To tackle the cliché head-on, if you’re a big music fan, every year is a good year for music. People (and their Droids) seem more cynical than ever, but only a true curmudgeon could make it through any given 12 months without liking anything (well, the mid ’90s had a couple grim moments). That said, 2011 appears to have more than enough to keep even the angriest amongst you smiling amid the steady unemployment, nostalgia-act reunions, oil spills and explosions, celebrity sickness/divorce/death, chillwave, and even Glee.
Kanye West and his Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy owned the latter part of 2010 — with the news of his five-song 2011 Watch The Throne collaboration with Jay-Z, he may very well own a chunk of next year, too. Speaking of owning: 2010 — also known as the year post-Merriweather Post Pavilion — was a somewhat quiet one for Animal Collective outside of ODDSAC and Avey Tare’s Down There. The next one brings us the next best thing to a new AC collection, Tomboy, Panda Bear’s much anticipated followup to 2007′s Person Pitch. We’ll also have the first proper Aphex Twin full-length since 2001′s Drukqs. In the time after Richard D. James paused, guitars have definitely taken a bit of a backseat in many corners of underground music and for the general listener — think chillwave, witch house, death disco, homemade GarageBand mashes, the sampled guitar-rock of Girl Talk, etc. With this landscape as his backdrop, it’ll be interesting to see how much further James, a popular electronic musician even non-electronic music fans have always liked, can spread his reach. (He’s said he’s recorded six albums worth of material since we last heard from him, so it’ll also be interesting to see how much these outside shifts have influenced his own output.) As far as other long waits, it seems Strokes IV will see the light of day in 2011, or at least that’s what the @band says. All in all, the old guard is well represented in the following list: The Cars, Beastie Boys, U2, Foo Fighters, etc. (What year is this again?)
Speaking of our list: We chose the 50 most important or enticing. And while it’s limited primarily to releases that have been confirmed, we have made a few assumptions (e.g., that the Wrens and Avalanches will finish their Chinese Democracies).
Click on an artist name for recent news, and in some cases MP3s, from these forthcoming LPs.
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01 Aphex Twin – TBA
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02 Fiona Apple – TBA
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03 The Avalanches – TBA (via Modular)
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04 Beastie Boys – Hot Sauce Committee, Vol. 2 (via Capitol)
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05 James Blake – James Blake (2/07 via Atlas/A&M)
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06 The Cars – TBA
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07 The Cave Singers – No Witch (2/22 via Jagjaguwar)
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08 Cloud Nothings – Cloud Nothings (1/24 via Carpark)
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09 Cut Copy – Zonoscope (2/08 via Modular)
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10 Death Cab For Cutie – TBA (via Atlantic)
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11 The Decemberists – The King Is Dead (1/18 via Capitol)
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12 Destroyer – Kaputt (1/25 via Merge)
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13 Dr. Dre – Detox (February via Aftermath/Interscope)
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14 Fleet Foxes – TBA
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15 Foo Fighters – TBA
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16 The Go! Team – Rolling Blackouts (2/14 via Memphis Industries)
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17 PJ Harvey – Let England Shake (2/15 via Island)
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18 Iron & Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean (1/25 via Warner Bros.)
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19 Krallice – TBA (April via Profound Lore)
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20 La Sera – La Sera (Early 2011 via Hardly Art)
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21 Lady Gaga – Born This Way (Interscope)
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22 Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes (3/1 via LL Recordings)
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23 Lil Wayne – TBA
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24 Liturgy – TBA (Thrill Jockey)
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25 The Lonely Island – TBA
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26 M83 – TBA
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27 Jessica Lea Mayfield – Tell Me (2/8 via Nonesuch)
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28 MINKS – By The Hedge (1/12 via Captured Tracks)
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29 Mogwai – Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will. (2/15 via Sub Pop)
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30 My Morning Jacket – TBA (ATO)
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31 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – TBA
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32 The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – Belong (March via Slumberland)
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33 Panda Bear – Tomboy
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34 R.E.M. – Collapse Into Now (Spring via Warner Bros.)
