The 17 Most Anticipated Albums of Fall 2023

As the season comes to a close and we wrap up the discourse over whether or not the song of the summer still exists, audiences can now look forward to a new season of fresh albums from artists across various genres. There are several exciting releases slated for the fall, including Olivia Rodrigo’s sophomore LP GUTS, Troye Sivan’s first album in five years, and Dolly Parton’s first-ever full rock album with features from Lizzo, Sting, Elton John, and more. We can also expect projects from James Blake, Sufjan Stevens, and Chappell Roan.

There are a number of projects that have yet to get an official release date but may well see the light of day this year. Drake told his fans that he has a new project called For All The Dogs and shared the album artwork with fans—noting it was a drawing made by his son Adonis. There were rumors that the album was set to drop on Aug. 25, but during a recent show, he confirmed it’s “coming soon” and promised it will be “worth the wait.”

In March, Kali Uchis put out her fourth album, Moonlight, and told her fans that she has a Spanish-language project on the way. She has yet to announce the release date, but she is quelling fans’ hunger for new music with the lead single, “Muñekita,” featuring Dominican dembow superstar El Alfa and JT from the City Girls. Lastly, Jennifer Lopez unveiled her plans to release her first album in nine years, titled This is Me… Now, a follow-up to her third album, This is Me... Then. She told Apple Music in an interview that the album “chronicles the emotional, spiritual, and psychological journey that she has taken over the past two decades.”

Below are the albums with firm release dates we’re most excited to hear between Labor Day and Thanksgiving. 

Read more: The 35 Most Anticipated Movies of Fall 2023

Playing Robots Into Heaven, James Blake (Sept. 8)

James Blake is one of the most sought-after musicians in the industry. The British singer-songwriter and producer has worked on albums from some of the most famous artists in the world, including Beyoncé’s Lemonade, Travis Scott’s Utopia, and the Kendrick Lamar-produced Black Panther soundtrack. The talented craftsman, known for his ethereal production style, is gearing up to release his sixth studio album at the top of September.

GUTS, Olivia Rodrigo (Sept. 8)

When Olivia Rodrigo released her debut album SOUR in 2021 following the massively popular lead singles “drivers license,” “deja vu,” and “good 4 u,” it came with near unanimous critical acclaim. Her album debuted atop the Billboard 200 albums chart, and the publication named her the best-selling singles artist in the world. That same year, she also was named “Entertainer of the Year” by TIME. Now, she’s poised to release her highly anticipated sophomore album and has released two singles, “vampire” and “bad idea, right?,” giving fans a taste of what’s to come.

The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, Mitski (Sept. 15)

Mitski has built a cult following and released six full-length albums since 2012. In July, the singer-songwriter announced that she would release her seventh project in a voice memo uploaded to YouTube, and dropped the lead single “Bug Like an Angel.” The album comes about a year and a half after the critically acclaimed 2022 project Laurel Hell.

Scarlet, Doja Cat (Sept. 22)

Doja Cat announced that she is releasing an album titled Scarlet (after multiple name changes), with a tour set to begin on Oct. 31. The album art is a spider against a white background, and she's released two singles so far, with a third due this week. Single "Paint the Town Red" currently sits in the Hot 100 top five.

REVAMPED, Demi Lovato (Sept. 15)

After releasing her full pop-punk album HOLY FVCK in August 2022, Demi Lovato has fully leaned into the rock aesthetic. The former Disney star is reimagining some of the biggest hits across their discography as rock songs, including “Heart Attack” from 2013’s Demi and “Sorry Not Sorry,” now featuring Guns N’ Roses’ Slash, from Tell Me You Love Me.

The Love Album: Off The Grid, Diddy (Sept. 15)

Sean “Diddy” Combs is making his musical comeback, releasing his first solo album in 13 years. Since then, he’s released collaboration albums as well as a mixtape in 2015, but now he’s back to making music independently. The album is reported to have a long list of features, including Mary J. Blige, DJ Khaled, Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, and Yung Miami of the City Girls. He announced the project through an Instagram video with clips of himself dancing with his late ex-partner, Kim Porter, and making the new album with a few of his collaborators.

INSANO, Kid Cudi (Sept. 15)

Kid Cudi has been on rap fans’ playlists since his 2009 breakout single, “Day N’ Nite.” He often communicates with a devoted fan base on social media. When Cudi asked their opinion of a snippet of a song he planned to release called “Flex,” they didn’t respond as well as he’d hoped, so he scrapped it and released a different lead single for his anticipated album, INSANO. He’s previously said that this is his last album with his current contract, Republic Records, and he is still considering his next steps—hinting that he might not continue to make music for much longer and may be thinking about a pivot to other creative outlets. (Later this fall, he’ll lend his voice to the movie Trolls 3: Band Together, and his filmography is getting more expansive by the year.)

