The final month of 2024 is upon us. Filled with a festive — yet a little chaotic — mood, it’s a great month to discover new albums to soundtrack your trips, block out the noise outside, or find the perfect gift for the music aficionados in your life.
In the upcoming weeks, Dua Lipa will release the live recording of her concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall, Lucinda Williams will pay homage to the Beatles with a new LP recorded at the iconic Abbey Road Studios, and Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre will try to replicate the magic of 1996’s Doggystyle with upcoming Missionary.
K-pop lovers will rejoice with a new EP by TWICE, BLACKPINK’s Rosé long-awaited debut album, and a brand new Stray Kids mixtape. For those who also enjoy J-pop, Travis Japan will come back with VIIsual. And for those who like completely different stuff, Hepcat will release a dub version of their classic Scientific, a new posthumous LP from late rapper DMX will drop, and Pure Prairie League will bring forth their first album in almost two decades.
Travis Japan — ‘VIIsual’ (Dec. 4)
J-pop sensation Travis Japan are gearing up for a comeback on Dec. 4 with their sophomore studio album, VIIsual. The 13-track collection showcases the septet’s synergy and creativity in its best form. Each member produced one song in the album, reflecting their individual styles while still forming a propulsive whole.
Spearheading the project, Travis Japan released the buoyant pop-rock singles “Crazy Crazy” and “Fly Higher,” as well as “Sweetest Tune,” the theme for TV Asahi’s “Tokyo Tower“ (starring group member Genta Matsuda), and the ’80’s chill of “T.G.I. Friday Night.”
VIIsual follows 2023’s Road to A, and the band’s recently wrapped first world tour, including sold-out stops in Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York.
Dua Lipa — ‘Dua Lipa Live From the Royal Albert Hall’ (Dec. 6)
Dua Lipa fans can soon relive her extraordinary Royal Albert Hall concert with the release of her live album, Dua Lipa Live From the Royal Albert Hall, available Dec. 6. The performance, held on Oct. 17 at the prestigious London venue, was a dazzling showcase of her songs from Radical Optimism.
“For the longest time, I’ve had this idea to reimagine my music with an orchestra,” Lipa said in a recent statement. “When I was making Radical Optimism, I was constantly thinking about the live element and how these songs would transform on stage.”
Accompanied by a seven-piece band, a full choir, and the 53 members of the Heritage Orchestra, Lipa described the opportunity as “perfect” for reconstructing and celebrating her music “in such a beautiful and intimate way.”
“The experience was entirely thrilling and equally rewarding. It was a dream come true, and something I’ll always take with me,” she added. Now, fans can take the experience with them too, as they await the North American leg of her Radical Optimism tour, set to begin in September 2025.
TWICE — ‘STRATEGY’ (Dec. 6)
Following a remix of Megan Thee Stallion‘s viral hit “Mamushi,” K-pop girl group TWICE will join forces with the Houston rapper once again. Their upcoming fourteenth EP, Strategy, features Stallion on the title track of the album, set to drop Dec. 6.
In a 15-second snippet of the song, TWICE sing lines such as “Hey boy, once I get ya/ You’ll be oh so glad that I met ya,” while Stallion announces her name, foreshadowing a fun and sassy collaboration. Strategy follows TWICE’s February EP, With You-th, and new solo music from vocalist Nayeon and youngest member Tzuyu, as well as Japanese subunit MISAMO.
In October, during their ninth-anniversary fan meeting, TWICE delighted fans with a surprise performance of their upcoming b-side “Sweetest Obsession.” Although the group concluded their Ready to Be World tour in July, their prolific track record suggests it won’t take long before new live dates for 2025 are announced.
Scientist Meets Hepcat — ‘Scientific Dub Special’ (Dec. 6)
After the passing of founding member Greg Lee in the beginning of the year, California ska legends Hepcat will keep his memory alive with a dub reissue of their 1996 masterpiece, Scientific. The album was produced by one of dub music’s forefathers, Scientist, and is set to drop on Dec. 6 via Trust Records.
“Greg Lee believed it would be cool if Scientist would dub Scientific. He liked the play on names and the historic implications,” the band shared in a statement. Said and done, Hepcat eventually met Scientist, who agreed to produce the LP. Back in January, Lee was still alive to approve the final mixes, making it even more special. “Greg Lee is Hepcat personified,” they added. “One of the strongest and greatest songwriters of Hepcat’s history. A mastermind. A positive source of inspiration. A leader. An eternal flame.”
The album will be accompanied by a deluxe reissue of Scientific, and by limited vinyl copies included in the deluxe set. Along with the announcement, Hepcat shared Scientist’s “Bobby & Joe (Rambo Dub).”
Lauren Mayberry — ‘Vicious Creature’ (Dec. 6)
After embarking on her first solo tour last year, CHVRCHES lead singer Lauren Mayberry will finally drop her debut studio album, Vicious Creature, on Dec. 6. The project has been teased through singles “Are You Awake?,” “Shame,” “Change Shapes,” “Something in the Air,” and “Crocodile Tears” — all of which expand on her keen lyricism and nostalgic electronic beats.
