Image via Complex Original
When it comes to music—much like movies—the second half of the year is where it's at. The first three months are usually a drag, with the big dogs falling back after their 4th quarter releases—and it's freezing out so life just sucks in general. But as the temperature rises, the narratives of the year start to emerge and the big releases start to drop. In the past few months alone, we've endured/enjoyed a whirlwind of marquee-name releases (and an accompanying whirlwind of marquee-level marketing). Kanye West, Jay Z, Wale, J. Cole, Mac Miller. And yet, there's still so much more to come. To help you navigate your way through the rest of the year, plan out your purchases etc., here are The 40 Most Anticipated Albums For The Rest of 2013.
RELATED: The Best Albums of 2013 (So Far)
RELATED: The Best Songs of 2013 (So Far)
RELATED: The Biggest Hip-Hop Fails of 2013 (So Far)
RELATED: Green Label - The Best Electronic Music Albums of 2013
40. Fabolous, Loso's Way 2: Rise To Power
Label: Desert Storm, Def Jam
Release Date: August 2013
In the four years since Fabolous' last studio album, Loso's Way, the Brooklyn-based rap radio institution has remained relevant by releasing a series of popular mixtapes (The Is No Competition 2 & 3 and S.O.U.L. Tape 1 & 2) and appearing on remixes to songs by everyone from Meek Mill to Ariana Grande. For the Loso's Way sequel, Fab will be aided by 2 Chainz, Chris Brown, and Young Jeezy, with production by Hit-Boy, Mike Will Made It, and Pharrell. —Tyrone Plamer
39. Maybach Music Group, Self Made Vol. 3
Label: Maybach Music/Def Jam
Release Date: September 17
If there's one thing we've learned from the two initial installments of Self Made, it's that the guest list for the third will be a spectacle in itself. MMG head honcho Rick Ross assured this much when he explained to MTV, "It's all about the collaborations." With three songs already released from the project (all in one day, no less!), features from Lupe Fiasco and Jadakiss have showcased Rozay's reach—and surely more names will be added to the lineup before the release date.
Also, Self Made Vol. 3 will be an opportunity for recent MMG signee Rockie Fresh to break out of his mixtape shell. His new record "God Is Great" is a solid cut, and the Chicago rapper is in prime position to follow in the footsteps of Meek Mill and Wale onto the Billboard charts. —Edwin Ortiz
38. Poliça, Shulamith
Label: Mom+Pop/Memphis Industries
Release Date: Fall 2013
People who slept on Poliça's 2012 debut, Give You the Ghost, missed out. That album established an indie act that could mash synthpop and R&B sounds into a single, seemless, enchanting sound. The band's frontwoman Channy Leaneagh croons moody melodies through auto-tune, but with two drummers the Minnesotan band has enough boom to keep things bumping. If their latest single, "Tiff," featuring Bon Iver's (and Kanye's) Justin Vernon, is any indication, their new album will pick up right where the last one left off. Which is fine by us. That one's still haunting us—in the very best way. —Insanul Ahmed
37. Chief Keef, Almighty So
Label: Interscope
Release Date: TBA
Chief Keef has taken a defiant left turn since crossing over to the Hot 100 with "I Don't Like" and "Love Sosa" in 2012. When everyone criticized his mush-mouth rapping, he doubled down, becoming even less comprehensible and shunning a media spotlight that often catches him in an unflattering light. Nonetheless, "Macaroni Time" has become a regional hit this summer, and his fanbase remains. (Counter to reports that his first full-length flopped, it's steadily approaching the 200,000 sales mark—nothing earth-shaterring, for sure, but respectable.) Based on recent leaks like "I Ain't Done Turning Up," it looks like the rapper is continuing on his current path for Almighty So. (Which replaces the Bang 2 mixtape as his next expected release.) —David Drake
36. Sleigh Bells, TBA
Label: Mom+Pop/NEET
Release Date: TBA
Noise rock duo Sleigh Bells broke out in 2010 with their debut album Treats, a super-loud, joyous affair that crossed hip-hop attitude with bubble-gum pop hooks and enough fuzzed-out guitar blast to blow out the woofers on the hardiest speakers. The second time out they weren't feeling so cheery, though.
