Music: Our Most Anticipated Comebacks of 2020

A comeback is an odd term, but we are nonetheless going to head this post with it. Whether it constitutes the return of an artist who has been in the musical wilderness for decades or simply taking a couple of years break from releasing albums, we have highlighted a range of artists who are due to return in 2020 with new studio albums. Some of these have official, confirmed release dates, whilst others have had new releases speculated by the press or are known to be bubbling away in the studio. Not all of these artists will return in the first year of the new twenties, so we’ve tried to increase the fun by adding a percentage likelihood of these artists ACTUALLY getting on with it and firing out new material (ABBA, we’re looking at you).

Louise
Likelihood: 100%

Louise Redknapp ends a two decade hiatus from the studio with Heavy Love her first studio album since 2000’s Elbow Beach. Much has changed in the singer’s life, something that is reflected in the already-released tracks such as Lead Me On, Not the Same, Stretch and Hammer. Each release has gone from strength to strength and Heavy Love is set to be a promising pop start to the new decade.

La Roux
Likelihood: 100%

After six years away from releasing music, La Roux return with Supervision in February 2020. The new eight track set is headed by International Woman of Leisure and Gullible Fool which feel like quintessential tracks from the synthpop star.

Marc Almond
Likelihood: 100%

The British pop icon releases his first new solo album following a successful Soft Cell reunion. Chaos and a Dancing Star sees Almond return to moody theatrical gothic pop music as teased in already released tracks Lord of Misrule and Hollywood Forever.

Daphne Guinness
Likelihood: 95%

Model and Alexander McQueen muse Daphne Guinness has released two surprisingly fantastic LPs: the haunting Optimist in Black, and the more glam-rock sounding Daphne and the Golden Chord. She has teased new music coming in 2020 on her Instagram page – which we’ll be sure to feature when released.

The Fizz
Likelihood: 90%

Cheryl Baker and her former Bucks Fizz pals have continued to work under the name The Fizz and will release their latest album in 2020. Their debut under the new moniker, The F-Z of Pop, was a joyous piece of kitsch pop that one would expect from the team behind Making Your Mind Up. If their Mike Stock produced follow-up sticks to this style, it is sure to be a hit with classic pop fans.

Niall Horan
Likelihood: 90%

The former One Direction heartthrob has already released two singles from the as yet unannounced sophomore release. The likelihood is that it will be debuting in 2020 and embrace a more nineties inspired pop-rock sound than his rootsier predecessor.

Steps
Likelihood: 90%

The UK pop stalwarts delivered a barnstorming comeback with their 2017 album Tears on the Dancefloor, which provided the very hits that Steps fans were craving. The group have been recording a follow-up on the cards for a 2020 release.

RuPaul
Likelihood: 85%

As Drag Race and the other properties that come with it have grown in success RuPaul’s musical productivity has lessened over the years. The star who did release near enough an album a year has not released an original studio album since 2017 – a normal hiatus for any performer, yet a lifetime for Ru music fans. The performer is said to be releasing an album comprised of the original tracks from his upcoming Netflix series AJ and the Queen which hits Netflix January 10th.

Rufus Wainwright
Likelihood: 80%

The singer-songwriter dropped Trouble in Paradise back in October and has teased his upcoming new album for a 2020 release – set to be his first original pop album since 2012’s Out of the Game.

Alanis Morissette
Likelihood: 80%

Morissette unveiled latest single Reasons I Drink – a stonking return to form – and the lead single from her May 2020 album Such Pretty Forks in the Road. The single was Morissette’s first in seven years.

Cher
Likelihood: 75%

The iconic pop goddess is set to debut her second ABBA collection in 2020 containing “When All is Said & Done”, “ Chiquitita en Español”, ”Take a Chance On Me”, “I Do,I Do,I Do,I Do,I Do”, “Super Trooper”, “Voulez Vous” and two yet to be unveiled tracks.

Sam Hunt
Likelihood: 60%

The country star’s long gestating follow-up album to 2014’s Montevallo is due to arrive in 2020. The set was headed by 2019’s Kinfolks, yet its follow up single Sinning With You was delayed due to Hunt’s drink driving debacle. With a performance on Dick Clark’s New Year special, the release schedule should hopefully get back on track – although we know the country zaddy likes to tease us, so don’t count this as a 100% cert.

Enrique Iglesias
Likelihood: 55%

The Latin pop icon has not released an album since 2014’s stellar Sex and Love and whilst their is no confirmation of the follow-up being in the works, we’re sure the normally productive pop star will be back with some new material in 2020.

Lady Gaga
Likelihood: 55%

2020 is the year that we’re ready for the pop star Gaga to make an all guns blazing return. LG6 is rumoured to arrive in early 2020 and Billboard recapped all that was known about the set – which isn’t much. We do however know that whatever Gaga blesses us with that we’ll be very grateful – just not Joanne Vol. 2.

Kylie Minogue
Likelihood: 50%

With her Golden campaign being neatly wrapped up and some clean cut Summer greatest hits shows under her belt, Kylie is rumoured to be firing out a new album in 2020. Whether she sticks to the countrified sound of Golden or moves back to her dancepop sound is anyone’s guess. We’re leaning towards the latter.

Britney Spears
Likelihood: 50%

Word that Britney was working on her tenth album emerged last January and hopefully we see the fruits of this at some point in 2020. Ninth album Glory was a tremendous return to form for the singer and re-teaming with songwriter Justin Tranter is surely a recipe to repeat that success.

Diana Ross
Likelihood: 25%

Diana Ross has met with Mark Ronson to discuss her plans to release a new album in 2020 and we could not be more excited by that concept. An album of original music from Ross with a superproducer like Ronson at the helm almost feels like a fantasy. We’ll keep the likelihood low to play it safe.

ABBA
Likelihood: 10%

We dip the likelihood down further for ABBA’s musical comeback. We know the foursome will never tour but new material from the Swedish pop icons fills us with excitement. The songs I Still Have Faith in You and Don’t Shut Me Down were due for a 2018 release but have been subsequently delayed. Rumours about a full album being produced have swirled around the web, but have been denied by the band. We still have hopes that a new studio album will emerge in 2020.

Grace Jones
Likelihood: 10%

The alternative Jamaican pop icon has been working with Ivor Guest on the follow-up to 2008’s Hurricane, yet there is no news of a set release date. Jones, who famously has no concept of time, has teased new music as recently as September 2019.