It’s going to be very difficult for upcoming albums to compete with the music of this past year. 2024 was a fantastic year for the music industry. We had incredible new albums from beloved artists, including Hit Me Hard and Soft by Billie Eilish, Brat by Charli XCX, Short N’ Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter, The Tortured Poets Department by Taylor Swift, GNX by Kendrick Lamar, and Eternal Sunshine by Ariana Grande.
And of course, how could I forget some of 2024’s breakout artists’ albums, such as Alligators Bites Never Heal by Doechii and The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess by Chappell Roan? It has truly been one of the best years for music since Lorde released Melodrama in 2017. I’m kidding! (Or am I? What can I say? Melodrama changed my life.)
Image from Kate Yvonne on Pinterest https://pin.it/tfYg0j7OC
After such a good year for music, it leaves you wondering what’s in store for 2025. What about upcoming albums? Could 2025 potentially rival 2024’s insane album releases? I think it could! Recession pop is back, my friends, and I like to think that’s why we’ve had such amazing albums this past year. This trend definitely seems like it’s going to continue into 2025.
What is recession pop, you’re asking? Recession pop refers to the great recession back in the years between 2007 and 2014. Some of the most amazing songs were released between these years like Black Eyed Peas “I Got a Feeling” and “Like a G6” by Far East Movement. Classic party anthems. While it’s not wonderful that we’re going into what looks like another recession, the music is about to change lives.
By the time this article is posted, Tate McRae’s new album So Close to What will have already been released. I have been waiting for this album for a long time. Tate McRae has been an up-and-coming pop sensation for years, and she’s incredible. Her music has a Britney Spears-esque vibe, which I LOVE. There’s no one I love more than pop princess Britney Spears. For her upcoming album, Tate has given us three singles: “2 Hands,” “Sports Car,” and “It’s OK, I’m OK.” All three songs are bangers, but my absolute favorite has to be 2 hands. Something about it just scratches my brain perfectly. I can’t wait to see what else she has in store for this album.
Another album I’m super excited for is Salvation by Rebecca Black, which releases on February 27th. Her name might sound familiar to some of you, especially those of you who have been chronically online like I’ve been throughout the entirety of my pre-teen and teen years. Back in 2011, Rebecca released her song “Friday” along with an accompanying music video.
The song instantly became a viral hit and possibly one of the most annoying songs on the internet. I was in second grade, and I remember everyone singing that song or groaning at people who sang it. Rebecca was thirteen at the time, and since then, her genre of music has shifted. She has a very similar style to Charli XCX. Club Pop is what I call it. I love it, and I think that she should be a much larger artist than she is. I can’t wait to listen to her album and all of you should go ahead and give her a listen.
LISA is another artist I’m excited to hear from, as she has her debut studio album, Alter Ego, releasing February 28th. LISA is a member of the K-pop girl group Blackpink. I am so, so ready to hear this album. I like Blackpink’s music, and LISA is my favorite member, so I feel especially excited. Her rapping skills are incredible, and I can’t wait to see how she utilizes them in her new album. I love women who rap, and there can never be too many.
Speaking of things that I love and can’t wait to listen to, I said I love you first by Selena Gomez releases on March 21st and I am so hyped up. It’s a collaboration album with her fiancé Benny Blanco. We haven’t gotten an album from Selena Gomez since 2020, when she released Rare. My all-time favorite album of hers is Revival, and I hope that a few of the songs on this upcoming album have the same vibes. I am genuinely so excited and so happy that Benny Blanco has inspired Selena to write and release new music.
March 7th, Mayhem by Lady Gaga will bless our ears. So far, we have heard two singles from this album, “Disease” and “Abracadabra,” which are both amazing. The music videos for both songs are so well done. The costume design, the choreography, the visuals.
I can feel the old Mother Monster vibes from The Fame Monster in her new singles, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the album has in store for us. I fear the world isn’t ready for a Gaga renaissance. Just kidding, we totally are. We need you, Gaga!
Lana Del Rey’s new album, The Right Person Will Stay, releases on May 21st. It was originally a country album called Lasso, but Lana revealed that it now has more American and Southern gothic influences rather than full-on country. I’m very excited about this album, and I almost want it to have a few Born to Die-type songs. However, I loved Lana’s cover of Take Me Home Country Roads. Her voice is just so angelic. I wasn’t a huge fan of Did you know that there’s a Tunnel Over Ocean Boulevard as an album. It just wasn’t necessarily my style, but I won’t deny that I do have A&W on most of my playlists. Maybe one day Lana will release an album full of her unreleased songs. I would geek out so much if that ever happened. But for now, I’m more than happy to wait for The Right Person Will Stay.
Hopefully, these albums provide us with some amazing recession pop and give us some anthems to keep us going in these trying times, folks! And of course, there are always albums that will be released that haven’t been announced yet. Reputation (Taylor’s Version), perhaps? Wink, wink, nudge, nudge. I will manifest it into existence, my friends, and when it releases, you can bet your bottom dollar that I will be giving an entire review!