The 10 Albums We Can’t Wait to Listen to in 2017

Call us old fashioned, but there are few things in life greater than new music from the artists we know and love so much. Be it on vinyl, in a jeweled case or downloaded, we love it all and relish the hard work and creativity that go into these audible works of art that move and excite us throughout the various moments in our lives. 2017 seems to be the year that many artists make their return and we can’t wait. From Conor Oberst to Lorde, here are some of the upcoming albums we’re stoked to listen to this year.

Depeche Mode – Spirit (March 17)

Synth-rock superstars Depeche Mode haven’t let things like time or accusations of being the official band of the alt-right movement affect their impact on the music industry. The English band began making waves last fall with the release of a teaser trailer for their 14th studio album, Spirit. After 35 years of incredible music (and brilliant comebacks directed towards certain ignorant and racist Trump supporters), the guys don’t have to do much to prove that they’re still one of history’s hardest rocking bands.

Pitbull – Climate Change (March 17)
Dale! Mr. Worldwide is at it again with his March 17 release, dubbed Climate Change. It’s no secret that the Cubano rapper has carved out a place for himself in what should essentially be called “hip-house” – a softer, more pop-based alternative to the often intimidating nature of true hip-hop. With nine albums already under his belt, the “Internation Love” rapper is switching it up for number 10, this time exploring the realms of reggae, rock and ’80s pop. All we want to know is if he’ll keep rocking the three-piece suits or opt for something a bit more comfortable.

Conor Oberst – Salutations (March 17)
Just last year, brooding genius Conor Oberst released his 10-track album, Ruminations, but it seems he wasn’t ready to end the recording process there. Coming as a complete surprise to fans, Oberst not only re-released the previous 10 songs with a full band accompanying him on the recordings, but added an additional seven songs to the track listing. Being praised as one of his rawest compositions so far, the emotional admissions probably came fairly easy after being holed up while recording during the harsh Omaha winter.

Drake – More Life (March 18)
Hellbent on releasing an album at least once year, Drake refused to idle after the success of 2015’s If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, What A Time To Be Alive, 2016’s Views and their subsequent tours. The hard-working Canadian crooner is at it again, this time with the delayed release of More Life. Originally intended for release last year, More Life is a promise of new flow and fresh production. Don’t misunderstand, we love him in all forms: sad Drake, gangster Drake – even Caribbean Drake; however, we’re quickly becoming Drake-d out. While we appreciate everything he’s given us, even a brief hiatus would do his creativity – and our oversaturated ears – some good.

Nelly Furtado, The Ride (March 31)
Unlike Drake, Nelly Furtado loves her some long breaks between albums. Strategically placing roughly five years between each release, she’s back with her fourth creation, The Ride. We’re familiar with singles from her first two albums, such as “I’m Like A Bird” and “Promiscuous,” but none of the songs from her 2012 album, The Spirit Indestructible, ever got the attention and radio play that they deserved. Thanks to the catchy lead single “Islands of Me,” Furtado is bringing the anticipation and getting people hyped for her new sound on The Ride.

Feist – Pleasure (April 28)
We love Feast, and the elusive songstress is back with Pleasure, her first studio album in six years. Leading the way is “Pleasure,” a heavier sounding, guitar-driven track that’s a far cry from the whimsical tunes we’re used to from her. Always knowing which heartstrings to tug on, the Canadian pixie has been carefully concocting the ultimate blend of sadness, love, care and rejection, all into one magical compilation.

Lorde – Melodrama (June 16)
No one can blame Lorde for wanting to escape the constant spotlight and pressures of Hollywood to enjoy the remainder of her teenage years as a normal girl. After all, it can’t be easy maintaining membership to Taylor Swift’s exclusive squad. But everyone’s favorite Kiwi is back, and still riding the success of Pure Heroine and songs like “Royals,” she’s releasing her second studio album, Melodrama. In preparation for the mid-June release, Lorde debuted two new singles, “Green Light” and “Liability,” even performing them on Saturday Night Live in early March. While she’s confirmed that the album is heavily inspired by her breakup with her boyfriend of three years, hopefully the recording served as a catharsis for the young artist and she’s ready to conquer the world once again.

TLC, TBD (Summer)
The thought of a new album from beloved girl group TLC is incredibly bittersweet. One one hand, it’ll be the first time T-Boz and Chilli have recorded an album since 2002’s 3D – their first attempt to rebuild after the death of their third bandmate Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez in 2001 – and the first time since the original members decided to continue on as a twosome. On the other hand, the duo announced in early 2017 that the unnamed, 15-track album would indeed be their last body of work together. After 26 years of getting down and jamming out together, it’ll be hard to say goodbye. Luckily, there’s still the quickly approaching I Love The ’90s Tour that they’ll be headlining. We’re aren’t crying, there’s just something in both of our eyes.

Gorillaz, TBD (TBD)
It’s been seven years since the Gorillaz debuted their third album, Plastic Beach, but we’re still (im)patiently waiting to see what the cartoon gang has up their sleeves. Between scarce interviews and strange character storylines on their website, little is known about this upcoming body of music – aside from since-deleted Instagram mentions of Massive Attack and Vic Mensa. But in January, the eclectic foursome dropped “Hallelujah Money” as a precursor to their long-awaited work. Although there have been no further mentions, the band did announce their formation of their very own 2017 Demon Dayz Music Festival, which they themselves will headline.

Phoenix – TBD (TBD)

Pop rockers Phoenix have been M.I.A for four years, but if 2017 is the year of the new music bug, then they too have been bitten. After establishing themselves with their first two albums, 2009’s Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix and 2013’s Bankrupt!, the band announced their return by teasing a bunch of upcoming tour dates on their social media, including the headlining slot for this year’s Gov Ball in New York City. We’re sure they’ll play the hits for audiences, nonetheless there’s a pretty good chance they’ll be debuting new songs before announcing an official album. Fingers crossed!