The new year has begun. It’s a time of reinvention. People will cook up resolutions — some simple, some complex. The fresh decade is ready to be defined. There’s film, television, art and music waiting to be devoured. Here’s a big ol’ list of albums coming in 2020 that demand your attention.
'Everything Else Has Gone Wrong' by Bombay Bicycle Club, out Jan. 17
This English indie rock band made its long-awaited waited return in 2019 after a lengthy, three-year hiatus. In late 2019 it dropped lead single “Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You)” a fuzzy, weightless song about intense infatuation. The band has dropped three singles since. The singles “Racing Stripes” and “I Can Hardly Speak” prove that Bombay Bicycle Club hasn’t lost a step in its time off.
'Circles' by Mac Miller, out Jan. 17
“Circles” was announced Wednesday by Miller’s family via Instagram. The album was intended to be a companion to 2018’s “Swimming,” and Miller was working on it at the time of his death. Other details about the record are sparse, but fans will only have to wait until next Friday to hear it.
'The Slow Rush' by Tame Impala, out Feb. 14
This Tame Impala album promotion cycle has been churning for what seems like forever. “Patience” dropped in March last year. “Borderline” premiered on "Saturday Night Live" that month and dropped in April. Kevin Parker has been dropping singles for almost a year. It almost seemed like he didn't want the album to come out. I didn’t like “Borderline” at all when it dropped, but after having nine months to let it marinate I think it’s pretty good. Hopefully, the rest of the album lives up to the hype.
'Notes on a Conditional Form' by the 1975, out Feb 21
“Notes on a Conditional Form” seems like it’ll be very similar to 2018’s “A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships.” The singles are a mix of genres with the ferocious punk energy of “People” and the electronic “Frail State of Mind.” The band recently rescheduled its European tour dates to October so it could conclude work on the record. Let’s hope it’s a return to form.
Currently Untitled Album by Justin Bieber, TBA
Justin Bieber hasn’t released a record since 2015’s “Purpose," and a lot of people are probably happy about that. I thought “Purpose” had bangers. The trumpets on “Love Yourself” still go so hard. His new album will be a big cultural moment no matter its quality. The album may be hot garbage. I would rather listen to 10 hours of nails on a chalkboard than his new single “Yummy.” So the album may be terrible, but that means it’s rife with meme potential, and that definitely makes it worth waiting for.
'Violet' and “White Hot Forever” by Lana Del Rey, TBA
In 2020 Lana Del Rey plans to bless us even more. “Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass,” or what she now refers to simply as “Violet” is a spoken word poetry album, “Violet” is supposed to drop sometime in February. “White Hot Forever” is supposed to drop sometime this year. After 2019’s “Norman Fucking Rockwell,” I can’t wait to hear more from Lana Del Rey.
This year should be one of the biggest years for music in recent memory. The vibe check has been passed for now.
