25 4th Quarter Albums We're Looking Forward To

Which LPs are we dying to hear? Check out our most anticipated upcoming releases from Kid Cudi, Daft Punk, Big L, Diplo, and more!

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Jay-Z once boasted, "Every fourth quarter, I like to Mike Jordan 'em." Although great albums are released throughout the year, Q4 has always been blockbuster season, the time when labels coordinate their highest-profile releases to capitalize on holiday spending. It's also when artists have to either put up or shut up after spending an entire year hyping an album. This year there's plenty to look forward to, including releases from the likes of Nicki Minaj, Cee-Lo, and Kanye West. To highlight what we're anticipating the most, we put together 25 Fourth Quarter Albums We're Looking Forward To. Now you'll know what to do when that iTunes gift card shows up in your stocking...

#25. Jim Jones, Capo

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We doubt this album will be released this year—after all, Jones already missed the original release date of September 28th. But that doesn't mean it can't happen. Since he's an independent artist, label drama isn't likely to hold the album up as long as he can complete it in time. Armed with the Dipset reunion song "Salute," he already has a viable single; hopefully, he can put everything else together in time for the holiday season—ain't no Christmas like a Dipset Christmas!

#24. Slim Thug, The Thug Show

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Release date: November 30th

Slim

#23. Yo Gotti, Live From The Kitchen

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Release date: December 21st

Yo Gotti flooded the game with mixtapes and guest appearances long before his single

#22. Diddy, Last Train To Paris

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Release date: December 14th

Endless pushbacks and poorly received singles may have hampered excitement for Diddy's latest album, but we're still looking to get our ticket punched for Last Train To Paris. Our reasoning is simple: He's still Diddy. Which means he's still the guy who brought the world The Notorious B.I.G. and Mary J. Blige, who survived setback after setback throughout his life and career, and master-minded the classic No Way Out. So who knows? Maybe he can pull a rabbit out the hat and surprise us all. Whatever he does, we just hope it doesn't require us learning the names of those Dirty Money chicks.

#21. Yelawolf, Trunk Musik 0 To 60

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Following the blueprint set by Drake's So Far Gone, Interscope is looking to re-release Yela's excellent mixtape Trunk Muzik. It'll also have some new material from the Alabama spitter on there, which has us excited. Now that Catfish Billy is getting a major look, we can't help but think this'll be a huge look for him.

#20. Weezer, Death To False Metal

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Release date: November 2nd

It was always unfortunate that one of our favorite '90s bands put out so much crap in the 2000s, but it's a new decade and the pioneers of nerd-rock are ready to make up for sins from the past. Their next project is a collection of b-sides and rarities that never made the cut on classics like The Blue Album and Pinkerton. Essentially, this album is about pretending it's 1994 again—and for Weezer, that's the best move they've made in a while.

#19. N.E.R.D., Nothing

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Release date: November 2nd

Our favorite band of misfits is back with Nothing, but you can make sure the album will be full of all the things you

#18. Diplo, Blow Your Head Vol 1: Dubstep

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Release date: November 2nd

Dubstep this, dubstep that. Whether you really know about it or just have a few significant MP3s that make you feel like an authority on the genre, you've undoubtedly heard about dubstep during its rise from niche status to one of the more known styles of electronic music over the past few years. Diplo's upcoming compilation is a sign that the genre has arrived. Rusko, Joker, and several other stars of the scene make this collection complete with the requisite brooding production, heavy bass, and obscure samples. Fans of dubstep or those looking to get into it should be pleased.

#17. Jeezy, TM 103

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Release date: December 14th

We'll be the first ones to admit Jeezy's been in a rut. As of late, his music has been underwhelming and simply isn't connecting with the streets that once ate up anything The Snowman put out. That's why TM 103 has been delayed so many times (and may very well be delayed again). But our logic here is the same as it is with Diddy's album: Jeezy is a proven veteran who's put out so much good music in the past that he's earned the benefit of the doubt. And we refuse to write him off before at least hearing him out.

#16. Daft Punk, Tron (OST)

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Release date: December 7th

You don't have to pretend like you were up on Daft Punk before "Stronger" to be excited for the Tron: Legacy soundtrack. The ambitious OST accompanies the film's 3-D remake and marks the French duo's first original body of work since 2005 (live and remix albums notwithstanding). The project has been shrouded in mystery, occasionally suffering from (sometimes fake) leaks, but given Daft Punk's track record, we don't need to know much to get excited. Guy-Manuel de Homen-Christo and Thomas Bangalter also count themselves as original Tron fans, so we know they won't fuck up an opportunity like this.

