The Genius Community’s 25 Most Anticipated Albums of 2019

Singles: “Bigger Than You,” “Ex Drug Dealer”
Producers: Mike Will Made It
Expected Features: Quavo, Drake, Ty Dolla $ign

2 Chainz’ last album, 2017’s Pretty Girls Like Trap Music, proved the Atlanta veteran has plenty left in the tank. In 2018, he released an EP, The Play Don’t Care Who Makes It, a two-song single Hot Wings Are a Girl’s Best Friend, and had a handful of guest features but don’t expect one of the hardworking performers in showbiz to slow down anytime soon. According to a tweet he posted last year, the album’s theme will be exploring “racial tensions in America.” He went on to say, “this next album not only touches on those who did succeed thru entertainment but those who didn’t!”

—Insanul Ahmed

Singles: “Secreto”
Producers: Ovy On The Drums, Prida, EZ El Ezeta, Lil Geniuz
Expected Features: 6ix9ine, Jennifer Lopez, Karol G, Casper Mágico, De La Ghetto

Anuel AA’s 2018 was full of successes and high emotions: he got out of jail mid-year, was ranked # 1 on Billboard with his debut album Real Hasta La Muerte, and fell in love with singer Karol G. Expected to release in March, his sophomore album Real Hasta La Muerte 2 has captured a lot of attention. Besides being his first release since signing with Universal Music Group for a million-dollar contract, it’s also loaded with high-profile features. It’s a promising notion for the Puetro Rican superstar, since every song he’s appeared on since he got out of jail has been a hit—“BEBE,” “Adictiva,” “Culpables,” and “Amanece”—and his most recent single “Secreto” currently has more than 100M views on YouTube just about a week after its release.

—Diego Torrejón

Singles: “thank u, next,” “imagine,” “7 rings”
Producers: Happy Perez, Social House, TBHits, Andrew “Pop” Wansel
Expected Features: N/A

Ariana Grande teased a new project just weeks after dropping her fourth album, sweetener, with “thank u, next,” an upbeat self-love anthem that sees the pop star name-dropping her famous exes. As Genius previously reported, Grande hinted at a new record several times in late 2018, and it can be expected this February. Over the past few months, Grande shared two new songs: “imagine,” about the struggles of dating in the spotlight, and “7 rings,” which takes a cue from The Sound of Music and describes some of Ari’s “favorite things” to spend money on. Between the May 2017 terror attack at her Manchester concert, ex Mac Miller’s lethal overdose in September 2018, and her cancelled engagement, there are quite a few life-changing topics Grande could write about. She addressed the terror attack on sweetener’s “breathin” and “get well soon,” so she might opt to take a more optimistic route this album cycle.

—VinylZombie_MCR

Singles: “you should see me in a crown,” “when the party’s over”
Producers: FINNEAS
Expected Features: N/A

Billie Eilish’s popularity undeniably skyrocketed in 2018, with tracks like “when the party’s over” and the Khalid-assisted “lovely” garnering over 100 million streams across platforms. Billie’s debut album is slated for a possible release early this year, as she teased an Instagram Story reading “MARCH” in small, white text. Billie’s last project, dont smile at me, amassed over 4.7 million views on Genius and ranks #1 on Apple Music’s Alternative Top Charts as of mid-January, even though it’s been over a year since the EP’s release. With her newest songs “come out and play,” part of Apple’s 2018 holiday ad campaign, and “WHEN I WAS OLDER,” inspired by the acclaimed Netflix film Roma, Billie has us on edge for the next announcement about her long-awaited debut album.

—Jefferson Suh

Singles: “Press,” “Money”
Producers: J White Did It
Expected Features: N/A

After an explosive 2018 that saw Cardi B release her debut album Invasion of Privacy, lead headlines with her high profile relationship with Migos member Offset, and drop a slew of hot features with the likes of Lil Yatchy, Meek Mill and City Girls, among others, it looks like the new Queen of The Bronx is already prepared to drop another project. On New Year’s Day, Cardi confirmed to her Instagram Live viewers that she plans on releasing a new album in 2019, with the hope that it will drop around the same time Invasion of Privacy did, April 6th. While many details still remain unknown about the tracklist, potential features, and subject matter—mainly whether or not her tumultuous affair with Offset will be a major theme—fans are expecting another fresh release from the chart-topping Bartier Cardi.

