Last month we shared our favorite albums of 2021, and as we’re ramping into 2022 it’s a good 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.
Eddie Vedder – Earthling
Release Date: February 11
Anticipated by Brett Bodner
We’ve lost some great rock legends in recent years, so anytime one of the all-time greats is gearing up for a new record, you can bet it’ll be highly anticipated by many. Eddie Vedder, the iconic frontman of Pearl Jam, is gearing up to release his third solo record, Earthling. Vedder is coming off of one of Pearl Jam’s best albums in years and fans are hoping he’ll carry this momentum into his new work. Outside of Pearl Jam’s catalog, Vedder has shown he’s still capable of making great music on his own. The best examples of this are the soundtrack he did for the movie Into the Wild and his beautiful Beatles cover of “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away”. While this is technically a solo album for the 57-year-old singer, he will have some help from other music legends. Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Ringo Starr will be collaborating with Vedder on the 13-track album. Fans have gotten a small taste of the record so far with the release of singles, “Long Way”, “The Halves” and “Brother in the Cloud.” Based on the singles, this album should further highlight what a talented frontman Vedder is and continue to show why we’re lucky to still have him around making new music.
Butch Walker – TBA
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Craig Manning
Not long ago, Butch Walker was a hyper-prolific and hyper-reliable player in the music industry. In the first six years of the 2010s, he released four full-length albums and a pair of EPs. But this August will mark six years since Walker released Stay Gold, and he’s only put out a single record since – the 2020 politically-infused rock opera American Love Story. That album had a lot of heart, but by spending the whole thing inhabiting characters in a fictional narrative, Butch buried some of the personality that he’s always brought to his records – not to mention some of the confessional, autobiographical elements that have always made his songs feel so personal and so relatable. Fortunately, if the clips Butch has posted on his Instagram are anything to go by, it sounds like he’s 1) got a record in the can; and 2) going back to the bright ‘70s and ‘80s AM dial rock ‘n’ roll sound that made Stay Gold such a joy. At the end of 2016, when I crowned that album my favorite of the year, I justified my choice by writing that Stay Gold was the 2016 album that “made me happiest to be alive.” A lot of darkness has come down the road since, perhaps even rendering the sweet escapism that I found in Stay Gold impossible to replicate. But goddamn, I’d love to see someone give it a try. If anyone is up to the task, it’s Butch Walker.
A Wilhelm Scream – Lose Your Delusion
Release Date: April 14
Anticipated by Trevor Graham
When A Wilhelm Scream released Partycrasher in 2013 after a six year gap between LPs, it would’ve been hard to imagine a longer break for the Massachusetts skate punk legends. Now approaching the ninth year of their absence, the number 6 more closely resembles a blessing. On the bright side, the band appears well aware of their starving fanbase — sparing us all the agonizing months of teasing studio photos and practice spaces, instead pile-driving us into a scorching lead single at the very top of the year. “Be One To No One” exemplifies the angsty spirit of breakneck skate punk that likely brought us all to this website to begin with. Within moments, A Wilhelm Scream reminds us of exactly what we’ve been missing — thrashy tremolo picking that could incite a circle pit in a library, the blistering forbidden drum beat that plays somewhere every time an aging street punk laces up their old pair of self-decorated Chucks, and the signature grit that has surely shredded more vocal chords through driver’s seat karaoke than even vocalist Nuno Pereira would probably love to be responsible for. If we’re left with any indication of what to expect come April 14th, it’s that A Wilhelm Scream will most certainly continue to justify their well deserved slot amongst the pantheon of punk rock’s most consistent torch bearers.
Palette Knife – TBA
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Adam Grundy
The Columbus, Ohio band, part of the ultra-stacked Take This To Heart Records band roster, will be releasing their next full-length LP sometime this spring. Based on the direction from their last single of “Jelly Boi,” the three-piece band has plenty to offer the music landscape. While a lot of the details of the new record are being kept close to the chest, we should be hearing much more from Palette Knife on details about this upcoming album very soon.
Fontaines D.C. – Skinty Fia
Release Date: April 22
Anticipated by Mary Varvaris
“Jackie Down the Line” sounds nothing like any of the tracks Fontaines D.C. has written so far. The song is based around the acoustic guitar and more introspective than the band’s past work. The Irish post-punk group released their “perfect debut,” Dogrel, in 2019 and followed it up with the moodier but equally impressive A Hero’s Death a little over a year later. They’ve been sitting on their next album, Skinty Fia, out this April, longer than they had hoped. The band will end up as prolific as King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard soon enough, with great songs to back them.
