Nothing hits like brand-spankin' new music does and 2021 is proving to be a mammoth year for new bangers. While a year of cancelled festivals, gigs and shows were detrimental to the music industry across the world, it’s meant that artists are coming back stronger than ever this year.
These are the best new albums to watch out for in 2021.
Genesis Owusu
Album: smiling with no teeth
Keep your eyes and ears peeled for Genesis Owusu’s debut album Smiling With No Teeth (set to drop March 5). In case you missed it, Genesis is truly hailed for his enigmatic stage presence and his new album will be his first and extended-release since his 2017 debut CP Cardrive. We’re predicting his album to go truly gangbusters, especially because it’s set to be a complete testimony on mental health and race.
Tash Sultana
Album: terra firma
We’re always ready to jump on the Tash Sultana train and this year we’re watching out for their second album titled Terra Firma (meaning dry land), locked to drop February 19. While they’ve already dropped a few sneak peek songs like Willow Tree featuring Jerome Farah and Sweet & Dandy, (which both follow in Flow State's signature fluidity), Sultana has stated that Terra Firma stems from a “peaceful place”.
Billie Eilish
Album: tbc
Having spent a good slog of 2020 working on her new album, Billie Eilish has confirmed she has a new album in the works having already dropped a couple of sneaky tracks along the way. By now you’ve already treated your ears to Everything I Wanted, My Future and Therefore I Am but we’re yet to snag a release date or album name for that matter. Keep on high alert.
Rihanna
Album: tbc
We’re not going to lie, we’ve been waiting for Rihanna to make a sonic comeback since Anti dropped back in 2016. And while there are no hard details yet of when we can expect Rihanna to grace our headphones again soon, we’re praying to the music gods she blesses us sometime this year.
The Rubens
Album: 0202
Brace yourselves for The Rubens’ fourth studio album called 0202 set to drop February 12. The last time we heard a thing or two from this legendary crew was 2019 and though they did have plans to drop some music goodness in 2020, a global pandemic through a minor spanner in the works for that (understandably). The album name itself is a bit of a playful one with the new collection of tracks set to be forward thinking for a backward year—hence “0202”. We already love it.
Pink Sweat$
Album: pink planet
We love him, you love him and there’s no question as to why. Totally nicknamed after the attire he always rocks up in (pink sweats guys, pink sweats), this Philadelphia-born rockstar oozes a whole heap of emotion in his dreamy music. His new album is called Pink Planet will also be dropping February 12. The tracklist features a whole lot of blush odes including songs titled PINK CITY, PINK MONEY and PINK FAMILY.
Drake
Album: certified lover boy
It’s always a good time for Drake to drop an album, global pandemic or not. While there were initial plans to drop his new album, Certified Lover Boy in January, we’re all going to have to wait a little while longer to grace our ears with his magic while he recovers from surgery. The new album will be Drake's sixth studio release.
Cardi B
Album: tbc
It’s been three years since Cardi B dropped her bangin’ hot track Bodak Yellow, a hot minute since WAP broke the internet and a split second since she dropped a sneak peek song from her upcoming album (if you haven’t watched the music video to UP yet, do yourself a favour and watch it now). This is another new album which has no release date or title yet but you know when artists start dropping single tracks, more details are closer than you think.
Practically live in headphones? Check out the best new podcasts to listen to this month.
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