There are plenty of new releases to look forward to in the coming days, weeks, and months. From 100 gecs to Yard Act, there’s something for everyone in our 40 most anticipated albums of 2022.
2022 has already produced some phenomenal music both as singles as well as full-length albums. And from looking at the schedule, there are more big moments to come. It’s been a whirlwind run-up to this point, that’s for sure. So hold tight, grab a friend, and let’s go for a fun ride that’s bound to have some surprises along the way. Here’s to all the new music that 2022 has to offer.
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100 gecs: 10000 gecs
Release Date: TBA
In September 2021, Dylan Brady and Laura Les (100 Gecs) announced their second studio album, 10000 Gecs. The highly-anticipated project has no solid date as of yet. Word is that it is to be released in early 2022 and set to include their single, ‘MeMeMe.’
Image credit via Hisham Bharoocha
Animal Collective: Time Skiffs
Release Date: February 4
Time Skiffs is Animal Collective’s first album since 2016, and their 11th overall. Written in 2020, the album came about after all four members met up and discussed what was next for the band. Their resurgence was kickstarted due to their first two singles, ‘Prester John’ and ‘Walker.’
Read our write-up of Time Skiffs
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Beach House: Once Twice Melody
Release Date: February 18
Beach House have been rolling out their latest album since late November 2021. The unusual release has been broken out into four distinct chapters. Each chapter with its own release date. The last chapter is to arrive on February 18. Produced by Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally, Beach House’s eighth album is punctuated by a live string ensemble.
Read our write-up of Once Twice Melody
Image credit via Cam Kirk/Courtesy of the artist
Benny the Butcher: Tana Talk 4
Release Date: TBA
Buffalo-born rapper, Benny the Butcher has recently announced Tana Talk 4. The album is the latest chapter to his Tana Talk series and the first since 2018. Entirely produced by The Alchemist and Daringer, the album’s first single, ‘Johnny P’s Caddy,’ features J. Cole.
Read our write-up of Tana Talk 4
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Big Thief: Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
Release Date: February 11
Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You is a daring double-LP that truly showcases Big Thief in their purest form. Having secluded themselves for 5 months, the band completed 45 songs. From there the songs were edited down to 20 tracks. The album was produced by drummer James Krivchenia.
Read our write-up of Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
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Bloc Party: Alpha Games
Release Date: April 29
Alpha Games is Boc Party’s sixth album and their first since 2016’s Hymns. The record aims to mark the initial contributions from band members Justin Harris and Louise Bartle, who joined the band in 2015. Alpha Games is produced by Nick Launay and Adam Greenspan and is due out April 29 via Infectious/BMG.
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Bonobo: Fragments
Release Date: January 14
We’ve had to wait four agonizing years for another Bonobo record, but the time has come. Fragments is finally here. The seventh full-length release for British electronic artist Simon Green has finally been delivered. The album deserves repeat listens with each subsequent listen pulling you in further and further into Bonobo’s world until it digs into your unconsciousness.
Read our write-up of Fragments
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Built to Spill: When the Wind Forgets Your Name
Release Date: September 9
Built to Spill has signed to Sub Pop. With the signing, the band has decided to start working on a new album. When it does finally drop, the album will be the first since 2020’s Built to Spill Plays the Songs of Daniel Johnston.
Read our write-up of When the Wind Forgets Your Name
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Cardi B: TBA
Release Date: TBA
Fans have been waiting for some time for another album from the NYC rapper and songwriter. It’s been since 2018’s Invasion of Privacy since we’ve seen a full-length album. It seems as though 2022 might be the year. The artist herself officially announce that she has two new projects in the works. A full-length album and a movie. And although we have official word that there will be an album soon, we don’t know the exact date or title.
Image credit via Jessica Lehrman
Cate Le Bon: TBA
Release Date: February 4
Pompeii is Cate Le Bon’s sixth full-length album and the follow-up to 2019’s Mercury-nominated Reward. The album was composed entirely alone and recorded with her longstanding collaborator Samur Kjouja. Pompeii embraces the minimal as the lyrics bounce between self-reflection and direct address.
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Charli XCX: Crash
Release Date: March 18
Crash is the fifth and final album to be released under the artist’s contract with Atlantic Records. The album is stated to have abandoned the hyperpop and futurepop releases for which she has become known. Crash instead leans more on a “poptastic” sound likened to 80s pop.