According to vocalist Grian Chatten, Skinty Fia will be a uniquely Irish and funny affair: the title stems from an old Irish swear meaning “the damnation of the deer” that drummer Tom Coll’s grandmother used to say. Numerous songs explore “mutated” relationships; others turn cliches on their heads. Chatten details eavesdropping on your loud neighbours, doom, and the remaining discrimination Irish people still experience today living anywhere but Dublin. If the raucous riffs and distinctive storytelling Fontaines D.C. are known for and “Jackie Down the Line” are anything to go by, Skinty Fia will be as awesome as I am hoping.
Gregor Barnett – Don’t Go Throwing Roses In My Grave
Release Date: February 18
Anticipated by Brett Bodner
While Menzingers fans anxiously await a new album from the beloved band from Scranton, PA, singer/guitarist Greg Barnett will be releasing his debut solo album, Don’t Go Throwing Roses In My Graveon Feb. 18. While the band couldn’t tour during the height of the pandemic, Barnett channeled his energy into songs that would eventually became this solo album. The record promises to be a step away from the usual punk rock of The Menzingers and will instead explore a folk/Americana sound. Fortunately, Barnett is a singer with range, which he has highlighted throughout the Menzingers’ catalog. From singing about his cabinet brain on “Gates”, to screaming about taking rides in American muscle cars on “Good Things”, to gently pondering life’s biggest question on “When You Died.” For those not sure if Barnett can pull off a slower tempo, go YouTube any acoustic Menzingers performance and prepare to be blown away. Barnett is not only a good singer, but you could make the argument he’s an even better storyteller. The first few singles, “Don’t Go Throwing Roses On My Grave” and “The First Dead Body I Ever Saw” are further evidence of this, as both tracks are filled with vivid detail that clearly paint a picture in your mind as the songs play. As we slowly emerge of out exile, this has the potential to be one of the highlights of the first part of 2022.
Chat Pile – God’s Country
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Drew Beringer
First time I heard of Chat Pile was on the super dope split the OKC sludge band released late last year with Portrayal of Guilt. Obviously I needed to check it out because PoG fucking rules but I wasn’t expecting to have my ear drums explode by Chat Pile’s wicked Side B contribution, “Brutal Truth.” Those three and a half minutes turned me into a Chat Pile truther. Add the fact that The Flenser is putting out their full-length later this year and yeah you could say that I’m hotly anticipated this one.
Gang of Youths – Angel in Realtime
Release Date: February 25
Anticipated by Craig Manning
Australia’s Gang of Youths make big, blustery, anthemic rock music that splits the difference between the stadium-sized emotion of Springsteen and the literate modern indie rock of The National. The band’s last album, 2017’s Go Farther in Lightness, was grandiose in every respect – a 77-minute, 16-song magnus opus where more than half the songs topped the five-minute mark. It was outsized and even a bit overstuffed, but it was also so heart-on-the-sleeve earnest and so unabashedly hopeful that it was tough not to fall under its spell eventually. The band’s new album, a 13-track set called Angel in Realtime, sounds likely to be every bit as ambitious as its predecessor. It’s been described, so far, as being “about the life and legacy of [frontman] Dave [Le’aupepe]’s father, indigenous identity, death, grief, and God. And also the Angel, Islington.” Pair those big subjects with a lengthy gestation period – Lightness came out in August 2017, a cavernous four-and-a-half-year wait – and it’s fair to bet that we’re in for something suitably huge here. Perhaps it’ll be the record that takes Gang of Youths from best-kept secret to a War on Drugs-level success story.
Sarah and the Safe Word – TBA
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Adam Grundy
It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of this band that perfectly blends the spookiest elements of AFI, paired with the dramatic flair of Panic! at the Disco, and cranked to eleven in the style of My Chemical Romance. Having recently released two equally thrilling, standalone singles in “Lost Ring on Riverside” and “Solstice,” I can’t wait to see what this band is cooking up for 2022. The band is currently making the last preparations for their Good Gracious! Bad Timing. tour to build even further anticipation for the new material.
