2014 is fast coming to a close and you may be listed out, it is time to start looking ahead to 2015 and what music will be on the horizon in the next 12 months. 2014 was a very good year for music with artists like Sam Smith, Taylor Swift, Drake and Disclosure all making an indelible impact on what we listen to today. 2015 may just be even bigger and bolder with what the music industry has in store for fans. We have compiled a list of artists who have said they will be releasing albums in 2015 and given you most anticipated 15 of the bunch. There are a lot of incredible artists already lining up to release a record next year, but we had to narrow it down to just 15. Read for the full list below that is in no particular order.
1. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter V:
Ah Tha Carter V, the last of its kind and Lil Wayne's last album — supposedly. Weezy has been embroiled in a long battle with YMCMB over the release of this album, accusing the label of delaying the release without cause and looking to get off the label. His manager says that everything is OK, and Mack Maine, the manager of Young Money, Lil Wayne's label says everything will work out, even proposing that the album will be released in Q1 of 2015. We will see if the two parties can make amends and get this album out.
2. Björk - TBA:
Björk has been at it for a long time. Over her illustrious career as a musician and an artist she has recorded eight studio albums and appeared in several movies. Her upcoming album, which still remains untitled, was announced back in October and will be arriving in 2015.
3. Kanye West - TBA:
Kanye West is very mysterious about the way he goes about releasing albums. He recently played Seth Rogan the instrumentals to his entire album and freestyled the whole album while in a limo. He also reportedly played the album at a Paris club one night during Parisian fashion week. Rihanna spilled the beans on a 2015 tour Kanye might be doing, which would suggest an album to support. The album has not been officially announced yet, but all signs points to the fact it is coming in 2015.
4. Rihanna - TBA:
In this incredibly fast paced world where singles come as fast the go, Rihanna has remained at the top of the pop pedestal, despite not putting out an album in two years and very little other work in between. Her upcoming album will be her first since 2012's Unapologetic and is slated to be released some time next year. DJ Skee released details that there were 10 tracks finished, which had been played to record executives and Ne-Yo told Capital XTRA in the UK that what he heard sounded "amazing". She has already started announcing arena and stadium tour dates for 2015, which would suggest an album tour and she released a short preview of a new track "previewed on Instagram" off the album recently.
5. Modest Mouse - Strangers To Ourselves:
Modest Mouse have been quiet for a long time. Besides live touring, they have not released a full-length LP since their 2007 effort We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank. Can you believe it has been that long? Their debut single "Lampshades On Fire" has been on heavy rotation during their live sets since it was premiered at Sasquatch Festival in 2011. According to a leaked letter by a fan site owner, the album will be released March 3, 2015.
6. Mark Ronson - Uptown Special:
The producer, musician, singer and DJ is getting his due after a lackluster response to his 2010 album Record Collection. The impossibly funky collaboration "Uptown Funk" alongside Bruno Mars has been the perfect lead single for the album and has whetted the appetite of listeners for his upcoming album Uptown Special. One of the few albums with a release date, this will hit stores Jan. 13, 2015.
7. Kendrick Lamar - TBA:
Kendrick has become arguably the best storytellers of the new breed of rappers taking over hip-hop right now. His album G.O.O.D. Kid m.A.A.d City was snubbed so hard at the Grammys that even the winner of the award for best Rap Album, Macklemore, texted him to apologize. Now Kendrick is readying his next studio effort and having released one song "i" and premiered another on The Colbert Report (RIP), the anticipation is at a fever pitch. The untitled album is coming in 2015. We don't know when, but everyone wants it to be very, very soon.
8. Madonna - Rebel Heart:
Whenever the Queen of pop is set to release some new music, the rest of industry makes way for what she is set to do. Her new album, Rebel Heart has faced a ton of adversity with several leaks that forced her team's hand to snap release a six track EP on iTunes. The 13-track album will feature productions by the likes of Diplo and Avicii and feature big names like Nicki Minaj. Even at 56, Madonna shows no signs of slowing down. The album will be in stores March 5, 2015.
9. Giorgio Moroder - 74 Is The New 24:
Ever since the Daft Punk album immortalized Giorgio, he has had a resurgence that no man in his mid-seventies has seen in a long time, no matter the circumstance. Moroder has taken up Djing and has even been booked for a few festivals. Now the electronic music pioneer is prepping to release a new album titled 74 Is The New 24 that will feature pop stars like Charli XCX, Britney Spears, Sia, Foxes, Kylie Minogue, Mikky Ekko and others. The album is expected in spring of 2015.
10. Joey Bada$$ - B4.DA.$$
Joey Bada$$'s time is now. The 19-year old rapper has released two highly touted mixtapes and went on a world tour this past fall. He has revealed two singles from his upcoming album B4.DA.$$, which is slated for release Jan. 20, 2015. Bada$$ is getting ready to make 2015 his.
11. The Prodigy - TBA:
Electronic music pioneers The Prodigy are gearing up for the release of their sixth studio album. The album will be their first since their 2009 album Invaders Must Die. The electronic band have been one of the most influential electronic acts ever and are ready to take back the crown of the electronic world. No release date has been announced yet, but Maxim recently said that the album, which is going to "wipe the floor" with other dance DJs, will arrive in spring 2015.
12. Meghan Trainor - Title:
The Grammy nominated singer, songwriter exploded onto the pop scene with her single "All About That Bass" over the summer and cemented herself as a new artist the world needed to keep an eye on. She is now set to release her third artist album Title and fans and observers will be eager to see if she is merely a one hit wonder or if she can actually string together a cohesive body of work, rather than just a hit single. We won't have to wait long as her album is one of the first to come out in 2015. The album will hit stores Jan. 13, 2015.
13. The Decemberists - What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World:
What more does one have to say then they got Parks and Recreation star Nick Offerman to be in their most recent music video for "Make You Better." Our favorite folk-rock band from Portland, the group are just under a month away from releasing their seventh studio album, their first since 2010. What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World will hit stores on Jan. 20, 2015.
14. Sleater-Kinney - No Cities To Love
When you take 10 years off from a very successful group and then suddenly come back to release an album, people will pay attention. Sleater-Kinney released seven critically accalimed albums during their time together between 1994 and 2005, before breaking up to pursue their own solo careers. They are back and have an album, No Cities To Love set for release in under a month on Jan. 20, 2015.
15. Drake - Views From The Six:
Drake had arguably one of the biggest years in 2014 of any artist in hip hop and he didn't even release an album. He has developed such star power and manages to put out tracks on his soundcloud every once and a while to keep fans hungry for more. The Toronto rapper garnered a grammy nomination for his single "1 To 100 / The Catch", as well as for his feature on ILoveMakonnen's "Tuesday". He has been busy recording his follow up for Nothing Was The Same titled Views From The Six, which is his nickname for Toronto, and according to reports, it will be released spring 2015.
Our honorable mentions are artists who are rumored to have albums coming in 2015, or have said they are in the studio recording right now, but have not confirmed any album release date yet. Axwell /\ Ingrosso get a special note because while they have said they will be releasing an album in 2015, Axwell has unreleased songs from 2008 he has not finished yet, so to presume everything will be released on time is very optimistic.
Honorable mentions: Adele, Avicii, Frank Ocean, Coldplay, Radiohead, Lana Del Rey, Axwell /\ Ingrosso, Muse.
