By Patrick DeMarco
While 2020 (ugh) gave us generous amounts of high energy dance goodies thanks to the disco’d likes of Lady Gaga, Dua Lipa, Jessie Ware, Doja Cat, The Weeknd, and what felt like hundreds more, that we could only pretty much dance around in our bedrooms made it less than effectual.
To make music matters even more frustrating, we’re still nowhere near being able to go to see a live concert or show, but soon-to-be sizzling new 2021 sets from Adele, Cardi B, Drake, The Cure, Foo Fighters, Ed Sheeran, Rihanna (?), Sade, St. Vincent, Lil’ Nas X and Billie Eilish, just to name a splendid few, will have you believing 2022 is going to be the biggest touring year ever.
Check it all out.
Adele It’s official….this will be the year when the world’s favorite heartbroken diva finally delivers her much, much, much-anticipated follow-up to her chart-defying blockbuster 25 record released six(!!) years ago. As confirmed by the “Rolling in the Deep” songstress during her now iconic SNL hosting gig last year in which we all we wanted to know what was going on with the album, “it just isn’t finished yet,” she finally spilled on stage. Well, according to her bestie, Alan Carr, the new tracks are “amazing.” We wouldn’t expect anything less…and we’re counting down the days until we feast on…something new from Adele. Now, please?
Drake/Certified Lover Boy Although everyone’s favorite Degrassi star gave us last year’s “Toosie Slide” and a cryptic trailer featuring a run-through of his decade spanning body of music, it looks as if Drake has to hold out on serving us the official release date of his upcoming studio set due to a recent surgery. Here’s hoping Rihanna’s “Work” co-star will surprise us with his new work when we least expect it. Hey, that’s what Dreezy always does, right?
Cardi B If we hold on just a little while longer, we’ll not only get through the world’s current drama, but we’ll be “WAP’in” and “UP’in” it up on the dance floors along with a whole new batch of Cardi creations sometime very soon. We’re so f*cking ready for that sophomore set, Ms. B. So ready.
Foo Fighters/Medicine at Midnight We must put our full rockin’ focus on the Fighters’ acoustic pop-tinged (yes) tenth studio set as Mr. Grohl and the boys teamed up with the unstoppable producing machine himself, Greg Kurstin (Adele, Kelly Clarkson, Kylie Minogue many, many more) to give us a set that already sounds like nothing they’ve ever served out before. Just plug it in to lead single “Waiting on a War” and hear for yourself. (February 5th)
Zayn If you haven’t been paying music attention to the former One Direction-er, you should. His latest (and out now) aptly titled offering, Nobody is Listening, has all the “and chill” vibes you could ever want from a record, including latest single,”Vibez,” which contains plenty of ’em. Dial it up.
Ed Sheeran From one English Breakfast tea sipping gentlemen to another…he’s back, ladies! And looking at the way his latest single, “Afterglow” is a huge hit straight-out-of-the-gate we’ve really, really missed him. Heal our 2020 heartbreak, please, Mr. Ed. Only his trademark acoustics and croons can do it.
Billie Eilish While we can’t seem to figure out just where the “Therefore I Am” singer is taking us at any given music moment, why would we want to? As long as she’s having a good time, well then, so are we. Her follow-up to 2019’s “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go,” is hitting headphones this year, and we’re already stocked up on neon green hair-dye.
Lana Del Ray/Chemtrails Over the Country Club With a title like that, how can we not be intrigued to get all sorts of lost in Ms. Lana’s upcoming seventh record? Dive into the emotionally packed title track right here. (March 19th)
Kacey Musgraves Another fabulous diva who’s sure to save us from ourselves this year with a new collection of silky grooves is certainly the Grammy-owning Golden Hour songstress herself. While we patiently wait to hear whatever she dreams up next, press yas on her breezy “Easy,” alongside Troye Sivan. It’ll certainly do for our eager, rainbow-hued Musgraves anticipation.
Lil’ Nas X While it may seem impossible to duplicate his history-shattering seventeen-week “Old Town Road” reign on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, the country rapper/crooner is certainly going to give it his best lasso this year while trying to avoid that dreaded sophomore slump. We have a feeling Billy Ray’s buddy will be just fine. Stay tuned.
Rihanna This just has too be the year our beloved bad girl gives us her long-awaited Anti follow-up, right?? Right?? Five years is certainly long enough. Let us pray.
Britney Spears No shade to Adele or RiRi, wouldn’t it be fabulous if our beloved Godney was able to overcome her personal darkness as the time as the world and give us the comeback of all comebacks?? Hey, it’s a long shot, but a year ago we were still going to shows and living our best lives…anything can change in an instant. This shattered world is ready and waiting for you, Brit Brit. In the meantime, we’ll be re-watching Framing Britney Spears over-and–over again until she busts loose on the dance floors…one more time., of course.
We can also expect new releases from M.I.A, Sade, Justin Bieber, Kings of Leon, Weezer, Karol G, Brandi Carlisle, The Cure, Thalia, Maren Morris, Greta Van Fleet, Ani DiFranco, King Princess, Lorde, Evanescence and many, many more to help keep turning our pandemic frowns upside down all music year long! Be sure to stay in tune!
Cover photo courtesy of Billboard
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