Northlane – Obsidian
Release Date: April 1
Anticipated by Mary Varvaris
Northlane’s 2019 album, Alien, brought me back into the fold after years of increasing disinterest in the band. It was nothing to do with their current vocalist, Marcus Bridge, replacing Adrian Fitipaldes; I just wasn’t listening to much heavy music, and the Sydney band’s brand of metal lost me. Then, Alien was released. The album goes into harrowing detail about Bridge’s upbringing by drug-addicted parents and contrasts his tales with ferocious djent riffs and exciting forays into electronic music.
Obsidian won’t be as personal as Alien, which is best for Bridge and his family. What it will offer, however, is “fully-fledged EDM and techno, drum and bass, soaring guitar work and nostalgic atmospherics” coupled with “bottom-heavy groove” and a song that “Moby would’ve written in the mid-2000s”. Northlane has suffered multiple blows in recent years, from personal mental health issues to the Australian federal and state governments never being on the same page regarding COVID-19 restrictions and support for the decimated music industry. So, Northlane will do what they do best: channel all that rage and anxiety into another heavy, challenging venture in music.
Vein.fm – This World Is Going To Ruin You
Release Date: March 4
Anticipated by Trevor Graham
New name, same aggression. If 2018’s Errorzone ever made it to your ears, then you’ve got the closest thing to physical evidence that This World Is Going To Ruin You is already a bolded, italicized, and underlined bullet point in the conversation for what will be the most abrasive, ambitious hardcore record of the year. Lead single “The Killing Womb” bludgeons its way through any notion of modesty with nothing but the fury of encumbered blunt force. It fiercely employs pummeling drum fills and lesion slashing dissonant chords over three minutes of Anthony Didio’s frantic, unintelligible urgency — the only vocal delivery that would ever work for music this intense. That is, until Geoff Rickley makes a rare, but priceless appearance on “Fear In Non Fiction”. Even if this isn’t your typical wheelhouse of music, you’ll want to be sure to not sleep on this one — the pure chaos here is a spectacle that would be a shame to miss. If this world doesn’t ruin you, the record probably will.
Camp Cope – Running With the Hurricane
Release Date: March 25
Anticipated by Brett Bodner
It’s been four long years since the Australian trio of Camp Cope have released a full length album. How To Socialise & Make Friends came out in 2018 and it was easily one of the strongest releases of that year. While bassist Kelly-Dawn Hellmrich and drummer Sarah Thompson provided the rhythms, singer/guitarist Georgia Maq put on a vocal clinic, bearing her soul with raw, honest lyrics about her personal life. Maq’s powerful voice exploded off the album, especially on tracks like “The Opener” and “Sagan Indiana”. In the time since their last record, Maq released her first solo album Pleaser, but now it’s time for Cape Cope to make their return with Running With the Hurricane. The new album sounds like it’ll be a little more dialed back than their first two releases as it’s described as “gentler than what they have done before, more positive and more at peace with the universe.” The singles “Blue” and “Running With the Hurricane” back up this description, but the talent of Maq, Hellmrich and Thompson is still on full display. This lighter version of the band could fit the moment just right, especially after several chaotic years since they last put out new music.
Jimmy Eat World – TBA
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Craig Manning
Going back as far as 2001’s Bleed American, Jimmy Eat World have released a new album every three years like clockwork. While it’s still not entirely clear how the pandemic and disrupted tour schedules are going to affect album gaps for artists that have tended to stick to pretty consistent schedules, we at least have reason to hope for a new Jimmy Eat World record this year. Details on what that record could actually sound like are virtually nonexistent, but if the past few years give any indication, it’ll be yet another triumph. The band has been on a late-career tear lately, since teaming up with producer Justin Meldal-Johnson on 2016’s Integrity Blues and then bringing him back into the fold on 2019’s Surviving. They also spent 2020 revisiting some of their greatest albums for the brilliantly executed livestreams of the Phoenix Sessions, including both Clarity and Futures. Perhaps some of that classic-era sound will seep into the new songs, combining the best of early and late period Jimmy Eat World? A guy can dream.
