13 Most Anticipated Albums of 2013
These LPs have us excited for the new year.
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The 13 Most Anticipated Albums of 2013 - We’re sad to see 2012 go — it was a great year for music! But we’re excited to see what 2013 has in store. There are new albums from some of our favorite artists, both newcomers and superstars, and we can’t wait. Click on to see the 13 albums we're looking forward to most in 2013.(Photos from left: Billy Farrell/BFAnyc/Sipa, Frazer Harrison/Getty Images, Prince Williams/FilmMagic)
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J. Cole, Born Sinner - After his debut, Cole World: The Sideline Story, arrived atop the charts, J. Cole should have a lot more breathing room to just do him. He says he’s taking advantage of the newfound creative control to focus on cutting social commentary rather than pop crossover appeal; the hard-edged first single, “Miss America,” proves that he's made the right choice. (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
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Lil Wayne, I Am Not a Human Being 2 - Lil Wayne has sometimes seemed to be rhyming on autopilot of late, and his next project, a sequel to his 2010 album I Am Not a Human Being, is the perfect chance to right the course. He’s certainly off to a promising start: Juicy J, David Banner and Cool & Dre are among the reported producers; Kanye West appears on the album and is also designing the artwork; and the first single, “Rich as F--k,” features 2 Chainz. (Photo: Isaac Brekken/Getty Images for Clear Channel)
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Big Sean, Hall of Fame - Big Sean broke through with his 2011 debut album, Finally Famous, but on G.O.O.D. Music’s Cruel Summer he really came into his own, contributing some of the album’s most memorable lines on “Mercy” and “Clique.” We’re looking for him to keep maturing on his new album, with help from contributors including Nas, No I.D. and Internz. (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
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Beyoncé, TBD - Beyonce isn’t letting motherhood slow her down. She’s already slated to headline the Super Bowl halftime show in February, and she’s expected to take advantage of the country’s most-watched event by dropping new music. She’s fueled the rumours by leaking photos of her in the studio, and Pharrell, Miguel, The-Dream, Kanye West, Hit-Boy and Justin Timberlake have all been reported to be collaborating with her. Sounds like a game-winning touchdown. (Photo: AP Photo/Parkwood Entertainment, Cliff Watts)
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Pusha T, My Name Is My Name - G.O.O.D. Music’s Cruel Summer may have been a bit of a letdown, but it was no fault of Pusha T’s — his dominant performances on “Mercy” and “New God Flow” were album highlights. With his flow still ice cold and Kanye overseeing the affair, Pusha’s debut for G.O.O.D. Music is set to provide similar highs. (Photo: John Ricard/BET)
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Azealia Banks, Broke With Expensive Taste - Azealia Banks may be good at starting beef on Twitter, but she's even better at rapping. Her agile flow, sassy persona and penchant for tastefully mashing dance music and hip hop almost guarantee a fascinating listen on her debut full-length. (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for HTC)
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French Montana, Excuse My French - French Montana had a monstrous 2012, setting off the year with his turn on Rick Ross' "Stay Schemin'" and riding out the summer with his star-studded stripper anthem "Pop That." Many question if French can hold up without his A-list collaborators, but with his ear for beats and hooks — plus already confirmed album guests Kanye West and The Weeknd — we may be nodding our heads too hard to care. (Photo: John Ricard/BET)
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Dr. Dre, Detox - We're falling for it again. We know we shouldn't — Detox is the winged unicorn of hip hop. But with Beats by Dre making money hand over fist, Kendrick Lamar's debut refreshing the Aftermath brand (not to mention Dr. Dre's rhymes on album standout "Compton") and 50 Cent's new album finally dropping next year, we can't help but be optimistic that the Good Doctor is finally focusing on his own long-delayed comeback. (Photo: Karl Walter/Getty Images for Coachella)
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G.O.O.D. Music, Cruel Winter - We don't see Kanye West and his crew sitting out 2013. We haven't heard anything about his next album, and Watch the Throne 2 rumors have been disappointingly scarce, but no worries: The recording of Cruel Winter, the sequel to Cruel Summer, has already begun. There's no release date, but Big Sean recently confirmed that it will drop "in a timely fashion." Mercy! (Photo: John Ricard/BET)
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ASAP Rocky, Long.Live.A$AP - A$AP Rocky's much-hyped debut album leaked a full month in advance, but that isn't lessening our excitement. For one, we're looking forward to finding out how he and his fan base responds. Will his devoted live-show following translate to good sales regardless of the leak? Will Rocky rush to put some new songs on the album? We think the answers are yes on both counts. (Photo: Shareif Ziyadat/FilmMagic)
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Earl Sweatshirt, Chum - In the wake of Tyler, the Creator's big 2011, it's sometimes easy to forget that Earl Sweatshirt was the main reason Odd Future first got noticed. When he leaked his debut, Earl, in 2010, at the tender age of 15, many were calling him a rhyme prodigy, and his subsequent disappearance — his mother sent him to a boarding school in Samoa — only grew his legend. If "Chum," the stark first single from his sophomore album, Doris, is any indication, he's ready to live up to the hype. (Photo: Facebook/EarlSweatshirtMusic)
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M.I.A., Matangi - M.I.A. stumbled with her last studio album, 2010's Maya, but she had some big moments in 2012 that showed she can still dominate a conversation: her ill-advised middle finger flash at the Super Bowl halftime show, and her eye-catching visual for "Bad Girls," one of the best videos of the year. If her new album, Matangi, can pack similar impact, she's in great shape. (Photo: John Sciulli/Getty Images)