by Will Butler | Photos by Artwork & Wenn
36 huge albums still to come in 2015
The best is yet to come - from Kanye and Adele to Hurts, Foals and Maccabees
The Maccabees - Marks To Prove It (July 31): The fourth release from the Indie tour-de-force. We've already heard the electric title track as well as a few new cuts off their Glastonbury set, and Marks To Prove It might be there biggest record yet. It's time for them to step up to arenas and headlining festivals.
Kanye West - SWISH (TBC): The follow up to the controversial Yeezus, SWISH could drop at any moment - after months of teasing. Kanye was never going to make it easy for us.
Foals - What Went Down (August 28): With having just released on of the most mammoth Indie tunes of the year, Foals have set off the run up to their new album at an incendiary pace. Potentially their most stadium-filling release yet, only time will tell.
Adele - 25 (TBC): The follow up to the global sensation, 21, the world has been eagerly awaiting news on this album. Adele's third release was always going to take a little longer to come out: "I want to write it all, record it all, produce it all and master it on my own". Let's hope the ambition pays off.
Titus Andronicus - The Most Lamentable Tragedy (August 7): 29 tracks strong and over 93 minutes, this new offering from this New Jersey punks is going to be conceptual as hell and equally as dense. In keeping with the Shakespearean theme of the band, Lamentable Tragedy is going to follow a richly tragic storyline so look forward to that.
The 1975 - TBA (TBC): Releasing a note thanking the fans for all their support, the band mentioned the possibility of new music soon. Describing it as "The beginning of a new chapter", we can only wait and see how dramatic of a change the indie-poppers go through.
Hurts - Surrender (October 9): Having already heard 'Some Kind of Heaven', we can rest easy knowing that Surrender is going to as warm and catchy as this duo's previous material. Expect to be overwhelmed with romance and a whole load of melodrama.
The Libertines - Anthems For Doomed Youth (September 4): The Libs are back in a big way. 'Gunga Din' signifies what we expected from a Libertines reunion so hopes are high for Anthems delivering us that same camaraderie and chaos we experienced from their records over a decade ago.
Disclosure - Caracal (September 25): With Gregory Porter, Lorde and Sam Smith already confirmed, the follow up to Settle is looking to be full of hard-hitting pop bangers. The Lawrence brothers are a little older and a little wiser, I'm confident that's going to shine through on this release.
Bloc Party - TBA (TBC): 10 years after the sensational debut, Silent Alarm, Bloc Party are gearing up to release their fifth LP which has neither a title nor a release date. All we know if there is a track called 'Exes' and that Kele says "there's nothing that I can compare it to really in terms of other musicians". After drummer Matt Tong and bassist Gordon Moakes parted ways with the band, we await their next move with baited breath.
New Order - Music Complete (September 25): Even without Peter Hook in tow, New Order title their 10th studio album with a huge confidence, and rightfully so. As one of the most influential bands that's come out of the UK, we owe it to alternative music to be excited.
James Blake - Radio Silence (TBC): As mysterious as the man behind it, Radio Silence is, at this point, 90 per cent rumours. Following the Mercury winning Overgrown is going to be tough so we're not surprised Blake is being as secretive as he is.
Chrvches - TBA (TBC): The new album is finished, inspired by Prince and Michael Jackson and we can't wait. Chrvches have done well for themselves by having a constant presence both live and in the studio. Sophomore records are about asserting longevity and Chrvches are on track to do exactly that. Can they follow-up our 2013 Album Of The Year Bones Of What You Believe and reach dizzying new heights? We think so - especially if recent singles 'Get Away' and 'Dead Air' are anything to go by.
Mac DeMarco - Another One (August 7): Being promoted as a 'mini-album', Another One is the follow up to the dreary bliss of 2014's Salad Days. Mac boasts both a rabid fanbase and an unadorned knack for love songs, Another One is going to soundtrack the long summer evenings of August perfectly.
Eagles of Death Metal - Zipped Down (October 2): Speaking to Gigwise, the duo described themselves as 'the fun VD of music' and that's about as accurate as descriptions come. Expect Zipped Down to be hard-hitting, sexy and abrasive - an album you don't want your mum to hear you listening to.
The Weeknd - Beauty Behind the Madness (Aug 28): Heavily rumoured to drop soon, the follow-up to Kiss Land is likely to be harmonious and treacherous. The Weeknd is a walking paradox and an artist guaranteed to be an interesting listen.
Lana Del Rey - Honeymoon (TBC): Rumoured to come out in September, so far Lana has only given us slithers of the title track through her Instagram. From what we can tell, the track has retained her broody tone so if you were worried about a 'happy go-lucky' Lana release, you can relax.
Frank Ocean - TBA (TBC): Despite Miguel's claims, we still believe in the majesty of Frank Ocean. Rumoured to drop sometime in July, the follow up to the decadence of Channel Orange is expected to possibly have a Rock & Roll slant to it if Ocean's mysterious snapchat picturing him in a Television jacket is anything to base predictions on.