“So much of this process has been an exercise in empowering myself to listen to my own intuition — something I really trained myself out of,” said Mayberry in a statement. “That’s ultimately why you start making things — because you felt a feeling, and you wanted to articulate that somehow. I think it was important for me to relearn that kind of independence, and recognize what I bring to any table I choose to sit at.”
The Scottish singer worked on Vicious Creatures with producers Greg Kurstin, Matthew Korma, Tobias Jesso Jr., Ethan Gruska, and Dan McDougall. Starting January 2025, Mayberry will embark on a 24-stop North American tour and will head to the U.K. for six shows in March.
Lucinda Williams — ‘Lucinda Williams Sings The Beatles From Abbey Road’ (Dec. 6)
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, acclaimed singer/songwriter Lucinda Williams started Lu’s Jukebox. Initially a six-part series of full-band, HD video performances in-studio, Lu’s Jukebox featured sets of cover songs curated by Williams and streamed for a fee, with proceeds going to venues suffering from the lack of live performances at the time.
Four years later, Williams turned to the Jukebox again — this time to record The Beatles’ songs at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London. Serving as Vol. 7 of the series, Lucinda Williams Sings The Beatles From Abbey Road will be released on Dec. 6.
Featuring 12 tracks that range from big hits like “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “With A Little Help From My Friends” and “Something,” to hidden gems such as “I’m So Tired,” “I’ve Got A Feeling,” and “Yer Blues,” Williams and her band inhabit the Beatles’ timeless songs and give them a singular soul.
Pure Prairie League — ‘Back On Track’ (Dec. 6)
Country-rock mavens Pure Prairie League are Back On Track with their new album. After nearly two decades without studio releases, the ’70s and ’80’s formative ensemble prove that they are still on top of trends while never losing their essence.
Back On Track is set to release on Dec. 6 and, according to a statement, “flows like a freshwater river making its way through moss-covered rocks to its home in a cool clear lake.” Spanning 12 cuts that display a “rejuvenated band,” the album blends country, rock, pop, and R&B into an accessible, unique sound.
Produced by bandleader and veteran PPL bassist Michael Reilly, Back On Track was recorded at Riverfront Recorders in Madison, Tennessee with additional recording at Twilight Zona Studio in Hendersonville, Tennessee. “We’re hoping that our fans will be as pleased with the new record as we are proud of what we’ve done,” Reilly said.
Angel Olsen — ‘Cosmic Waves Volume 1’ (Dec. 6)
“As someone that emerged into the music scene through a small tape label, I’ve wanted to continue the spirit of discovery and of my debut release, Strange Cacti, while supporting and collaborating with artists and friends whose music I have been moved by,” said indie star Angel Olsen in a press release about her upcoming album, Cosmic Waves Volume 1.
Outlined as “a compilation reimagined as a dialogue,” Cosmic Waves is composed of sides A and B. The first features artists selected by Olsen, with each of them choosing a song of their own for the collection. The latter comprises songs from the same artists, but chosen and recorded by Olsen.
“I feel there is something unique and special about covering another artist’s song. We all make it our own, or we try to, but I personally always learn something new about the process when I’m engaging someone else’s words and melodies in such a close way,” she added.
Among the artists contributing to Cosmic Waves Volume 1 are Poppy Jean Crawford, Coffin Prick, Sarah Grace White, Maxim Ludwig, and Camp Saint Helene. To celebrate, Olsen and all the artists will be having a release party at Los Angeles venue In The Meantime.
Rosé — ‘rosie’ (Dec. 6)
If you had never heard of Rosé before, October’s viral “APT.” with Bruno Mars certainly changed that. The addictive track brought even more people to see what fans of the BLACKPINK vocalist have seen for almost a decade — Rosé is destined to shine.
Her upcoming debut studio album is scheduled to drop on Dec. 6 through Atlantic Records. Rosie is “the name I allow my friends and family to call me,” she shared on Instagram. “With this album, I hope you all feel that much closer to me.”
Rosé described the year-long process of making the record as “walking in and out of the studio, writing songs with songwriters and producers I’d met for the first time, trying to figure out the next chapter in my career,” and that she poured her “blood and tears” into it. The result is a relatable, emotional “little journal” (as she called it) of a promising global star.
Read more: Breaking Down Every Solo Act From BLACKPINK
Roddy Ricch — ‘The Navy Album’ (Dec. 6)
Roddy Ricch has been largely out of the spotlight since 2022’s mixtape Feed Tha Streets III, but this December will mark his awaited return. The Compton rapper is set to release his third studio effort, The Navy Album, on Dec. 6.
Although the official date might change (Ricch has since deleted the announcement post on X/Twitter), there’s a great chance The Navy Album will still come out this month — it follows 2019’s Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial and 2021’s Live Life Fast, which were both released in December of their respective years.
