After a rather remarkable year for albums in 2022, with hard-hitters like FKA Twigs’ “Caprisongs,” Beyoncé’s “Renaissance,” Big Thief’s “Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You,” JID’S “The Forever Story,” Rosalía’s “Motomami,” and Ethel Cain’s “Preacher’s Daughter,” it seems unlikely that the albums rumored to be dropping in 2023 could ever measure up.
However, there are some notable new projects dropping this year that are bound to impress. So, here are Cherwell’s picks for the top 11 (we couldn’t decide on just 10) most anticipated albums dropping this year.
11. Black Belt Eagle Scout – “The Land, the Water, the Sky.” Black Belt Eagle Scout’s exploration of indie rock promises to be a journey of reconnection with her ancestors and through the nature which she associates with them. She said of the project that she “wanted the delicateness of these moments to meet the intense reality of the history of [her] people.”
10. 100 gecs – “10,000 gecs.” After an interesting, experimental release in their first album “1000 gecs,” the duo is returning this year with a new project that promises to be just as weird and wonderful as the last. Doubtless an exciting contribution, “10,000 gecs” is definitely an album to watch for.
9. Miley Cyrus – “Endless Summer Vacation.” With possibly one of the only truly interesting, and not entirely sour, Pop-Punk albums of 2020 in “Plastic Hearts,” no one really knows what direction her new project could take this year. But, suffice it to say, we’re curious. Cyrus has proven she can be tender, sexy, edgy, and poppy over the course of her career, and this new album is intriguing. No one knows what side of herself she’ll be showing, and that’s the exciting part.
8. Måneskin – “Rush!” Following their 2021 Eurovision win, Måneskin has brought an edginess to glam rock and unique charisma which has gathered them a loyal following and which suggests that their forthcoming debut album will be one to remember.
7. Samia – “Honey.” After a breathtaking debut album “The Baby” (2020), Samia has promised a new project in 2023. After dropping a popular and diverging lead single “Kill Her Freak Out” in 2022, Samia described the song and the forthcoming LP as marking the end of the story of “The Baby” and her transition to a new chapter. Moreover, if “Honey” has even a dab of the indie charm and heartfelt nature of her first LP then it is sure to be a success.
6. A$AP Rocky – “Don’t Be Dumb.” Though he has not officially announced when it will release, A$AP Rocky has teased his new album and even suggested that Metro Boomin’ will be featured heavily as a producer throughout the project. While some of his projects have proven relatively un-notable in the past, there is hope that this could be a sign of some of his artistic growth since it’s been 5 years since his last full-length LP “Testing.”
5. Kelela – “Raven.” The R&B singer’s upcoming project is led by the mellow single “On the Run,” and in describing her new album she said that it was her “first breath taken in the dark, an affirmation of black femme perspective in the midst of systemic erasure and the sound of our vulnerability turned to power.” Hopes are definitely high for this project.
4. Yves Tumor – TBA. After dropping the new post-punk single “God is a Circle” (2022) and EP “The Asymptotical World,” fans can only hope that this visionary artist is hinting at a bigger project to come this year. Following the success and texture of “Heaven to a Tortured Mind” (2020), any new Yves Tumor project is something to get excited about.
3. Gorillaz – “Cracker Island.” The Gorillaz have made a name for themselves collaborating with artists from Carly Simon to Grace Jones, and their new LP promises an even more exciting lineup. With the release of successful singles like “New Gold” (2022) featuring Bootie Brown and Tame Impala, the rest of the album is supposed to feature the likes of Thundercat, Bad Bunny, Beck, Stevie Nicks, and Adeleye Omotayo. “Cracker Island” promises the much-beloved vision of the Gorillaz with the aid of some of music’s most imaginative artists,
2. Lana Del Rey – “Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd?” Lana Del Rey just can’t stop. With the astounding, genre-defining “Norman F*ing Rockwell” (2019), and two following decent albums in the interim, Lana Del Rey’s upcoming 9th project seems to channel her signature dreamy, soul-crushing California Americana in a new direction for the same artistry that has made her so popular. The lead title single is nothing short of beautiful and hints at more beauty to follow.
1. Rihanna – “R9.” All we can say is: please! Please, Rihanna, drop your album! After teasing it for years, and with her Super Bowl Halftime show approaching, is it possible that this could be the year we finally get the much-anticipated “R9?” It’s been 7 years now since her smash success “Anti” (2016), and suffice it to say that her fans—and us—are desperate for this release.
Image is in the Public Domain