—Zachary Mahabir

Singles: “The Man Who Has Everything,” “I Might Need Security,” “My Own Thing,” “65th & Ingleside,” “Wala Cam”
Producers: Jeremih, Kanye West, Nate Fox, Lido
Expected Features: Kanye West, Childish Gambino, Joey Purp, Forever Band, Supa Bwe

Fans of Chance the Rapper had a turbulent 2018 after the Chicago native tweeted contradictory statements regarding the release of his debut album, leading many to speculate whether Chano had been recording anything at all. However, between endorsing a candidate in Chicago’s mayoral election and getting engaged, Chance still managed to release a total of six separate singles in a matter of five months. Accompanying those releases, rumors of collaborative projects with both Kanye West and Childish Gambino have surfaced, amassing a great amount of attention. Although Chance hasn’t promised us anything just yet, we’re confident he’s been in the studio, quietly creating his next masterpiece.

—MERL⅄N

Singles: “Boys,” “1999,” “Focus”
Producers: Max Martin, SOPHIE, StarGate, Diplo
Expected Features: Troye Sivan, Tove Lo, MØ, Taylor Swift

It’s been four years since pop sensation Charli XCX graced the world with a studio album. She released two mixtapes and several singles during that time, but fans are now ready for a full-length album—and the wait is almost over, as Charli promised her fans a new album through Twitter earlier this month. Her recent music hints towards a more genre-bending, futuristic pop sound, which means she’ll likely swerve away from the punk-pop aesthetic of 2014’s Sucker. Considering her 2017 mixtape Pop 2, where she collaborated with artists like Carly Rae Jepsen and Jay Park, and her more recent Troye Sivan-assisted viral hit “1999,” whatever she drops this year is sure to become a pop gem.

—Saquib Syed

Singles: “Summertime Magic,” “Feels Like Summer,” “This Is America”
Producers: Ludwig Göransson
Expected Features: Young Thug, 21 Savage, Rae Sremmurd

Since Childish Gambino’s 2016 album ”Awaken, My Love!”, his music releases have been sparse but undeniably impactful, with “This Is America” becoming one of the fastest songs to a million pageviews in Genius history. This smash hit led to rumors of a new album that was confirmed by fellow Atlanta native Young Thug; however, he also disclosed that this would be his final album under the Childish Gambino name, further inflating fan expectations. With Gambino headlining Coachella 2019, there’s a good chance he’ll release a project prior to the festival’s April 12 start date. Based on his 2018 releases, Glover’s next album could be his best work yet.

—Jack Diaz

Singles: N/A
Producers: T-Minus, Tay Keith, ELITE, CHASETHEMONEY, !llmind
Expected Features: Ski Mask the Slump God, Buddy, Smino, Rapsody, Wale

EARTHGANG first teased the long-awaited third entry in the Revenge of the Dreamers saga in an Instagram post this past November, but Dreamville boss J. Cole officially announced the album on January 6, 2019, posting an “invitation” to his social media of the recording sessions. The sessions were held in Atlanta, Georgia from January 6th to January 16th, with at least 75 attendees, including guest artists and producers, and of course the Dreamville crew, like JID, who received critical acclaim for his sophomore release DiCaprio 2. Coming out of the tail end of his promotional cycle for KOD and making a slew of guest appearances, Cole has been able to brew up the perfect storm to promote the collaborative tape. It’s been a little over three years since RotD2, and it seems the drought is almost finally over.

—UnKorruptedKhi

Singles: “Swan Song”
Producers: Diplo, Calvin Harris, Max Martin
Expected Features: Ariana Grande, Tove Lo, BLACKPINK

Dua Lipa has had a very electrifying few years. With several hits under her belt, including chart-toppers like “New Rules” and the Calvin Harris collaboration “One Kiss,” fans are excited for what she has to offer next, and it looks promising. In an April 2018 interview with GQ, Dua said of her upcoming project, “It is a pop album that you’re going to be able to dance to, but a lot of the songs are sad. They’re about heartbreak and they’re about going through some emotional manipulation.” In the fall, Dua released the Complete Edition of her debut album, making it the most streamed female album on Spotify with over four billion plays. This super deluxe edition combined most of her work from 2017 and 2017, meaning her new LP will likely be comprised of entirely new material. While the curse of the sophomore slump still threatens Dua Lipa, she has inevitably found her niche in the music industry. Her new album is guaranteed to serve us with chart smashing dance-pop tracks assisted by her unique vocals.

