23 albums to listen to in 2023

Another year has rolled around, and it looks set to be another tantalising period for new music. Not only are a series of new acts on the edge of breaking through in 2023, but many old favourites are also making a long-awaited return, and it’s gearing up to be an extraordinary 12 months.

The most notable moment of 2022 came when Arctic Monkeys returned after a four-year absence with The Car. The LP, which included the singles, ‘Body Paint’, and ‘There’d Better Be A Mirrorball’, cemented the band’s place at the top of British music. Furthermore, indie legends Yeah Yeah Yeahs also made a stunning comeback with Cool It Down, which acted as a reminder of their brilliance.

It wasn’t just the icons of indie who made waves in 2022, however. It was also the year of Wet Leg and Yard Act, who both exploded onto the scene with their respective debut albums. Ahead of the releases, the pair of British bands were immensely hyped up, and they duly delivered with a reminder that rock and roll can still be provocative, original and damn right danceable. 

While it remains uncertain exactly how many artists will be making a return in 2023, below we’ve listed a mix of the records which have already been announced for release and a selection of albums, we are desperate to hear this year. If every artist featured below releases an LP over the next 12 months, it’s guaranteed to be a magnificent year for music.

The 23 most highly-anticipated albums for 2023:

Gorillaz – Cracker Island

In 2022, the news that Gorillaz would be returning with a new album this year was one of the best bits of information of the entire 12 months. It was announced alongside the infectious Thundercat-featuring title track, a bop that was then followed by three other singles, including the thrilling, ‘New Gold’, starring Kevin Parker and Bootie Brown. 

Judging from the releases so far, the record promises to be a stellar successor to 2020’s Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez. However, the three-year wait for the album is not to say that Damon Albarn has not been busy. Between the group’s last record and Cracker Island, he dropped a solo album and Gorillaz’s Meanwhile EP in August 2021, which set the scene for the audio bonanza scheduled for release on February 24th.

Caroline Polachek – Desire, I Want To Turn Into You

Since her days with indie pop heroes Chairlift, Caroline Polachek has consistently grown as an artist with every release. Over the 2010s, she gradually developed into an alternative pop queen, ranking up at the top of the class with her friend Charli XCX. Polachek’s last record, 2019’s Pang, was a masterclass in boundary-pushing modern pop, aided by the presence of producer PC Music’s A. G. Cook, and its follow-up is to build on these foundations.

The first two singles, ‘Bunny Is A Ride’ and ‘Billions’, did not disappoint. In October, Polachek released the flamenco-inspired banger ‘Sunset’, which was followed by her finally announcing her fourth album, Desire, I Want To Turn Into You, in early December. Building up to the new record’s release on February 14th, the funky ‘Welcome To My Island’ also dropped later last month, with everyone excited for the main course.

Run the Jewels – TBC

It seems as if Run the Jewels have been away for an age. The political hip-hop legends (comprised of Killer Mike and El-P) last album was June 2020’s RTJ4. As for singles, both rappers did appear on Danger Mouse and Black Thought’s 2022 single ‘Strangers’ under the RTJ moniker. Apart from that and touring their last record, they’ve been quiet since the year that Covid-19 sent the world into lockdown.

However, in an April 2022 interview with Consequence, Killer Mike heavily inferred that the fifth chapter in the RTJ story is on its way, although there’s no telling when. We hope it’s 2023. “I say this with a smile and a wink — me and El-P were in the studio together”, Mike said. “We may have messed around and started Run The Jewels 5. So we’ll see what happens.”

The Atlanta rapper added that fans should expect more music from RTJ, but all that came to fruition was Strangers. Come on, fellas, give fans what they need.

Jamie XX – TBC

Jamie XX is always busy plugging away in the background, refining his art and helping others elevate their craft. What is astounding, though, is that he’s not released a full-length project since The XX’s I See You in January 2017. Even more astonishingly, 2023 marks eight years since his debut solo offering, In Colour, and he’s still yet to release a follow-up.

However, in 2022 he dropped the original singles ‘LET’S DO IT AGAIN’ and ‘KILL DEM’, with the former described as “the first glimpse of what’s to come over the next year.” No other details of what’s to come over 2023 are available, but it’s likely he’s teasing a new record. It’s about time. 

Andy Shauf – Norm

Canadian singer-songwriter Andy Shauf has confirmed that his latest LP, Norm, will be coming this February. It will be Shauf’s eighth LP overall and first since 2021’s Wilds. According to Shauf, the album is centred around the titular character of Norm, who was inspired by David Lynch’s film.