Drug Church – Hygiene
Release Date: March 11
Anticipated by Drew Bringer
Drug Church makes catchy hardcore-adjacent rock music for old fucks like me – Pat Kindlon’s lyrics are perfect for cynics and burnouts while his bandmates continue to write some of the dopest rock and roll music on earth. And not only is Drug Church still ripping pit hits in 2022, the band just keeps getting fucking better at it with each album and that truly rules ass. Anyways, this is their best record yet, I love that the band keeps challenging Kindlon to sing kind of good (just check out pre-release singles like “Million Miles of Fun” and “Premium Offer” to hear what I mean) and I can’t wait to see these songs played live.
Rina Sawayama – TBA
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Mary Varvaris
Rina Sawayama is one of the most thrilling artists I have heard in years. I love her music because you can’t pigeonhole any of it. Sure, “STFU!” recalls the best of nu-metal; “XS” is as much Christina Aguilera as it is Korn; “Chosen Family” is as beautiful as a ballad gets, and “Comme des Garcons (Like the Boys)” summons tropical house. Since releasing her eponymous album in 2020, Rina Sawayama has worked with Elton John, Lady Gaga, Bloodpop and Charli XCX, fitting in a wicked “Enter Sandman” cover for the Metallica Blacklist in between her busy schedule. Oh, yeah; she has also landed an undisclosed role in John Wick 4. We don’t know much about her upcoming new album, just that it’s probably coming in late summer this year. It’s fun to be a Rina fan.
MICHELLE – After Dinner We Talk Dreams
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Trevor Graham
In a time when pop vocal music is largely occupied by solo artists and duos, MICHELLE embrace the days of towering harmonies and four part vocal trade offs to deliver their brand of new school R&B flavored anthems. Fortunately for any of us that are willingly prone to vocal hook cavities, the group will soon be capping off their recent opening stints for Arlo Parks and Mitski with a brand new sophomore LP, bringing us 14 new tracks that feel as much of a creative melting pot as the concrete jungle they hail from. Ranging from intimate bedroom ballads to the indie pop infused soul that causes involuntary shoulder and hip swaying with even the most minimal exposure, MICHELLE feel poised to win over any unsuspecting ears they may come in contact with in 2022.
Snarls – TBA
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Adam Grundy
As much as I enjoyed Snarls’ debut called Burst, they really floored me on the huge growth found on the EP What About Flowers? Their pairing with Death Cab for Cutie’s Chris Walla did wonders for their vibrant brand of pop rock and the band’s confidence appears to only be accelerated by these recent developments. The band recently toured in support of the new EP with M.A.G.S. and The Happy Fits, and will likely be road warriors for most of this year with new music expected towards the tail end of 2022. Color me stoked!
Cold Years – TBA
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Jason Tate
Their last album had a whole lot of The Gaslight Anthem vibes, and their latest singles continue that trend with maybe a little Green Day injection. That mix right there is more than enough to get me excited. They have all the potential in the world to grace us with a modern day classic, and I’m more than ready for a little more rock and roll in my life.
Dance Gavin Dance – TBA
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Drew Beringer
Even though the pandemic tried to derail Dance Gavin Dance’s last album, Afterburner turned out to be the band’s most successful release. And like clockwork, the Sacramento post-hardcore outfit is ready to release their grandest album yet sometime this Spring. Along with Swanfest 2022 and some headline tours, look for Dance Gavin Dance to keep up the momentum. Me? Well I’m just hoping for some more Jon Mess’ classics like “My mouth is open wider than the time I had sex.” Bless this mess.
Weezer – Seasons
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Brett Bodner
Coming off a year where Weezer gave fans two great albums with the Pet Sounds-inspired OK Human and the 80’s hair metal themed Van Weezer, one would think the band might take some time off before recording the next entry in their long, winding discography. Instead, Weezer is rumored to be dropping not one, not two, not three, but four new albums in 2022. Last July, singer Rivers Cuomo told Good Morning America the band would release Seasons, four new records that will coincide with each season in 2022. He teased that the spring release would be “kind of like happy chill,” while fall would have a Strokes-like sound and winter would be “sad acoustic” similar to what you can expect from Elliott Smith. Over the years it’s become clear that Weezer albums are like Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans from Harry Potter; you could get a great album that’s on par with a blueberry flavored bean or you could get one that’s more like earwax. Time will only tell if Weezer is able to bring the goods for all four seasons.
