the biggest names in music, to two solo outings full of quirky pop gems. I still see threads of those early Steel Train albums in what he’s doing today, be it wrapping undeniable earworms around interesting melodies and rhythms, or just using a specific turn-of-phrase to get across a particular emotion. This year we’re looking at the third Bleachers album, and the third album from an artist is always one of my favorites. It’s usually where we see a little more of a curveball. They’ve developed their sound, expanded on it in a follow-up, and the third album is often where they feel a little more willing to experiment or step-out of the comfort zone. Whatever Jack decides to do, I’m here for it. After all these years, he’s earned my trust.

My Chemical Romance – TBA

Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by: Adam Grundy

It’s no secret that My Chemical Romance are back, active, and ready to conquer the music world once again. From a sold-out arena tour in the US that sold out within minutes to endless teasers on social media, MCR’s fanbase is now chomping at the bit for any hint of new music to coincide with their fall touring plans. Some hints of a new album have come from the Shazam app recognizing a teaser intro as a potential new song, as well as news that the band had been planning their return as early as 2017. One can only hope that this news comes to fruition as My Chemical Romance re-solidify themselves as the emo front-runners in our scene. Depending on the direction taken on studio album number five, one thing we can likely expect is another reinvention. Think about it; after each studio album was released, MCR changed up their sound, image, and overall direction into something daring and exciting. I would expect nothing less from my favorite band of all time, and time will tell when the teasers stop, and we have some actual music to absorb once again.

Code Orange – Underneath

Release Date: March 13th, 2020
Anticipated by: Drew Beringer

Two years ago, the mainstream was kicked in the teeth by Code Orange’s Roadrunner Records debut – an introduction to the group’s relentless intensity. But Forever was only skimming the surface as the Pittsburgh quintet’s uncompromising vision approaches frightening new heights on their fourth full-length Underneath. The first two pre-release singles – the title track and “Swallowing The Rabbit Whole” – promise that the most brutal and visceral music from the Grammy-nominated band is on the horizon. Imagine ever doubting Code Orange. For those foolish enough to think they’d gone soft – it’s time to pay the piper.

Gang of Youths – TBA

Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by: Mary Varvaris

Gang of Youths are the best Australian rock band since fellow Sydney-siders Midnight Oil formed in 1972. Of course, they’re not much like Midnight Oil. The Oils are overtly engaged in political activism: predominantly in aid of denuclearization, environmentalism and illuminating the hardship of Indigenous Australians. Gang of Youths’ anthemic banger, “Atlas Drowned,” studies vocalist Dave Le’ aupepe’s dismissal of objectivist theories presented in Ayn Rand’s best-selling 1957 novel, Atlas Shrugged. To Le’ aupepe, the book itself “has become victim of its own reflexive, parodic intellectual posturing.” He also notes the convergence of a moment in history we’ve seen countless times, “wherein this philosophy of rational self-interest is conflated with nationalism, badly taped together like Homer Simpson’s football tax return… enough of this shit.”

However, the rest of Gang of Youths’ 2017 second album, Go Farther in Lightness, is a poetic masterpiece. “The Deepest Sighs, The Frankest Shadows” was written after Le’ aupepe’s long struggle with writers’ block. Rather than revel in self-hate, he utilized his fear and insecurities and used them as a positive weapon. By the time Gang of Youths arrive at the triumphant closer, “Say Yes to Life,” you can’t help that gobsmacked feeling nor the tears rolling down your face. In September 2019, the band announced that LP3 will be released in 2020. Le’ aupepe shared that LP3 will explore grief: “This record’s gonna be about my father and how he died, and how he lived, and everything I found out about him. That’s the only thing I can really write about. It’s gonna be about him… and about people I love.”

If Go Farther in Lightness is anything to go by, then Gang of Youths’ upcoming album will be devastating and joyous in equal measure.

Katie Pruitt – Expectations

Release Date: February 21st, 2020
Anticipated by: Craig Manning

Katie Pruitt’s Expectations will go down as the first album I heard from the 2020s, thanks to an advance that arrived sometime last October. It was about as perfect start to a new decade of music as I could have asked for, because this album is a Capital-M Masterpiece. Pruitt, an openly gay singer-songwriter based in Tennessee and making music adjacent to the still-quite-conservative world of country music, has as much to say as you would expect. On Expectations, she’s a powder keg, her voice exploding out of the songs as she conveys the heartbreak of having to play a character in your own life (“Normal”) or the defiance of deciding to be who you are no matter what anybody else has to say about it (“Loving Her”). Half a dozen of my favorite artists are scheduled to or expected to release music in 2020, but frankly, I’ll be surprised if Katie Pruitt’s name isn’t the one at the top of my “favorite albums of the year” list come December.

