Above photo: After a year-long hiatus, Travis Scott is expected to drop a new album alongside numerous other artists in 2018. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
By Alexander Eubanks
2017 delivered some of the best albums of this decade, with artists Lorde and Brand New coming back from extended hiatuses, but 2018 has the potential to be just as good, if not better.
Several up-and-coming artists are bringing their debut LP’s to the table this year and other artists are slated to come out with projects breaking them out of musical dry spells. Here’s a look at ten promising artists to watch in 2018.
A$AP Rocky- While Rocky previously stated in an interview with GQ that the follow up to his fantastic 2015 album “At. Long. Last. ASAP” would be released by the end of 2017, no album has yet to be announced. Fans, however, eagerly await what could be a new album in 2018. Rocky has since put out two clips of what might be new tracks on his Instagram, and it’s safe to to assume we’re close to a new album from one of the most creative minds in modern hip hop.
Billie Eilish- Nothing has yet to be announced by the pop prodigy, who turned 16 last December, but the odds are strong that she comes through with an album to follow up her phenomenal debut EP “Don’t Smile at Me.” The young artist has received support from many popular artists, namely Lorde, and recently came out with a track featuring Vince Staples.
Rich Brian– Brian Imanuel, formerly known as Rich Chigga, recently changed his stage name to Rich Brian and announced his debut album, which is slated to be released on February 2nd. While the track listing hasn’t been announced yet, the new tracks that he’s dropped, “Chaos,” “Crisis” with 21 Savage and “See Me,” suggest that this new album could be first step to Rich Brian being taken more seriously.
Brockhampton- Hip hop’s first, and most successful, boy band announced a new album due in 2018 right before their release of the last album in the “Saturation” trilogy. Titled “Team Effort,” the album’s exact release date is still unknown, but with the group’s work ethic, a summer release is a safe prediction. Given that their last album hit top 15 on the Billboard top 200, it’ll be interesting to see how they deal with the newfound fame in the new year.
Car Seat Headrest- Despite being on hiatus most of 2017, Car Seat Headrest could be looking at a busy 2018. After an incredible 2016, which included their “Teens of Denial” album—arguably one of the best albums of that year—Will Toledo and his band finally found commercial success to match the critical acclaim they had already become accustomed to.
Will Toledo has put out 10 albums in 7 years and there’s a strong possibility that he will come out with another album this year. With the remake of the band’s 2011 album “Twin Fantasy” projected to be released on Feb. 16 and a subsequent tour already planned for the year, there’s a chance another new album comes out by the end of 2018 as well.
Charli XCX- While the British Pop Star is most known for her work on Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” and her own hit “Boom Clap,” Charli XCX has recently been attempting to switch lanes from traditional pop to electro pop. This lane switch led to her releasing two solid mixtapes last year and an album that was pushed back several times over the course of 2017. While the album might not arrive while she continues to face issues with her label, she could still have a big year without the album if she continues her mixtape success.
Earl Sweatshirt- The former Odd Future standout has been extremely quiet since the release of his last project, but he recently confirmed on Twitter that he would be releasing new music in 2018. Being one of the most talented rappers in the game, it would set up a great year for music if he came out with a new album.
Superorganism- After Frank Ocean played one of their tracks on his “Blonded” radio show, Superorganism experienced a rise in fame just in time for their upcoming album. Their newest album is set to be released on March 2nd, resulting in the indie group being put on the “must watch list” of several large music publications including Pitchfork and Fader.
The band, which lives together in an apartment in London, came out with four dope singles leading up their self titled debut album, and the band’s potential is limitless. Superorganism could easily be one of the most successful up-and-coming artists of the year.
Travis Scott- Despite expectations that a new album was coming in 2017, the world is still waiting on Travis Scott’s “Astroworld,” which should be released sometime this year. I’m genuinely nervous about this album because Travis Scott’s recent music doesn’t sound as unique and creative as “Rodeo” did, and the latest collab with Quavo was mediocre. Hopefully Travis proves me wrong and comes through with another great album.
Vampire Weekend- Ezra Koenig told Pitchfork that the new Vampire Weekend album was “80 percent done but the last 20 is the hardest part,” which led to expectation for an album drop in late 2017 or early 2018. The album’s working title is “Mitsubishi Macchiato,” and while producer Rostam Batmanglij has since left the group, he still is expected to be involved in the album.
Their 2013 album “Modern Vampires of the City” was one of the best albums of the decade and was widely considered the album of the year for 2013. The band has a history of steadily improving every album.
