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Albums to get excited about in 2020

Tame Impala, Grimes, and a whole lot of others are set to drop new projects this year. But which ones are worth getting hyped for?

If you’re anything like me, you probably looked at your 2019 Spotify Wrapped with a little bit of embarrassment. I, for one, could not believe I spent over 150 hours listening to The 1975 over the last twelve months. Obviously some diversity is needed moving forward on my end.

Thankfully, some of the biggest acts around are promising stellar projects this year, including old indie favourites Tame Impala and Bombay Bicycle Club, and new school pop acts such as Grimes, Dua Lipa, and Halsey. There’s a lot to anticipate and plenty of options for me to improve those crucial end of year Spotify stats.

Here’s our rundown of the most exciting projects dropping in 2020 and yes, I have included The 1975’s new album on here (sorry everyone). Old habits die hard.

Tame Impala – The Slow Rush, 14th February 2020

It’s been a hot minute since Tame Impala dropped a fully-fledged project, with their last album Currents being almost five years old now. Anyone who’s ever remotely been into indie or psychedelic guitar will have no doubt heard most of the bangers, including Let It Happen and The Less I Know The Better. Expectations are high going into this next work, and we don’t have too long left before we can get our hands – and ears – on it.

A handful of singles have already been released, including the disco-infused Borderline that holds back on the trippy vibes and turns up the funk., as well as It Might Be Time and Posthumous Forgiveness. You can listen to the former below if you’re looking for a taste of what to expect come next month.

https://youtu.be/vpbblMR_jUo

The 1975 – Notes On A Conditional Form, 21st February 2020

Yes, yes I know, I’m talking about them again. But The 1975’s next album is expected to release a week after Tame Impala’s and should be a thorough pop romp. Several singles have already been released, including the aggressive, explosive punk anthem People and the Greta Thunberg spoken word piece that’ll serve as an introduction track.

Check out the Marilyn Manson inspired music video for People below. I’m warning you now though, it’s very shouty, and is about as far away from the sad boy track Somebody Else as you can possibly get.

https://youtu.be/EKdPxXWm7Jg

Grimes – Miss Anthropocene, 21st February 2020

Arty, robot pop icon Grimes is known for her zany, unpredictable electronic music, and it’s been quite a while since we heard from her. Art Angles was a critical and commercial success all the way back in 2015, and we should probably expect something equally as odd with this new record Miss Anthropocene.

A handful of tracks are already available to listen to and they’ve shown a great deal of promise. Listen to the slightly creepy, atmospheric single 4 AEM below, that blends together drum and bass with electronica masterfully well. It’s unlikely anything I’ve heard in a while.

https://youtu.be/TGwmFIphNcg

The Weeknd – Chapter 6, TBA

Nobody managed to capture the moody alternative R&B sound last decade quite like The Weeknd, who saw a multitude of hits dominate the charts, including Can’t Feel My Face, Starboy, and The Hills, amongst others. He’s back in time for 2020 with two new singles that dropped last November and an album that’s rumoured to be titled Chapter 6.

While there’s no release date as of yet, I wouldn’t be surprised if this one dropped in the next few months – though this would break The Weeknd’s streak of always releasing new material during the autumn. New decade new release schedule, maybe? You can listen to the 80’s inspired single Blinding Lights below.

Haim – TBA

This trio of Lou Reed inspired rock musicians made a huge splash early on last decade, with comparisons to Fleetwood Mac pouring in from critics and fans alike with the breakout success of their 2013 single The Wire. They’re gearing up for a third album in 2020, with three singles already out.

Check out Summer Girl below, which is a sunny, melancholy tune for modern times.

https://youtu.be/ZjuA_o6Jzyo

Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia, TBA

2020 isn’t without its contemporary, mainstream fixes, and Dua Lipa’s next album is apparently going to be an homage to the ‘classic pop sounds’ of the eighties and nineties with a futuristic twist  – hence the name Future Nostalgia. She’s looking to cement her place as one of the all time greats with her next project, which means we should probably get excited for it.

I’m sure you’ve probably already heard the first single Don’t Start Now which dropped a few months ago but, just in case you haven’t, you can check it out below.

Kesha – High Road, 10th January 2020

Kesha’s public image shifted dramatically during the last decade, as she spoke out about sexual misconduct and abuse from her former producer Dr. Luke. Where once her music was about frequent partying and cleaning your teeth with a ‘bottle of Jack’, she since changed her style to reflect her life experiences.

Rainbow, released in 2017, was full of hard hitting emotional ballads and heavy choruses that helped to express and explore all of the turmoil that had come with her lawsuits. This new record High Road, however, has been self-described as a return to her ‘pop roots’, and was made during a time where Kesha regained her ‘love for life’. Hopefully her dental hygiene game has improved this go around, mind.

Check out the latest released single Resentment below.

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