Their sophomore album, Reign of Terror, was a few shades darker, a touch closer to metal than the cheer-leader-squad-in-a-burning-building dynamic of Treats.
They're back in the studio readying a third salvo now, one that singer Alexis Krauss and guitarist Derek Miller promise is representative of a brighter outlook. The band says Reign of Terror's peppy lead single "Comeback Kid" is indicative of the new material they've been hammering out all year. —Craig Jenkins
35. Mariah Carey, The Art of Letting Go
Label: Island Records
Release Date: TBA
After her highly publicized (and controversial!) stint as a judge on American Idol, Mariah Carey is back on the singles charts with "#Beautiful," her duet with Miguel. It's the most immediate, poppiest song Mariah has released in ages, harkening back to her classic, prime-era singles like "Dreamlover" and "Always Be My Baby."
In addition to Miguel, she has been in the studio with Jermaine Dupri, The-Dream, Rodney Jerkins, Young Jeezy, and Mike Will Made It. If "#Beautiful" is indicative of what we can expect from the album, Mariah might climb back to the top one more time, like she has so many before. —Tyrone Palmer
34. Janelle Monae, The Electric Lady
Label: Bad Boy, Atlantic
Release Date: September 10
Janelle Monae is in a lane of her own. Though she's continually gaining more commercial success—she's now a spokesmodel for Covergirl, and was featured on fun.'s Grammy-winning No. 1 single "We Are Young"—her music has remained singular and steadfast in its vision. The Electric Lady is the follow-up to 2011's The Archandroid, and the the fourth "suite" in her Metropolis series. Both singles released from the album thus far ("Q.U.E.E.N," featuring Erykah Badu, and "Dance Apocalyptic") point to a broadening of Monae's already massive sonic palate—funkier and even more eclectic than we've come to expect from her. Prince and Miguel have been confirmed as features. If nothing else, this is sure to be one of the most adventurous albums of the year. —Tyrone Plamer
33. Haim, TBA
Label: Polydor Records
Release Date: Fall 2013
In a little over a year since releasing their four-track EP, Forever, Los Angeles trio Haim has become minor stars. Blending yesteryear's pop rock aesthetic with a modern twist, sisters Este, Danielle, and Alana are delightful to the ear, and their most recent tracks carry this graceful energy into their as-yet-untitled debut album. "Falling" wins with its layered vocals and upbeat synth backdrop, while "The Wire" is ripe for the summer days ahead. And, of course, there's their spectacular collaboration with Kid Cudi on "Red Eye." The album's due this fall; expecations are high. —Edwin Ortiz
32. The Roots & Elvis Costello, Wise Up Ghost
Label: Blue Note Records
Release Date: September 17
The Roots, of course, are no stranger to collaborative works. Over the last few years they've played the backing band to everyone from Jay Z to sexy soulstress Betty Wright to John Legend—on the Grammy Award winning covers album Wake Up! This year, the Roots teamed up with Brit-rock legend Elvis Costello, author of classics like "Alison" and "Watching the Detectives."
