Photos from each artists Twitter accounts - Collage by Zane Kane
2022 is set to be one of the most significant years in entertainment history. Massive projects that have been planned for years are now set to come to light and astound us. Everything from movies to music will impact us in ways you could only dream about. This year will be so big that it will take more than just one article to cover it all. This will be a four-part series showing you why you should be excited for 2022. Each part will be released daily over the next four days, and the final part will be released on January 16th. To start here is the first part about music.
This will be a year to remember for music, with major artists like The Weeknd, J. Cole, and Kendrick Lamar set to release albums. But, the thing with the music industry is you never honestly know who else will release music, as many artists love to keep things a secret. So, for the sake of this breakdown, let’s talk about what we know should be coming in the next calendar year.
Dawn FM by The Weeknd
There is genuinely only one way to get the music year started, and that is with one of the biggest musical acts on the Planet. The Weeknd dropped one of the biggest albums of the last five years in 2020 with After Hours. The album created a whole new musical universe where The Weeknd starred as a dangerous individual who was just as insane as interesting. The album discussed his rise and fall and eventual implied passing. Fast forward to this year, and The Weeknd announces a sequel album titled ‘Dawn FM.’ The new album acts as a continuation of After Hours and features Jim Carrey as a radio disc jockey that guides you through what he calls ‘the great transition.’ The album’s concept is fascinating, and listeners have only just begun to discover what this new chapter of the story has for us. Dawn FM will surely be in the running for album of the year, and we are barely two weeks into the new year.
Sick! by Earl Sweatshirt
Earl Sweatshirt is a name rap fans have not heard in a long time. He rose to fame in the rap group ‘Odd Future’ which featured big names like Tyler the Creator and Frank Ocean. Earl Sweatshirt’s last official release came in 2019 with ‘Solace.’ It appears he is now ready to make his complete comeback to the music scene with his new album ‘Sick!’. Not much is known about the album, but longtime fans hope he maintains his classic sound, something some returning artists have failed to do. The new album is expected to be released on January 14th.
Untitled BTS Album
BTS is one of the biggest musical acts in the world. They rocked the music charts in 2021 with mega hits like ‘Permission to Dance’ and ‘Butter.’ In 2020, they also released the iconic song ‘Dynamite.’ But since these massive hits have been released, word of a new album has been kept under wraps. However, it has been revealed by those close to the music group that they do hope to release an album in 2022. Whether these instant classic songs will be on the tracklist or not is unknown, but expect this year to be filled with more BTS to come.
Untitled Kendrick Lamar Album
Kendrick Lamar is and has been the unofficial ‘King of Rap.’ Every release he puts out hits the charts and becomes the music of the year. Lamar’s last album release came in 2017 with ‘Damn.’ ‘Damn’ featured some unbelievably big songs like Humble, DNA, and Loyalty. After the release, Kendrick Lamar also worked on the soundtrack to the Marvel movie ‘Black Panther,’ but since then, there has been no word on what Kendrick would do next. That was until late 2021 when he made his return on the song ‘Family Ties’ by Baby Keem. On that track, Kendrick promised to ‘stunt on your top fives’ and make this year his year. With the track record Kendrick Lamar has and the hype and expectation surrounding his releases, expect the eventual album to be a highlight of what could be a legendary year.
The Fall Off/It’s A Boy by J. Cole
From one legendary rapper to another, J. Cole is set to release the next album in what he calls the ‘Fall Off Era.’ It is unknown whether the album’s name will be ‘The Fall Off’ or ‘It’s A Boy,’ but both names have been linked to his project. No matter the name J. Cole will surely deliver an inspirational and intellectual serving of rap music to make us think about life. Cole’s knowledgeable and almost gospel-like lyrics preach greatness and goodness to the world in every song. The only question is will Cole manage to top the legendary Kendrick Lamar for Rap Album of the Year?
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