The Most Anticipated Upcoming Albums of 2020

2020 has not been the year that any of us wanted or expected it to be. Yet despite the current global tragedy that is unfolding, the music world and our pop favourites have been bringing us happiness, hope, and sweet juicy bops. We have compiled this list of some of the most exciting pop releases still to come in 2020 and all the details that you need to know about them.

Kiesza – Crave

Due: 14th of August
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Canadian singer Kiesza has dropped three of the album’s nine tracks already. January saw the release of When Boys Don’t Cry – a glistening piece of nu-disco with gentle synths and an infectious chorus. She followed this with standout single All Of The Feelings, a sugary eighties inspired piece of shimmering pop, which you can hear above. Kiesza has not let recent world events stop her from promoting the single, inventively filming the video in isolation. The most recent taste of Crave is the recently released title track, which continues to tap into nostalgic pop influences – there is definitely a hint of Michael Jackson’s Man in the Mirror to be heard. The full nine track album is available from next week.

Daphne Guinness – Revelations

Due: 14th of August
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We have been waiting with baited breath for details regarding Daphne Guinness’s third album after the release of lead singles Hallucinations and Deviant Disco. The fashion icon has revealed that the Tony Visconti produced album titled Revelations will be released on August 14th 2020 on vinyl, CD, and streaming services. The album’s title track was a gorgeous slice of theatrical pop packed with sharp lyricism and elegant production. Deviant Disco also features, a track which transports us to a raucous mythical nightclub of imagination with echoes of seventies Bowie and T-Rex. Daphne’s third album is said to channel the ‘nonchalant grooves of mid 70’s Gainsbourg, sprinkled with the dance floor decadence of Studio 54.’ 

Erasure – The Neon

Due: 21st of August
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On their new the album, British pop duo Erasure note: “It was about refreshing my love – hopefully our love – of great pop. I want kids now to hear these songs! I wanted to recharge that feeling that pop can come from anyone.” An album totally centred on a love of pop music sounds like an absolute dream. An official press release for the album notes: “The Neon offers us warmth and a brilliant brightness in our strange, silent times. It connects us to our pasts and our futures as it glistens with hope. It creates beautiful places where our imaginations can roam, bringing us together, twinkling and beaming. The Neon puts you and me in the real world again, now and forever, lit up and alive.” The Neon hits stores later this month.

HRVY – Can Anybody Hear Me?

Due: 28th of August
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British rising pop talent HRVY has been hard at work releasing singles since 2017 (although he did release standalone single Thank You in 2014 as Harvey Cantwell). Four years on, HRVY announces his debut album will be arriving on the 28th of August. He has also dropped the fresh new track NEVERMIND which you can hear above. Titled Can Anybody Hear Me? the album contains the singles: Me Because of You, Personal, Told You So, Million Ways, and Hasta Luego. The album is released in standard edition with thirteen tracks – including all those mentioned and a deluxe edition including six extra collaborative tracks such as HRVY’s collabs with Sigala, Jonas Blue and R3HAB.

Hurts – Faith

Due: 4th of September
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British synthpop duo Hurts recently returned with the thrilling Voices last month and now reveal that the track will be part of a wider album, titled Faith. Due for release on the 4th of September, Faith is set to contain eleven tracks. As well as the upcoming album being announced, the duo made up of Theo Hutchcraft and Adam Anderson have released another taster of the LP – the brooding Suffer. The track is a dramatic, sexually charged anthem that maintains the dark imagery of previous single Voices.

Tom Aspaul – Black Country Disco

Due: 14th of September (Digitally)
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Tom has currently released Close 2 Me, Tender, Traces, and W.M. with a 100% success rate. The album’s notes tell us: In an almost continuous mix – the album tells the story of a tumultuous 18 months – beginning with music industry frustrations, to the end of a five year relationship and ultimately, to leaving life in London behind after eleven years. Arriving back home in the Midlands and inspired to write, while listening to disco and 80s synthpop – ‘Black Country Disco’ was born. Vinyl copies are expected 8-12 weeks once the project achieves its September 1st goal. You’re not just getting an album of wall to wall pop treats – check out the stunning cinematic artwork and gorgeous turquoise colouring of the LP. The album will be released digitally September 14th. Help support the release which has now brilliantly surpassed its goal here.