#15. Matt & Kim, Sidewalks

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Release date: November 2nd

Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino's antics (stripping naked in Times Square, for starters) have done well to garner attention, but what's really kept the Brooklyn duo on our minds and playlists is their consistently dope music. "Cameras" came out of nowhere at the end of August and sounded like the update of their signature sound that we were hoping for. Matt continues to go for the anthem approach with lyrics, and Kim's drums still sound like they'd fit in on your favorite rap record. If the rest of the LP sounds just as good, we're in for something special.

#14. Rihanna, Loud

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Release date: November 11th

Pop stars don't take breaks anymore. The days of waiting a few years for the next LP are over. After last year's Rated R, Rihanna is right back with Loud. She's already scored a huge hit with "Only Girl (In The World)," has another one on the way with the Drake-assisted "What's My Name," and she's teaming up with Eminem again for "Love The Way You Lie (Part II)." Plus, she's still hot.

#13. The Big Pink, Tapes

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Release date: November 9th

Last year's A Brief History of Love was one of 2009's best records, but it's less fun when bands stick to their guns. Thankfully, The Big Pink are doing the exact opposite, to the point that Tapes isn't as much of a new album from the London electro-rockers as it is a compilation. This time around they seem particularly influenced by the "witch house" (sometimes offensively called "rape gaze") genre dominated by eerie bands like Salem and oOoOO, who craft their sound around spooky synths (and who both have songs on Tapes). Awesome bands like The xx and jj show up, too, making this the go-to mix for "all the new hot shit."

#12. Ghostface Killah, The Apollo Kids

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#11. Curren$y, Pilot Talk 2

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Release date: November 16th

Curren$y has dazzled with his output the past two years. After nine mixtapes, two independent releases, and the excellent Pilot Talk, we were hyped for Pilot Talk 2 even before we heard his excellent single

#10. Big L, The Return of The Devil's Son

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#9. Brain Eno, Small Craft On A Milk Sea

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#8. Nas, Lost Tapes Vol. 2

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#7. Lloyd Banks, The Hunger For More 2

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Release date: November 22nd

It's a travesty that Banks couldn't capitalize on the excellent "Beamer, Benz, or Bentley" six months ago when it was still poppin'. But regardless, G-Unit's punchline king is back on a major label and looking to regain his rightful place as a relevant rapper by taking it back to his first album. With guests spots from Kanye West, Pusha T, and his G-Unit cohorts—plus production from the likes of

#6. Cee-Lo, The Lady Killer

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Release date: November 9th

This album probably wasn't on too many people's radar when it was first announced, but Cee-Lo made a huge splash with his excellent Bruno Mars-produced single, "Fuck You." So much so that the release date for his album was actually pushed up instead of being pushed backed (yes, rap fans, that can actually happen). But it's all just a helpful reminder that Cee-Lo Green is a singular talent who was behind classics like Gnarls Barkley's St. Elsewhere and Goodie Mob's Soul Food.

#5. Soulja Boy, The DeAndre Way

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Release date: November 30th

Well past one-hit wonder status (though maybe not completely past the cocaine allegations), Soulja Boy looks to crank out his third album, The DeAndre Way, and silence the critics once and for all. And he's upped the ante on this album with a lineup of stars ranging from Trey Songz to 50 Cent to Justin Bieber. Promising it'll be his biggest work to date, we're looking for SB to finally make a true cohesive album, and not just a vessel for his singles.

#4. Kanye West & Jay-Z, Watch The Throne

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#3. Kid Cudi, Man On The Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager

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Release date: November 9th

It should be obvious from the fact that we recently put him on our cover that we're excited to hear what Cudi's follow-up to Man On The Moon: End Of The Day will sound like. Will it be another left-field leap for the lonely stoner? We sure hope so. Even if singles like "Erase Me" and "REVOFEV" didn't connect the way they should have, we're still on the lookout for Cudi's sophomore set.

#2. Nicki Minaj, Pink Friday

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Release date: November 22nd

If you're still not convinced about Nicki, consider these facts: 1) She's the first relevant female rapper in years; 2) This year, seven of her songs have charted on the Billboard Hot 100, selling a combined 4 million plus copies; 3) Her album will have guest spots from Eminem, Kanye West, and Rihanna; 4) She looked stunning when we put her on our cover. All that being said, we still have no idea what her album will sound like. With the disaster of "Massive Attack" well behind her and a pop smash with "Your Love" under her belt, Nicki's debut can finally silence the critics who think the Young Money rapper is all hype, accents, and funny faces.

#1. Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

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Release date: November 22nd

Don't act surprised; you know Kanye had to top our list. Ever since he started his G.O.O.D. Friday series, hardly any songs by anyone else even seemed worthy of MediaFire links. Between the Runaway movie, the controversial album covers, and

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