The collaboration came after a joint performance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon inspired them to secretly book studio time. Wise Up Ghost matches Costello's punk and reggae prowess to the Roots' crisp live hip-hop sound on tracks like the lead single "Walk Us Uptown," aand drummer Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson describes the whole project as "stark and dark." —Craig Jenkins
31. Ghostface Killah, Supreme Clientele Presents... Blue & Cream: The Wally Era
Label: TBA
Release Date: TBA
Ghostface Killah's 2000 album Supreme Clientele is a classic of gritty beats and brilliant, stream-of-conscious rap rhymes. Ghost has done all right for himself since, carrying the Wu torch into a new millennium with great albums like Fishscale and The Pretty Toney Album. Now, like Raekwon did with Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II and GZA is planning to do with Liquid Swords II: The Return Of The Shadowboxer, Ghost revisits a classic, promising Supreme Clientele Presents... Blue & Cream: The Wally Era for the end of summer. Ghost freaks, get geeked. —Craig Jenkins
30. The Black Keys, TBA
Label: Fat Possum Records
Release Date: TBA
Hailing from Akron, Ohio, The Black Keys came up as underground, blues, garage-rock darlings. Over the past decade, though, the group has steadily climbed up the rock totem pole, gaining fans and critical acclaim along the way. When they released their 2010 album Brothers, they reached a national audience—winning their first set of Grammy awards. In 2012, The Black Keys released El Camino. The album, with the songs "Lonely Boy" and "Gold on the Ceiling" leading the charge, debuted at number two on the Billboard charts, seeling 200,000 copies in its first week—no small feat considering the current state of rock music. Details are still pretty minimal, but their next release will look to retain their status as one of the biggest and best rock groups around. —Andy MacKay
29. Young Jeezy, TBA
Label: Def Jam, CTE
Release Date: TBA
Two years removed from his last album TM:103 Hustlerz Ambition, Young Jeezy has been doing pretty well for himself. He has eulogized clubs, recieved Grammy noms, continued his occupation as the remix killer, and gotten more serious about his role as boss of his CTE World record label. While one might think that the amount of time he's dedicated to putting on newcomers like YG and DoughBoyz Cashout could negatively effect his next solo project, don't count on it. Everything he's recently released points to him being in peak form. —Max Goldberg
28. Arcade Fire, TBA
Label: Merge Records
Release Date: October 29
What if I was to tell you that a ground breaking group whose last album won the Grammy for Album of the Year is set to release their fourth album this year, would that be something you might be interested in? If it's not, just stop reading this and do something else. That album belongs to Arcade Fire, one of the best rock bands of the last 10 years. Frankly, they've yet to put out a bad album. Why would start now? —Max Goldberg
27. D'Angelo, TBA
Label: EMI/Virgin/J/RCA
Release Date: TBA
This follow-up to D'Angelo year-2000 neo-soul classic Voodoo has been a staple on "most anticipated" lists for the past decade, so any skepticism at its inclusion here is totally warranted. That said, all signs point to it really happening this year. 2012 marked the reemergence of D in the public eye, with a number of well-reviewed concerts, where he played a few new songs, including "Sugar Daddy " and "The Charade." So, at the very, least we know new music by D'Angelo exists. Judging by these live performances, he seems to be taking the live-band jam session feel of Voodoo to an even funkier place. ?uestlove has been quoted as saying it is "99 percent done," and from what we've heard so far, it seems as if it will be well worth the wait. —Tyrone Plamer
26. M.I.A., Matangi
Label: N.E.E.T., XL, Interscope
Release Date: TBA
A new M.I.A. album is always an event, both for the awesome music and the inevitable media scrutiny and flurry of think-pieces that her (extra-) musical choices inspire. For Matangi, the follow-up her to her polarizing 2010 album MAYA, M.I.A. is going back to her roots: club-centric, bass-heavy dance music that pulls a variety of influences from the best of the underground. The first single "Bring the Noize" is jittery, energetic club jam, up there with the best tracks she's ever released. With rumored production from underground dance mavens Nguzunguzu, Fatima AlQadiri, and Munchi, Matangi could be M.I.A's most forward-thinking album to date. —Tyrone Plamer
25. Lady Gaga, ARTPOP
Label: Streamline/Interscope/Kon Live
Release Date: November 11
If you hold to the belief that pop music is a game of thrones, there is a lot is riding on the success of heir-apparent Lady Gaga's third studio album. While her last album, 2011's Born This Way, was a record-breaking success, one can't help but feel as though some of the luster is gone. None of its singles had the impact of "Bad Romance" or "Poker Face."
