Albums of the week: Major music releases to look out for
It's a brand-new week, and that can only mean one thing: fresh music drops are on the way.
Spring is on the horizon, and let's face it: your party playlist probably needs some updating.
It can be overwhelming trying to figure out what's coming out when, especially in the age of streaming where drop dates often change in the blink of an eye.
Luckily, this week's music releases hit all the highs in a variety of genres, meaning there's something new on the way for every type of music fan.
Whether you're into classic rock, hip hop, electro-pop or country rap, there's bound to be a bop dropping that speaks to you.
With artists like Franz Ferdinand, Florence + The Machine, and Bryan Adams to B.o.B, Lil Durk, Yelawolf, Dua Lipa, and The Chainsmokers all putting out varying bodies of work, the problem likely won't be finding something to vibe out to.
Rather, it'll be choosing which musical direction to head in.
So sit back and keep scrolling to find out just what releases are on TAG24's radar this week.
Hip hop albums
- B.o.B – Artificial Intelligence
B.o.B has been relatively quiet regarding the release of his forthcoming mixtape, Artificial Intelligence. To be fair, he hasn't ever been one to use his social media platforms to excessively advertise his music releases.
But rumor has it the rapper, born Bobby Ray Simmons Jr., is posed to drop Artificial Intelligence on Wednesday. The project will serve as a followup to his 2021 mixtape, Murd and Mercy.
- Benny The Butcher – Tana Talk 4
According to BET, the rapper got the dates mixed up for one simple reason: "I smoke too much weed, say the wrong things."
This marks the first Tana Talk release from Benny The Butcher since Tana Talk 3 dropped in 2018.
- Lil Durk – 7220
The seventh studio album from Lil Durk, 7220, is expected to drop Friday. Though the rapper initially said the album would be released on February 22 – the same day Ye's Donda 2 was slated to drop, he changed course last minute.
Instead of dropping the full body of work, Lil Durk simply released a single from the forthcoming album, titled Ahhh Ha.
As of now, 7220 is expected to drop on Friday.
Alternative rock and crossover albums
- Yelawolf & Shooter Jennings – Sometimes Y
For Yelawolf and Shooter Jennings, their joint forthcoming album, Sometimes Y, has been a long time coming. According to Billboard, Sometimes Y, which also serves as their collaborative group name, "Gives us the freedom to do anything and make any style we choose."
Fans should expect a "fresh" sound and "electric vibe" from Sometimes Y, which is expected to drop Friday.
- Franz Ferdinand – Hits To The Head
The band released a music video for Curious in January, and one for Billy Goodbye in November, marking the first time they've released new music in three years.
- Bryan Adams – So Happy It Hurts
In a press release about the forthcoming 12-track album, Adams said, "[It] touches on many of the ephemeral things in life that are really the secret to happiness, most importantly, human connection."
If you're a fan of classic rock, check out So Happy It Hurts when it's released on Friday.
Singles out this week
In a sea of album releases, there are several notable singles dropping this week, starting with Florence + The Machine who debuted a new music video for Heaven is Here on Monday.
Additionally, Father John Misty is expected to drop a new single titled Goodbye, Mr. Blue, on Wednesday. The track is slated to appear on his forthcoming album, Chloë and the Next 20th Century, which has an April 8 release date.
Dua Lipa and Megan Thee Stallion are also teaming up on what's sure to be a top-40 hit with the track, Sweetest Pie. The two powerhouse solo artists are dropping their collaboration on Friday.
Then there's The Chainsmokers. After releasing High from their forthcoming album on January 28, the duo is set to release yet another track, titled iPad, on Friday.
Though The Chainsmokers have yet to announce the release date of the upcoming record, dubbed TCS4, they have confirmed it's finished.
In a since-deleted statement on Twitter, The Chainsmokers reportedly said, "It’s finally done now. Thank you for giving us time to rediscover ourselves, our music, and our love for why we do this. The truth is, we could have only made this album now. And we can’t wait to share it with you."
Check out iPad when it drops Friday.
Cover photo: Collage: Screenshot/Instagram/lildurk/IMAGO/Gonzales Photo