Throughout this year, Ricch featured on Gunna‘s “Let It Breathe” and Kendrick Lamar‘s “dodger blue.” Off the new album, he shared the rumoured lead single “Survivor’s Remorse” and “911.”
Laura Nyro — ‘Hear My Song: The Collection, 1966–1995’ (Dec. 6)
One of the most brilliant folk singers of the U.S., Laura Nyro, is getting a deserved rediscovery this month. Hear My Song: The Collection, 1966–1995 is coming Dec. 6, and includes a massive 19 albums, plus a 90-page coffee-table book with unseen photos and a foreword by Elton John.
Hear My Song compiles Nyro’s 10 studio albums, from her 1967 debut More Than a New Discovery to 2021’s posthumous Angel in the Dark, six live albums — two of which are previously unreleased — her 1966 Go Find The Moon demo tape, and a rarities CD.
Nyro’s work was a major influence on the work of Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Alicia Keys, St. Vincent, Tori Amos, and more. “She wrote songs that had no kind of fixed compass point,” said Elton John in a statement about the collection. “They remain as unique and absolutely spellbinding to this day as when I first heard them in the ’60s.”
Snoop Dogg & Dr. Dre — ‘Missionary’ (Dec. 13)
In 2022, Snoop Dogg teased the idea of a 30th-anniversary album to honor his 1993 masterpiece, Doggystyle. Widely regarded as one of the greatest rap records of all time, Doggystyle showcased the unparalleled synergy between Snoop and producer Dr. Dre.
Now, after much anticipation, the celebratory album — titled Missionary — finally has a release date: Dec. 13. Also produced by Dr. Dre, the project features 15 tracks, including the singles “Gorgeous” with Jhené Aiko and “Outta Da Blue” with Dre and Alus. On the remaining tracklist, there are stellar participations by Tom Petty, Sting, Jelly Roll, 50 Cent, Eminem, and more.
In an interview for ET, Dre said that working with Snoop was “much more fun” this time around. “We were kids at that time, you know what I mean?” he added. “This one is gonna show a different level of maturity with his lyrics and with my music. I feel like this is some of the best music I’ve done in my career.”
DMX — ‘Let Us Pray: Chapter X’ (Dec. 13)
While mostly known for his violent lyrics, late rapper DMX was a born-again Christian, and a deeply spiritual man. Therefore, his upcoming posthumous album, Let Us Pray: Chapter X, aims to explore a less-popular side of the iconic star.
Coming out Dec. 13, Let Us Pray will reflect on DMX’s complexity and emotionality by pairing his prayers with original music from GRAMMY-winning songwriter and producer Warryn Campbell. The album also packs a stellar line of contributors, including Snoop Dogg, Mary Mary, Killer Mike, MC Lyte, Lecrae, and more.
“Working on Let Us Pray: Chapter X has been one of the most fulfilling experiences for me as a creative,” Campbell said in a statement. “When you hear the voice of DMX, it inspires instant creativity and what better way to showcase who X really was than through prayer.”
Stray Kids — ‘合 (HOP)’ (Dec. 13)
As prolific as their labelmates TWICE, K-pop boy group Stray Kids are also closing 2024 on a big note. Their upcoming mixtape, 合 (HOP), is the first installment of a new project titled SKZHOP HIPTAPE — a name that combines Stray Kids’ abbreviation “SKZ” with “hip-hop.”
In a press release by their label JYP Entertainment, 合 (HOP) is said to carry a double meaning, combining “hop” from hip-hop and its Korean homophone, the hanja 合, which means “unity.”
The record is also described as containing “songs in Stray Kids’ own ‘new genre’ that can’t be officially defined.”
Stray Kids have been sharing sneak peeks of the songs through their “Unveil: Track” videos on social media. The tracklist also includes each member’s new solo songs — first performed during their ongoing Dominate World Tour. Track “U” features a first-class feature by Epik High’s frontman, Tablo.
Read more: What’s Next For K-Pop? A Roundtable Unpacks The Genre’s Past, Present And Future
Mario — ‘Glad You Came’ (Dec. 13)
It’s been six years since R&B notable Mario released a studio album, 2018’s Dancing Shadows. The much-anticipated Glad You Came will break that spell on Dec. 13.
“My successes and failures in the department of love and my imagination are what helped me to create this body of work,” Mario told Billboard in a recent interview about the new LP. “I had the pleasure of creating alongside James Fauntleroy, who executive-produced this project and wrote multiple songs with me. We have the same mission in our hearts of helping to preserve the art form.”
The Baltimore native added that Glad You Came “embodies the very essence of the quality of classic R&B and retro-futuristic sound that can be played in any space” and that it is permeated by “vulnerability and confidence.”
Mario shared the smooth singles “Space” and “Glad You Came” to preview the album. In January 2025, he will join Ne-Yo and Mary J. Blige on her The For My Fans Tour.
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