—Saquib Syed

Singles: N/A
Producers: N/A
Expected Features: N/A

After surprising fans with his critically-acclaimed masterpiece Blonde, Frank Ocean retreated into an indefinite period of solitude from the music industry, with the exception of a few singles that he sporadically released throughout 2017 and 2018. However, the possibility of a Frank album this year seems promising; he uncharacteristically opened
his Instagram to the public and used the platform to share two new music snippets, in addition to hinting at new material in a GQ interview. Frank’s artistic versatility means it’s tough to predict what his new project might look like; “Chanel”’s mellow, lush atmosphere contrasts the high-intensity disco groove of his collaboration with Calvin Harris and Migos, “Slide.” Without a doubt, the anticipation for this new release is intense as we definitely could be looking at another Frank Ocean classic.

—Matthew Huynh

Singles: “We Appreciate Power”
Producers: N/A
Expected Features: N/A

With creative energy seemingly radiating from every pore, Canadian alternative artist Grimes is expected to release her fifth album sometime in 2019. The project will likely be her final one attached to 4AD, as she’s cited dissatisfaction with the label. Nonetheless, the last year has not been uneventful for her; her highly visible relationship with Tesla founder and entrepreneur Elon Musk—which, to the casual observer, seemed to be filled with dramatism involving Azealia Banks and run-ins with the SEC—has commanded media attention, and she ignited excitement with the release of her HANA-assisted single “We Appreciate Power” about artificial intelligence. Collaborations with Poppy (“Play Destroy”), K-pop girl group LOONA (“love4eva”) and Janelle Monáe (“PYNK”) have provided three memorable tracks in three very different genres. It remains to be seen how Grimes’ record will manifest. What is certain, however, is that it will be full of her vibrant spirit.

—sereinik

Singles: N/A
Producers: N/A
Expected Features: N/A

2018 proved to be one of J. Cole’s most successful years ever, following the release of his long-awaited fifth studio album KOD. However, the album’s final cut, “1985 (Intro To ‘The Fall Off’),” teases a follow-up project titled The Fall Off that the North Carolina rapper later revealed he’s “workin’ on.” In a May 2018 interview with Angie Martinez, Cole explained that his December 2016 singles “everybody dies” and “False Prophets” were intended to be on The Fall Off’s final tracklist, but ended up being loosies. “I’ma drop new music for sure,” Cole assured fans. Cole also hinted at a kiLL Edward concept album, and he teased a preceding album titled The Off Season in his August 2018 song “Album of the Year (Freestyle).” If one thing is for certain, we can expect to hear a lot from J. Cole this year.

—Malcolm Trapp

Singles: N/A
Producers: N/A
Expected Features: N/A

2018 was an eclectic year for Kanye West. He produced five albums that were released in one month during the summer—Daytona, Kids See Ghosts, Ye, KTSE, and Nasir—which helped him grab a Grammy nomination for Producer Of The Year. But his political and social media antics largely overshadowed his musical output, as he grabbed headlines for making outlandish comments and beefing with Drake. Worse yet, his solo album Ye couldn’t live up to the lofty expectations of his immaculate catalog. Late last year, Kanye seemed to promise a return to form with Yandhi, the sequel to 2013’s Yeezus which was expected to drop around Thanksgiving but never surfaced. In recent months, Kanye has been seen going to Africa and Miami to record new material. We haven’t heard much from those sessions yet, but no matter what he did last year, a Kanye West album will always be highly anticipated.

—BigBabyGOAT_HGA

Singles: “Nights Like This”
Producers: Sir Nolan, IamSu!, Pop & Oak
Expected Features: Ty Dolla $ign, Wheein, Ella Mai, Nicki Minaj, Hayley Kiyoko

Soon-to-be mother Kehlani started off 2019 strong with her single “Nights Like This,” where she sings about an unstable relationship over a smooth R&B melody. While the track features Ty Dolla $ign for a guest rap verse, it is Kehlani’s unique voice and singing style that shines the most. The track was enough for fans to get hyped and excited for her upcoming music. While not much is known about the timeline of release for the LP, Kehlani teased the project on Twitter multiple times over the past year, hinting at a 2019 release. Kehlani spent most of 2018 touring alongside singers like Demi Lovato and Halsey, leading fans to speculate guest features by the two artists on Kehlani’s next LP. Several artists including Korean rapper RM of Korean boy group BTS have expressed their desire to collaborate with Kehlani.