Avril Lavigne – Love Sux
Release Date: February 25
Anticipated by Craig Manning
20 years on from Let Go, Avril Lavigne is returning to her pop-punk roots on Love Sux, due out later this month. And while Lavigne’s last two albums have been hit or miss, she seems poised for a return-to-form here. Take the catchy, bratty, fun lead single (“Bite Me”), pair it with production from Travis Barker and John Feldman, and drop the album into a pop music landscape that finally seems ready to rock again, and 2022 could just be the year of Avril. The influence of records like Let Go and 2004’s Under My Skin has been building in recent years, but it hit a crest in 2021, with artists like Olivia Rodrigo, Snail Mail, Charli Adams, Kalie Shorr, and Chloe Moriondo all making records with clear hat-tips to glory days Avril Lavigne. It’s only fitting that Love Sux returns her to her proper place at the head of that growing class.
The Smile – TBA
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Mary Varvaris
How can I not be excited about The Smile? If you’re not aware of this buzzy new band yet, here goes: Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead are joined by Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner to create an amalgamation of jazz-influenced, groovy post-punk songs. Yorke played the bass guitar on a couple of unreleased tracks, including their latest single, “The Smoke”, at the band’s inaugural live (and streamed) shows at Magazine London. That was a thrill to watch since Radiohead fans know what Yorke is capable of when he plays that bass – he wrote the bass riff to “The National Anthem” as a teenager.
Elsewhere, The Smile is Joy Division reincarnate on the raging “You Will Never Work In Television Again.” I watched The Smile’s second-ever show from my laptop at home; I cannot wait to hear the ominous ambience they gathered live and the gorgeous “Free In The Knowledge” on record. No, The Smile isn’t Radiohead, but they don’t promise to be. It’s about time Thom and Jonny had some looser fun, anyway.
Vince Staples – Ramona Park Broke My Heart
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Trevor Graham
Fresh off one of 2021’s best releases, Vince Staples is slated to come back this year to quench any leftover thirst his last record may have left desired. Not much is known about where this record might lie sonically, but if the Long Beach legend’s 2015 double disc effort taught us anything about his output, it’s that Vince knows how to effectively fashion two complementary puzzle pieces. Simply put, if Ramona Park Broke My Heart is to be the second half of a two part series, we may be just one music video away from seeing a whole new side of him.
Barely Civil – TBA
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Adam Grundy
Sophomore albums tend to be a sticky sore spot for a lot of bands, but Barely Civil wasn’t one of those artists. I’ll Figure This Out ended up being one of my favorite efforts from 2020, and it’s still a record I throw on regardless of the mood I’m in. There’s something to really appreciate in Barely Civil’s sound that mixes the soft-loud dynamic found in emo lore and brings plenty of interesting components into their music. Having been fairly quiet last year, I’d imagine Barely Civil is waiting for just the right moment to take their next gigantic leap with their sound.
Cacie Dalager – TBA
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Jason Tate
Cacie Dalager of Now, Now is set to release a solo album sometime in 2022. I’ve loved everything Now, Now has ever done, so that’s more than enough to shoot this high up my “anticipated” list for the year. I’m looking forward to seeing what direction the music goes and I love this moment when an artist has been holed up creating something and we have no idea quite what will come out of those sessions.
Dashboard Confessional – All the Truth That I Can Tell
Release Date: February 25
Anticipated by Craig Manning
Dashboard Confessional falling dormant has been one of the big musical tragedies of the past decade. After releasing six albums, a handful of EPs, and the greatest superhero movie theme song of all time in the 2000s, Chris Carrabba’s foundational emo project only dropped a single LP in the 2010s. Luckily, everything about All the Truth That I Can Tell seems to point to it being a new beginning. A super emo title that feels like a cousin to The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most? Check. The return of producer James Paul Wisner, who helmed Places and The Swiss Army Romance? Check. A wonderful, wonderful lead single, appropriately titled “Here’s to Moving On”? Check. If there’s one thing I need right now, it’s some classic Dashboard angst, and Carrabba seems ready to deliver on that for the first time in ages. Sign me the hell up.
The Callous Daoboys – TBA
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Drew Beringer
As we still mourn the end of Every Time I Die, let me offer you a beacon of hope in the form of Atlanta’s The Callous Daoboys. Their debut Die on Mars is still one of the most wild records I’ve ever heard – like if you told Cursive to write a metal core record – I’m telling it’s fucking nuts. And speaking of going nuts, the band’s upcoming second record is fucking [REDACTED], [REDACTED], and [REDACTED] (I’m sworn to secrecy). Here’s the thing – just trust me. And add The Callous Daoboys to your up next right now.
