Another year, another list of albums we cannot wait to hear. Well, there are also a few albums that aren’t officially official—(Cough cough, Phoebe Bridgers. She didn’t make this list, but I’m still hopeful)—but they are heavily rumored to be dropping this year, and the team at Staged Haze is a hopeful bunch.
In chronological order:
Alessia Cara is gearing up to release her new album, Love & Hyperbole, this Valentine’s Day. Known for her unique voice and fresh perspective on pop, Alessia has already teased fans with two standout tracks from the album. Isn’t It (Obvious), featuring the soulful guitar stylings of John Mayer, showcases her ability to pair introspective lyrics with lush, evocative melodies. Her most recent release, “Slow Motion,” is a captivating exploration of vulnerability and restraint, highlighting her knack for blending emotional depth with irresistible hooks. With these early glimpses into the album, it’s clear that Love & Hyperbole is set to solidify Alessia Cara’s reputation as a powerhouse in modern pop. – Jesse
Bartees Strange, the genre-defying artist who has captivated listeners with his blend of indie rock, hip-hop, and R&B influences, is set to release his highly anticipated new album, Horror, on Valentine’s Day. Known for his introspective lyricism and innovative soundscapes, Bartees first gained widespread acclaim with his 2022 album Farm to Table, which explored themes of identity, ambition, and belonging with raw emotion and dynamic instrumentation. With Horror, fans can expect another boundary-pushing project that delves into the complexities of love, fear, and humanity. As an artist who constantly challenges musical conventions, Bartees Strange continues to solidify his place as one of the most exciting and unpredictable voices in modern music. – Jesse
Something that I love about The Wombats is that their music never falters. The Liverpool-based band released their first album, A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation, which is a personal all-timer for me in 2007, and they haven’t let up since. After their fifth album, Fix Yourself, Not the World, gave the indie rock band their first number one album in 2022, they’re returning with “Oh! The Ocean” in February. The band has already released four singles before the album’s release, including the goofy and energetic “Blood On the Hospital Floor,” and a new introvert anthem “Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come,” which features the band’s signature relatable self-deprecating lyrics, alongside a more laid-back instrumentation than what The Wombats have previously offered. – Erin
Tate McRae’s upcoming album, So Close to What, dropping February 21, has all eyes on her as she continues to rise as one of pop’s brightest young stars. Often hailed as the second coming of Britney Spears thanks to her impeccable dance skills and captivating stage presence, Tate brings her own modern edge to the scene. Having worked with hitmaker Ryan Tedder, she’s already released three tracks from the album—”it’s okay i’m ok”, “2 hands,” and the sultry “sports car,” each paired with dynamic, visually stunning music videos that further showcase her artistry. With her undeniable charisma and a sound that blends vulnerability with sharp, infectious beats, Tate McRae is proving she’s more than just the next big thing—she’s carving out a pop legacy all her own. – Jesse
Last year, Lady Gaga got engaged to her boyfriend, Michael Polansky. And thank god for that. According to the popstar/actress/bonafide superstar, her fiancé is the one who encouraged her to get back into pop music. Over the past few years, Gaga has ventured into acting, appearing on presidential committees and promoting Nurtec ODT—a migraine medication—in commercials, but in 2025 she’s coming back to her roots: releasing some good old pop music.
The first single, “Disease,” from Lady Gaga’s upcoming eighth album was released Oct. 25, 2024, and is a super fun and well-produced return to Gaga’s earlier sound. It’s been fun following the singer’s career, since her electric debut it’s taken fans down so many varied paths, but sometimes it’s also refreshing to return to one’s roots, and I think this MAYHEM will be an exciting return to dancey, dark pop for the singer. – Erin
In 2021, Japanese Breakfast released an absolutely outstanding album, Jubilee. But in the four years since its release, the band, and frontwoman Michelle Zauner, took a step back for four years. Now, excitingly, the indie pop band is coming back with their fourth studio album.
Zauner has said that this album will focus on exploring the darker side of melancholy. This isn’t Zauner’s first time writing about the process of sadness—she released her heartbreaking and stunning memoir “Crying in H Mart” in 2021—and through the process of writing about her life and her mother’s death has shown that she’s a master at capturing the extremities of the grieving process and sadness. – Erin
A lot has happened while fans of The Horrors have been waiting for a new release. It’s been seven years since the garage rock band released an album. In that time, they released an EP in 2021, Lout, and another in the same year, Against the Blade. In 2021, they also split ways with keyboardist Tom Furse. Now, they’re back with their sixth LP, Night Life.
The British band announced the new album in October, releasing the single “The Silence that Remains.” Night Life will be the band’s first release with new members Amelia Kidd on keyboards, and Jordan Cook on drums. I’m excited to see the new direction the band will be taking with this album, and what’s developed in the seven years since their last one. – Erin
A lot has changed in Lucy Dacus’ life since her last release as a solo artist: by the time Forever Is A Feeling drops, it’ll be nearly four years since Home Video. And since then, she’s become a Grammy-winning artist, thanks for her work in the supergroup we’ve all come to know and love in boygenius. While Dacus has historically released music that discusses life as a teenager, Forever Is A Feeling takes on the complexities of adulthood. “You can’t actually capture forever,” Dacus says. “But I think we feel forever in moments. I don’t know how much time I’ve spent in forever, but I know I’ve visited.”
