Four Hotly Anticipated Summer Albums
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Almost every year, critics and fans lightly debate the song of the summer. Some of the songs that blare from the radio almost daily seem destined for spinning again and again as the sun beats down, beaches overflow with people, and highways clog with cars full of families headed for vacation.
Just as some songs seem to define the summer, so too do certain albums released during the year’s very hottest months. Summer 2019 is destined to be no exception, with full-length releases from both longtime mainstream icons and some artists newer to today’s creme of the crop. Keep an eye out for these four albums this summer, as they just might come to define the season.
Madonna: Madame X
June 14, Interscope
Madonna is the Queen of Pop, so any album she puts out is certain to have at least some certified hits. Madame X, her fourteenth album in her nearly four-decade career, has already spawned the singles “Medellin,” which features Colombian artist Maluma (with whom Madonna performed the track at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards), “Future,” which features Migos member Quavo, and “I Rise,” which samples a speech given by Parkside survivor and gun control advocate Emma González.
Bruce Springsteen: Western Stars
June 14, Columbia
The Boss couldn’t be a more qualified candidate for a top-notch summer album release. Sure, his songs can often be morose and reflective of working-class struggle, but many of his biggest hits are absolute anthems. Plus, Springsteen is just as well known for hailing from the Jersey Shore — an iconic summer location — as for his arena-dominating ‘70s and ‘80s hits. Western Stars will be Springsteen’s first album since 2014’s High Hopes and his first entirely solo release since 2005’s Devils & Dust.
Of Monsters and Men: Fever Dream
July 26, Republic
Iceland’s most successful folk-pop export will return with its third album, the successor to 2015’s Beneath the Skin, which reached #3 on the U.S. Billboard 200 Albums chart. The four-piece best known for its inescapable 2011 hit “Little Talks” released Fever Dream’s lead single, “Alligator,” earlier this month. If that song is any indication, anyone who’s already a fan of Iceland’s answer to The Lumineers will remain on board for this next chapter of the band’s journey.
Clairo: Immunity
August 2, FADER Label
Not much is yet known about Immunity, the proper debut album from one of the internet era’s most unique viral sensations. Clairo’s music videos easily reach millions of views on YouTube, yet the 20-year-old musician has little in the way of a mainstream audience. There’s a similar air of secrecy to Immunity, for which no tracklisting has yet to be revealed, although lead single “Bags” has drawn acclaim. Clairo co-produced the entire album, and widely beloved producer and former Vampire Weekend member Rostam co-produced “Bags.”
What are your most anticipated summer album releases? What songs do you think will go on to define this summer? What albums released so far this year will you bring with you into the summer? Tell everyone what you’re listening to in the comments!