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35 Radiohead – TBA (via Teh Internetz)
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36 Gruff Rhys – Hotel Shampoo (2/14)
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37 The Rome (Danger Mouse & Daniele Lupi) – The Rome
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38 Santigold – TBA
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39 The Shins – TBA
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40 Paul Simon – So Beautiful Or So What
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41 Smith Westerns – Dye It Blonde (1/18 via Fat Possum)
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42 The Streets – Computers And Blues
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43 The Strokes – TBA
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44 Tennis – Cape Dory (1/18 via Fat Possum)
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45 Shugo Tokumaru – Port Entropy (2/15 via Polyvinyl.)
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46 Toro Y Moi – Underneath The Pine (2/22 via Car Park)
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47 The Twilight Singers – Dynamite Steps (2/15 via Subpop)
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48 Kanye West & Jay-Z – Watch The Throne (via Def Jam)
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49 The Wrens – TBA
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50 U2 – Songs Of Ascent
HONORABLE MENTIONS & SPECULATIONS:
- …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead – Tao Of The Dead Part I: Tao Of the Dead (2/4 via Richter Scale)
- Akron/Family – S/T II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TNT (2/8 via Dead Oceans)
- Damon Albarn/Flea/Tony Allen Project – TBA
- Asobi Seksu – Fluoresence (2/15 via Polyvinyl)
- Banjo Or Freakout – TBA (via Rare Book Room)
- Battles – TBA
- Beady Eye – TBA
- Beck – TBA
- Black Lips – TBA
- Bon Iver – TBA
- BRAIDS – Native Speaker (1/18 via Kanine Records)
- Bright Eyes – The People’s Key (2/15 via Saddle Creek)
- British Sea Power – Valhalla Dancehall (via Rough Trade)
- Burial – TBA
- Cake – Showroom Of Compassion (1/11 via Upbeat)
- Coldplay – TBA
- Cornershop – Cornershop & The Double ‘O’ Groove Of
- Crystal Stilts – TBA
- Danielson – Best of Gloucester County (2/22 via Sounds Familyre)
- The Death Set – Michel Poiccard (via Ninjatune)
- Deerhoof – Deerhoof Vs. Evil (1/25 via Polyvinyl)
- DeVotchKa – 100 Lovers (2/15 via ANTI-)
- Drive-By Truckers – Go-Go Boots (2/15 via ATO)
- Ducktails – Ductails III: Arcade Dynamics (1/10 via Woodsist)
- East River Pipe – We Live In Rented Rooms (2/15 via Merge)
- Eleventh Dream Day – Riot Now! (3/22 via Thrill Jockey)
- Esben & The Witch – Violet Cries (2/8 via Matador)
- Explosions In The Sky – TBA
- Matthew Friedberger – Solos (Jan, March, May, July, Sept, Nov via Thrill Jockey)
- The Feelies – TBA (Spring via Bar/None)
- Lupe Fiasco – Lasers (2/14 via Atlantic)
- The Forms – Derealization (2/15 via Threespheres/Ernest Jenning)
- Fujiya & Miyagi – Ventriloquizzing (1/25 via Yep Roc)
- Peter Gabriel – New Blood
- The Get Up Kids – There Are Rules (via Quality Hill Records)
- The Good, The Bad, & The Queen – TBA
- Gorillaz – TBA
- The Human League – Credo
- Islands – TBA
- Jane’s Addiction – TBA
- Keren Ann – TBA
- The Kills – TBA
- Talib Kweli – Gutter Rainbows (1/25 via Talibra)
- Avril Lavigne – Goodbye Lullabye (3/8 via RCA)
- Jens Lekman – TBA
- Low – TBA
- The Luyas – Too Beautiful To Work (2/22 via Dead Oceans)
- MEN – Talk About Body (2/1 via IAMSOUND)
- Mister Heavenly – TBA
- Neon Indian – TBA
- Noah & The Whale – TBA (via Lost Club/Mercury Records)
- Okkervil River – TBA
- Beth Orton – TBA
- Portishead – TBA
- Red Hot Chili Peppers – TBA
- Rick Rizzo & Tara Key – Double Star
- Sic Alps – Napa Asylum (1/25 via Drag City)
- The Skull Defekts – Peer Amid
- Britney Spears – TBA
- Tape Deck Mountain – Secret Serf EP
- Telekinesis! – 12 Desperate Straight Lines (2/15 via Merge)
- John Vanderslice – White Wilderness (1/25 via Dead Oceans)
- VEGA – TBA
- White Lies – Ritual (1/18 via Fiction)
- Wild Flag – TBA
- Lucinda Williams – Blessed (3/1 via Lost Highway)
- Win Win – Win Win (Vice
- Patrick Wolf – TBA (via Hideout)
- Wye Oak – Civilian (3/8 via Merge)
- Yuck – Yuck (2/15 via Fat Possum)
DID WE MISS ANY? Shout out in the comments and we’ll add to the master list.