Grimes - TBA (Autumn): With rejected Rihanna single 'Go' being an outlier and 'REALiTi' a track off the cutting room floor, we have no idea what to expect from Grimes' new album. We have confirmation it's coming later this year and some rumours that it sound less synthetic than her previous albums.
Beach House - Depression Cherry (August 28): Supposedly a return to the more simple dream-pop of their first two albums, the fifth release from Beach House is being accompanied with a world tour too.
Duran Duran - Paper Gods (Sep 11): 14 albums in, Duran Duran are still riding their own prolific wave. With production from Nile Rodgers, and Mark Ronson, we're looking forward to see how the past and present worlds of pop sound when they collide.
Albert Hammond Jr - Momentary Masters (July 31): With no Strokes record on the horizon, this is the perfect time for AHJ to take control.Momentary Masters will hopefully pull the spotlight off Julian and onto the other hard-working Stroke. His previous release, the brilliant bubble of firey pop-rock that was AHJ, signposts Hammond achieving true greatness on his own terms.
Metric - Pagans In Vegas (September 18): The sixth release from this Canadian Indie group, Pagans in Vegas has been on the cards since last Christmas and won't be out until September. At least we know it's coming eventually. They've never faltered, and we don't expect them to start now.
The Arcs - Yours, Dreamily (September 14): The latest offering Black Keys singer, Dan Auerbach, The Arcs create a blend of blues-rock and dreamy Indie-Pop. Featuring Black Keys and Shins collaborator Richard Swift, expect the production to be glimmering too.
Drake - Views From The 6 (TBC): With little to no details revealed about Drake's next full-length, we can only hope it has a larger impact than his 'actually alright' If You're Reading This mixtape.
Darwin Deez - Double Down (September 18): Unchanging in sound since his debut, Deez is still plugging away with infectious choruses and saccharin guitar tones. Hey, if ain't broke...
Savages - TBA (TBC): Creating battlefields of emotion wherever they play, Savages are planning to release a 'beast of record' by the time the year is out. With reports that the record is already finished the follow up to Silence Yourself could be just around the corner.
Rudimental - We The Generation (Sep 18): Drum and Bass group, Rudimental haven't seemed to have taken a break since their debut back in 2013. Where they found the time to record an album we'll never know but if you have doubts about it's quality just know that Bobby Womack wanted to feature on it.
FIDLAR - Too (September 4): The LA skate-punks return this September with a second record that promises to be as unhinged as their debut. '40oz On Repeat' had one of the best videos of the year so let's hope the album maintains that standard.
Beirut - No No No (September 11): Yes yes yes, we say to Beirut's first album in four years. The title track flourishes and swoons with all the adoring charm of Beirut's previous releases.
Kurt Vile - b'lieve i'm goin down (TBA): We know for a fact that Vile is a much better songwriter than he is a speller. The follow up to 2013's Wakin on a Pretty Daze is supposedly darker and has a night time vibe. It might be the perfect release for when summer closes.
Julia Holter - Have You in My Wilderness (September 25): Following the incredible sounds of 2013's Loud City Song, Holter's brand of art-pop is gaining more deserved attention with every track she releases. An album that explores subjects of “love, trust, and power in human relationships” it might be the perfect introduction to a bitter Autumn.
Girl Band - Holding Hands With Jamie: One of the most exciting debuts of 2015, Irish noise-rock band have no girls in their band but plenty of raucous. Their debut is out on Rough Trade and I've got a feeling they won't be strangers to the label's roster over the next couple of years.
Richard Hawley - Hollow Meadows (September 11): The eighth release from the Sheffield troubadour calls back to the "sophisticated songwriting and subtle arrangements that made him so widely loved and revered in the first place". What more can we say?
Deftones - TBA (Autumn): The follow-up to 2012's Koi No Yoken is scheduled to arrive early Autumn. It has been described by frontman Chino Moreno as "a little more of a heady record", interpret that as you wish.
Young Thug - Hy!Łun35 (August 28): Pronounced HiTunes, the debut album from Young Thug is going to be a landmark for indie hip-hop. Despite his banal name and Lil Wayne affiliations, Thugger is a forerunner for art inspired rap at the moment and HiTunes is going to be his most well-promoted release yet.
It can't be said enough how great 2015 has been for albums, we actually have a list of our top 40 albums here if you don't believe it. From blistering debuts to timeline-shattering comebacks, we've really been spoilt over the last seven months. But that's not to say we've reached a musical peak this year, very much the opposite.
The next five months will, hopefully, deliver us with a brand new Kanye record, a long-awaited return to the studio from The Libertines, a follow up to Channel Orange from Frank Ocean, potentially a new Bloc Party release, another Disclosure record and new New Order. There's truly something for everyone.
Here are 36 great albums to look forward to for the rest of 2015.