As the end of the year and the decade comes to a close, many are looking back at the best albums of the past 10 years. With only one month left of the 2010s, the Emerald took a look forward into some of the most anticipated albums of this December.
The Free Nationals – The Free Nationals
Many know The Free Nationals only as the backing band of Anderson .Paak. You may have seen them performing alongside him in his Tiny Desk Concert for NPR, or perhaps at a live show.
Now the time has come for their own album. Including the single, “Shibuya,” which features The Internet’s Syd, the project is sure to be packed with funky, soulful music and a modern twist.
According to Consequence of Sound, the record is packed with other guest features: Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Daniel Caesar, Kali Uchis, JID and more.
Their self-titled debut album will be out on Dec. 13.
The Who – WHO
The Who band is a rock staple. Starting their career journey in the 1960s, The Who were a large part of the British Invasion, causing a shift in music and culture as we knew it. Songs like “Baba O’Riley,” “Pinball Wizard” and “My Generation” are still relevant today, with hundreds of millions of listens on Spotify, a streaming platform that started more than 50 years after the band’s inception.
While Roger Daltrey’s voice and the band’s musical style have both changed, it’s still The Who that everyone loves. From its September single, “Ball and Chain,” you can hear the differences between the band’s original sound and its style today.
The Who’s self-titled album comes out Dec. 6.
Harry Styles – Fine Line
Once one of the five members of the British boy band One Direction, Harry Styles is paving the way for his solo music career. After releasing his self-titled debut album in 2017, he continues to expand his repertoire.
Following his Saturday Night Live debut a few weeks ago, where he performed both as the host and musical guest, fans of all ages have the singer on their minds. He has proven that he’s more than his boy band past, and while his music is still pop-heavy, he’s separating himself from how fans used to know him. The sultry music video released last month for his song “Lights Up” shows that he’s grown past his boy band days.
“Fine Line” comes out Dec. 13.
Kanye West – “Jesus is Born”
We’ve seen Kanye West’s journey from a shutter shades-wearing, A Tribe Called Quest-loving, early-2000s hip-hop staple to a born-again Christian, premarital sex-denouncing, cultural phenomenon in 2019. Over this past decade, Kanye has had quite the transformation both sonically and personally. This past decade, he’s released seven albums, all with different sounds and impacts. His latest album, “Jesus is King,” was released in October and he’s already back in December with another Jesus-centric project, a gospel album titled “Jesus is Born.” This album was made with the Sunday Service, a gospel group he started that has been traveling together for almost a year.
“Jesus is Born” is set to come out on Dec. 25.
Camila Cabello – “Romance”
Camila Cabello first started out in Fifth Harmony, the female pop ensemble that ran strong until 2016, when Cabello left the group to start her solo career. In 2018, the singer released her debut album, “Camila.” Since then, she’s gained more traction in the pop world, especially this year with the release of her song “Señorita,” a collaboration with Shawn Mendes. The two artists have gained popularity since then, earning a Grammy nomination for the duet. Next month, Cabello is set to release her sophomore album, “Romance,” a record diving deep into her personal love life over the past few years.
“Romance” comes out on Dec. 6.