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The Cure: TBA
Release Date: TBA
A new Cure album has been imminent for some time now. The band’s last studio album, 4:13 Dream came over a decade ago (2008). And Robert Smith has been promising a new Cure album (and multiple albums) for several years. Luck may be on our side though as promotional materials for their upcoming European tour make mention of a “67-minute new album” that has yet to be announced formally.
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Dr. Dre: Detox
Release Date: TBA
Dr. Dre seems to be working on a project. Whether it is related to the legendary Detox project from 2002 has yet to be seen. It would be his first since 2015’s Compton. Hints have been dropped by several close to Dre. KXNG Crooked teased that he “walked in his studio and saw 146 songs on a big ass list.” Eminem also revealed that he traded songs with Dre a couple of times, “cause I did a couple of other songs and I’m like ‘yo you can have that one that I just sent you if I can have [Guns Blazing] and we kinda swapped a little bit. It’s very personal. That’s a very personal song.” Time will tell what Dre has been up to. Let’s just hope that it’s soon.
Image credit via Lorne Thomson for Redferns via Getty Images.
Earl Sweatshirt: Sick!
Release Date: January 14
In his first in since his Feet of Clay project from November 2019, the Santa Monica rapper, songwriter, and record producer chose to reflect what was happening around him. “A wise man said art imitates life,” Sweatshirt said in press materials. “People were sick. I leaned into the chaos cause it was apparent that it wasn’t going anywhere. These songs are what happened when I would come up for air.” The album features Zelooperz and Armand Hammer, as well as production from the Alchemist, Black Noi$e, Navy Blue, Samiyam, Alexander Spit, Theravada, Rob Chambers, and Earl himself.
Image credit via press photo
Father John Misty: Chloë and the Next 20th Century
Release Date: April 8
Chloë and the Next 20th Century is the upcoming fifth album by musician Josh Tillman under the stage name Father John Misty, scheduled to be released through Sub Pop and Bella Union on April 8, 2022. It’s the first since the release of God’s Favorite Customer in 2018. Produced by Tillman and Jonathan Wilson, the album was written and recorded between August and December of 2020.
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FKA twigs: CAPRISONGS
Release Date: January 14
Most mixtapes come with a lot less baggage and expectations than full-length albums. And CAPRISONGS is no different. It’s a collection of tracks that sees FKA twigs work on perfecting her craft with a myriad of friends. She’s referred to is as her “journey back to [herself] through [her] amazing collaborators and friends.” In this collection FKA twigs maneuvers through a more pop-forward and light-hearted sound than her full-length predecessors (Magdalene and LP1).
Read our write-up of CAPRISONGS
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Fontaines D.C.: Skinty Fia
Release Date: April 20
Fontaines D.C. have announced a follow-up to their Grammy-nominated 2020 LP, A Hero’s Death. Available on April 20th the album was produced by Dan Carey and translates to English as “the damnation of the deer.” You can listen to their first single off the ten-track album, ‘Jackie Down the Line.’
Read our write-up of Skinty Fia
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Freddie Gibbs: Soul Sold Separately
Release Date: TBA
The new Freddie Gibbs’ album Soul Sold Separately has a lot of unknowns tied to it, but we do know a few things. First and foremost, there’s a long list of producers involved. Madlib, Alchemist, Boi 1da, Pharrell, Jake One, DJ Paul, Justice League, Working On Dying, Seven Thomas, Tay Keith, Kaytranada, Bizness Boi… It’s also an album that will have more features than past Gibbs’ albums, “I leveled up on his album. It’s going to be more features.”
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Interpol: TBA
Release Date: TBA
Interpol have shed some light on their upcoming album as they describe it as “super fucking different.” The follow-up to 2018’ Marauder has yet to have an official title, but the band is working with Flood and Moulder in production.
Image credit via David James Swanson
Jack White: Fear of the Dawn / Entering Heaven Alive
Release Date: April 8 and July 22 respectively
Jack White has announced the release of two brand new albums, his first in over four years. Fear of the Dawn and Entering Heaven Alive were recorded at Third Man Studios in 2021, and draw on “different inspiration, different themes, different moods.”