There was a palpable excitement around Gaga after the breakaway success of The Fame/Monster, with many hailing her as the new Madonna. ARTPOP's success or failure will prove whether or not Gaga is in it for the long haul. Very little is known about ARTPOP musically, besides the fact that frequent collaborators RedOne and Fernando Garibay will be producing. But we know it will be released this November as a downloadable app, following in the footsteps of Jay Z and Bjork. —Tyrone Plamer
24. Lil Wayne, Dedication 5
Label: Young Money, Cash Money, Universal Republic
Release Date: TBA
It seems like Lil Wayne is in the twilight of his career. But he remains one of hip-hop's few true crossover icons, and even his lowering stock couldn't keep I Am Not a Human Being II from being another successful solo shot in the Tunechi canon. "Rich As Fuck" and "Love Me" alone made the album far better than the new release from Cash Money supergroup Rich Gang. This year, Wayne's out to disprove his many detractors again. DJ Drama tweeted about Dedication 5 earlier this year, and Wayne seems to be out of the woods after a few health scares. While the Dedication series won't perform like a full The Carter sequel, any time Wayne decides to release a project, it's an undeniable rap event. —David Drake
23. Miley Cyrus, TBA
Label: Hollywood/RCA
Release Date: TBA
With an iced-out grill, a badass haircut, and an updated sound courtesy of Mike Will Made It, Miley Cyrus has come a long way from her Disney Channel days. Eager to shed the pop princess appeal of Hannah Montana, she now sings about molly and gets shoutouts from Jay Z. Her hit single "We Can't Stop," reveals a rebellious woman with an independence that was missing from her previous releases. Full of twerking and Miley's "ghetto queen" look, the song's video spurred controversy and increased her reach. There is no telling what other tricks she has up her sleeveless cropped tops.
Miley defended her new musical direction when she told Billboard, "People wanted to make me the white Nicki Minaj. I'm not coming in trying to rap." Maybe not, but she has fully embraced hip-hop. Featuring Pharrell, Wiz Khalifa, and French Montana, her upcoming album is sure to sound very different from anything we've ever heard from her before. It will also will be the subject of an MTV documentary. For better or worse... —Imani Mixon
22. Juicy J, Stay Trippy
Label: Taylor Gang, Kemosabe, Columbia
Release Date: August 27
Juicy J's career is unkillable. After a decade of hits with legendary Memphis horror rap institution Three 6 Mafia, things looked grim for him when the group dissolved three years ago. But, lo! He linked up with trap impresario Lex Luger for 2011's momentum boosting Rubba Band Business 2 mixtape and Mike Will Made It for 2012's career reviving single "Bandz a Make Her Dance."
Now a member of Wiz Khalifa's Taylor Gang clique, the self-proclaimed "no. 1 get-high rapper" is readying, Stay Trippy, which is set to feature production from Luger, Mike Will, ID Labs, and more, guest appearances from everyone from Justin Timberlake to Project Pat, and, of course, boatloads of those lascivious drunk uncle raps we've come to expect from the man himself. —Craig Jenkins
21. Beyonce, TBD
Label: Columbia
Release Date: TBA
So far, everything about Beyonce's fifth studio album seems quite unlike Queen Bey—even though she's already had a hell of a year. She owned the first part of 2013 thanks to a super sexy GQ cover, performances at both the Presidential Inauguration and the Super Bowl, as well as her Life Is But a Dream HBO documentary. But when it came to actually releasing music, she's faltered.
Her "Bow Down/I Been On" snippet caused a lot discussion but was received poorly. Meanwhile, she trolled us all by making us think she was going to drop actual singles with "Grown Woman" and "Standing on the Sun," but instead dropped ads where only snippets of the songs played. As recently as a month ago, Bey's frequent collaborator Ne-Yo revealed that they were "still trying to figure out what they want [the album] to be."
