One of the best parts about every month is all of the new things that will happen in the wonderful world of music. Whose song is going to be topping the charts? What new artist is going to emerge? Check out the artists who are coming out with new albums this month. Which albums do YOU think will make it big-time?
Fifth Harmony – Reflection
Genre: Pop, R&B, Dance
Release date: February 3rd
Fifth Harmony is an American all-female group from The X Factor that formed after auditioning separately and then being grouped together by Simon Cowell. The pop band worked hard on their new album Reflection throughout 2014. With two singles being released last year from the album – “Boss” in July and “Sledgehammer” in October – Reflection has been long-awaited by pop music fans. The album even includes collaboration with rapper Kid Ink. Fifth Harmony proved their talent last year by earning a Radio Disney Music Award for Breakout Artist of the Year and a Shorty Award for Social Media’s Best Band. To promote the album, Fifth Harmony’s The Reflection Tour will commence on February 27. Reflection can be purchased on iTunes or Amazon.
Kid Ink – Full Speed
Genre: Hip Hop, R&B
Release date: February 3rd
Kid Ink has come a long way from being a mixtape-releasing indie artist. Already harnessing chart-topping hits like “Main Chick” and “Show Me” under his belt, Kid Ink will surely not disappoint with his new album. For Full Speed, he worked with renowned hip-hop and rap artists such as Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, and R. Kelly. Kid Ink just released his debut album in January, but saw no reason to wait to release his sophomore album. If you want to hear some songs off the live album, you can head over to UCF on February 26; if you don’t want to wait that long, you can buy Full Speed on iTunes on February 3.
Bob Dylan – Shadows in the Night
Genre: Rock, Folk, Country
Release date: February 3rd
OMG! We are so excited for this new release from Bob Dylan, the King of the 1960s. For his new album, Dylan recorded ten songs popularized by Frank Sinatra, but he doesn’t like to say that he’s covering them. He told Rolling Stone, “What me and my band are basically doing is uncovering them. Lifting them out of the grave and bringing them into the light of day.” Dylan brilliantly renewed the songs by performing them in only one or two takes and not using background vocals, horns, and such that ballads usually include. Shadows in the Night will include ten songs, including classic Sinatra tunes such as “Stay with Me” and “Some Enchanted Evening.” The album can be purchased on iTunes or Amazon.
Kodaline – Coming Up for Air
Genre: Rock
Release date: February 9th
Kodaline is a rock band reigning from Ireland who is rocking the music scene across the globe. The ambitious band has already seen pronounced success in the year and a half after the release of their debut studio album In a Perfect World. This album entered the Irish top albums chart at number one just one week after its release. It’s hard to describe the sound of Kodaline since they’re pretty incomparable, but the best way I can describe them to someone who’s never heard of them would be a dreamy combination of Imagine Dragons and Coldplay. Coming Up For Air draws inspiration from the producers of musical artists like Snow Patrol, R.E.M., and Ellie Goulding. You can hear a single from the album, “Honest,” here, but you’ll have to wait until it’s released for purchase on iTunes or Amazon to hear the rest.
Father John Misty – I Love You, Honeybear
Genre: Indie Rock, Psychedelic Folk Rock
Release date: February 10th
Josh Tillman, better known as Father John Misty or the Fleet Foxes ex-drummer, is ridiculous and eccentric in the best possible way. For example, for the single “Chateau Lobby #4 (in C for Two Virgins)” he wanted to get a bunch of kittens, rent a wedding chapel, and stage a sort of kitten wedding ceremony. (Unfortunately, that didn’t work because he couldn’t get a bunch of kittens, but we did get this very interesting music video.) His nonsensical Facebook statuses that sound like a Google translation of a foreign language gone bad add to his strange eccentricity. The album will be released on both CDs and LPs, and those who preorder will also receive eight demos on cassette. Otherwise, the album can be purchased digitally through iTunes or Amazon.
Ricky Martin – A Quien Quiera Escuchar
Genre: Pop, Latin Pop
Release date: February 12th
Handsome Latin pop singer Ricky Martin is returning with his first album in nearly four years. The album title, A Quien Quiera Eschuchar, translates in English to For Whoever Wants to Listen. The album will include ten tracks, one of which features Latin Grammy award-winning rapper and record producer Yotuel. I personally cannot wait to hear more of Martin’s smooth voice and flavorful music. In October of last year he released a single from the new album titled “Adios,” which is a catchy and dance-inducing tune (I currently have it on repeat). You can buy the deluxe version of the album on iTunes on February 12.
Imagine Dragons – Smoke + Mirrors
Genre: Alternative Rock, Indie Rock
Release date: February 17th
If an album cover is any indicator of a high-quality sound track, I have a feeling that Smoke + Mirrors is going to be one heck of an album. Imagine Dragons went through upwards of 100 song demos to narrow their second album down to just 13 songs. The explosive thundering beats characteristic of Imagine Dragons will surely be part of Smoke + Mirrors, as well as a funky blues tune reminiscent of The Beach Boys called “I’m So Sorry.” The band, which still humbly sees itself as an alt-rock band instead of a Top 40 force to be reckoned with, will release the highly anticipated album on February 17 on iTunes and Amazon.