Turnover – TBA
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Trevor Graham
Turnover have made a career out of surprising their fans. From the emotive pop punk of Magnolia, to the dream pop atmosphere of Peripheral Vision, through the bubbly bossa nova inspired Good Nature, and the cozy grooves of Altogether, it’s always a little tough to foresee where their next step will take them. The good news is that no matter where they go, they seem to always pack a suitcase full of tools to continue sharpening their core songwriting skillset. So while it might be tough to confide in any actual sonic trajectory, it’s safe to say that we can still expect a generous helping of stealthily infectious hooks to pair with a dynamic set of songs that offer various takes on one consistent mood.
Out of Service – TBA
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Adam Grundy
Out of Service surprised a lot of people, including myself, with their 2019 effort Burden that reminded people of the glory days of emo and punk rock, where seemingly every band was getting snatched up to record deals. Out of Service chose to partner with an active record label in Enjoy the Ride Records, and released a stand alone single in “Shelter” last summer to build anticipation for their yet-to-be named next effort. 2022 expects big things from this band, and my money is on them backing up the high anticipation and delivering a landmark album.
Maren Morris – Humble Quest
Release Date: March 25
Anticipated by Craig Manning
It feels like a lifetime ago that Maren Morris dropped GIRL. That album, the country-pop singer’s second, came out in March 2019 and proceeded to be a major force in both the country world and the mainstream pop world for the rest of the year and beyond. It’s also one of those albums from the pre-COVID era that never really seemed to get its due. As with many other artists who released LPs in 2019, Morris cancelled the headlining tour that was supposed to support GIRL, and COVID-19 has left the album feeling like a bit of a relic of the last period of time when life felt truly normal. Fittingly, Morris’s announcement of her third LP, called Humble Quest, succinctly outlined everything that has changed in her life and on planet Earth since GIRL hit the streets. A pandemic descended upon the world; musicians were left unable to tour; Morris gave birth to a son; Busby, the producer who manned the boards on her first two albums, passed away unexpectedly. These factors, Morris wrote, have led to her “most authentic and light” work yet, a “brutal and beautifully humbling catharsis” that takes stock of the songwriter’s life at a chaotic moment. We’re probably in for a lot of these types of albums in the next year or two, as every artist checks in with their pandemic take, but I can’t think of many versions I’m more excited to hear than Morris’s. If her first two albums have shown us anything, it’s that she’s a rare talent just scratching the surface of what she can do.
Senses Fail – Hell is in Your Head
Release Date: July 15
Anticipated by Adam Grundy
Having recently celebrated their 20th anniversary of forming Senses Fail, the band is gearing up for the summer release of Hell is in Your Head, via Pure Noise Records. Falling victim to the dreaded vinyl production delays, Senses Fail has been teasing their new record since November ’21, but they promise the wait will be worth it. There’s no better time than ever to revisit Senses Fail’s storied discography to build up to their next album.
Taylor Swift – TBA
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Craig Manning
After the past two years, it would be foolish to make a “most anticipated” list without namedropping Taylor Swift. My wife has said to me a few times that Taylor has really pulled her weight in making this pandemic more bearable, and that’s true. Between a gold rush of brand-new music in 2020 and last year’s deluge of re-records and vault tracks, I think it’s safe to say that Taylor Swift has been my most-listened-to artist two years running. 2022 seems unlikely to pass without another Taylor release or two, whether that’s her fourth new album in three years (a long shot, but we’ll see!) or another re-recording or two of her past albums (my money’s on 1989 and Speak Now before the year is out). Whatever happens, I can’t wait to spill even more words arguing with my fellow Swifties over the respective merits of remade classics, sterling vault tracks, or even brand-new masterpieces.
Paramore – TBA
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Adam Grundy
Having recently confirmed the status of their sixth studio album in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, the fan frenzy was at an all-time high thinking about what direction Paramore could go on this next record. Hayley Williams conquered the solo artist territory with well-received albums of Petals for Armor and Flowers for Vases / Descansos,respectively, and the band appears poised for reinventing themselves once again. In the aforementioned interview,Williams stated, “I’m always waiting for the moment for us to know we’re onto something new and we’re not just rehashing the same shit. We got to feel that feeling early on this time.” Until that time comes when we hear the first single and the album announcement, stay close to that computer screen for the next update.
