Complex’s 25 Most Anticipated Albums of 20103:23 pm | Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
#10: LCD Soundstsyem TBD
RELEASE DATE? April 2010
PRODUCERS/COLLABORATORS: N/A
WHAT WE KNOW: Little has been said about UK dance-punk group’s new album—so far we have the faux title: ‘Internet Sensation!’ and the band’s cover of Alan Vega’s “Bye Bye Bayou” (which will not appear on the album) to hold us over. We do know recording has taken place in LA and New York with work from members Al Doyle, Pat Mahoney, and Gavin Russom. Most recent word from front man James Murphy (as told to NME) is that the new album is “definitely better than the other two” and will have a “wider palette of sound” than the group’s self-titled debut and wildly influential Sound of Silver album.
#9: Kid Cudi Cudder: The Revolution of Evolution
RELEASE DATE? Second Quarter
PRODUCERS/COLLABORATORS: Kanye West, The Neptunes, Snoop Dogg
WHAT WE KNOW: Party time, excellent! See, it’s like this: Kid Cudi’s life has changed and his new album will reflect it. Where MOTM was maudlin, thoughtful and self-deprecating, Cudder will be buoyant and exuberant. And where MOTM had barely any guests, and was produced mostly by his in-house team, Cudder will feature the likes of Snoop and beats by The Neptunes. Yeah. That happens when you score a number one record, fuck mad hoes, and cop a crib in Tribeca. Trust us. We know.
#8: MGMT Congratulations
RELEASE DATE? Spring 2010
PRODUCERS/COLLABORATORS: Sonic Boom, Dave Fridmann, Chemical Brothers (rumored)
WHAT WE KNOW: Having ridden to improbable success in 2008, the boys from Brooklyn (by way of Boston burbs) are ready to follow up the album that spawned anthems like “Kids” and “Time To Pretend.” But don’t a hit parade—in fact, they have no plans to even release singles from their sophomore album. “We’ve been talking about ways to make sure people hear the album as an album in order,” Ben Goldwasseer recently told NME. “Not just figure out what are the best three tracks, download those and not listen to the rest of it.” Early rumors had them working with the Chemical Brothers, but all recent reports say the album was created with their old producer Dave Fridmann, along with Spacemen 3’s Peter Kember (aka Sonic Boom).
#7: Lil’ Wayne Tha Carter 4
RELEASE DATE? 4th Quarter
PRODUCERS/COLLABORATORS: Deezle
WHAT WE KNOW: During last summer Universal said this record would be released in the 4th quarter of 2009, after Rebirth, so clearly there are songs recorded. But with Rebirth’s release at a standstill due to lack of interest and the Best Rapper Alive ‘pon lock for most of 2010, we’re thinking Universal, and more importantly their shareholders, are gonna force this LP’s release by the end of the year. The big question is, will it be a frankenstein of the rap records he’s made post-Rebirth, or will he scrap everything when he gets out of jail and put together an entirely new LP reflecting his presumably changed world view?
#6: Santigold TBD
RELEASE DATE? First Half of 2010
PRODUCERS/COLLABORATORS: Pharrell, Diplo, Switch, Spank Rock (rumored)
WHAT WE KNOW: Santigold has been busy as hell since her ’08 debut blew up, battling informercial jeweler Santo Gold over her name, touring with Coldplay, and popping up in a million commercials. While we haven’t heard any of the new music, she’s been producing for Devo, co-writing for Christina Aguilera’s upcoming Bionic album, and working with everyone from the Beastie Boys to Basement Jaxx. Last summer she told Nylon about some potential producers, but we’re still waiting for more concrete info on the album that could really take her to the next level.
• CLICK HERE TO SEE THE REST OF THE COUNTDOWN (ALBUM #5 – #1)
PREVIOUS
ya dig January 21, 2010 at 11:49 pm
j cole up next to make a classic
nate easy January 22, 2010 at 12:23 am
caint wait for jay electronica to drop, dude is on another level
Carlito January 22, 2010 at 1:21 am
what about the nas and damien marley project, distant relatives?
raf January 22, 2010 at 3:42 am
great job calling james murphy a UK dance-punbk band
yourstruly January 22, 2010 at 5:30 am
you’re tripping Kanye’s album should be #1 [for his production alone].
Where’s the Nas & Damian Marley??? Or the new Sade???
Please dig deeper!!!
I’m from Cali, you forgot Game’s “The Red Album” or Dr. Dre’s Detox???
let me know when yo stop…
jisd January 22, 2010 at 7:15 am
Ludacris Battle of The Sexes out March 16 gonna be dope.