Beyonce's reps have denied that the album has been delayed, claiming she never even had a release date to begin with. Regardless of all these missteps, Beyonce is still Beyonce, so we're still eager to hear whatever she releases—we'd be surprised if she didn't drop an album this year. The world of Queen Bey is a well-oiled machine and plenty of ad dollars have already been spent. —Insanul Ahmed
20. Meek Mill, Dreamchasers 3
Label: MMG, Atlantic
Release Date: TBA
In the past two years, Meek Mill has truly made the most of his MMG affiliation. From the jump, it looked like he could have been overshadowed by the more established rappers on MMG's roster, Pill and Wale. But thanks to bangers like "I'ma Boss" and "House Party" and the first two installments of the Dreamchasers series, Meek has not only surpassed his MMG cohorts, he's become one of the premier rappers in their 20s. You can't overstate the importance of Dreamchasers 2, it's the all-time most-downloaded mixtape on Datpiff with over four million downloads—even Lil Wayne has never done more than two million and Rick Ross' Rich Forever only did 1.6 million.
Despite the power of the Dreamchasers brand, Meek's lackluster debut album Dreams and Nightmares failed to live up to the hype. Worst yet, it was released right after Kendrick Lamar dropped an instant classic with good kid, m.A.A.D. citywhich set a new standard for excellence amongst the new breed of MCs. Since the release of Meek's debut, the MMG brand has plateaued and even faltered a bit (thanks to some very foolish rhymes from captain Rick Ross.) Can Meek put the MMG brand on his back and bring them back to prominence? His excellent single "Levels" certainly makes us think so. —Insanul Ahmed
19. Rick Ross, Mastermind
Label: Maybach Music, Def Jam
Release Date: TBA
People love to hate on Rick Ross and this year was no different. While his controversial "U.O.E.N.O" lyric caused an epic shitstorm, which saw old Ross haters teaching the new ones the ropes, he has come out the other side more or less in good shape (if the Officer Ricky scandal didn't kill his career, can anything?) With that behind him, we look forward to his next album, Mastermind.
Besides dominating the rap game from a business standpoint the last few years, he's also has gotten better and better as a rapper. With that track record in mind, we have no reason to expect anything less than another solid album. Ross has said the LP will have a more soulful vibe and with the features sure to be stellar, it looks to be another successful release from the Bawse. Haters be damned. —Max Goldberg
18. Nicki Minaj, TBA
Label: Young Money, Cash Money, Universal Republic
Release Date: TBA
Nicki Minaj is in a weird place in her career. She's by all means a star: a household name, one of the only three "new" rappers who've gone platinum (the other two are Drake and Kendrick Lamar), with a gang of Barbz behind her. But she's had trouble with the nature of her fame. Is she a rapper's rapper or a pop princess? Can she be both? Why does she have to negotiate it anyway? Nicki can certainly be a fantastic rapper when she wants to be, but sometimes seems like she doesn't want to.
On her second album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, she mixed her pop appeal and her rap skills to disastrous results. Even if "Starships" was a big Billboard hit, it was bad for her brand and the alienated the hip-hop audience—the audience that rooted for her in 2009. But none of this would matter if her albums would deliver. Despite her enormous talent, so far she's yet to create a compelling disc that captures her appeal and shuts the haters up.
So for her third proper album, she flirted with the title Pink Friday: The Pinkprint, before telling MTV in April, "At this point I don't even know if I want to include the word pink." Does that mean she'll abandon the clustered style of her previous records? She's killed her guest verses this year, but in the past that hasn't lead to a great album. We can only hope it does this time. —Insanul Ahmed
17. Ab-Soul & JMSN, Unit 6
Label: TDE
Release Date: TBA
Control System, the sophomore album from Black Hippy lieutenant Ab-Soul, was one of last year's best. Soul's razor-sharp bars and paranoid, druggy politics seem to run darker than the rest of his clique. He's following it up this year with the feature-free Unit 6, an EP in collaboration with Detroit singer and multi-instrumentalist JMSN, whose vocals graced Game's Jesus Piece and Kendrick Lamar's good kid, m.A.A.d city last year. If last year's spectral, apocalyptic TDE Fam Appreciation Week single "Nibiru" is any indication, we're in for more refreshing weirdness from these two. —Craig Jenkins
16. A$AP Ferg, Trap Lord