Phoebe Bridgers – TBA

Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by: Jason Tate

Has anyone in music made more people cry than Phoebe Bridgers since 2017? Her debut powerhouse of an album, 2017’s Stranger in the Alps, was an instant classic that put her on everyone’s “best of” and “next big thing” lists simultaneously. This year should see the follow-up, and anticipation is reaching fever pitch. Where does she take her sound next? How many new ways will she find to tear out our hearts? Right now, there are more questions than answers, but there aren’t many albums I’m more ready to let wreck me than this one.

Rihanna – TBA

Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by: Trevor Graham

From 2006-2012, Rihanna was non-stop. And you didn’t have to be a diehard to know it either — if you had a pulse and radio access, it’s almost a guarantee that you’d become accustomed to a steady stream of new music from her. She’d release one smash hit after the other, continually dominating charts worldwide, all while going multi-platinum with each new release. So when the beloved pop icon took four years to release 2016’s ANTI, fans were beyond ready for more — even if “FourFiveSeconds” was a nice tie over. And honestly, what could I say about ANTI here that hasn’t been said? Doesn’t the fact that it was nearly a consensus choice high up on End Of The Decade lists across the internet kind of say all we need to know? As the rebirth of an artist, it stands unchallenged as Rihanna’s most liberating and personal record to date. A true look inside her mind. Which brings us to 2020 — once again four years removed, and buried beneath a mountain of LP9 hype. The album is done, that much we know. Rihanna will be the first to tell you she’s been giving it its due rotation, so all we can do is cross our fingers and hope that we’ll able to join her soon.

The Killers – Imploding the Mirage

Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by: Adam Grundy

It’s hard to believe that it’s been a little less than three years since The Killers released their last studio album, Wonderful Wonderful. It feels like it’s been much longer than that, since the band lead guitarist Dave Keuning and bassist Mark Stoermer only contributed on the studio album, but elected not to tour during that album cycle. Lead vocalist Brandon Flowers insisted that Keuning and Stoermer are still very much a part of The Killers, but he seemed less optimistic of their presence on future tours. Looking into the studio sessions for their latest record, Keuning and Stoermer were notably absent from the sessions, which alarmed The Killers’ fanbase even more about the future direction of the band. Imploding the Mirage will be the band’s sixth studio album and is scheduled for a late Spring 2020 release with tentative song titles such as “Dying Breed,” “My God,” “Blowback,” and “My Own Souls Warning.” The Killers also released a politically-themed song called “Land of the Free” in 2019, which may or may not be included in the final tracklisting for the album. With so much mystery surrounding this record, one can only wonder if this anticipation will be worth it by the time we all get to finally hear the entire album.

Touché Amoré – TBA

Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by: Drew Beringer

In 2016 Jeremy Bolm left his heart bare throughout Touché Amoré’s Epitaph debut Stage Four – recounting the final moments before and after his mother’s death. Not only was this Bolm’s finest vocal and lyrical performance in his career, his bandmates – drummer Elliot Babin, bassist Tyler Kirby, and guitarists Nick Steinhardt and Clayton Stevens – expanded the band’s sonic template, intricately weaving through a variety of styles. The Los Angeles natives gave a taste of what could be next by releasing a couple of loosies (“Green” and “Deflector”) over the past two years. Still, if I’ve learned anything from Touché Amoré’s trajectory over the past decade, it’s to expect the unexpected.

Weezer – Van Weezer

Release Date: May 15th, 2020
Anticipated by: Aaron Mook

Released in late 2014, Everything Will Be Alright in the End kicked off a Weezer renaissance that saw the band releasing their best music in nearly a decade. In the five years following, Weezer has released four new albums. While the recent pop-rock of 2017’s Pacific Daydream and 2019’s Weezer (The Black Album) may not sit well with some of the band’s older fanbase, the music remains interesting, if not genuinely innovative. Now, just a year later, Weezer are teasing their (second?) return to rock music with Van Weezer, currently slated to arrive May 15th. Van Weezer is exactly what it sounds like, right down to its hideous 80s-inspired artwork. But if recent single “The End of the Game” is any indication, the band’s return to riffage should impress fans of 2016’s Weezer (The White Album). It’s also been rumored that they’ve already recorded a follow-up titled OK Human, but we’re going to go ahead and hold our breath until we see where this one lands.

