2023 Pop Albums To Look Forward To
There’s still a lot more music to come! Here are some 2023 pop albums yet to be released to keep on your radar.
By bonneville on April 10, 2023
Introduction
Based on all of the 2023 pop albums released so far, we know it’s an excellent year for new music. New hits from Miley Cyrus, Sam Smith, Pink, and Shania Twain have charted on the airways and are empowering fans to dance, live free, and trust their guts. And there’s still more to come!
We rounded up the latest news to show you who’s cooking what in the studios. Some of these artists still are yet to confirm release dates, but have spoken to the press about releasing something this year. We hope the trend for great new music continues!
2023 Pop Albums To Be Released
Ed Sheeran
Set to be released on May 5, – (pronounced subtract) is the fourth installment of Sheeran’s decades-long mathematical albums. In 2011, Sheeran released +, followed by 2014’s X, 2017’s ÷, and 2021’s =.
According to Billboard, Sheeran has added ideas to this album for over a decade, writing hundreds of songs and imagining how the album might shape. Then at the start of 2022, a series of life-altering events changed his outlook. He scrapped his old ideas after losing his best friend, helping his wife through a cancer diagnosis and surgery, and dealing with a court case. After a month in the studio, he wrote 30 new songs with the National’s Aaron Dessner, of which 14 will feature on the new album.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Sheeran talks about this tumultuous time, his rise to stardom, and his songwriting process. We expect this album to be full of ballads that denote struggles with his mental health but suspect that over time he will collaborate into more danceable tunes. Sheeran has recently teamed with J Balvin and noted his inspiration from Afropop, EDM, and Reggaeton.
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Kelly Clarkson
Clarkson recently announced on Instagram that Chemistry, her latest album that chronicles the relationship with her late husband, will be released “very soon.” Her single “Mine” will be released on April 14.
Following the album’s release, Clarkson announced a Las Vegas residency at Bakkt Theater, Planet Hollywood Resort, and Casino in July and August.
Clarkson wrote this album over the last three years after filing for divorce from Brandon Blackstock in June 2020. She says the album encompasses “the good, the bad, [and] the ugly” since a relationship can’t be boiled down to just one thing. The album’s title comes from the duality of chemistry, which can be “a really amazing, sexy, cool, fun thing, but it can also be very bad for you.”
Rihanna
Rihanna has made huge waves this year. She dominated headlines after the Super Bowl halftime show, not only from her performance (and the excellent ASL interpretation from Justina Miles) but also her new baby bump indicating her second pregnancy.
Before the event, in an interview with British Vogue, Rihanna indicated that she was ready to release a new album this year. “I realized that if I keep waiting until this feels right and perfect and better, maybe it’s going to keep taking forever and maybe it’ll never come out and no, I’m not down to that,” she stated. She further discussed how she is ready to play and release something fun.
The star has been quiet since her February performance about the new album, and no release date has been set as of this writing. The tentative title for the new album is “R9,” indicating her 9th release.
Dua Lipa
Dua Lipa has kept her lips relatively sealed about her third release but has teased it in interviews. The singer recently talked about the new album, stating that the album departs from “Future Nostalgia” with a more mature style. She says that it has a lyrical theme and is still pop music, but it might not be what her fans want to hear.
The album is likely finished recording, yet there is still no album release date as of this writing. Her record label is likely coming up with marketing, producing videos, and creating imagery to make the album release an anticipated event in 2023.
Selena Gomez
Selena has stated that though she loves a good “Sad Girl Anthem™️,” she wants to write music that brings joy. In an interview with Vanity Fair, she says, “The music I’m doing right now is about real things that I’m walking through. It’s really powerful, strong, very pop. The theme generally is freedom—freedom from relationships, freedom from the darkness.”
As of this writing there is still no release date or announcements of upcoming singles from the album.
Kylie Minogue
Disco superstar Kylie Minogue is following up her 2020 release with more danceable tunes. In an interview with the Irish News recently, Minogue says she “can’t give too much away, but there’s some 2000s electro, nineties house and what I like to call emoto-pop.” This pop-dance exploration is supposed to be followed up by a live tour, including a Las Vegas residency.
The album was expected to be released earlier this year, but the release date is yet to be confirmed as Minogue continues to work on the album tracks. “10 out of 10” was released on April 5 and features DJ and EDM producer Oliver Heldens. She has said to “keep your disco outfit not too far away” as she finalizes tour dates.
Other Unconfirmed 2023 Pop Album Releases
Though rumors exist, we can only be certain about other new releases once they actually happen. Some artists prefer to work in more secrecy, such as Beyoncé, who infamously dropped her self-titled album right before Christmas of 2013. However, there are clues that there might be a follow-up to Renaissance last year. Bruno Mars and Adele are rumored to be in the studio as well, though nothing has been confirmed.
Keep an eye out here for updates! There’s still a lot to get excited for with new 2023 pop albums.
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