The Most Anticipated Albums of 2024

A treasure trove of music is slated to be released in 2024. New albums from Jennifer Lopez, who released her first album since 2014, This Is Me… Now, in February, and Usher, who hadn't put out an album in five years, have kicked off the year—and there's still so much more to come.

Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, whose new releases Act II and The Tortured Poets Department arrive in March and April, respectively, will soundtrack the spring. Since announcing the album at the 2024 Grammy Awards, Swift has revealed more information about the song titles, various album covers, and bonus tracks in the leadup to its release.

Just after teasing Act II at the Super Bowl in February, Beyoncé dropped two singles from the upcoming album, "Texas Hold 'Em" and "16 Carriages." "Texas Hold 'Em" topped charts in the U.S., and made history when Beyoncé became the first Black female artist to have a No. 1 country song.

In 2024, we can also expect new music from Shakira, Kacey Musgraves, Dua Lipa, and Sheryl Crow. Music releases are a delicate balance. Artists are known to pull or postpone projects—for example, Nick Minaj’s highly anticipated new album, her first since 2018, was supposed to come out Nov. 17 but didn’t actually release until Dec. 8. Ahead of the new year, Cardi B has released a string of features and two singles, but has not spoken at length about when fans can expect a new album. And pop phenom Dua Lipa released the lead single, “Houdini,” for her upcoming album, out in May.

While the world waits for more details on the status of albums from their favorite artists, here are some of the most anticipated albums of 2024.

Orquideas, Kali Uchis (Jan. 12)

Kali Uchis’ Red Moon in Venus, a lush soundscape that fully encapsulates listeners with soft, feathery vocals, was our pick for the best album of 2022. The Colombian singer is gearing up for her second all-Spanish-language project, Orquideas, which is due out at the top of 2024. The lead single, “Muñekita,” was a dembow-forward slamming banger featuring El Alfa, one of the frontmen leading dembow’s crossover to American audiences, and JT from the rap duo City Grils. She’s also released the bolero-inspired song, “Te Mata” and the KAROL G-assisted track, “Labios Mordidos.”

Savior, Green Day (Jan. 19)

Green Day is starting out the year with their 14th album and first in three years, Savior. The beloved punk-rock band began the album rollout with the lead single, “The American Dream is Killing Me,” and has since released two more tracks ahead of the album’s Jan. 19 release—”Look Ma, No Brains!” and “Dilemma.” A stadium tour is set to be making stops across North America with supporting acts like The Smashing Pumpkins, The Linda Lindas and Rancid.

What Now, Brittany Howard (Feb. 2)

Brittany Howard is a powerhouse vocalist who served as the frontwoman of the Alabama Shakes and has since become the star of her own solo career. Her last album, Jaime, was met with critical acclaim and the single, “Stay High" earned Howard a Grammy for Best Rock Song—making it her fifth award. In 2024, she is making a comeback with her second studio album, What Now, releasing a single of the same name ahead of its release.

Coming Home, Usher (Feb. 11)

Usher has a lot to look forward to in 2024. Not only is he going to be taking the stage at the Super Bowl Halftime Show, but on the same day, he is releasing his ninth studio album, Coming Home. His recent single, “Good Good” featuring R&B and rap heavyweights, Summer Walker and 21 Savage, garnered praise in 2023, but Usher got real Internet attention this year after he got KeKe Palmer to star in the music video for his song, “Boyfriend.” It was a strategic move after Palmer’s ex-boyfriend publicized his discomfort with her being serenaded by Usher at his Las Vegas residency, which is a routine part of his act. The mononymous singer has ruled the R&B game for so long, so we’re definitely looking forward to seeing what his new album will bring.

This Is Me… Now, Jennifer Lopez (Feb. 16)

The last time Jennifer Lopez released an album was in 2014 and a lot has happened since then. She was engaged to baseball player Alex Rodriguez before the couple broke up in 2021. In 2022, she got back together with Ben Affleck, who served as the main inspiration for her 2002 album, This is Me… Then. Now that the two are back together, she’s releasing a sequel to the album titled, This Is Me… Now. The new music will be accompanied by a film of the same name on Prime Video.