Label: A$AP Worldwide/Polo Grounds/RCA
Release Date: August 20
When A$AP Ferg stormed onto ASAP Rocky's lean love song "Kissin' Pink'" blowing "hella smoke," we saw glimpses of an artist who would one day be able to separate from the pack and stand on his own two. Last summer, his raucous spaghetti-at-the-wall anthem "Work" emerged as the standout track from the A$AP Mob's Lords Never Worry mixtape, and it became evident that Ferg had the presence and personality to be the next member of the Mob to shine. He'll carry that momentum into the release of his debut, Trap Lord, which will obviously feature A$AP Rocky, but also include legends like Onyx and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. The trap lord is poisted to be the next member of the Harlem collective to ascend into the limelight. -Julian Kimble
15. 2 Chainz, B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time
Label: Def Jam
Release Date: September 10
With a No. 1 debut album already under his belt, it's safe to say the feds aren't the only ones watching as 2 Chainz preps B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time. The Atlanta rapper has certainly kept busy throughout the first half of the year, appearing on records alongside Young Jeezy, Lil Wayne and B.o.B.—not to mention developing his acting reel. That may explain why he's only dropped one single from an album that is scheduled to come out September 10. However, if the rest of his project can match the vibrant ferocity of "Feds Watchng," he'll be sidestepping the sophomore slump with ease. —Edwin Ortiz
14. Gunplay, Living Legend
Label: MMG, Def Jam
Release Date: TBA
Gunplay has unexpectedly become one of the most dynamic MCs in the game and the secret MVP of Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group—all without releasing a solo album. After standout verses on Kendrick Lamar's "Cartoons & Cereal" and MMG's "Power Circle" introduced him to a whole new audience, solo tracks like "Rollin'," "Bogota," and "Jump Out" brought the hype to a height. An armed-robbery case threatened to derail that, but all charges were subsequently dropped. All too often rappers gain hype off of mixtapes and features, only to drop the ball when it comes to the studio album. But if any rapper has what it takes to capitalize on the hype and deliver a street classic, it's Gunplay. —Tyrone Plamer
13. Grimes, TBA
Label: Arbutus, 4AD
Release Date: TBA
Grimes' 2012 breakthrough was accompanied by a distinct musical vision, with the singer's ethereal, sometimes playful vocals multi-tracked in the midst of a stripped-down electronic canvas. Her appeal broke through genre boundaries and won her a wide variety of music fans. It's an age-old question, but how the petite star's rising fame affects her music is one of the primary reasons Grimes' new album is considered one of the most anticipated in right now. —David Drake
12. Future, Future Hendrix
Label: Epic, A1, Free Bandz
Release Date: TBA
Future's growth from third-string Dungeon Family affiliate to in-demand hitmaker has been astounding. After revitalizing the careers of everyone from Ace Hood to his boo Ciara, Future's striking back this fall with his sophomore album, Future Hendrix. The tracklist and co-conspirators are presently unknown to us (there have been whispers of sessions with Kanye West), but it's fair to expect another helping of the emotive, cosmic-trap stylings that catapulted his debut album, Pluto, from regional curiosity to mainstream renown. —Craig Jenkins
11. Pusha T, My Name Is My Name
Label: G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam
Release Date: August
It has been almost three years since Pusha T joined Kanye West at the VMAs and embarked on a solo career backed by G.O.O.D Music. Since then, Pusha's released a ton of quality music, but no full studio album. Thus, the spotlight Pusha seemed destined to occupy has been snagged by G.O.O.D peers Big Sean and 2 Chainz. To anyone who knows his catalog, it's obvious that Pusha is capable of making a spectacular album. It just hasn't happened yet. Now or never, Mr. T. —Max Goldberg
10. Justin Timberlake, The 20/20 Experience Part 2
Label: RCA Music Group
Release Date: September 30
Its prequel, The 20/20 Experience, sold record numbers and was, from a marketing perspsective, an undeniable success. But then, something unexpected happened; Robin Thicke's Pharrell-assisted single "Blurred LInes" ended up becoming the true blue-eyed-soul monster jam of the summer, and The 20/20 Experience's impact felt stunted as a result. And while the album has plenty of fans, it doesn't seem quite as beloved as 2006's FutureSex/LoveSounds, Timberlake's previous album. But one of the world's biggest pop stars is taking another shot.