Featuring contributions from artists like Hozier, Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, Blake Mills, Bartees Strange, and many others, it’s safe to assume that Forever Is A Feeling will be a new adventure for Dacus, and we’ll be along for the ride. – Kristin
Even though there was awhile there where it was “uncool” to be a fan of Mumford & Sons—and I’m not going to go into the time when their (ex) band member made some controversial statements on the internet—my love for them has always been there. I became such a huge fan of theirs during my senior year of high school as they were just starting out, and some of my fondest memories can be associated with their music. So it’s pretty obvious that I am incredibly excited for their new album to drop in March. It’s their first new project since the release of Delta, which was a whopping SEVEN years ago—so I’m hopeful that the new project will be a new exploration of sounds without completely straying away from their folksy roots. – Kristin
Joe Keery’s sophomore album The Crux is by far the record that I’m the most excited for right now. “Basic Being Basic,” the first single from it, is such an unskippable song that it has made me truly desperate to hear the rest of Djo’s new project. Keery’s 2022 debut album DECIDE was one of my favorites of that year, bringing a completely new sound into the alt/indie scene with its peculiar sounds and blunt lyricism, and “Basic Being Basic” seems to promise to keep that satisfying unusualness alive.
After the Tiktokfication of his single “End of Beginning,” the expectations around Djo’s next release grew in a probably disproportionate way, but I think Joe Keery’s laid-back and almost aloof energy has protected him from getting lost in the process and under the pressure. With an established career as an actor, I believe he has the freedom to make music out of love and for fun, which keeps his sound genuine and original, creating songs that could simply never disappoint. – Javi
Blondshell’s self-titled debut was one of my favorite albums of 2023. Blondshell’s performance at 2024’s Kilby Block Party in Salt Lake City was one of my favorite sets of the festival. It only makes sense that Blondshell’s upcoming album If You Asked for A Picture would be one of my most anticipated albums of 2025.
After dropping the album’s second single, the stellar “T&A,” earlier this year, Blondshell also announced the upcoming album’s title and release date. If it’s crafted anything like the musician’s first album, with angry and witty lyrics (that also reference one of my favorite TV shows, Veronica Mars, in the title track! I was destined to be a fan), and a powerful grunge-inspired sound, we’re in for a great time. -Erin
I was waiting for Lana Del Rey to drop Lasso, her country album, all throughout 2024. It never came. Thankfully, we’re getting The Right Person Will Stay, which the singer has said contains country and Americana influences—so Lasso is coming, just in a different package, which I can’t wait for. The album,
Lana’s had kind of a crazy year. Well, she got married to an alligator airboat tour guide, and that’s pretty wild to me. So I can’t wait to hear her take on love, marriage and all things alligator in this latest release. – Erin
I have absolutely no proof that this is happening, other than *one* cryptic Instagram caption (can the capacity to put two and two together). Considering Chappell Roan’s skyrocketing rise to fame we witnessed this past year, I believe it’s fair to assume that she will at least be releasing some singles from her next album in 2025, if not the whole record before the year ends. She kind of teased what’s to come during her SNL appearance with “The Giver,” (a performance that for some reason is currently almost impossible to find on the internet) a single that shows her range both vocally and genre-wise, considering it was a more country-focused one.
Being your favorite artist’s favorite artist has shown to be an easy job for the 26-year-old, so I’m sure whatever comes next will be what everyone expects and more. Staged Haze has been following Chappell’s career from the early beginnings, so we will always be excited to see where she goes next, and this was a name that couldn’t be missing on this list! – Javi
Harry Styles is going on three years without releasing any new music (his last album, Harry’s House, won Album of the Year at the 2023 Grammys), and he’s still the 67th most streamed artist in the world on Spotify. If that isn’t star power, I do not know what is. There have been rumors for last few months that he’s gearing up for a new album cycle all over the internet, and regardless of whether they are credible or not, it is in fact being discussed at length.
Styles’ fellow bandmate, ZAYN, is currently touring to promote his solo album, and there’s also buzz around the possibility of the remaining members of One Direction reuniting at the BRIT Awards to honor Liam Payne, who passed away in October 2024. While it may not be for a few more months, I am still banking on Styles releasing something new this year. – Kristin
I was going back and forth between choosing to include Lorde in this list or Phoebe Bridgers, and I ultimately decided to go with Lorde because we’ve actualy heard rumors and from Lorde herself that new music does exist. It’s been nearly 3.5 years since the release of Solar Power, which means that it’s definitely “that time” for Lorde to drop another project (Redditers have noticed that she routinely releases every four years). Rumors have been circulating all over that Lorde collaborated with Dev Hynes for this album—Hynes is most well-known for his work under his project Blood Orange, as well as production credits for artists like Sky Ferriera, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Kylie Minogue.
Based on his catalogue of collaborating with some of those pop heavy hitters I just mentioned, I have to pose the question: will Lorde’s fourth LP be a return to pop? I sure hope so. – Kristin
More albums we’re excited for:
Light Hit My Face Like a Straight Right, Mallrat – 2/14/2025
People Watching, Sam Fender – 2/21/2025
Saya, Saya Gray – 2/21/2025
Erotica Veronica, Miya Folick – 2/28/2025
Blood on the Silver Screen, Sasami – 3/7/2025
Bloodless, Samia – 4/25/2025
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