Last year was a big year for music, but that has come and gone, and now we focus on the potential triumphs, and possibly pitfalls, of the new 2016 catalog.
From Kanye to Radiohead to Elton John to Lady GaGa and many more, this release cycle should prove to be nothing short of impressive.

Whether you notice it or not, the album release cycle usually takes anywhere from two to four years (unless you’re One Direction). In that case, artists drift in and out of the spotlight year to year, depending on when they’re touring or recording or promoting an album. This year we see a shift in this situation and welcome back people like Katy Perry and the 1975 who have been media quiet recently, making room for the artists with their new releases.

There have already been several releases that have made waves in the music industry just in the past few weeks. The unfortunate passing of legend David Bowie comes right after the release of his latest album, Blackstar. It has already done well and Bowie claimed that it is unlike anything he’s ever done.

Panic! At the Disco also released an album last week called Death of a Bachelor. This is the rebranding of Brendan Urie’s image after a split of the original band last year, and this album truly showcases his creative mind.

Some of the highly anticipated albums come from the biggest stars who made the whole world wait while they work on their art. Frank Ocean comes to mind as someone who’s sophomore album release is well overdue. He has already hinted at the name for the record, called Boys Don’t Cry. Adele has publicly pleaded for Frank to finally drop this album, and she basically speaks for all of us.

Another highly anticipated release would be from Kanye West, who has been teasing the public with new music every Friday. His full length album, Swish, is set to release this year and people can’t wait to see what the future presidential candidate has to show us.
One of the biggest stars of the past two years was Sia. She is releasing her album, This is Acting, this week on Jan. 29. As a songwriter for other artists, some of Sia’s pieces fell to the cutting room floor and were left for her to dust of in order to compile an album of her own. Her powerhouse voice and eclectic style will undoubtedly come out in her next solo feature.

Elton John found his way back into the studio, recording an album he says came out of just being happy with his husband and his family. Wonderful Crazy Night was recorded in just 17 days, and brought John back together with some old writing friends.
This year has a lot more releases that are being looked forward to, from Keith Urban to Jennifer Nettles to Jeff Buckley to Christina Aguilera. Many music fans will finally be given peace when they see their favorite artist’s longtime hold-out come to an end. May your favorite albums be dropped and your new year be happy!