With a new year comes new music. January has been off to a fantastic start with tons of new hits from many different genres. No matter the genre or style of music, there is something out there for everyone.
Kennedy Gorham, a Kennesaw State University student, said, “Music is just art and a way to express ourselves.”
Bruno Mars, the very talented pop and R&B singer, on Jan. 9, released his first solo single since 2017. He released his single “I Just Might,” which belongs to his upcoming album Romantic, due for release in February. This comeback single debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became his first number 1 debut song and his tenth number 1 hit.
“Bruno Mars, I’m honestly not his number 1 fan, but I have been anticipating Bruno to release something, and he released his concert dates before he dropped the album,” said Gorham.
Another shocking return to the music industry is the return of Harry Styles. The former One Direction singer dropped his single “Aperture” on Jan. 20, set to be on his fourth studio album, “Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.” The full album will be released on March 6. Even though the rest of his new music won’t be available until then, the new hit single debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became his third number 1 single.
Harry and Bruno are in high demand, especially with both having hit singles and both embarking on tours this year.
“I think they’re both in high demand due to long hiatus, and Bruno specifically really drummed up new interest when he collaborated on “APT with Rosé” last year.” – Gailey-Anne, UNG Student
Noah Kahan, the alternative artist who rose to popularity in 2023 with the remix of his song “Dial Drunk ft. Post Malone,” is releasing his highly anticipated fourth studio album, The Great Divide, on April 24. His first single for the album was released on Jan. 30.
When highlighting full album releases that came out last month, the year started off strong with the release of The Kid Laroi’s third album, “Before I Forget,” on Jan. 9. This album was highly anticipated by his fans and others who knew him from his previous relationship with another popular singer. His album is about a breakup and the highs and lows that come with it.
Well-known artist Zach Bryan also released his sixth studio album “With Heaven on Top” on Jan. 9. Zach Bryan is considered one of the biggest current artists in the country music industry today, especially with his chart-topping album that came out in 2023. With his new album talking about escape and nostalgia, he identifies the struggles with fame and putting his life out there for everyone to see. This album, even with the lack of promotion, still managed to hit number 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, showing that his fanbase and music are still stronger than ever.
Since 2025, fans have been waiting for the release of pop singer Madison Beer’s new album. Following her singles and music videos, she finally released her highly anticipated third album “Locket” on Jan. 16. This album was her highest charting on the Billboard 200 chart, peaking at number 10. This album was about the ending of a relationship she was in for 5 years and how she is moving past it. It ranges from club music like “Yes Baby” to heartfelt ballads like “you’re still everything.” This album reflects her growth as a singer and her comfort in sharing the harder things that she has had to overcome.
In regard to Hip-hop and Rap genres, Asap Rocky’s top-charting album Don’t Be Dumb was released on Jan. 16. This is his first full-length album since 2018, and he is proving that he still has what it takes to reach the top spot. This album weaves through different sounds from jazz to even pop.
More artists that released their albums this month include Louis Tomlinson, J.Cole, Don Toliver and Labrinth.
Gorham said, “With A$AP Rocky being there and Madison Beer, I honestly highly expect that was probably a good start to this month.”
Music brings everyone together, and it’s safe to say that January started the year off strong with all these new releases. Hopefully, February can have the same impact.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source ungvanguard.org ’