—Saquib Syed

Singles: “hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have, but I have it,” “Mariner’s Apartment Complex,“ “Venice Bitch“
Producers: Jack Antonoff
Expected Features: N/A

“Hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have, but I have it” croons Lana Del Rey at the closing of her latest single, a note of empowerment gleaming through a dark sea of oppression. It’s a message the “Queen of Indie Pop” has firmly embraced on the Norman Fucking Rockwell singles, like on “Mariner’s Apartment Complex,“ where she sings “I ain’t no candle in the wind / I’m the bolt, the lightning, the thunder,” or on the nearly 10 minute-long “Venice Bitch,“ where she’s “Fresh out of fucks, forever.” Sonically, “Venice Bitch” also brought loads of crispy, washed out electric guitar, and it’s a refreshing change of pace for the singer that we hope finds more of a home on the album. Lana Del Rey’s characteristic defiance and bitter sarcasm are cranked up to 11—her writing is the best it’s ever been, and the prospect of it permeating the entire album is a thrilling one.

—Colby Handy

Singles: “New Patek”
Producers: Oogie Mane, Supah Mario, Forza, Bugz Ronin, DP Beats, Pi'erre Bourne, Wheezy, Danny Wolf, Tisakorean, Kid808
Expected Features: Chief Keef, Ballout

Even though Lil Uzi Vert only officially released one single in 2018 and appeared on just a few features, Eternal Atake has been building up massive hype for a while. Snippets of “Like Me,” “Me and the Moon Relate,” and “Zoom” are among some of the most highly anticipated cuts from the album, along the Chief Keef-assisted “Count Up.” On December 9th, Uzi said that Eternal Atake was finished, but its release was being held up by his label. On the 11th of January, in a blow to expectant fans, Uzi declared in an Instagram Story post that he “is done with music” and “deleted everything.“ While many are convinced that Uzi is serious this time, some believe that this is yet another bid to raise hype for the album—we’ll have to wait and see for ourselves.

—Trevor_Ig

Singles: “Red Room”
Producers: Metro Boomin
Expected Features: N/A

Originally expected to drop this past December, the last of the Migos’ solo albums and Offset’s debut album has yet to be released, leaving many fans wondering what the Atlanta trap star has in store for 2019. After the “Red Room” leak, it seems that no new singles or snippets from the album have surfaced, although that hasn’t stopped Offset from continually teasing his followers with tweets about album length and other potential leaks down the road. And even as the teasers and previews get more frequent, it seems that the recent release date of “TOO SOON” is simply not soon enough for a ravenous legion of Migos fanatics waiting for this storied trilogy to conclude.

—Zachary Mahabir

Singles: N/A
Producers: Kuk Harrell, Marcos Tovar, Supa Dups, Rvssian, DI Genius
Expected Features: Buju Banton

Following the release of Rihanna’s triple-platinum certified Anti, she pivoted to the cosmetic world in 2017 when she launched Fenty Beauty. Though she hasn’t released any solo music since, RiRi’s been working hard behind the scenes on her forthcoming release. She confirmed in a recent Instagram comment that the album will be coming out this year. Rihanna revealed in her 2018 interview with Vogue the new album will be dancehall and reggae-inspired, flaunting her Caribbean roots. Rihanna has previously found success in experimenting with dancehall—as seen on hits like “Work” and “Pon de Replay”—and it will be really exciting to see an entire project where she is within her element. She’s also been sharing videos of her in the studio via Instagram, but there aren’t any audio snippets just yet. Collaborations with Reggae legends like Supa Dups only add to the excitement.

—Izeezus

Singles: “Let’s Go (The Royal We)”
Producers: El-P
Expected Features: N/A

RTJ3 dropped on Christmas Eve December 2016, and fans have been hungering for a new infusion of the Killer Mike and El-P’s politically-conscious, anti-corporate hip-hop ever since. The duo filled much of 2017 and 2018 with a steady diet of touring, side projects, and a healthy dose of regular old life—El-P got married and scored a film, while Mike opened a barbershop in the Atlanta Hawks’ arena and released the documentary Trigger Warning. Speculation regarding RTJ4 picked up in October 2018 with the release of “Let’s Go (The Royal We)” off the Venom movie soundtrack. Killer Mike called the song a “primer for what I think is going to be a dope next album.” Meanwhile, El-P upped the ante in December 2018, noting that he was “in full RTJ4 mode” and tweeting that “RTJ4 will probably hit around summer time.” Looks like everyone’s Christmas Fucking Miracle comes early in 2019.