PUP – The Unraveling of PUPTHEBAND
Release Date: April 1
Anticipated by Drew Beringer
Not all punk band’s make it to their fourth record and when you’ve been as acclaimed as PUP, it’s easy for a fourth record to go haywire. The Unraveling of PUPTHEBAND showcases the Canada quartet’s best songwriting to date – incorporating some new sounds (808s, synths, horns) into their brand of abrasively catchy punk rock. All while Stefan Babcock indulges into all his worst tendencies – a sick acknowledgment that his worst side is what sells. Find out on April 1st if the band overcomes said unraveling and makes it to LP5.
Spoon – Lucifer On The Sofa
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Craig Manning
Until last year, I had never thought of Spoon as the heirs apparent to the legacy of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. But after they dropped a pair of bonkers-good Petty covers last March (“Breakdown” and “A Face in the Crowd”), I can’t think of them as anything else. Singer Britt Daniel’s voice carries a certain similarity to Petty’s, and Spoon are renowned above all else for their consistency and quality control – qualities The Heartbreakers always had in spades. Fittingly, the second single from Spoon’s forthcoming tenth studio album – a dusty, stomping road trip rocker called “Wild” – sounds like the most this beloved band has ever embraced the Petty sound before. It’s one of the very best songs Spoon have ever made, and easily one of the finest tracks of this young year. And lucky for us, we only have to wait a couple days to hear the rest of Lucifer On The Sofa.
Meet Me @ The Altar – TBA
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Adam Grundy
Having steadily built a following with great singles like “Garden” and “Hit Like A Girl,” Meet Me @ The Altar released an EP called Model Citizen last year to further round out their unique blend of pop, emo and crunchy guitar rock. The Fueled by Ramen artist has all of the “it” factors you’d want from a young band, and having confirmed their next release will be a full-length, their timing couldn’t be better to take the leading reins of the next wave of “scene bands.”
Kevin Devine – Nothing’s Real, So Nothing’s Wrong
Release Date: March 25
Anticipated by Drew Beringer
It’s been a long six years since we’ve been blessed with some solo Kevin Devine music. 2016’s vastly underrated Instigator was yet another classic record from the NYC singer-songwriter and his latest record (and return to Triple Crown Records) more than makes up for the lengthy wait. Just one spin of lead single “Albatross” is enough evidence that Devine is at the top of his game and honestly has never been better. It’s luscious, intricate, and another expert example of Kevin Devine’s stellar songwriting. Once that bridge hit I knew we’re in for another modern classic and it should be topping everyone’s most anticipated list.
No Devotion – TBA
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Adam Grundy
Lead singer of No Devotion, and of course Thursday, Geoff Rickly confirmed that No Devotion had plans to record a follow up to their massively underrated Permanence album, which ended up being my favorite LP from 2015. Besides an occasional teasing on social media of the band showing studio footage not much is known about the direction and timing of when No Devotion will release this aforementioned music. The fact that the band is still touring under the No Devotion moniker leads me to believe that 2022 could be huge for this band meant for great things.
Beach House – Once Twice Melody
Release Date: TBA
Anticipated by Adam Grundy
Beach House had a unique rollout for their massive double album called Once Twice Melody for Sub Pop Records, as they gradually released 4-5 song chunks at a time to build further anticipation for the direction the Baltimore-based dream-pop duo were going for. Based on the early teasers of music I’ve heard from my slow-trickle of new tracks from my Bandcamp pre-order of the album, this could be the band’s mid-career masterpiece that I knew they were capable of creating.
Soul Glo – Diaspora Problems
Release Date: March 25
Anticipated by Drew Beringer
Just letting everyone know off the bat this is going to be the best hardcore record of 2022. It’s the most unpredictable and chaotic rides I’ve heard in a long time. Soul Glo’s Epitaph debut is chaotic through and through – sometimes reminding me of even the most wild moments from Glassjaw and Blood Brothers’ discography (opening track “Gold Chain Punk (whogonbeatmyass?)” is gonna be one of the five best songs of the year too). After you read this blurb go and watch the video for “Jump!! (Or Get Jumped!!!)((by the future))” and realize that Diaspora Problems is gonna be a goddamn problem for a lot of us.