Unlike 2016, this year has probably not been one of the best for pop music, but it surely has been an interesting one. We got amazing debuts like Dua Lipa’s self-titled album; comebacks such as Kesha’s Rainbow, and plain good records like Allie X’s CollXtion II. However, there are still three and a half months to go, and our ears are not done getting pleasure yet. Here is a list of some pop records that you should be expecting.
Fifth Harmony – Fifth Harmony
Credit: Fifth Harmony/Epic Records
After a year from their second studio album and the departure of member Camila Cabello, Fifth Harmony is ready to release their third, and most mature record yet. The era officially started on June 2 when they released the first single titled “Down”, which featured Gucci Mane and entered the Top 50 at Billboard’s Hot 100. They have co-written more than half of this album, which probably means it will be more personal. Lauren Jauregui and Normani Kordei, especially, have been very vocal about their disapproval of Donald Trump’s presidency and the current state of the nation, so for the closing song on Fifth Harmony the girl band co-wrote “Bridges”, which chorus says “We build bridges / Oh, we build bridges / No, we won’t separate / We know love can conquer hate”.
Track to check out: The first promotional single (potential single?), Angel.
Release date: August, 25.
Miley Cyrus – Younger Now
Credit: Miley Cyrus/RCA Records
Miley Cyrus has gone through one hell of a ride in her life and in her career. After releasing five albums including those recorded in her Hannah Montana times, the outrageous Bangerz and the experimental Dead Petz, she is ready to let the world see and hear a completely new and fresh side of her with Younger Now. The first single “Malibu” turned into a hit, and it was inspired by her boyfriend Liam Hemsworth, who she broke up with back in 2013 and got engaged back again with, in 2016. For this album, she has collaborated with her godmother and country legend Dolly Parton in the track “Rainbowland”.
“This is Miley leaning into her roots more than I’ve ever heard,” said her father Billy Ray Cyrus to Billboard. “For her, this is honest.”
Track to check out: the second single and title track, Younger Now.
Release date: September, 29.
Camila Cabello – The Hurting, the Healing, the Loving
Credit: Billboard/Miller Mobley
After leaving Fifth Harmony, Camila Cabello started working harder than ever to get her name around, and her solo career officially kicked off. She has released one single and three promotional singles, she has been featured in songs by Major Lazer, Pitbull, and Cashmere Cat, she has been chosen to be the face of Guess and Skechers and she is currently touring as Bruno Mars’ opening act in North America. Now, she is getting her debut album ready to officially cement her as a force to be reckoned with, in the industry. She announced it on social media on May, 14 and wrote: “‘the hurting the healing the loving’ is the story of my journey from darkness into light, from a time when I was lost to a time when I found myself again.”
Personally, I did not expect to like her solo music as I currently am. I have really enjoyed all four of the songs she has released, especially the last two, so I am really curious about how this debut album is gonna turn out.
Track to check out: her collaboration with Young Thug, Havana.
Release date: To be announced
P!NK – Beautiful Trauma
Credit: P!nk/RCA Records
After releasing The Truth About Love, one of the best-selling albums of 2013, Pink left the spotlight for a while to dedicate herself to songwriting, and other projects of hers. On August 10th 2017, she released the single What About Us, a song that could be both about love and protest, along with a release date, tracklist, and cover art for her seventh studio album Beautiful Trauma. Little details about this record are known, besides the fact that — Just Like Fire (the track she wrote for the soundtrack of the 2016 movie Alice Through the Looking Glass) will not be included in it, so we will have to await more information.
Track to check out: the only one released so far, What About Us.
Release date: October, 13.
Charli XCX – TBA
Credit: Olivia Malone
A lot has changed for Charli XCX since the release of her debut album True Romance. If we compare her previous work to her 2016 and 2017 releases, Vroom Vroom and Number 1 Angel respectively we can easily realize that although the spirit is still there, she has really let go and is now making the best music she can make. For her mixtape, she got a bunch of talented women to sing and rap with her such as Danish pop superstar MØ and newly popular Chicago rapper CupcakKe in a record that is based on electronic pop that is great to dance and cry to. On July 26th, she did quite the opposite by releasing the song Boys along with its music video that is filled only with male celebrity cameos like Joe Jonas and Riz Ahmed. Reportedly most of the album has already leaked, but Charli and her team are yet to confirm more information about it.
Track to check out: After the Afterparty featuring Lil Yachty, although we do not know if it will be a part of the tracklist or not.
Release date: To be announced.
