NEW YEAR, NEW MUSIC
Make way for fresh tracks from U2, George Michael and others
When it came to music, 2016 didn’t disappoint.
David Bowie’s final LP, Blackstar, got things going last January, and the tunes continued courtesy of Kanye West (The Life of Pablo), Beyoncé (Lemonade), Drake (Views), Lady Gaga (Joanne), Sting (57th & 9th) and Kings of Leon (Walls). The year ended with Blue & Lonesome, the first album from The Rolling Stones in a decade.
Now, it’s time for us to take a look ahead at 2017’s most anticipated releases.
U2 — SONGS OF EXPERIENCE (TBD)
Conceived to be a companion album to 2014’s Songs of Innocence, Songs of Experience is planned for some time in 2017. “We always envisaged that it would be a two-record set,” guitarist The Edge told Rolling Stone. The band members reportedly have 50 song “ideas” from which to choose. “We are trying to really be brutal with the material and only focus on the things that we’re really convinced are the best ideas,” The Edge said. Expect a tour to follow or even precede the disc.
LORDE — UNTITLED (TBD)
It’s been three years since 2013’s Pure Heroine and the songstress has been teasing new music on Instagram with Jack Antonoff, the lead guitarist for the band fun., producing.
TAYLOR SWIFT — RUMOURED
Until this past year, Swift had released an album every two years since her 2006 self-titled debut. She wasn’t entirely quiet in 2016, contributing to the LP of her ex, Calvin Harris, (she co-wrote the Rihanna collab This is What You Came For), penning a song for Little Big Town (Better Man) and a duet with Zayn Malik (I Don’t Want to Live Forever). She endured two breakups in 2016 (with Harris and Tom Hiddleston), so we’ll bet her musical tank is about ready to explode.
DRAKE AND KANYE WEST — RUMOURED
The pair teased a superstar rap team-up at Drizzy’s OVO Fest in Toronto last summer. If it happens, expect it to be a surprise release.
DRAKE — MORE LIFE (TBD)
Originally slated to be released in December, this compilation is now expected to drop this winter. Three singles have already been released: Fake Love, Sneakin’, and Two Birds, One Stone.
JAMES BLUNT — UNTITLED (TBD)
The You’re Beautiful singer is returning with his fifth studio release. He threatened music fans on Twitter in December, saying, “If you thought 2016 was bad — I’m releasing an album in 2017.” But he’s bringing in the ‘A’ team this time. Ed Sheeran is rumoured to be contributing to the record.
GEORGE MICHAEL — LISTEN WITHOUT PREJUDICE 25 (MARCH 3)
Coming several years after his smash Faith, Listen Without Prejudice showed George Michael as an artist trying to be seen as more than a pop tart. A record that was beyond its time in 1990, it was one that has never gone out of style. The re-release will come with a bonus DVD that Michael was putting the finishing touches on at the time of his death. There was also talk of a new album later in 2017 with producer Naughty Boy (Sam Smith), the status of which remains unknown.
FOO FIGHTERS — RUMOURED
The rock group has been quietly announcing European festival dates on its website for the summer, which could point toward new tunes. Foo Fighters’ last disc was 2014’s Sonic Highways. The one before? 2011’s Wasting Light. Good things come in threes, we say.
ARCADE FIRE — UNTITLED (TBD)
Last summer, frontman Win Butler promised we’d be seeing a lot more of Arcade Fire in 2017. And in a Reddit AMA thread, Win’s brother Will confirmed as much, saying that a followup to 2013’s Reflektor could come by springtime. “No definite schedule though. It’ll be done when it’s done,” he said. Violinist Sarah Neufeld also hinted a new album would be coming “sooner than you think.”
JAY Z — RUMOURED
Jay has been awfully quiet following the undressing he got from Beyoncé on her smash Lemonade. Will he respond in kind? Roc Nation rapper Vic Mensa told Rolling Stone, “I’ve heard a little bit of some Hov s---, and it’s fresh as f---.”
GUNS N’ ROSES — RUMOURED
Axl, Slash and Duff got the band back together for the Not in This Lifetime Tour in 2016 and they’re gonna keep the train a-rolling in 2017, with dates scheduled well into summer. So, will there be new music for that new tour? “I’ve got a lot of stuff together, and I played some stuff for Slash and Duff, and they liked it,” Rose said during an interview at London’s China Exchange. “They might be on (the recordings). We don’t know.”