Image credit via Brandon Magnus/Getty Images
Kanye West: Donda 2
Release Date: February 22
What is a list of the most anticipated albums for 2022 without Donda 2? The eleventh studio album by American recording artist Kanye West is set for February 22. We’ve heard that before though… From our understanding, West began recording the album in January of this year and is executive produced by Future. As for the sound of the album, West has instructed Digital Nas to make the songs sound “more monk-like” and to “simplify the tracks”, and if they are “not able to be played at a funeral, childbirth, graduation, a wedding”, then inclusion on the album is not appropriate.
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Kendrick Lamar: Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers
Release Date: May 13
This is the golden egg. A lot of effort has been put forth since 2017’s DAMN trying to figure out when Kendrick Lamar is going to release his next album. Five years in the making, and we are still waiting. That wait may soon be over as the hype train has caught steam once again as a new track may be on the horizon. It makes sense as Kendrick is set to perform at the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI halftime show with Dr. Dre, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, and Mary J. Blige. Time will tell.
Read our write-up of Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers
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Kid Cudi: Entergalactic
Release Date: TBA
At Rolling Loud California in December of 2021, Cudder let the crowd know that Entergalactic is due out in the summer of 2022. But before that release there may be something else as well, “I have Entergalactic coming in the summer,” Cudi told the crowd, “but I wanna drop another album before that. And I got some tasty surprises and I’m really excited about all this new shit, all this new music, to give to you guys.”
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Lizzo: Special
Release Date: July 15
As the summer of 2021 came winding down the Detroit native released her first single in several years. ‘Rumors,’ which features Cardi B is the lead single off of what is to be her next album. The artist has been silent as to when she plans to drop the album though. Rumors have it arriving at some point in 2022.
Image credit via Daniel Dorsa
Michelle: After Dinner We Talk Dreams
Release Date: January 28
New Yorkers through and through Michelle was formed in 2018 and consists of Sofia D’Angelo, Julian Kaufman, Charlie Kilgore, Layla Ku, Emma Lee, and Jamee Lockard. The band was created from 6 unique individuals, each with distinctive perspectives coming together to form one cohesive unit. Michelle is known for their layered harmonies, analog synthesizers, vibrant percussion, and smoldering hooks that see the four female vocalists push their boundaries while the men share production.
Read our write-up of AFTER DINNER WE TALK DREAMS
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Microphones: Completely Everything, 1996–2021
Release Date: February 18
Phil Elverum is gathering all seven Microphones albums and releasing them as one cohesive vinyl box set. The set is a limited one-time run, and will not be re-pressed. 25 years in a singular “humungous” set will include a heavy-duty, full-color, foil-stamped slipcase and a comprehensive collection of early tapes, live recordings, unreleased outtakes, and more.
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Mitski: Laurel Hell
Release Date: February 4
Laurel Hell is the upcoming sixth studio album by indie rock musician Mitski. Scheduled for a February 4 release, the album was produced by Patrick Hyland. As for the material, most was written long before the Covid lockdowns, although it was finished during that time.
Image credit via Getty/Andrew H. Walker/Tribeca Film Festival
Phife Dawg: Forever
Release Date: March 22
Phife Dawg’s long-awaited posthumous album has almost arrived. Set for a March 22 release, the album is set to drop on the sixth anniversary of the A Tribe Called Quest MC’s death. Forever includes the singles ‘Nutshell Part 2’ and ‘French Kiss Deux’ that were both released earlier in 2021.
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Red Hot Chili Peppers: Unlimited Love
Release Date: April 1
A lot has been made about one recent tease on social media from the band. In the 18 second clip, the camera slowly zooms out to reveal a neon RHCP logo lit up by neon light blinking on and off. Throughout the clip, a guitar riff that is thought to be played by John Frusciante is playing in the background. The next album will be Frusciante’s first since 2006’s Stadium Arcadium.
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Shamir: Heterosexuality
Release Date: February 11
Shamir will release his eighth studio album, Heterosexuality on February 11. With the announcement, Shamir also released the first single off of the album, ‘Cisgender.’ Heterosexuality was produced by Hollow Comet of Strange Ranger. “I think this album is me finally acknowledging my trauma,” Shamir said in a statement. “Everyone knows I’ve been through so much shit and I kind of just rammed through, without really acknowledging the actual trauma that I do feel on almost a daily basis.”