Caitlyn Smith – Supernova

Release Date: March 13th, 2020
Anticipated by: Craig Manning

Caitlyn Smith made one of my favorite albums of the decade with her 2018 debut Starfire, a rousing, cathartic masterpiece from a big-voiced chameleonic singer-songwriter with a lot to prove. Here’s what I said at the end of the year, when I ranked Starfire as the pinnacle album achievement of 2018: “If I had to buy stock in one up-and-coming artist for the next decade, I would put my money on Caitlyn Smith without thinking twice.” We’ll see if those bets pay off in March when Smith drops her sophomore LP Supernova, but I have a feeling they will. Smith is currently on tour opening arena shows for country hitmakers Little Big Town, and the songs she’s released off her new album maintain the emotive power of Starfire while pairing it with some extra mainstream-ready, radio-friendly oomph.

Allie X – Cape God

Release Date: February 21st, 2020
Anticipated by: Jason Tate

I think Allie X is one of the more exciting artists in music right now. She’s got a style that walks somewhere between Billie Eilish and Lana Del Rey, with music that moves quickly from dance-worthy pop to razor’s edge introspection. She returns with her third full-length album, Cape God, on February 21st, and the lead tracks seem to be hinting toward a collection of much grander scale. I’m always fascinated by a release that I can’t quite pin down where it’s going to go and am anticipating an album that will be perfect to lead into spring.

Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia

Release Date: April 3rd, 2020
Anticipated by: Mary Varvaris

Dua Lipa has brought a bunch of unusual groups together with her music. There’s the “I’m not a fan, but this slaps” squad, the “she’s the savior of pop music” crowd, and, of course, the “can’t wait to hear this song in my local H&M” crew. In 2017, Lipa released her eponymous debut album. Before that, though, in October 2015, she released her second single and one of the finest pop songs I’ve heard in my life, “Be the One.” In Australia, “Be the One” peaked at #6 on the ARIA Chart, deservedly so. The track is a slice of pop heaven. Immediately, Lipa promised something fresh with her deep, commanding vocal, a return to simple pop melodies, and unwavering confidence in her creative vision.

Over time, it’s clear that she’s taken the time away to hone her craft. Of course, her smoky vocal is still exceptional, while her stage presence demonstrates nothing less than a superstar ruling her platform. Now, Dua Lipa is set to release her second album, Future Nostalgia this April. Taking a left turn from her predominantly electronic debut, Lipa has made live instrumentation a core focus of her upcoming album. It’s paid off in dividends, too, as lead single “Don’t Start Now” is set to one of the coolest bass lines in years. Best of all, she’s retained her effervescent “shrugging off the fuck boys” energy. In “Physical,” we’re taken on a journey back to the 80s, into dark club raves led by earworm synths. Like “Be the One” and “New Rules” before it, “Physical,” plus “Don’t Start Now” and “Future Nostalgia” join an already impressive repertoire of sensational pop bangers.

Elsewhere, Lipa has teased a collaboration with disco legend Nile Rodgers, while Mark Ronson has also confirmed working on the album. Influenced by other musical heroes, OutKast and Prince, Future Nostalgia is shaping up to be an unforgettable pop release.

The 1975 – Notes on a Conditional Form

Release Date: April 27th, 2020
Anticipated by: Jason Tate

Their past three albums topped my most anticipated lists, and their previous three albums then met or exceeded the hype and sat in the top few spots on my end of the year lists. Now they’re going for the extremely rare feat of four in a row. The 1975 are a band that simultaneously defy and meet expectations. You’re never quite sure what they’re going to do, but they’ve become impossible to ignore and one of the most interesting bands in music to follow. Never ones to shy away from audacity, the new album is apparently 22 tracks long and based on the singles released so far: all over the place musically. I am here for the big swings and enormous ambition; now we have to wait until April to see if they can pull it off.

Dogleg – Melee

Release Date: March 13th, 2020
Anticipated by: Drew Beringer

Michigan’s Dogleg aim to be the next greatest emo band and their Triple Crown Records debut Melee delivers in spades. 2019’s breakthrough single “Fox” piqued our interest. Still, it’s album opener “Kawasaki Backflip” that demands our attention – the type of break-stuff (literally – peep the official video) catharsis that’s worthy of such a title. Dogleg never takes their foot off the gas – mixing PUP’s abrasiveness with early Get Up Kids’ melody and Modern Baseball’s ethos. This is the album we’ve been waiting for.

