2021 has the potential to be a huge year for music if certain artists release their highly anticipated albums.
Musicians are constantly previewing new music in the form of snippets, which are previews of a song the artist has yet to release. These snippets are heard on live streams and then make their way over to YouTube. They are a popular tactic artists use to gain attention for their upcoming songs or albums.
This method has succeeded in recent years with viral snippets turning into hit songs such as “ZEZE” by Kodak Black, “New Patek” by Lil Uzi Vert, and “Pain 1993” by Drake. These tracks landed at number 2, 7 and 4 respectively on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.
Pop star Lil Nas X has yet to release his first full-length album after his chart-topping track “Old Town Road.” After multiple other RIAA-certified singles, fans await to see what the artist can do with a full effort project.
A snippet from the currently untitled debut album was featured in a Super Bowl commercial and is available to use on TikTok. Lil Nas X promises the album will come this year, but he has not set a specific date.
However, the music industry giants manage to keep their upcoming music private. It is rare to hear snippets or leaks from names, such as Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar and Frank Ocean. The anticipation for their next release remains high for these established artists.
Rihanna has been keeping fans waiting for her upcoming album “R9” for years, not having released an album since 2017. Earlier in 2021, she responded to fans who commented on her Instagram to drop, “This comment is sooo 2019. grow up” and “phuck you.” The mega-star is due for a release, but based off these responses, try not to get your hopes up.
Grammy-nominated R&B singer Lana Del Rey is set to release her upcoming album “Chemtrails Over the Country Club” on March 19.
Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) stars Kendrick Lamar and SZA should be on the lookout to drop this year. Both artists have not dropped since their 2017 Grammy-nominated albums “DAMN.” and “Ctrl.”
Label CEO Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith tweeted, “stay patient, King Kendrick will return soon” in May 2020. In his most recent interview with i-D, Kendrick revealed what takes him so long to come out with new music.
“I spend the whole year just thinking about how I’m gonna execute a new sound,” he said. It is rumored that his upcoming album will incorporate a rock-style sound.
Superstar artist Drake had previously set a date in January for his upcoming album, “Certified Lover Boy” but postponed the date due to rehab from his knee surgery.
Other anticipated rap albums that are likely to come out in 2021 include J Cole’s “The Fall Off” and Travis Scott’s “Utopia.” Neither album has a set date.
A few hopeful releases include include follow-ups to Frank Ocean’s 2016 album “Blonde” and Adele’s 2015 album “25.”