Welcome to 2008: New Albums Ahead

Happy New Year!!! 2008 is here.

Here's a look at 40 new album releases lined up for the next few months (the * are my most anticipated):

Jan 7/8

Tom Baxter - Skybound. Singer-songwriter based in London. This is his second album, featuring gentle first single "Better."

Jan 14/15

Magnetic Fields - Distortion. The US indie band follows up its 2004 album i (where every song's title began with "I"). Read more here.

Jan 21/22

Eels – Meet The Eels: Essential Eels Vol. 1: 1996-2006/Useless Trinckets. Separate releases of greatest hits and rarities collections.

Natasha Bedingfield - Pocketful of Sunshine. In a sense the US release of 2007's NB, but it's been heavily reworked. Over half the album are new songs that weren't on NB, and even that album's single "I Wanna Have Your Babies" was excluded.

Nelly - Brass Knuckles. The rapper's fifth album (if you count Sweat and Suit as separate), which was supposed to come out in 2007, but was pushed back. First single "Wadsyaname" did not become a hit.

Jan 28/29

Adele - 19. The debut album from British soul singer Adele Laurie Blue Adkins with first single "Hometown Glory." Check out her myspace page.

The Mars Volta - The Bedlam in Goliath. Fourth album from the American prog rock band.

Feb 4/5

Jack Johnson - Sleep Through the Static. His fifth album, featuring first single "If I Had Eyes."

Sheryl Crow - Detours. Her sixth studio album, featuring first single "Shine Over Babylon."

Morcheeba - Dive Deep. Their sixth studio album, featuring a number of vocalists such as Judy Tzuke on "Enjoy the Ride," which can be heard here.

Hot Chip - Made in the Dark. The band's third album, which they say will be more rock, in addition to electronic.

Lenny Kravitz - It Is Time for a Love Revolution. His eight album.

Nada Surf - Lucky. Fifth album from American indie rock band.

Feb 11/12



Michael Jackson - Thriller 25th Anniversay Edition. Can't put out a new album so why not re-release pop music's most famous classic? Includes remixes of old favorites featuring new artists like Kanye West on "Billie Jean 2008" and Fergie on "Beat It 2008" No Joke.



Boy Kill Boy - Stars and the Sea. British rock band's second album featuring first single "No Conversation"



Simple Plan - Simple Plan. Canadian band's third album.



Feb 18/19



*The Feeling - Join With Us. Second album from the British band, following up excellent Twelve Stops and Home. First single is "I Thought It Was Over."



Robbie Williams -Let's Swing Again. Follow-up to his 2001 "Swing When You're Winning" album of swing covers.



Feb 25/26



*Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree. Their fourth album and my second most anticipated new release, after Madonna of course. First single is "A&E."



*Janet Jackson - Discipline. Can Janet get her groove back? After two flop albums, she's hoping this will do the trick. She's jettisonned her longtime collaborators Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, bringing on fresher names like Rodney Jerkins, Stargate and Ne-Yo. First single "Feedback" is a good start.



*The B-52's - Funplex. Their first album in 16 years.



Mar 3



*Duffy - Rockferry. Debut release from the Welsh singer, already getting buzz as the next Amy Winehouse (hopefully for the music, not the antics).



Mar 10



*Moby - Last Night. His ninth album, reportedly more dance/electronic.



Mar 18



Ashlee Simpson - Bittersweet World. Her third album.



Mar 25



Panic! at the Disco - You Don't Have to Worry.



Mar/31Apr 1



*R.E.M. - Accerlate

Supergrass - Diamond Hoo Ha



Apr 4



Gnarls Barkley - Atlantis



Apr 14



The Kooks - Konk



Apr 22



Weezer - TBA (sixth album)



No date:



*Madonna - TBA

*Coldplay - TBA (fourth album)

*Dido - TBA

*Will Young - fourth album

*Franz Ferdinand - TBA (May)

*Mariah Carey - TBA

Alanis Morissette - Flavors of Entanglement (April)

Black Eyed Peas - END - The Energy Never Dies

Guns N Roses - The Chinese Democracy (Feb)



Will we ever hear this?



*Whitney Houston - TBA (sixth album)