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Moonface (aka Spencer Krug) will have a release next year for sure. Handsome Furs will have a new record in 2011 as well.
Ty Segall? He’s definitely working on something for next year. This dude is pumping out sludge/punk/psych/folk/rock gold year after year, so why doesn’t anyone talk about him?
Man Man.
Very excited: DeVotchka, Esben and the Witch, Fiona Apple, Lady Gaga, Smith Westerns, Fleet Foxes
Very interested: MEN, Jens Lekman, Santigold, Lykke Li
Could care less: U2
Does CSS have an album due in 2011?
This kid might be one the best up and coming “alternative” rap artist in a while! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TimKai0zcqo
No mention of No Doubt?
Wilco?
first band that came to mind.
Girls, Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand, Bon Iver and I think Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I can’t wait for Radioheads next release, and hope The Strokes release an album as good as Is This It.
beach fossils, foxes in fiction & dream diary!
Bands I have on a Twitter list that have mentioned new albums:
Bat for Lashes
Best Coast
Disappears
The Helio Sequence
Joy Formidable
Okkervil River
Tune-Yards
Twilight Sad
Twin Sister
Wild Beasts
Wye Oak
Zola Jesus
No twitter, but definitely something from Atlas Sound!
I should add that thanks to Twitter is so much easier to keep track of bands, even if you go on for weeks without reading a blog! And I strongly encourage all of them to tweet their “Progress Report”.
Snowden – Anemone Arms [TBA]
It’s been over four years since Anti-Anti, and the songs comprising the forthcoming Anemone Arms have gone through many mutations after live refinement, and jordan’s relentless desire to perfect every note. “Anticipated” doesn’t begin to describe how I feel about this record.
To those who may have missed it, the band released a preview EP this year… You can download it for free here:
APHEX TWIN <3
http://www.fellinlovewithadrummer.com/
P I L O T D R I F T !!
Maybe it’s too soon, but I feel like I also heard rumors of a new MGMT album late next year when they discusses the control of their label over their music.
If Atlas Sound maintains the rate of releases from last week, we can expect somewhere in or around the ballpark of 208 new albums from Bradford in 2011…and one Deerhunter album. I’m alright with that.
http://digmusiccity.blogspot.com/2010/11/bradford-cox-is-new-weezy-49-new-atlas.html
You can’t put Lady GaGa and not put Britney Spears. Unfair. Britney may not be as ‘talented’ as GaGa but she’s far more fascinating and her music is infinitely better, plus she’s working with William Orbit, Rusko and a bunch of other Cool Cats, whereas GaGa is just back with RedOne again (yawn).
Anyway, Fiona Apple deserves to be No. 1 over Aphex Twin. And where is Florence + the Machine’s sophomore album?
Good list, though. But I’d have left Lil’ Wayne out.
It’s in alphabetical order.
Oh, thanks! I should’ve noticed that… LOL.
The list is for most anticipated album, not better musician. Lady GaGa has been building up hype for almost a year now, and she has millions of dedicated fans. Thus, more anticipated.
At least that’s my logic.
It’s been delayed several times over the course of two years, but Missy Elliott’s “Block Party” should (*crosses fingers*) finally get released in 2011. That would make SIX years since she released her last one.
