Capri Scarcelli
A&E Editor
10/22/20
Today’s music scene has an especially booming release radar. With artists not being able to perform live, the pandemic has given ample opportunity for musicians to put out more of their work.
In the span of a week, various artists – both known and new to the industry – have announced or teased upcoming single or album releases through social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. Whether an official date was given or simply a hint toward the near future, the music industry is providing listeners with plenty of content to listen to throughout the rest of the semester.
27-year-old pop artist Ariana Grande has been gearing to tell fans of new music coming soon, tweeting “I can’t wait to give [yo]u my album this month” on her Twitter account @arianagrande on Oct. 14. Three days later, Grande posted a cryptic video on both her Instagram and Twitter: a slow-motion video of her typing the word “position” on her laptop, followed by a link to her website, arianagrande.com.
Fans soon discovered that her new single, “Positions,” is set to release Oct. 23, followed by her sixth studio album release on Oct. 30, referred to as “AG6” until an official album title is announced, according to Us Weekly.
Produced, composed and entirely performed by former Beatles member and solo artist Sir Paul McCartney, “McCartney III” comes to streaming services Dec. 11. Announced on Oct. 21, McCartney left a video compilation on his Instagram to tease the new studio album, followed by a discography update on his website www.paulmccartney.com. The third of its kind, McCartney first released “McCartney” in 1970 and “McCartney II” in 1980.
Up-and-coming singer-songwriter Billie Eilish also subtly announced new music on the way. With a Q&A set up on Eilish’s Instagram story @billieeilish, Eilish replied to a fan asking when new music would be released, simply telling her fans “November,” according to NME. This single release will be the first release since July’s single “My Future.” Eilish said she has been working on an album since January, though is not planning to release it until 2021.
Former Disney Channel star Miley Cyrus, on the other hand, very openly announced her excitement for her upcoming works. In a recent talk with Interview magazine, Cyrus announced she is working on a Metallica cover album, set to be released in November alongside her upcoming seventh studio album
“She is Miley Cyrus,” which is a response to her 2017 album “Younger Now.”
“We’re so lucky to be able to work on our art during all of this [coronavirus stress],” Cyrus said. “At first, it felt uninspiring, and now I’ve been totally ignited.”
Experimenting cover songs with rock influences such as Blondie, The Cranberries, Pink Floyd and now Metallica, Cyrus is diverging from her pop/country-pop roots to delve into a grittier side of her vocal range, impressing audiences young and old.
Leaving hints throughout their website and social media pages, rock band The Smashing Pumpkins revealed a release date of Nov. 27 for their upcoming album, “Cyr.” According to The Rolling Stone, this double album will feature 20 new tracks for listeners. The entire track list was pieced together and revealed to fans by The Smashing Pumpkins, and can be found on The Rolling Stone website.
English singer Dua Lipa has been speculated to have a collaboration with either Grande or Cyrus, writing “coming soon” on an Instagram post @dualipa.
On her TikTok @dualipaofficial, she posted a choreography video with the caption “rehearsing for [something] v[ery] special… can’t wait [to] tell [yo]u all about it.” Her single, “Levitating,” with rapper DaBaby released two weeks ago, which has listeners wondering if she is releasing another collaboration or working toward another studio album.
Though announced earlier in the year, artists and bands such as Bruce Springsteen, Sam Smith and Wallows are all set to release new music in the next coming weeks.
Springsteen, at 71 years old, joins E Street Band for his 20th studio album, “Letter to You,” to be released Oct. 23. In an interview with the New York Times, Springsteen said he is disappointed he will not be able to tour his album due to the dangers of the pandemic.
“That act of playing [live] has been one of the only consistent things in my life since I was 16 years old,” Springsteen said. “That would be a bit of a life change for me [if I couldn’t perform live again.]”
However, Springsteen is still hopeful to “carry on a legacy” with his past works, and now the upcoming success of “Letter to You.”
Also set to release on Oct. 23, indie/alternative band Wallows gained popularity with album “Nothing Happens,” and are now back for more with mellow EP release “Remote.” According to NME, critics expect the Los Angeles-born trio to continually expand their fan base with this upcoming release.
Sam Smith’s new album “Love Goes” will be released Oct. 28. Their lead single “Diamonds” was released as a teaser in September, while working on the album as a whole for the past two years since expanding their R&B roots with previous 2017 album “The Thrill of It All.”
With the stress of our current times, these artists provide a reprieve for audiences looking for a change of pace, or change of song, for all of your playlist needs. Make sure to keep an open ear for new music coming your way.