SupaSeon January 22, 2010 at 10:22 am
@yourstruly…that Detox bullshit aint never coming out…and if it did who the fcuk cares…that whole label over hyped and their music don’t back up their so call talent…as far as Game’s album I can’t wait…Game is the shit…and KanYe’s album should be #1
nameBrandn January 22, 2010 at 1:53 pm
one word. Kanye
mynameis January 22, 2010 at 3:21 pm
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abren14 January 23, 2010 at 1:09 am
carter 4 at #7? woow so much young money dick riding. another example .. drake at 1. kids good but kanyes album will be massive
briana January 23, 2010 at 8:56 pm
KANYE come on loves drake dizzy but kanye will kill dude on the mic anyday or time he’s a insane lyricaly!! plus the swag OMG talk about robbing the cradle
kiddomikey January 23, 2010 at 10:22 pm
what happen to N.E.R.D ?
and Game R.E.D. ?
timothy January 24, 2010 at 9:33 pm
good call on drizzy. So much buzz in 09 it’s crazy. That kanye album is gonna be massive as well. Woulda liked to see lupe higher but I mean hey. Good work. Tbh I’m looking forward to almost everything listed. MIA, Santogold, MGMT, Cudi. Theres a lot going on in 2010
W.A.S January 25, 2010 at 10:16 am
Definitely lupe should have been higher, i think this might be his best yet, in case you haven’t heard I’m Beaming or the 2min clip of “Army Girl”, it’s gonna be MASSIVE. (lil wayne should have been #26) : )
blaccghost January 25, 2010 at 2:06 am
ghost/doom top 5…yall playing with this silly ish, homos do run the world
htwon new yorker January 25, 2010 at 11:51 am
wow really complex really…go redo ur list and add the great escape on there NOW!..joe budden the great escape and remove that young jezzy bullshit..who anticipates young jezzy still talking about the trap in his fourth album…dang we get it you sold white..ok! tell me something else and make sense speaking about it also…joe budden and j.cole best rappers alive and will have the best albums of 2010 be prepared to say so complex!…iight i’m done
John Henry January 26, 2010 at 2:41 pm
What about redman?
Joy January 26, 2010 at 2:48 pm
um wow. *blank stare* don’t understand how Drake is numero uno and Lupe didn’t break top 10. Okay bump that; didn’t break top 5. What is Jeezy doing at #5?!
Significant January 26, 2010 at 2:49 pm
J COLE is tha one 2 watch 4…and Jay Electronica should put out some fye this year
dollabeelz January 27, 2010 at 9:41 am
im waiting for teflon don by rick ross, i could be on my own but to me he had the best street album of 09
mike January 27, 2010 at 10:08 pm
LUPE FIASCO! he should be higher on da list
and where’s nas ans damien marley album.
And FUCK lil wayne and tha carter 4!
he’s very mediocre at best!
Realhiphop January 28, 2010 at 8:24 pm
all that shits wack but not common he inspirse me
and fuck lil wayne all the way and death to young money
Realhiphop January 28, 2010 at 8:27 pm
JUSTICE YEAH
TCKDOPE January 29, 2010 at 10:19 pm
the Cool kids are droppin their album soon, and wayne get a slot for 2 pushed back albums
WTF !!!
John January 30, 2010 at 4:05 pm
WHY THE HELL ISNT JANET JACKSON ON THEREE !? SHES SOLD WAY MORE RECORDS THEN EVERYONE ELSE, AND IS JUST WAY MORE TALLENED THEN ALL OF THEM!!!!!!!! and DRAKE .. well he cant do a decent song by himself
sean February 1, 2010 at 1:24 pm
Cassie Electro Love should be on here
smurph February 1, 2010 at 11:46 pm
detox aint dropping until 2012
Buay Wuol February 2, 2010 at 7:50 pm
J. Cole’s album is the one I’m looking forward to the most.
Reggie February 5, 2010 at 3:40 pm
they all suck
Brandon February 9, 2010 at 10:26 pm
J COLE AND YE’ ALBUM!!!! CANT WAIT..THAY BOTH GUNNA TOP THE CHARTS!! AND KILL ANY RAPPER..ESPECIALLY WAYNES WEAK ASS!!!!
Ray Perez February 10, 2010 at 3:44 pm
wow drake #1? he’s good but not good enough to beat j.cole, kanye, jeezy, and common. other than that this year is gonna be another great year for music alot of great albums coming out. mgmt, justice, kanye, j.cole, common, kid cudi, jeezy, and drake. damn ima be broke hahaha
206dizzy February 23, 2010 at 10:20 am
DRAKE^#1, CUDI^#2, Kanye^#3, COLE^#4, JEEZY^#5—– dATS HOW IT IS N HOW ITS GONNA BE KANYE WILL NOT SELL MORE DEN CUDI PONIT BLANK JUS B/C THE SIMPLE FACT THAT CUDI IS ALREADY BETTER THAN KANYE MUSIC WISE N WE ENTERING A NEW ERA SO J,COLE, DRAKE, CUDI R GONNA B THE NEW MAIN ARTIST OF 2010 N WIZ KALIFA N PAC DIVISION 4 DA YOUNG NIGGAS
206dizzy February 23, 2010 at 10:22 am
O N SHOUT OUT 2 LUPE….. BUT WHERES JUELZ?????
eman May 4, 2010 at 8:37 pm
man nicki, eminem, kanye, n drake should be at the top
Razvan May 5, 2010 at 7:33 am
hate that nicki all she does is look good.I honestly think kanye gonna have the best album and outsell drake.I mean drake is good but not that good.