In 2020, the music industry differed greatly from years past. From the lack of live performances and concerts to the inability to shoot music videos, music took shape in many different forms and produced various challenges for artists. 

 But, with a new year comes new opportunities, including the chance to release new albums. With a return to normalcy hopefully coming soon, many artists are preparing to release albums that were delayed during quarantine. In the spirit of this, here are five of the most anticipated albums of 2021.

Rihanna 

After a long break from music, Rihanna gave fans a small piece of hope last March after joining PARTYNEXTDOOR on “ BELIEVE IT,” a track from his fourth studio album PartyMobile. Focusing on Fenty Beauty and Savage X Fenty over the past few years, the singer has not released an album since ANTI in 2016, though many believe that this could be the year that she does. In 2018, she suggested that she was working on a reggae album and in 2019, she captioned an Instagram post with “Update: me listening to R9 by myself and refusing to release it.” With the artist teasing her fans and anticipation growing greatly, her ninth studio album definitely tops the list. 

Adele 

It has been more than five years since Adele released 25, her third studio album. But, after hosting “Saturday Night Live” in October 2020, it seems as if an album is coming this year. In her opening monologue for SNL she addressed rumors, stating, “My album isn’t finished,” though this does not mean that she is not working on the project. After the show, she posted a picture on Instagram that was captioned with “Peace out til next year,” which could possibly foreshadow that an album may be coming this year. Though there is no date established, fans are on the lookout for this new release. 

Drake

Drake announced his fifth studio album Certified Lover Boy in August with the release of “Laugh Now Cry Later,” a collaboration with Lil Durk that topped the Billboard Hot 100 Charts. Though he hasn’t released an album since Scorpion in 2018, Drake is consistently releasing music, from the EP The Best in the World Pack to Care Package and Dark Lane Demo Tapes. This year we can look forward to an official album from the artist, who is rumored to release Certified Lover Boy this month. Though there is not an official release date yet, fans are constantly on the lookout for an official announcement from the rapper, as surprise releases are prominent within rap culture. 

Lana Del Rey

Chemtrails Over the Country Club was delayed to the COVID-19 pandemic, though Lana Del Rey announced that it would be released on March 19 of this year. On Sunday, the singer released the cover art and track list for the album, making it official. With 11 tracks and a length of 45 minutes, this album comes around two years after her previous album and has fans excited to see what Del Rey will discuss on the album, as she has been in the face of controversy for the last few months. 

Kendrick Lamar
Before the pandemic hit the United States, Kendrick Lamar was set to headline Glastonbury and Bilbao BBK in 2020. After not releasing any new solo music since the “Black Panther” soundtrack in 2018, Lamar appeared on Busta Rhymes’ new “Look Over your Shoulder,” which has led fans to believe that an album may be in the works. Though he has been very tight-lipped about his plans of a future album, the world is looking forward to some new music from Kung Fu Kenny.