If you thought 2009 was a big year for music, just wait until you see what 2010 has in store.
While the past 12 months were all about Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Susan Boyle and Adam Lambert, 2010 is shaping up to be the year of the comeback, the sequel, and the new look, with anticipated discs on tap from a reunited Blink-182, Katy Perry, Christina Aguilera, Diddy, Kanye West, Vampire Weekend, Usher, MGMT and the soundtrack to the third “Twilight” film, “Eclipse.”
ROCK
Unlike Green Day, My Chemical Romance is not planning to do back-to-back concept albums. The band is prepping a more aggressive return after the high-concept The Black Parade, with superstar producer Brendan O’Brien (Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen) helping them stay on track.
Seven years after their last effort, reunited pop punks Blink-182 are expected to release their first album since 2003’s self-titled affair. While drummer Travis Barker is also wrapping up work on his solo debut, his plan is to write and record the Blink disc during the first part of the year.
Other releases on tap include: the much-anticipated second album from former buzz band Vampire Weekend, a new disc from Canadian collective the Arcade Fire, a potential release from Radiohead, a second album from Jack White’s Dead Weather, a possible get-back from The Strokes, a new Fleet Foxes effort, Kid Rock’s latest, the sophomore disc from Grammy nominee MGMT and a new Gorillaz album featuring vocals from Lou Reed, Mos Def, and the Bee Gees’ Barry Gibb. The soundtrack to the third “Twilight” movie, “Eclipse,” could be a monster as well.
POP
Perry has been “spilling out material” for the follow-up to her breakthrough, One of the Boys, citing such über-pop acts as Ace of Base and the Cardigans as inspiration. She’s worked with Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo and Rihanna collaborator Tricky Stewart so far, but hasn’t nailed down a release date yet.
While we know Britney Spears has also been in the studio, working on the sequel to Circus, its unknown if the back-on-track pop diva will finish up the disc in time for a 2010 release. Christina Aguilera has reportedly started her electro-influenced follow-up to 2006’s Back to Basics with an eclectic group of women, including M.I.A., Sia, Santigold and Ladytron, but has seemingly put it on hold until she finishes filming the movie “Burlesque.”
Also potentially on tap for 2010: a new album from Madonna, British soul singer Amy Winehouse’s long-awaited follow-up to her Grammy-winning Back to Black breakthrough, and the second album from She & Him, featuring actress Zooey Deschanel and singer/songwriter M. Ward.
HIP-HOP/R&B
He broke his long silence with Relapse and Refill in 2009, but Eminem has more in store for 2010, as he’s promised to drop the second half of his recent fruitful spurt of creativity, Relapse 2. While we’re not holding our breath for the epically delayed finale from Em’s mentor, Dr. Dre, there’s a possibility that Detox will also finally hit shelves this year.
One album we know is coming out is Lil Wayne’s rock-tinged Rebirth. After moving around more than a half-dozen times in 2009, the disc is now due February 1, just a week before Wayne is slated to go to prison for a year on gun charges. Of course, due to that Amazon.com slip-up, 500 lucky fans already have the disc, which quickly became readily available online, so it’s possible the official release will change the track list up a bit.
T.I. could also drop his next album very soon after being released to a halfway house following his 366-day sentence on federal weapons charges, and imprisoned rapper Gucci Mane recently said he already has his next album, The State vs. Radric Davis: The Appeal, ready to roll.
Another CD everyone is holding their breath for is Drake’s debut, Thank Me Later, which is expected to deliver on the hype created by his mixtapes and EP. After a few delays, Usher’s Raymond vs. Raymond is now slated for a March release, with hype already built thanks to the hit single “Papers.”
Kelis is promising a “futuristic disco” sound on her upcoming disc, Flesh Tone. N.E.R.D. will have a new, “very 3-D” sound, thanks to the recent addition of female vocalist Rhea, and Erykah Badu will finally drop New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh) in February, promising a less politically driven effort this time around.
Fans could finally get a listen to Missy Elliott’s first album in five years, Block Party, as well as solo discs from Big Boi – his long-delayed Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty – and Andre 3000, as well as a possible new Outkast collaboration.
Though he’s been laying low since his VMA stage rush on Taylor Swift, Kanye West could have some new music for us this year. We know Diddy is on tap to unleash his concept dance album Last Train to Paris, and Travis McCoy is prepping his solo debut as well as a new album from Gym Class Heroes.
After promising a swan-song, three-disc set called LupE.N.D. last year, and then having second thoughts, Lupe Fiasco has reportedly been working on a CD called Lasers that could see light in 2010. Also bumped to the new year is the ninth studio album from hip-hop iron men and Jimmy Fallon house band The Roots, with How I Got Over, as well as Ludacris’ Battle of the Sexes, a reported duet album with DTP home girl Shawnna.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, because with all this action, fans might also get a new one from Lady Gaga, which could really be a monster.