“The character of Norm is introduced in a really nice way,” Shauf says of the first round of preview singles. “But the closer you pay attention to the record, the more you’re going to realize that it’s sinister.” 
Shauf’s status as one of indie’s greatest songwriters was solidified with 2020’s The Neon Skyline. Strangely enough, Wilds kind of came and went without much fanfare. Here’s hoping that a little more attention is paid to Norm when it comes out on February 10th.

Inhaler – Cuts & Bruises

Dublin four-piece Inhaler look to have 2023 in the palm of their hands, and it could be the year they sky-rocket to superstardom. Their debut album, It Won’t Always Be Like This, went to number one in the United Kingdom and their native Ireland. For their second album, Cuts & Bruises, Inhaler haven’t reinvented themselves, but they’ve found an extra gear on the singles, ‘Love Will Get You There’ and ‘These Are The Days’, which gives fans reason to be optimistic about the release.

For the new record, Inhaler reconvened with producer Antony Genn, and drummer Ryan McMahon previously told Far Out they were intent on making “very much a band album”. Detailing further, singer Eli Hewson added: “Get Back (The Beatles documentary) was hugely influential, just being in the room and writing. It sounds so obvious, but when you’re on tour, you actually don’t get a chance to do that, so we tried to do that as much as possible.”

Sky Ferreria – Masochism 

You know the old adage “fool me once, shame on me” right? That’s supposed to end with “fool me twice, shame on you”, but for a decade Sky Ferreria has been making fools of us all as we wait patiently for the release of her second studio album, Masochism.

Comments from Ferreria’s mum, of all people, indicated the album would drop in 2022. That didn’t happen, but at least we got a new song, ‘Don’t Forget’. At last year’s Met Gala, Ferreria claimed “You think I’d be here at 3 A.M. if I didn’t have new music to promote?” 

At this point, Masochism is really starting to emulate its name in the hearts of fans. But to mix adages, patience is truly a virtue here. 2023 could come and go without any sign of the album, just like it has for the last ten years. But maybe, just maybe, this will be the year of Masochism.

The Cure – TBC

In May 2022, Robert Smith revealed The Cure’s first album since 2008 would arrive ahead of the band’s UK tour later that year. Sadly, it still hasn’t been released, but Smith has assured fans there will be two albums coming in quick succession. The first, slated for this year, is to be titled Songs Of The Lost World.

“Essentially, it’s a 12-track album,” he told NME in May. “It’s there, it’s kind of half-mixed and half-finished. It’s a weird thing. It’s kind of evolved over the last two years. It hasn’t always been a good thing to have been left alone with it. You pick at it, like picking at seams, and everything falls apart.”

“It’ll be worth the wait,” he continued. “I think it’s the best thing we’ve done, but then I would say that. I’m not doing an Oasis when I say that, ‘IT’S THE BEST FOOKIN’ ALBUM’. A lot of the songs are difficult to sing, and that’s why it’s taken me a while.”

Willie J Healey – Bunny

London indie sensation Willie J Healey cleared himself an interesting path in 2017 with his debut record, People and Their Dogs. In 2020, he took a few steps forward into some unique yet highly accessible territory, leaving us hungry for more. Having released a string of singles of late, fans are now writhing in excitement about his third album, Bunny, which arrives on March 24th. 

“The whole era is something that I love,” Healey said of the new album in a press statement. “Long before making ‘Twin Heavy’, I had always listened to funk, soul and R&B, but for some reason, it never translated into my own music. Really my inspiration was just the feel of things, I really enjoyed playing music that makes you feel really good.”

Young Fathers – Heavy Heavy

Mercury Prize-winners Young Fathers occupy a unique position in the British music scene. Despite many imitators coming along since their debut album, Dead, in 2014, nobody can replicate the sheer energy and inventiveness of Young Fathers. 

It’s been almost five years since they released their last album, Cocoa Sugar, and the launch of Heavy Heavy in February can’t come sooner. The angsty lead single, ‘I Saw’, is an enticing start to the latest chapter of their career, and on the follow-up track, ‘Tell Somebody’, the three-piece showcase their softer side, which has always been a crucial part of the group’s sound. Undoubtedly, Young Fathers are one of the most important British acts of the 2010s, and fingers crossed, Heavy Heavy is the beginning of an equally compelling era.

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – TBC

Something wicked this way comes. At the close of October 2022, Noel Gallagher and his High Flying Birds returned with ‘Pretty Boy’. Marking a departure from the Ennio Morricone leanings of his early material, this single is much darker than anything else in his repertoire, with a distinctly gothic and post-punk edge, no doubt helped by guest guitarist Johnny Marr. 