Julien Baker – TBA

Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by: Zac Djamoos

Easily one of the more powerful songwriters of her generation, Julien Baker’s already released two of the most acclaimed and moving albums of the ’10s. Last year she put out the single “Tokyo,” which found the normally downbeat singer-songwriter experimenting with a fuller, more layered sound. It retains all the intimacy of her sparser work, though, and if it’s a hint of what’s to come on her upcoming third full-length, then we might be looking at Baker’s best LP yet.

King Krule – Man Alive!

Release Date: February 21st, 2020
Anticipated by: Aaron Mook

When we think of unique voices in indie music, it’s hard not to think of Archy Marshall. The London-based songwriter began paving his own path at the age of just 16, initially billing himself as Zoo Kid until 2011’s King Krule EP. Since then, Marshall has expanded his palette (along with his own psyche) exponentially; where songs on his debut full-length 6 Feet Beneath the Moon were often simply comprised of jazzy guitar chords and bare-bones beats, the artist now creates soundscapes divided between the worlds of jazz fusion, trip-hop, and post-punk. Beyond these genre tags, it can be genuinely difficult to describe the sound of King Krule, but 2017’s The OOZ depicted isolation as reflective periods in outer space, or deep in the ocean, and that would be a pretty good place to start preparing for next month’s Man Alive!

Dixie Chicks – Gaslighter

Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by: Craig Manning

Dixie Chicks have not made an album in 14 years. Their last one, 2006’s Taking the Long Way, won an Album of the Year Grammy. It also saw a huge dip in their commercial fortunes, the result of backlash to comments the members had made in 2003 about then-president George W. Bush. The ire of the conservative country music establishment blew the Chicks off the radio and earned them a fair share of death threats. The fallout inspired incredible music on Long Way, but it also triggered a lengthy hiatus that, despite tours in 2010, 2013, and 2016, has never truly ended. That fact is finally about to change. Last year, Dixie Chicks guested on the best song on Taylor Swift’s Lover. This year, they are (supposedly) making their comeback, in the form of a Jack Antonoff-produced record called Gaslighter. Who knows what a country album will sound like with Antonoff behind the boards, or if it will even be a country album at all. Regardless, it will be thrilling to hear these three women break their silence after so many years; they inevitably have a lot to say.

Porridge Radio – Every Bad

Release Date: March 13th, 2020
Anticipated by: Mary Varvaris

“I am charming/I am sweet/and she will love me when she meets me,” Dana Margolin sings on Porridge Radio’s latest single, “Sweet.” The group present a distinctive duality in their music. Even the title of their upcoming album, Every Bad can be interpreted in any way you please. “Sweet” can be deemed honest and irresistible, or downright ominous. Porridge Radio thrives in this grey area. Now signed with Secretly Canadian, the band announced that their second album and label debut, Every Badwill be released on March 13th, 2020. Like all four of their shiny new singles, nothing about Porridge Radio fits into a single mold. Swinging from riot grrrl rage, lo-fi garage rock to melodic indie pop, this little DIY band holds a little something for everyone.

For Porridge Radio, the most important thing about making music is encouraging vulnerability and human connection. In an interview with Stereogum, Margolin explained the underlying intention of Every Bad as “trying to find hope in every difficult, bad, sad, hard thing.” And when she repeats, “I want us to get better/I want us to be kinder to ourselves and each other” in the album’s centerpiece, “Lilac,” we believe the band’s call for faith in humanity. Porridge Radio is loud and rapturous. The question is, are you ready for them?

The Night Game – TBD

Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by: Jason Tate

I’ve spent more time than I’d like to admit listening to studio footage clips from The Night Game’s Instagram feed. But even these tiny little snippets of the songs being worked on and recorded are intoxicating. The band’s debut album has been one of my most listened to over the past few years, and after each listen, I’m left wanting more. Craving more. I feel such a pull to this kind of music. The soft synth, the undeniable choruses, and I want to get lost in the melodies of nostalgia all over again.

The Strokes – TBD

Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by: Adam Grundy

There has certainly been a lot of starts and stops regarding The Strokes’ sixth studio album that plans to be released this year. Back in 2017, rumors began circulating that the band was working with veteran producer Rick Rubin, only to quickly be squashed with a band statement saying they were just trying out some ideas with him. Fast forward to now, and the band has teased two new songs at recent live performances such as “The Adults Are Talking” and “Ode to the Mets.” Given the direction teased on these unofficially announced tracks from the new sessions, there is still plenty of creativity left in The Strokes as we move into the next decade. Almost each of the band members has dabbled into solo projects or new bands altogether (such as Julian Casablancas and his Voidz project). All things considered, the band and their fans seem more than ready to begin this new chapter.