David Cook is finishing up a new album that is expected to be released in the first quarter of 2011. The album title and exact release date are both TBA.
http://www.fellinlovewithadrummer.com
is anyone else tired of anticipating the new panda bear?? i sure am. tired of being strung along with singles.
The Rivergods ‘Signs’… February 2011.
and Buffalo Tom, don’t forget Buffalo Tom, that new track takes me back to college circa 93, Let Me Come Over was the soundtrack to that year and every year after
The Low Anthem – Smart Flesh (2/22)
Of Montreal EP in Spring 2011, I’ve heard.
The Joy Formidable – The Big Roar!!
These guys are H O T!
Really you guys are more excited ti hear Mr. Gibbard’s tired sound, the shins, and little Wayne then the new Bright Eyes record. I’ll admit his solo shit was not my thing but this is the end of an era for Saddle-Creek. And the records sounds fucking amazing. Hopefully when you all hear it you will realize how good it is and why is should be in the top 50. Stereo gum why do you break my heart.
pig destroyer
What? No mention of Buffalo Tom’s new album, Skins, out in Feb 2011? UnCONscionable and inexcusable.
BTW, you leave out Buffalo Tom but include The Cars? The CARS? You added the wrong Boston band to your list, dudes.
Stereogum already has its 50 most anticipated albums of 2011. So much to get excited about. Except U2. They can stop any time now, thanks.
http://mrshuffleupagus.blogspot.com/2010/12/boss-stuff-on-interwebs-wednesday-links.html
#1 Zonoscope
#2 New Radiohead
#3 Tomboy
#4 New Santigold
#5 Lasers
Level of hype in that order.
Fountains of Wayne, anyone?
Hey…anyone?
After “Hey Joel” they’d be lucky to get a record deal but kudos to you for thinking outside the box lol
The new Shins music will most likely be very good, but will it really be the The Shins or a James Mercer solo project with The Shins name?
Tyler, The Creator – Goblin
YES! tyler’s dropping “wolf” and a collab album with earl sweatshirt in 2011 too. guaranteed odd future are gonna blow up next year.
WRENS WRENS WRENS WRENS WRENS.
]
[Keep your freaking fingers crossed
Isn’t Memoryhouse working on a full length?
BRIGHT EYES?
Appomattox!
What about Rush’s upcoming “Clockwork Angels” release? If the first two tracks (“BU2B” and “Caravan”) are any indicator, it should be some exceptional music from them, and their are indications it may also feature a bit of a return to their earlier multi-part epic format, but with the newer, modern sensibility they so adeptly showed on 2008′s “Snakes and Arrows.”
And for those who question Rush’s current relevance, according to Billboard Magazine, their tour was the number one tour of the summer, and they’ve recently added a European leg as well as more American dates – some in cities they skipped earlier this year and revisits to some cities they’ve already played. Rush fandom was showcased as almost something of a male bonding ritual in the hit comedy “I Love You, Man,” AT&T has a new ad featuring a guy – wearing a Rush-logo t-shirt – searching for a gift and being delighted at finding a baby onsie with the same Rush logo on it, Stephen Colbert had them on his show, several musicians attested to Rush’s influence on their own work in the “Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage” documentary and Rolling Stone magazine finally – after famously ignoring them for almost their entire 35+ year career – featured an interview with them.
Rush is a band at the top of their game right now. They’re playing as well as they always have (and whatever people may think about their music itself, most people have long recognized that they are at the top in terms of their musicianship) and they’ve been working on the album since early spring – writing and recording even while on tour. Talk about something to anticipate, eh?
You left “Weird” Al Yankovic off your list!
Tame Impala reckon they’ve got a new one on the way already.
Vivian Girls’ Share The Joy comes out this spring! \o/
Exit has an EP in January and an album called “The Blind Alley” in the October.
Looking forward to new albums from AMY KUNEY and GIANT DRAG.
panda bear, toro, strokes … and of course, nazcarnation
Why anticipate so much shit? U2, Lady Gaga, The Cars, Foo Fighters, The Lonely Island. Seriously?