Earlier in the year, Gallagher claimed that the new record has a largely “orchestral” sound, but on the first single, this was not the case. Then, in a November interview with an Italian radio station (via Contactmusic), Gallagher spoke about his beloved football team, Manchester City FC, and revealed that the album is coming out in May, but it’s yet to be confirmed. He said: “The team is doing good, we’re having a good season. Hopefully, we will be in Istanbul [for the Champions League final] around when my new album is out next May, so that would be good”.

Lana Del Rey – Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd?

Following a year of taking it easy, Lana Del Rey returned at the tail end of 2022 with the title track to her upcoming ninth studio album, Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd? After throwing up a billboard in her ex’s home town, Lana is back to focusing on herself.

That well-placed billboard is the only public statement that Del Rey has made about the new album, but we do have a confirmed release date of March 10th and a whole host of collaborators that will appear on the new LP, including Jon Batiste, Bleachers, Father John Misty, Tommy Genesis, and SYML.

After dropping two albums, Chemtrails Over the Country Club and Blue Bannisters, over the course of 2021, Del Rey took a full year to craft her newest album. From the brief previews we’ve heard, it sounds like DYKTTATUOB is going to be another album of lush and thorny music, which is all we could ask for from Lana Del Rey.

DMAs – How Many Dreams?

Australian indie giants DMAs, first teased their comeback last summer with the infectious single ‘I Don’t Need To Hide’. Since then, they’ve shared the dancey, ‘Everybody’s Saving Thursday’s The Weekend’ and ‘Olympia’, ahead of the release of So Many Dreams on March 31st.

Having been fortunate to have already heard of the release, we can firmly say it’s their most thrilling release yet and is packed full of optimism. So Many Dreams is a continuation of the electronically-tinged, The Glow, which they take a step further on their fourth album, but it also features tracks that feel quintessentially old-school DMAs. 

Guitarist Johnny Took commented: “We’ve been trying to make this new record more uplifting, sounding more hopeful. We didn’t really want to dwell too much on the negatives of Covid. We wanted to look to the future, for the positive with this new record and move forward, you know, feeling good about it, excited even.”

The Libertines – TBC

The Libertines are now in their third decade of existence, and despite their enormous impact on 21st-century rock music, somehow, we only have three albums to show for it. Infamously, they have encountered ups and downs with various hiatuses, but with regard to their relationships, things are currently as good as they’ve ever been for the boys in the band.

The indie legends came back from the dead in 2015 to bless us with Anthems For Doomed Youth. Now, after an eight-year wait, The Libertines have confirmed that a fourth album is imminent for 2023. “Now the four of us just have to learn and play [the songs we have], and write a few more,” Carl Barât told NME last month. “Sonically, we want to do something we haven’t done before. I think we’ll be looking to do something with a different energy than before. But we’re not at that stage yet.”

Sparks – TBC

Los Angeles avant-pop duo Sparks revealed back in July that they plan to release the follow-up to 2020’s A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip in 2023. In November, they added that they would accompany the LP with a tour. The duo, consisting of Ron and Russell Mael, are now in their mid-70s but show no signs of slowing their creative wheels, nor those on their tour bus.

A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip arrived as the quirky pair’s 24th studio album since the formation of Sparks in 1971. The album entered the UK charts at number seven as their second consecutive UK Top 10 studio album and their fourth overall. With this positive momentum, we’re excited to see what they’ll conjure up next.

Shame – Food For Worms

South London post-punk outfit Shame have deservedly received widespread critical acclaim for their first two albums, 2018’s Songs of Praise and its heavier, darker follow-up, Drunk Tank Pink. With such an intriguing transition between the releases, we can’t wait to hear what the boys have to offer with the third album, Food for Worms, which arrives on February 24th via Dead Oceans. 

“I don’t think you can be in your own head forever,” frontman Charlie Steen said in a press release of the new album, which addresses the idea of friendship. “It’s weird, isn’t it? Popular music is about love, heartbreak, or yourself. There isn’t much about your mates.” He also referred to Food for Worms as “the Lamborghini of Shame records.”

The Lathums – From Nothing To A Little Bit More

In 2021, The Lathums announced themselves in style with their debut album, How Beautiful Life Can Be, which went to the top of the album chart in the UK, and the three-piece are only getting started. As far as The Lathums are concerned, they will be the band of their generation, and if they pass the difficult second album test, it’s a genuine possibility. 

They have acquired an army of fans, including The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers who duetted with singer Alex Moore last year. Lead single, ‘Say My Name’, is an evolution of their sound, and if The Lathums carry on this trajectory, there’s no reason they can’t be the next great band to emerge from the North West. In a press statement, Moore said of the album’s narrative: “I’ve only had like one proper girlfriend, and it’s definitely like three different steps all in one album. Pre, during, and post-relationship. All of them are horrible.”

