As the snow melts and winter gives way to spring, flowers are not the only thing in full bloom. Music is also blossoming, with popular artists putting out fresh new tunes. Sit in the sunshine and enjoy these 10 spring albums.
Future and Metro Boomin, ‘We Don’t Trust You’ (March 22 and April 12)
Future and his producing partner Metro Boomin are considered to be one of the greatest contemporary rap duos, having “spent the last decade or so re-molding the genre’s sounds to fit their aesthetics,” said GQ. So it should come as no surprise that anticipation is high for the duo’s recently announced pair of albums. The first, “We Don’t Trust You,” will be Future’s tenth studio album. The second album, which is still unnamed, will arrive less than a month later — so fans will not have long to wait. A trailer for the first LP is out now.
Shakira, ‘Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran’ (March 22)
Shakira — one of the world’s most popular Latina singers — is making a comeback with her 12th LP, “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran.” This marks her first studio album since 2017, and while she is mostly thought of as a solo artist, “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” will feature collaborations with stars from a variety of genres, including Cardi B, Karol G, Ozuna and Tiësto. The album title translates to “women no longer cry,” and is a reference to one of Shakira’s previous raps. The album’s lead single, “Te Felicito,” was released in 2022.
Beyoncé, ‘Cowboy Carter’ (March 29)
Beyoncé recently made waves with her well-publicized transition into country music, with the hip-hop icon channeling her Texas roots on an upcoming project. The eagerly anticipated “Cowboy Carter” will be the second chapter of a two-part album following 2019’s “Renaissance.” And “Queen Bey,” as she is affectionately known, has already gotten her new tunes off the ground by releasing the album’s first two singles: “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages.” The former exploded onto the charts and topped the Billboard Hot 100; it was Beyoncé’s 13th song to do so.
Vampire Weekend, ‘Only God Was Above Us’ (April 5)
Vampire Weekend have cemented themselves as one of the most popular rock bands of the early-to-mid 2000s. After a five-year hiatus, the group is back with their fifth studio album, “Only God Was Above Us.” The decision to release the album now may coincide with the band’s recently launched podcast, which invites fans into the “frequent campfire chats where [band members] Baio, CT and Koenig convene to discuss and brainstorm all things Vampire Weekend — and so much more.” Three of the LP’s singles, “Capricorn,” “Gen-X Cops” and “Classical,” are out now.
Maggie Rogers, ‘Don’t Forget Me’ (April 12)
On the same day that Future and Metro Boomin release the second part of their LP, Maggie Rogers will be putting out her third studio album. Titled “Don’t Forget Me,” the Grammy-nominated Rogers told Dazed that her upcoming LP is “my most unguarded self. I wasn’t performing for anyone. I was just playing. My friends have all said that this is the version of me that they know.” The album marks the next chapter in a meteoric rise for Rogers, who first broke out in 2016 when she went viral with her song “Alaska.” The self-titled track for “Don’t Forget Me” is out now.
Taylor Swift, ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ (April 19)
Despite numerous online conspiracy theories, Taylor Swift is not working with President Joe Biden to rig the 2024 election. But she is releasing a hotly anticipated new album. The global superstar will put out “The Tortured Poets Department,” her 11th LP, after announcing it at the Grammy Awards this February. Swift is staying busy beyond this as well, as the new album is coinciding with the continuation of her “Eras” tour, set to run through the end of 2024. It is already the highest-grossing concert tour ever.
St. Vincent, ‘All Born Screaming’ (April 26)
St. Vincent is only 41 but is already considered by some to be one of the greatest guitarists of all time. So it should come as no surprise that anticipation is high for her upcoming seventh LP, “All Born Screaming.” Like other entries on this list, the album will feature collaborations with other artists, most notably Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters. The record “sounds like black and white and all of the colors in a fire. It’s the rawest thing I’ve ever done and simultaneously the most sonically pristine,” St. Vincent said to Musicweek. The album’s third track, “Broken Man,” is out now.
Dua Lipa, ‘Radical Optimism’ (May 3)
Dua Lipa has seemingly exploded onto the scene in the past few years, with five Billboard Top 10 hits, the culturally significant single “Dance the Night” made famous by the “Barbie” film and a role in the movie “Argylle.” But the superstar is going back to basics with “Radical Optimism,” her third studio album. Fans have already gotten a glimpse of the sound, as two singles from the LP, “Training Season” and “Houdini,” are out now. The latter nearly cracked the Billboard Top 10 and topped the Billboard electronic section for 10 straight weeks.
New Kids on the Block, ‘Still Kids’ (May 17)
A blast from the past is making its way onto shelves this spring. New Kids on the Block, one of the most iconic boy bands of the 1990s, will be releasing their eighth album, “Still Kids,” marking their first new LP in more than a decade. There is plenty of excitement surrounding the project, given that the group still maintains popularity with nostalgic ’90s kids. The album was inspired by “visions” from one of the band’s founding members, Donnie Wahlberg, the group said on The Kelly Clarkson Show. The lead single on the LP, “Kids,” is out now.
Lenny Kravitz, ‘Blue Electric Light’ (May 24)
Lenny Kravitz has received innumerable accolades for his music and was recently graced with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His career is far from over, as Kravitz’s 12th studio album, “Electric Blue Light,” will be hitting stores soon. This marks the legendary singer’s first LP in six years, and is a “really fun record. It’s sensual, it’s sexual, it’s spiritual. And people can expect a really fun, good time. A celebration, a coming together, a sense of unity with everybody in the arena,” Kravitz said to GQ Australia. The album’s lead single, “TK421,” is out now.