Read our write-up of Heterosexuality
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The Smile: A Light for Attracting Attention
Release Date: May 13
Consisting of Radiohead members Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood and Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner, The Smile is a product of the Covid lockdowns. The band is also a collaboration with Radiohead Nigel Godrich. It seems as though we are entering the final stages of preparation as Greenwood said the group was still deciding what to include on the album and that it was “just about finished” (September 2021). Many will indeed smile if and when Thom Yorke and company release a full-length album.
Read our write-up of A Light for Attracting Attention
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Spiritualized: Everything Was Beautiful
Release Date: April 22
It’s been 4 years since Spiritualized last released an album. We won’t have to wait much longer though. On February 25 the band will release their ninth album, Everything Was Beautiful. Until then we have the lead single off the record, ‘Always Together With You.’ As for the album, it is the culmination of laying down music in 11 different studios, as well as Pierce’s home studio.
Read our write-up of Everything Was Beautiful
Image credit via Spoon’s Facebook
Spoon: Lucifer on the Sofa
Release Date: February 11
Spoon’s tenth album marks the first time in more than a decade where the band recorded the music in their hometown of Austin. According to frontman Britt Daniel, the music on Lucifer on the Sofa is “the sound of classic rock as written by a guy who never did get Eric Clapton.” The album is being billed as something “louder, wilder, and more full-color.”
Read our write-up of Lucifer on the Sofa
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Swedish House Mafia: Paradise Again
Release Date: April 15
We are on the eve of Swedish House Mafia’s debut album. Soon to be released the group wrote 45 songs for Paradise Again knowing that they would eventually get paired down to a proper album. The final number we’ve come to learn is 14 tracks. And expect “Scandinavian melodies, dark production, and hard sounds.”
Read our write-up of Paradise Again
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SZA: TBA
Release Date: TBA
It’s hard to believe we have Ctrl as the lone album from the St. Louis born singer and songwriter. It’s not from lack of hard work. Quite the contrary. Sza has been spotted in the studio clocking in 12-hour days. The 14-time Grammy nominee has yet to give the public a concrete date for the release. Let’s hope it’s sooner than later.
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Tame Impala: The Slow Rush Remixes & B-Sides
Release Date: February 18
Kevin Parker via his website has given fans more information regarding the remix and b-sides album set to drop on February 18. The Four Tet, Blood Orange, and Lil Yachty remixes that dropped earlier in 2021 are included. So too are two previously unreleased tracks:’ One More Time’ and the Maurice Fulton remix for ‘Patience.’
Read our write-up of The Slow Rush Remixes & B-Sides
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The Weather Station: How Is It That I Should Look At The Stars
Release Date: March 4
Toronto-based singer-songwriter Tamara Lindeman has announced that The Weather Station will be releasing a new album entitled, How Is It That I Should Look at the Stars. The album will serve as a companion piece to 2021’s Ignorance. The album will feature ten songs that were written in the same sessions as the previous album. ‘Endless Time’ is the first single released from the upcoming album.
Read our write-up of How Is It That I Should Look At The Stars
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The Weeknd: Dawn FM
Release Date: January 7
The Dawn is here. Dawn FM is a concept album that The Weeknd conceived of during a low time in the heights of the pandemic in 2020. The album is laden with pop-synth odes that see Jim Carrey deliver the tracks as a soft-rock radio host. Jim Carrey aside, the album flows from one track to the next seeing The Weeknd perfect his new wave / R&B sound with precision. Throw in a few features from Tyler, The Creator, Lil Wayne, and Quincy Jones and you have the making of an album that’s bound to stay in the charts for the foreseeable future. The album was executive produced by frequent collaborator, Oneohtrix Point Never.
Image credit via Hollie Fernando
Wet Leg: Wet Leg
Release Date: April 8
The brainchild of Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers, Wet Leg, comes from a shared love of The Ronettes and Jane Birkin. Their brand of post-punk brings fun to the forefront through their use of dry lyrics paired with their hard-hitting guitars. File Wet Leg under irresistible duo indie sensation. They are worth the hype. Wet Leg the album is set for release on April 8.
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Yard Act: The Overload
Release Date: January 21
Upon your first listen to Yard Act’s debut album, The Overload you will hear brash, in-your-face music accented with a sense of humor. From the first track to the last, they steamroll through the 10 tracks one by one and force their way into your heart and mind. And they don’t let go. To say they are making a bold entrance would be an understatement.