Tension, Kylie Minogue (Sept. 22)

“Padam Padam” became an undisputed queer anthem throughout Pride month this year, primarily because of how undeniably catchy it is. It was stuck in everyone’s ear and became the perfect comeback single for the disco queen to promote her upcoming 16th album, Tension. The album is set to be released in mid-September, and Minogue has a residency at The Venetian in Las Vegas planned for November.

The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, Chappell Roan (Sept. 22)

Chappell Roan is relatively new to the pop space and is one to look out for. Her music has entertaining nods to ‘80s nostalgia with hints of Gen Z crooners of today like Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo, mixed through with sharp songwriting and a dash of bratty singing style. Her debut album is due out in late September, and she’s already released the earworm-y “HOT TO GO!” along with a slew of singles set to appear on the project.

Starf-cker, Slayyyter (Sept. 22)

During an interview with Rolling Stone, Slayyyter said that her new album is a “satirical comment” on herself and the people surrounding her since she’s been living in Los Angeles for the last couple of years. In the time since she released her breakout hit “Mine” in 2019, she’s carved out a devoted fan base in the hyperpop sector, curating a girly, bubblegum aesthetic. Ahead of her second album, she’s put out three singles, “Out of Time,” “Erotic Electronic,” and “Miss Belladonna.”

Autumn Variations, Ed Sheeran (Sept. 29)

Ed Sheeran announced that he’s ready to release his seventh album—and the second one that doesn’t feature a math symbol. In an Instagram post he uploaded last week, he said that the inspiration for the album came from work by the composer Edward Elgar, who created a series of compositions about his friends. Sheeran said in the post that the album is filled with songs about the many life changes he and his friends were experiencing, some from his perspective and some from his friends' perspectives.

Live for Me EP, Omar Apollo (Oct. 6)

Omar Apollo has had a big year with a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist and the release of his first studio album, Ivory. One of the songs in particular, “Evergreen (You Didn’t Deserve Me at All),” went viral on TikTok, taking the song to No. 62 on the Billboard Hot 100 and securing his first-ever entry on the Billboard 200. In 2023, the 26-year-old musician supported two of the (other) biggest artists on tour, SZA and Billie Eilish. Before releasing his sophomore album, he will release a four-song EP called Live for Me.

Javelin, Sufjan Stevens (Oct. 6)

Sufjan Stevens is gearing up to release his 10th studio album, Javelin, and first traditional solo EP since his 2020 album The Ascension. A press release about Stevens' new album says the project features “new arrangements of the entire album for a live band and three voices — ranging in style from DIY folk and indie rock to marching band and ambient electronics.”

Something to Give Each Other, Troye Sivan (Oct. 13)

Something to Give Each Other is Troye Sivan’s first album since he released his sophomore project Bloom in 2018. Since then, he’s released a seven-song EP, In A Dream, and focused on his acting pursuits, appearing in projects such as Three Months and, most recently, in Sam Levinson’s The Idol. The first song from the new album, “Rush,” had a viral moment on TikTok after he released its raunchy music video. He told Vogue that he was ready to make a “break-up” album following his split with his ex-boyfriend but instead decided to make an ode to “sex, dance, sweat, community, queerness, love, and friendship.”

1989 (Taylor’s Version), Taylor Swift (Oct. 27)

At the end of the American leg of her history-making Eras Tour, Taylor Swift announced that she would release her fourth re-recorded album, 1989 (Taylor’s Version), in late October. She has already released the re-recorded versions of her albums Fearless, Red, and Speak Now—the last of which came out in July. Her fans have guessed for quite some time that 1989 would be the next record to get the (Taylor’s Version) treatment after she dropped “This Love (Taylor’s Version)” and “Wildest Dreams (Taylor’s Version)” last year.

Pink Friday 2, Nicki Minaj (Nov. 17)

After taking a break from putting out new music following the birth of her son in 2020, Nicki Minaj has been returning to the spotlight one hit song at a time. She collaborated with Ice Spice on two popular songs—a remix of the latter’s “Princess Diana” and “Barbie World” from the Barbie soundtrack. In June, she announced that the long-awaited follow-up to her 2018 album Queen will be named Pink Friday 2, a sequel to her debut album. She’s been posting about releasing new music on social media for quite some time, and her fans are hungry for more bars.

Rockstar, Dolly Parton (Nov. 17)

Dolly Parton is one of the most prolific singer-songwriters of all time–having written over 3,000 songs and sold over 100 million records. She’s done it all, topped the Billboard country charts, and even helped fund research for Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. Now, she’s ready to traverse new territory: rock music. For her 49th album, she is collaborating with rock legends on a sprawling 30-track album, including nine new songs and 21 covers with collaborators like Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Elton John, Joan Jett, Steven Tyler, and more.