Of course, titling his lead single "Take Back the Night" is—if we're being generous—a miscalculation. Presumably, Timberlake was completely ignorant of the phrase's implications—or maybe he learned the wrong lesson from the "Blurred Lines "controversy and decided to manufacture his own to get an edge on his rival. (He's since claimed he was simply unaware of the organization, and has now stated he hopes the situation will bring more attention to the group's cause.)
Either way, Timberlake remains one of pop music's biggest stars, and there can be no doubt that the album's sequel will be one of the year's most anticipated. —David Drake
9. Big Sean, Hall Of Fame
Label: G.O.O.D. Music, Def Jam
Release Date: August 27
Even without a full release in 2013, Big Sean has stayed relevant. After closing out 2012 with Detroit, one of the year's best mixtapes, Sean released three impressive singles this year: "Guap," "Switch Up," and "Beware." Now comes the crucial second album, which can make or break an artist's career. For Sean, a successful Hall of Fame could solidify his place as a rap superstar. A flop could stop his momentum cold. Fortunately, the former outcome seems far more likely as Sean has consistently released unique, entertaining music. Don't be surprised if Hall of Fame takes Sean to the next level. —Max Goldberg
8. Frank Ocean, TBA
Label: Odd Future Records/Def Jam/Island
Release Date: TBA
Following up a debut album as critically acclaimed as Channel Orange would be a huge task for an artist of any caliber, but Frank Ocean seems more than up to the challenge. There aren't many solid details yet, but Frank has revealed that he is well into the recording process, and is aiming for a sun-drenched, California beach vibe (think Channel Orange bonus track "Golden Girl"). But he has named the Beach Boys and the Beatles as his key influences this time around.
The new songs that Frank has performed so far-which include "Pray," "Feel California," and "Anything For You-see Frank at the height of his powers, with his sterling songcraft and visceral lyricism on full display. He's already one of the most important young voices in R&B period, it's just a matter of where he goes from here. -Tyrone Plamer
7. Jay Electronica, Act II: Patents of Nobility (The Turn)
Label: Roc Nation
Release Date: TBA
Jay Electronica is about as mysterious as someone can be in the world of omnipresent media that we live in today. In 2010, Jay had the rap world in his palm after mixtapes like What the Fuck is a Jay Electronica and classic songs "Exhibit A" and "Exhibit C" demonstrated a scary level of talent. Then, in the wake of his signing with Roc Nation, he completely disappeared. Like, full D.B. Cooper status.
Three years later, and Jay's only output has been some spectacular guest verses, random leaked songs, and frustrating Twitter rants. About a year ago the tracklist to his rumored next project, Act II: Patents of Nobility, was leaked...and nothing happened. Then, Jay-Z and Questlove said it was finished and amazing, and guess what? Nothing happened.
Recently, Mr. Elechannukah tweeted: "ok. now it's my turn. Lets Go. ok." Will anything happen? We sure hope so, because we're damn tired of waiting. This album might turn out to be just like Dr. Dre's Detox, where it's forever on lists like these but never sees the light of day. But hey, if this album was in your inbox right now, don't like you wouldn't rush to listen to it. —Max Goldberg
6. Schoolboy Q, Oxymoron
Label: TDE, Interscope
Release Date: TBA
As a member of a rap clique that counts one-time West Coast hope Jay Rock, current West Coast hope Kendrick Lamar, and underground luminary Ab-Soul as members, Schoolboy Q could be excused for hanging back and enjoying the ride. He's done the opposite, though, establishing a name for himself outside of the Black Hippy crew on tours and collaborations with Danny Brown and A$AP Mob.
Q's back this year with his third album, Oxymoron, which is set to continue the colorful drug-dealer scenarios of last year's Habits & Contradictions with a little help from his TDE buddies as well as his one-time tourmate Danny Brown, Canadian hitmaker Boi-1da on lead single "Yay Yay," and others. -Craig Jenkins
5. Earl Sweatshirt, Doris
Label: Tan Cressida/Columbia Records
Release Date: August 20
A lot has happened since the auspicious release of Earl Sweatshirt's 2010 debut album Earl. This summer, after a lengthy Samoan detention, two rounds of solo albums from his Odd Future compatriots, attention-grabbing festival spots and headlining tours, a TV show and buckets of controversy, the follow-up, Doris, will finally see the light of day.