Eternal Sunshine, Ariana Grande (Mar. 8)

The seventh studio album from Ariana Grande will arrive in March. Titled eternal sunshine in reference to the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the album’s first single, “yes, and?”, released in early January, set the stage for what to expect. The video for the song included a card featuring coordinates to Montauk, New York, the setting of the movie which was a favorite of Grande’s late boyfriend Mac Miller.  The two shared a love of the actor Jim Carrey, who starred in the film. In 2013, Miller told Complex, “I love Jim Carrey when he's being serious. He killed this role. Whenever I'm talking to a girl, I always tell them to watch Eternal Sunshine. It cuts deep."

Bleachers, Bleachers (Mar. 8)

When Jack Antonoff is not busy producing albums with Taylor Swift, Lorde, or Lana Del Rey, he works on music with the band Bleachers, which released its debut album in 2014. Following two more albums, Bleachers will release a fourth self-titled album in 2024.

Deeper Well, Kacey Musgraves (Mar. 15)

Kacey Musgraves’ Album of the Year win at the 2019 Grammy Awards catapulted the country-pop singer to stardom. Golden Hour became a favorite to those who were new to Musgraves, and her 2021 follow-up, star-crossed, kept her fans hooked. Almost three years later, she is returning with a new album called Deeper Well. Musgraves released the somber title track in early February On her fifth album, she worked with her long-time producers and collaborators, Ian Fitchuk and Daniel Tashian.

World Wide Whack, Tierra Whack (Mar. 15)

Tierra Whack is one of the most zany characters in the rap game, but don’t let her vibrant personality distract you from her serious talent. Following her feature onLil Yachty’s “T.D.,” her first album, Whack World, which consists of 15 one-minute tracks, and a few EPs, Whack will release a full LP, World Wide Whack—which she has called her official debut album.

Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, Shakira (Mar. 22)

Over the course of her decades-long career, superstar Shakira holds the record for best-selling female Latin artist in history. The singer has announced that she will be releasing her first album in seven years, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran. The title seems to come from one of the most notable lines in her juggernaut hit “Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” with the Argentinian producer and viral hitmaker Bizarrap, where she sings, “las mujeres ya no lloran, las mujeres facturan,” translating to, “women no longer cry, they make money.” According to the newly released tracklist, she has a new song with Bizarrap on the way. The two made magic together last year after he gave Shakira space to sing about her highly-publicized split from her husband Gerard Piqué; she has since been on a journey of reclaiming the narrative, not as a woman scorned, but as an empowered mother who rises above it all. Last year saw multiple hits from Shakira’s collaborations with Colombian superstar Karol G’s “TQG” and her singles “Copa Vacía” with Manuel Turizo and “El Jefe” with Fuerza Regida, all of which are going to be on the album. Also on the tracklist, she has new collaborations with Rauw Alejandro, Cardi B, and Grupo Frontera. The album boasts 16 tracks—eight of which are new—and a Tiësto remix of her viral Bizarrap song.

Tyla, Tyla (Mar. 22)

Tyla had a huge year with the success of her single, “Water,”  which inspired a viral dance craze online. The hashtag #TylaWater has over 1.2 billion views on TikTok, helping Tyla catapult into stardom and earning her her first Grammy nomination in the Best African Music category—which is also a first for the category. After releasing

For Your Consideration, Empress Of (Mar. 22)

Rising artist Empress Of will release a new album called For Your Consideration in late March. The LA-based singer whose real name is Lorely Rodriguez, has already released three singles off the album. “Femenine,” “Kiss Me,” featuring British pop-rock darling Rina Sawayama, and “Kiss Me,” a collaboration with the band MUNA. On the album, she sings in both English and Spanish. The title of the album comes from a previous relationship she had with a director who was announcing his “For Your Consideration” campaign for the Oscars. “He took me up on a hill and said he was emotionally unavailable and he kind of broke my heart,” she tells Pitchfork. “That was the gateway for the album and it gave me the opportunity to explore broader themes.”

Act II, Beyoncé (Mar. 29)

Beyoncé’s Renaissance, referred to as Act I, has prompted speculation about what Acts II and III could be since its release in July 2022. During the Super Bowl, Beyoncé gave a look at Act II when she starred in a Verizon commercial. At the end of the ad, she says, “Okay, they're ready. Drop the new music.” Soon after, Beyoncé dropped a teaser video that on her Instagram that announced a new album, Act II, would be released on Mar. 29. She also released two new country songs, “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ‘Em.”

