Music fans rejoiced when Adele released her long-awaited 25 in November: stockpiling Kleenex and snapping up copies faster than any album in history. And yet, there were still some artists whose anticipated albums never debuted in 2015. Here are five we hope to hear in the months ahead:
RIHANNA
The most feverishly anticipated album of the moment is without a doubt Anti, Rihanna's followup to her 2012 Unapologetic. Why? Because of just how long the Barbadian megastar has been drumming up excitement, starting with studio snaps on Instagram dating back to summer 2014. Last spring, she raised eyebrows with wildly different singles FourFiveSeconds, American Oxygen and B**** Better Have My Money, which she capped off with a colossal Saturday Night Live performance. It was radio silence until the fall, when RiRi announced her album title and cover at an elaborate art gallery exhibit, and then, a world tour starting Feb. 26 in San Diego. Despite singer/songwriter Sia's claim that that the album isn't even finished, we're vigilantly watching for Anti to drop any day now.
KANYE WEST
West similarly unveiled a bunch of new songs before dropping off the map almost entirely. Early last year, the rap titan (and presidential hopeful) debuted a smattering of Paul McCartney collaborations including Only One and All Day, in addition to Sia pairing Wolves at his Adidas fashion show. Since then, the new dad has given very few hints about when and what to expect on his solo follow-up to 2013's Yeezus, except for the fact that he changed the title to Swish, and he may or may not have rapped the entire album for Seth Rogen. The album could be just around the corner, though: Yeezy released a surprise freestyle, Facts, on New Year's Eve, and a new Swish track, Real Friends, on Friday.
FRANK OCEAN
When Adele complains to Rolling Stone that Ocean is taking "so (expletive) long" to release new music, you know expectations are sky-high for his next project. Since shooting to fame with his Grammy-winning debut Channel Orange in 2012, the enigmatic R&B singer has practically gone AWOL — unless you count his duet on Beyoncé's self-titled 2013 smash, or his face-off with Chipotle over an axed commercial last year. At this point, the only thing keeping fans' hopes afloat are cryptic updates made to his website in August, perhaps signaling that the next phase is on the horizon.
DRAKE
This one feels far less urgent, although it doesn't make it any less exciting. Drake had one of the biggest years of any artist in 2015, thanks in part to his surprise release If You're Reading This It's Too Late in February, viral smash Hotline Bling and ongoing feud with onetime collaborator Meek Mill. After releasing joint album What a Time to Be Alive with Future in September, the Canadian rapper has continually hinted at another project due this year: titled Views From the 6, according to Billboard, and teased with a cryptic billboard in Toronto and music preview on Drake's Vine account last November.
BEYONCÉ
It's been just over two years since Beyoncé made surprise releases in vogue with her last album and full slate of videos, but the pop diva has remained omnipresent: whether it's turning heads at the Met Ball with her fashion, or popping up on collaborations with Nicki Minaj and Coldplay (whom she will join onstage at the Super Bowl next month). Still, fans craving fresh Queen B joints could have new music sooner than they think: according to interviews and Instagram snaps from artists such as Future, D.R.A.M. and Mike Will Made It, she has been logging studio time this past year. Producer Detail also teased a potential joint album with Jay Z on the Grammy Awards red carpet last February.
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