Every Loser: Iggy Pop
It is never too late for the Godfather of Punk. After his 2019 album Free, Iggy Pop has announced his next album, to hit the stores in January itself — Every Loser. Produced by Andrew Watt, with contributions from numerous artistes including Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith, Guns N’ Roses’ Duff McKagan on the first song, Frenzy, the 11-track album promises to be raw, unabashed, unhinged and frenetic, the Iggy Way.
i/o : Peter Gabriel
Yeah, we heard that right. The legendary Peter Gabriel is all set to launch a tour, seven years since his last, and release his 10th studio album, i/o, his first of original material since 2002. Talking about being surrounded by a ton of new material and his desire to take it out on the road, the 72-year-old charismatic frontman continues his solo ventures backed by his band composed of Manu Katche, Tony Levin and David Rhodes.
Queen of Me: Shania Twain
Shania Twain’s new album, dropping in February, is all about her personal renaissance and resilience. Five years after her last, Queen of Me is Shania embracing her place and her life. After suffering with Lyme disease and dysphonia, and her surgery in 2018, Twain talks about the album as an “upbeat and empowering” reflection of her acceptance and celebration of life, in its mirth and comfort moving away from the darkness of her past, and the pandemic, around. For our country-pop queen, this album brings her back to what she loves doing the most.
Gloria: Sam Smith
Arriving in January, Sam Smith’s new album, three years after his last, Gloria is all set to bring out a wild Smith teasing and intriguing all strapped and dropping like they own it. Although, with the earworm and Billboard Hot 100 number one Unholy featuring Kim Petras they have done more than just tease. When asked, they talked about Gloria being the name of the voice in them, with the album celebrating queer joy in a dangerous world.
72 Seasons: Metallica
Set for release in April, the 11th studio album by the pop-guardians of heavy metal, Metallica, will see them release one seven years after their last. Speaking of the name, Hetfield talked about the first 18 years of one’s life as the intensely personal formative years that trigger our reactions and perceptions of the world later. “Prisoners of childhood or breaking free of those bondages we carry.” The band released the first single from the album, called Lux Æterna, an energising and snappy track, in November.
Did You Know There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd: Lana Del Rey
The upcoming ninth studio album by the queen of melancholia, Lana Del Rey, comes out on March 10. The album was preceded by the release of the eponymous orchestral track which was about her personal fear of being abandoned, and lost to time, and will feature collaboration with artistes like Jon Batiste, Father John Misty and Judah Smith. The album will reflect her “meditative automatic singing”, as she describes it.
RUSH!: Maneskin
It’s been Maneskin all the way over the last couple of years. Their third studio album, RUSH!, is them experimenting with their sound, influenced by Radiohead. Delving deep into their musical definition beyond the aesthetics, RUSH! promises a more aware, topical and introspective lyrical landscape with songs like The Loneliest, Supermodel and Gasoline, where the latter, a political track against Putin, features Tom Morello. The album drops on January 20.
This is why: Paramore
The sixth studio album for Paramore, this comes almost six years after the last. A guitar-driven 10-track album, it derives sonical inspiration from the rock band, Bloc Party’s sound. The album marking Paramore’s return with its original line-up drops in February.