Evolution, Sheryl Crow (Mar. 29)

The music legend doesn’t quit. In 2018, Sheryl Crow said she wouldn’t be releasing any more music after her album that year. In a press release announcing the album, Crow said that she started writing and the songs “just kept flowing out of me and it was pretty obvious this was going to be an album.” The new LP is set to be nine tracks long, and she recently released the lead single, “Alarm Clock.”

Found Heaven, Conan Gray (April 5)

Conan Gray’s third album, Found Heaven, will drop in April. Based on the four singles he’s released so far—”Killing Me,” “Never Ending Song,” “Winner,” and the most recent single, “Lonely Dancers”—Gray is fully leaning into a retro-80s aesthetic for the new record. The newest single heavily samples the 1982 smash hit “Safety Dance” by Men Without Hats and was produced by pop’s biggest hitmaker Max Martin along with ILYA, and Oscar Holter.

Don’t Forget Me, Maggie Rogers (April 12)

Maggie Rogers has been releasing consistently great music since her debut single “Alaska,” left superstar producer Pharrell Williams speechless when he first heard it in 2016. Since then, she’s released two albums—her debut Heard It In a Past Life, and 2022’s Surrender. For that project, Rogers attended a songwriting camp hosted by none other than prolific singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell and had other famous attendees, including Brandi Carlisle and Harry Styles. With this new album, Rogers wrote in a newsletter posted to her Instagram last week that she worked a majority of the songs with Ian Fitchuk—eight out of the 10 songs—and the last two she “uncovered on [her] own and were the product of [her] long friendship with Lee Foster. She also wrote that in many ways this album feels like a return to form for, inspiring the feelings she felt while making art at 16 years old, saying, “I wanted to make an album that felt like a Sunday afternoon.”

I’m Doing It Again Baby!, Girl in Red (April 12)

Norwegian singer-songwriter girl in red has become a critical darling of the indie pop world, with her debut 2021 album  if i could make it go quiet getting generally positive reviews. After the success of her debut album and serving as an opener for some dates on Taylor Swift’s massively popular Eras Tour, she is releasing a new album titled I’m Doing It Again Baby in April.

The Tortured Poets Department, Taylor Swift (April. 19)

While accepting her 13th Grammy Award this year, Taylor Swift zigged when we all thought she’d zag. Everyone was convinced that Taylor Swift would announce that she was releasing her fifth re-recorded album, Reputation (Taylor’s Version); instead she announced she was releasing a brand new album: The Tortured Poets Department will come out on April 19. Immediately after getting off-stage, she released the cover art for the album and later released the tracklist, revealing she collaborated with Post Malone and Florence and the Machine.

Radical Optimism, Dua Lipa (May 3)

Dua Lipa has found a sound that works for her. The pop superstar had a massive hit with the glittery-disco Barbie movie soundtrack single, “Dance The Night.” Now she’s focused on her own music and released “Houdini,” the lead single to her forthcoming third studio album. This will follow the runaway success of her LP, Future Nostalgia, which soundtracked the early days of the pandemic.

What a devastating turn of events, Rachel Chinouriri (May 3)

Rachel Chinouriri is taking the internet by storm with her infectious, earworm-y single, “Never Need Me,” a pop rock-leaning banger about letting go of a persistent ex who is no good for you. The song became a hit on social media, even making its way to Adele, who spoke about Chinouriri at one of her shows and said she’ll be going to her concert in March. The album will be Chinouriri’s debut, and based on the first two singles, listeners are in for a treat.

Fine Ho, Stay, Flo Milli (TBA)

Flo Milli’s swagger comes through in every single one of her songs, making her one of the emerging rappers in recent years to keep an eye on. It’s impossible not to feel like a bad bitch listening to her music. In 2019, the Alabama rapper found viral fame with her song, “Beef FloMix” and that built the perfect foundation for her first mixtape, 2020’s Ho, why is you here? The 23-year-old burgeoning star released her second project, You Still Here, Ho? in 2022 and in 2024, fans can expect her third album, Fine Ho, Stay. While her fans wait for an official release date, they can listen to a number of her viral hits like “In The Party” or her most recent single, “Never Lose Me,” which is currently gaining traction online.

