Although 2015 was a more-than-exceptional year in terms of variety and quantity of music releases, it also quickly became the year of delayed releases. Artists such as Drake, Rihanna and Kanye West all teased and, at least in Rihanna’s case, announced releases for the year but didn’t deliver on their promises. With the abundance of pushed-back release dates, 2016 is shaping up to be a year with an impressive release schedule.
Boys Don’t Cry
Frank Ocean
Release Date: TBA
It’s been three and a half years since Frank Ocean released his breakout debut album Channel Orange, and since then it seems like he’s been nowhere closer to releasing his follow-up. Last April, the Internet went into a frenzy when Ocean announced the name of his sophomore release, Boys Don’t Cry, via Tumblr, giving the album a July release date, but the month passed without a peep. Over half a year later, the only news concerning Ocean has been a one-note tease of “White Ferrari” via A-Trak and Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij. With rumors of collaboration after collaboration swarming, fans might feel strung out, but if Ocean can recreate or maybe even improve on his style from Channel Orange, it’ll be worth the wait.
SWISH
Kanye West
Release Date: Feb. 11
After announcing his seventh studio album, formerly called So Help Me God but now titled SWISH, Kanye West previewed two of the album’s supposed singles, “Wolves” and “Fade,” worked extensively on his Yeezy Season fashion line and fathered his first son in the past nine months. Dedicated to releasing SWISH, West has hunkered down in the past few weeks, restarting his G.O.O.D. Fridays series with “Real Friends” and “No More Parties in L.A.,” two different but equally exciting tracks. At this point, it’s anyone’s guess as to what SWISH will sound like, but come Feb. 11, West has promised an album fans certainly won’t forget.
Views From the 6
Drake
Release Date: TBA
Announced in 2014, Views From the 6 could become Drake’s magnum opus. Rap fans have hotly debated whether Drake has a classic album in him, but from his mixtape If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late to the singles that accompanied his feud with Meek Mill and the chart-topping “Hotline Bling,” Drake has proven he has what it takes to captivate the music world. Producer Noah “40” Shebib has promised he won’t become distracted until Views From the 6 is done, which means it’s only a matter of time until the album drops.
(TBA)
Radiohead
Release Date: TBA
Very little is known about Radiohead’s upcoming album release. It’s been rumored the band members were back in the studio together last year, but Jonny Greenwood confirmed in a Russian radio interview that a new album has been in the works for months. The group set up a company called Dawn Chorus LLP, a similar tactic they used with previous releases including 2011’s King of Limbs, to manage the release. Until then, the only new music from the group is their discarded Bond theme song “Spectre,” which lead singer Thom Yorke released via his Twitter account on Christmas.
Run the Jewels 3
Run the Jewels
Release Date: TBA
Producer/rapper El-P and rapper Killer Mike joined forces for Mike’s fifth studio album, R.A.P. Music, in 2012 and haven’t stopped working together since. Under the moniker Run the Jewels, the duo’s first two albums refused to compromise, combining dynamic beats with hard-hitting lyrics that range from the intensely vulgar to socially conscious in the same song. With support from everyone from Kendrick Lamar to Bernie Sanders, the group has confirmed they have started work on their third studio album, and fans can hardly wait.