Bright Light Bright Light – Fun City

Due: 18th of September
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Bright Light Bright Light’s upcoming album Fun City – due for release September 18th is set to be one of the pop highlights of 2020. The set features collaborations with queer icons such as Justin Vivian Bond and Andy Bell, and stars Brendan Maclean and Sam Sparro. You can check out Bright Light Bright Light’s official store for a lot of exciting variants of the album – we have fallen in love with the pink vinyl already!

Max – Colour Vision

Due: 18th of September
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For almost a year American artist MAX has been dropping singles from his upcoming album Colour Vision starting with the Quinn XCII assisted Love Me Less back in April 2019. Now over a year on MAX’s second solo album has a release date – September 18th and a twelve song tracklist to go with it. The handsome twenty-eight year old New Yorker has been providing the slick pop anthems that will make up the album, including Love Me Less, Acid Dreams, Checklist, Where Am I At, and Missed Calls. The album’s press release notes: “MAX’s new music continues to dive deeper into spreading a message of being true to who you are, wearing what you want to wear, loving who you want to love and feeling accepted.” This is clear from the smooth contemporary pop stylings of the previously released tracks’ production and also the impeccable bright and bold aesthetic angle that the album takes

Sufjan Stevens – The Ascension

Due: 25th of September
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It’s time to celebrate as Sufjan Stevens has announced new material is arriving incredibly soon in the form of fresh single America and album The Ascension released on September 25th.  The album is written, recorded and produced by Sufjan and is his eighth solo studio album, following 2015’s Carrie & Lowell. This was followed by collaborative LP Planetarium in 2017, ballet soundtrackThe Decalogue, and collaborative new age release Aporia earlier this year. Although Sufjan has had a productive few years we are incredibly excited by the thought of his returning to his expected poetic singer-songwriter material work.

Róisín Murphy – Róisín Machine

Due: 25th of September
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Róisín Murphy is helping 2020 be just that little bit better thanks to the intelligent dancefloor anthems that she has been releasing to keep us going. The latest of these is the freshly dropped Something More which will be part of upcoming album Róisín Machine due September 25th.

Melanie C – Melanie C

Due: 2nd of October
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Melanie C’s journey to become a queen of the dancefloor continues with her latest single – In and Out Of Love. To make matters even more exciting, the Spice Girl has also confirmed that her latest studio album, titled Melanie C, will be released October 2nd. Mel’s upcoming album features previous singles Who I Am and Blame It On Me as well as In and Out Of Love. Her collaboration with Sink the Pink, High Heels, unfortunately does not feature on the standard release but thankfully appears on a deluxe CD edition of the album. In and Out Of Love is a slinky electronic anthem that sees Mel collaborate with writers Biff Stannard (fresh from producing Kylie’s latest Say Something), Jonathan Howard, and Joseph Murphy. The track is produced by 1Bit.

Annie – Dark Hearts

Due: 16th of October
Pre-Order: Not yet available

Norway’s Annie surprised us all with a moody return to form with last month’s American Cars. The singer was quick to announce that the new single would be part of her long awaited third album, Dark Hearts, due in October. If that excitement wasn’t enough, Annie has also released the second taster of the album, The Bomb. The Bomb is written by Annie and Stefan Storm, who also produces the track. The somewhat experimental electronic synth anthem uses impressive looping vocal effects, pairing Annie’s inviting vocals with edgy dance production. Like American Cars, the new track is helping shape the Dark Hearts album up to be an incredibly cinematic album thanks to the darkness in the touch and richness in the accompanying aesthetics.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor – Songs from the Kitchen Disco

Due: 23rd of October
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Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Songs from the Kitchen Disco looks set to take a selection of her greatest hits and some Ellis-Bextorfied covers of other classics and bring them all together on a handy collection. The tracklist has yet to be announced but it is said to feature an original new single.

Kylie Minogue – Disco

Due: 18th of November
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Kylie has worked with an eclectic mix of production talent for upcoming album Disco including French producer and regular Madonna collaborator Mirwais, German disco pop producer Mousse T, and Italian DJ Alex Gaudino. One thing is for certain, this album is certainly gearing up to deliver everything the fans want, as the very straight to the point title Disco and iconic cover art showcases (it looks like an acclaimed lost Giorgio Moroder or Cerrone produced disco album from 1979 and we are HERE FOR IT).