TBA, Cardi B (TBA)

The Bronx rapper came out swinging in 2018 with her debut studio album, Invasion of Privacy, earning her a Grammy award for Best Rap album. She made history as the first solo female artist to win in the category (Ms. Lauryn Hill was the first female to get a Grammy in this category for her work with the Fugees). Ever since her rise to rap superstardom, the world has been awaiting a new Cardi B record. After taking some time off to focus on her two young kids, Kulture and Wave, the rapper is making her comeback and is set to release her first album in five years following the release of her lead single, the Megan Thee Stallion-assisted “Bongos.”

TBA, Tems (TBA)

The Nigerian singer Tems is on the rise. She was included on TIME 100 Next this year, racking up award nominations—earlier this year she won a Grammy for her feature on Future’s “Wait For U” and another nom for her work on Beyoncé’s Renaissance. Next year she’ll be in the running for the Best Song Written for Visual Media category as she wrote on Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” for the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack. 2024 is gearing up to be Tems’ year as she rounds out 2023 with two solo singles, “Me & U,” and the recently released, “NOT AN ANGEL.” No word on a new album title or release date yet.

Viscera, Miguel (TBA)

Miguel had a big year in 2023 with his 2010 hit “Sure Thing” as it found a second life on TikTok and took it back to the top of the charts. The 13-year-old song peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 earlier this year. Following the success of his old song, the R&B singer is gearing up to release his fifth studio album, Viscera, sometime in 2024. His fans were given a taste of the album’s new sound with the release of the first song, “Give It To Me.”

TBA, J Balvin (TBA)

Fans of J Balvin were expecting a new album from the Colombian singer this fall, as reported by Billboard, but the album has been pushed to next year. He released the first single from the new album, “Amigos,” along with the Lil Jon and Usher sampling track, “Dientes,” which also features DJ Khaled. He has yet to announce the title of the album—but stay tuned. Balvin told Billboard in an interview that he is working with a variety of different names from producers like Tainy, Mambo Kingz, and Mura Masa, as well as collaborations with Anuel AA and Stormzy.

Lasso, Lana Del Rey (September)

The world knows Lana Del Rey as a sumptuous balladeer who usually stays within the realms of alternative pop music. But come March, audiences will be getting to know a different side of Lana. The singer announced earlier this year that her 10th studio album will be a country album titled Lasso, due in September. It’ll be the follow-up to her album, Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, which was nominated for Album of the Year this year’s Grammy Awards.

Dopamine, Normani (TBA)

In July 2018, four months after Fifth Harmony went on an “indefinite hiatus,” Normani uploaded a tweet that said, “I have an album title, y’all.” Every year since then, a user on X with the username @dizzydorahoe would reply to Normani’s original tweet reminding her the fans are waiting for an album announcement. “One year… ur sick,” the tweet in 2019 read. In 2020, they tweeted, “two years… ur sick.” So on and so forth with the last one being added to the thread in June 2023. 

On Feb. 21, Normani announced the name of her album, which is called Dopamine, in a tweet and shared the album cover art—however, there is no release date yet. 

brat, Charli XCX (Summer)

Charli XCX revealed on a red carpet back in December that she finished an album. On Feb. 28, the British singer said the name of her new project is brat, and that it will come out this summer. Charli’s last album came was 2022’s CRASH, and in 2023, she provided a song to the Barbie soundtrack and remixed Caroline Polachek’s “Welcome To My Island” with her fiancé The 1975’s George Daniel. 

Lana, SZA (TBA)

SZA’s second album, SOS, kicked off another big year for the artist; at this year’s Grammy Awards, she was the most nominated artist of the night with nine nods. In her Oct. 2023 cover story with Rolling Stone, she announced that a deluxe version of SOS called Lana, consisting of 10 new songs, will arrive at a still undetermined time. So far, SZA’s released one song from the forthcoming work: “Saturn.” 

Correction, Dec. 21: The original version of this story mischaracterized the movie that will be released with Jennifer Lopez's forthcoming album. It will be a film, but not a documentary.