The album I’m looking most forward to is quite definitely Battles. Also Ducktails, Pains of BPAH, The Antlers, M83, Fleet Foxes, Razika, Panda Bear, Cut Copy… I am REALLY hoping for Real Estate to put out something, and I’m crossing my fingers for Gy!BE, The Avalanches, something Owen Pallett and something Deerhunter. And I’m HOPING for something Tera Melos, after the wonderful Patagonian Rats… but I’m not counting on that, seeing as they spent 5 years between album 1 and album 2. Then there’s a few I don’t anticipate, but that I’ll probably like: Gang of Four, Wire and Franz Ferdinand comes to mind.
By the way, isn’t The Antlers supposed to put out something next year? That should be good.
D’Angelo?
The Rural Alberta Advantage’s sophomore ‘Departing’ will be out in March.
And The Dodos appear to have a record coming out as well.
Also I imagine you can expect something from Memory Tapes (he’s said in interviews he already has an album done), and hopefully Wild Beasts as well.
you left off Yuni in Taxco’s debut full length (TBD). You can grab some previously released free tunes on their bandcamp site:
http://yuni.bandcamp.com/
There’s a new Mars Volta album meant to be released next year, along with the final part in the Marmaduke Duke trilogy. A new Glassjaw album would be nice but that’s never certain.
death – spiritual mental physical is coming out 1/25 on drag city
j mascis – several shades of why (3/15 on sub pop)
wikipedia says something about big boi – daddy fat sax: soul funk crusader
and i think mountain goats – all eternals deck and rival schools – pedals are due out in march
cold war kids, jan. 25, and it’s good, and nobody paid me to leave this note
Panic! At The Disco’s new album Vices And Virtues is coming out on March 8th!
Drake has an album coming out called Take Care
Saw Vancouver artist, Jody Glenham, play in New York. She said she was working on a new album, out later this year!
Meshuggah and Pig Destroyer!
I don’t know how you missed this
or maybe i missed it someone on your list. but blink 182 has an album coming out in april
come on that has to be one of the most anticipated albums of the year.
for sure the most anticipated for me
Not to be outdone long time shunned canadian artist Matthew Good due to release “Cold Harbour” in May his 5th full length solo album, that is my #1 most anticipated of 2011
The best album of 2011 has already been released – “La Belle Epoque” by California King – http://www.californiakingband.com
Um might not be quite the place but new Blink album anyone? But definitely most excited about new Aphex Twin, James Blake and Burial.
He’s pretty secretive, but Mike Patton must be releasing three or four albums this year now that Faith No More are finished again. New Lovage, Fantomas, Peeping Tom, Crudo and Tomahawk are all on the way.
Also, I’m pretty excited about the new Extra Life EP, new Polkadot Cadaver and new UnexpecT.
Strokes!!!! So damn excited.
Mogwai, Lykke Li should be pretty sweet.
Death cab should be interesting, I’m excited to hear it, but a little scared too.
Jason Mraz and Matchbox Twenty are both in the studio working on releases for this year!!!! Melee’s album is out in the U.S. and should hopefully be coming to the UK soon. I’ve been waiting a year for Jack Savoretti’s album “Harder Than Easy” to actually get released – don’t know what’s going on there. The Webb Sister’s album “Savages” is out soon. There will probably be a live John Mayer album this year following his recent tour.
The new Adele record is going to be really solid too. If the rest of it is anything like “Rolling in the Deep” it is going to be sick. It will be nice to actually hear well crafted pop music sung by arguably one of the best female vocalist of my generation. Have you seen the video for that song? Flawless http://bit.ly/hTxhHy
Incubus is currently working on a new album that is supposed to be released the latter part of this year…I’ve heard October but can’t find any concrete evidence on an actual date as of yet.
OK how bout a current band that isnt main stream crap Black Tide
Tool and the Red Hot Chili Peppers aren’t even mentioned. What the hell?
I know that the new Civil Twilight album will be on the 2012 list:) It just came out&it’s so sick! With CT and The Shins opening the year with new albums..you know it’s gonna be a good year:)
http://civiltwilight.spinshop.com/