—poeticimmunity

Singles: N/A
Producers: N/A
Expected Features: N/A

Following the tragic death of Mac Miller in September 2018, Schoolboy Q put his follow-up to 2016’s Blank Face LP on hold after initially aiming to release it that month. The TDE rapper cited his close relationship to Miller and the emotional toll of releasing an album so soon after his passing as the reason for the delay. The delay was understandable, but fans are still expecting the album at some point this year. Q’s last effort, Blank Face LP, treated fans to a medley of features from the likes of Vince Staples, Anderson .Paak, fellow TDE label-mate SZA, and Kanye West, so it’s anybody’s guess who could be making an appearance on the new album and how its tone and delivery may have changed over the months following the loss of one of hip-hop’s most beloved sons.

—Zachary Mahabir

Singles: N/A
Producers: N/A
Expected Features: N/A

In 2016, Solange proved she could hold her own in the music industry with her third LP, A Seat at the Table, an album that challenged the R&B genre and rivaled the greatest releases that year, including her older sister Beyoncé’s LEMONADE. Thus, expectations were high when she announced she would be releasing a new album this past October. As Solange explained herself, her upcoming release will exhibit a combination of jazz and electronic music along with her unique R&B sound—amounting to what she called a “meteor cratering into the culture.” The album is slated to drop at any moment, and many are expecting it to be a worthy follow-up to A Seat at the Table.

—Matthew Huynh

Singles: N/A
Producers: N/A
Expected Features: N/A

For the past two years, SZA has been on a roll commercially. Her debut album Ctrl scored the #3 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, and she collaborated with Kendrick Lamar to produce the lead single for the bombastic Black Panther soundtrack, “All the Stars.” While she hasn’t dropped anything recently, with the exception of a leaked LP containing hidden material from 2015, her fans have been highly anticipating the release of A. As the follow-up to her two previous EPs, S and Z, the record is said to revolve around themes of revenge, rebirth, and Adderall. SZA’s even hailed it as “the best album of [her] life.” She also tweeted about the completion of A in late September, meaning that we could be getting this album sooner than expected.

—Matthew Huynh

Singles: N/A
Producers: Kevin Parker
Expected Features: N/A

It’s been about four years since Kevin Parker’s psychedelic rock outfit Tame Impala dropped their third studio album Currents, which continued the band’s endeavor into more synth-pop influenced territory. Though a large departure in sonics, the record managed yet again to display Parker’s ability to masterfully reinvent his sound, reaching universal acclaim and quickly becoming their most popular album to date. Now, during what’s been the longest hiatus for the band, Kevin has had a refreshingly public, productive, and collaborative 2018; he noted that he would be “very disappointed” to not have music ready to share by summer 2019. With a headlining Coachella appearance slated for mid-April, Tame Impala’s cycle looks like it’s shaping up to do exactly that. With Kevin replicating both Currents’, and predecessor Lonerism’s lead-up process, fans have only one question left unanswered: just what exactly has Kevin been cooking up all this time?

—Bismvth

Singles: N/A
Producers: N/A
Expected Features: N/A

Between his ominous EP My Dear Melancholy and his feature on the hit song “Pray For Me” alongside Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd had a pretty exciting 2018. His EP dealt with his failed relationship with fellow artist Selena Gomez and his attempts to move past the relationship. This year, The Weeknd’s already released new music in the form of “Lost in the Fire”, a collaborative track with friend and frequent producer Gesaffelstein which shot straight to number one on the Genius top songs charts upon its release. The Weeknd also confirmed the speculations about a new album, Chapter VI, when he told fans “Being in Toronto these last two days I haven’t been this inspired in years,” and mysteriously tweeted “some chapters are smaller than others. not this next one though…” Even after years in the spotlight, The Weeknd’s giving us vibes that Chapter VI is poised to be his biggest, and possibly best, work yet.

—WaterGod