Mac DeMarco – Five Easy Hot Dogs

Maybe we’re expecting too much from Mac DeMarco if we’re putting his upcoming instrumental mini-LP Five Easy Hot Dogs on this list. One way to look at it is that this is a bit of a cop-out, but the other side of the coin is that DeMarco could be exploring a new side of his sound by taking away one of his essential elements – his voice – from the equation.

DeMarco recorded the entire album while on a personal road trip across North America. “I had my guitars with me, a bass, a weird little drum kit with a kick drum we sawed in half in Golden Gate Park, all the stands and cabling I’d need, a couple of mics, an old model D, and a TX7,” DeMarco says. “I wound up picking a bunch of stuff as I went as well, trying to keep it as travel friendly as possible though.” 

Whether Five Easy Hot Dogs winds up being just a lark or a full album worth our attention is yet to be determined, but we’ll be able to see for ourselves soon enough. The mini-LP is set for a Jnuary 20th release, so ready or not, here comes the cowboy.

Grimes – TBC

Seemingly, Grimes’s new album has been on its way forever. Back in September, she claimed on Twitter that her new effort, Book 1, was done and that new music would be dropped later that month; but it didn’t. The only cuts she’s released from the record so far are 2021’s ‘Player of Games’ and ‘Shinigami Eyes’, shared last January.

The experimental artist also said she was “waiting on approvals for [the] next single and mixing”. This prompts us to wonder at what stage it is now at, or if it is now suspended in a neverending production hell. 

Later, when asked about the record, she claimed that it is “about militarised AI courtesans, among other things”. Adding to the anticipation for the album is that Grimes has now ended her brief stint with Columbia Records. Hence, there’s no telling what direction the record will take, as she also wrote on Twitter: “[Going to] fulfil my Columbia commitments then go rogue and just release as I please”.

Tame Impala – TBC

To say a new Tame Impala album is definitely coming in 2023 would be untrue. However, if we’re going off of the usual patterns of time between releases that Kevin Parker has shown in the past, then we’re right at that three-ish year point where we usually get a new Tame Impala album.

Luckily for us, Parker gave a promising update early last year when he told the Sydney Morning Herald he expects to have ​​“another Tame Impala album done sooner than what has been the pattern for me”. If that’s not reason enough to get excited about it, I don’t know what is.

It’s now over two years since the release of The Slow Rush, but Parker’s hints (plus his recent collaboration with Gorillaz) seem to indicate that new material is on the way. Does that mean it’s coming in 2023? Not definitively. Can we still be excited about it? Absolutely.

Slowthai – TBC

Slowthai has yet to officially reveal his plans to release his third album in 2023, but it’s happening. The British rapper (real name Tyron Frampton) released his debut in 2019, which he followed up two years later with Tyron, and late last year, Frampton revealed he’d completed the next instalment. Since his previous release, Slowthai has become a father, and it’ll be fascinating to see how this changes his artistry. 

In November, the Northampton native took to social media to tell fans, “album 3 done . ugly”. Details of the album remain thin, but he has since shared the single, ‘I Know Nothing’, which he described as a “fight back against those people who are so quick to put the blame on the younger generation”. While Slothai is still a divisive figure, his talent can’t be ignored, and we can’t wait to see what awaits Slowthai in 2023.

The National – TBC

After the pandemic, The National finally returned to touring last May and stoked rumours for a ninth album to follow their wonderful 2019 release, I Am Easy to Find. After a successful summer festival campaign, they finally released new music, the Bon Iver-featuring ‘Weird Goodbyes’ ahead of the new album slated for this year.

“It’s all very exciting: it kind of feels back to the classic National sound in a way, which was really just the five of us, and it has a lot of energy in it,” Dessner told The Up Coming of the new album last March. “Maybe it’s like bursting out of the closed doors of COVID or something? I don’t know. But we’re excited, and I would think it would be imminent at some point.”

Paramore – This Is Why

This Is Why represents several firsts for pop punk icons Paramore. It’s their first album of the 2020s and their first album in over half a decade. It’s also their first album where the lineup from the band’s previous album remains intact, which seems like a bit of a bitchy thing to point out, but it just goes to show that the band are more foundational than they’ve ever been.

“We started recording only a couple of months ago,” Hayley Williams claimed in January of last year to Rolling Stone. “We go into the studio around 10 a.m. and leave around 7 or 8 p.m. like a bunch of dads. I’ve been trying to get SZA to come hang with us ‘cause I want to be friends in real life, but we leave the studio to eat and sleep, and she’s still carpe-ing the diem.”

In the time since that statement was made, SZA dropped her own album, and Paramore have released two preview singles, ‘The News’ and the album’s title track. It’s all gathering momentum for what should be a return to guitar-based pop-punk glory.

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