All the usual suspects are along for the ride (Tyler, the Creator, Domo Genesis, Frank Ocean, Vince Staples, Casey Veggies) along with some new friends (Pharrell and Chad of the Neptunes, Mac Miller, RZA). But advance material like "Chum" and "Whoa" prove that Earl's jaw-dropping lyricism has somehow gotten even sharper over the years—and now that he's laying off the shock rap tactics, his potential seems boundless. —Craig Jenkins
4. Danny Brown, Old
Label: Fool's Gold
Release Date: August
Detroit rapper Danny Brown's star has been on the rise ever since he turned heads with his 2011 album, XXX, and its impeccably rapped tales of debauchery and redemption. After two years of heavy touring and collaboration with everyone from Childish Gambino to the Insane Clown Posse, he's finally ready to release a follow up.
Old promises a change of direction. Danny says we should expect less bedroom shenanigans and more self-reflection, but his team of producers (A-Trak, Rusite, Oh No, Darq E Freaker, Skywlkr, and more) and scheduled guests (Schoolboy Q & Ab-Soul, Freddie Gibbs, A$AP Rocky, Purity Ring, and Charli XCX) suggests it will share the previous album's twisted modern rap sound. —Craig Jenkins
3. The Weeknd, Kiss Land
Label: XO/Republic
Release Date: September 10
The mystery is gone. The hype-storm has calmed. Three mixtapes and a vinyl re-release in, the man born Abel Tesfaye has gone from a strict policy of shielding his identity to sitting down with Complex for his first ever in-depth interview. And we couldn't be more excited to see what he has in store with his debut full-length, Kiss Land.
The album's title track was released a while back, all breathy vocals, Castlevania keys, and synths that sound like the noises your old TV made when you put your ear too close to the screen. It's just the sort of mood music for black nights we've come to expect from Tesfaye. If the rest of the album maintains that same feel of drunken confessions made underneath the glow of halogen lights, we could be looking at a new R&B classic. —Nathan Susman
2. Eminem, TBA
Label: Aftermath, Interscope, Shady
Release Date: TBA
It's hard to have a quiet year when you're the best selling rap artist of all time, but Eminem's 2013 has been pretty low-key. The silence is intriguing, though, as we see his eighth solo album on the Shady/Aftermath release schedule (Paul Rosenberg has also confirmed Em will be dropping an album this year). The last time Em took this kind of time between solo projects, the five years between Encore and Relapse, he returned with a whole different sound. With nothing yet released from the upcoming album, we have no idea which direction Em will take the album in but we're excited to find out. Especially after seeing him in the studio with Chris Rock, Big Sean, and the entire TDE crew. —Max Goldberg
1. Drake, Nothing Was the Same
Label: Young Money, Cash Money, Universal Republic
Release Date: September 17
On "Crew Love" from Take Care, Drake declared, "I think I like who I'm becoming." At this point, it's looking like he's fully become. You can tell on his songs, he sounds more comfortable and confident than ever before. So we're looking for Drake to continue to round out his sound and take greater control of his narrative on Nothing Was The Same. He's off to a good start: Songs like "Started From The Bottom" and "5 AM In Toronto" are creative and catchy but hip-hop to the core.
Since releasing those two in February, he's put out a couple of lackluster songs (girls might love Beyonce but we don't love "Girls Love Beyonce") before picking it back up with his remix to "Versace" as well as the amazing "The Motion" and the J. Cole-assisted "Jodeci Freestyle." We don't really know all that much about the new album so far, but we know he's been in the studio with both Jay Z (gasp!) and The Weeknd (double gasp!). So we're excited. We're so excited that, as you can tell, we're gasping for air. —Insanul Ahmed