In The Year 2016...

This is going to be a really good year for us music fans. Yeah, I know... we say that every year. It's not our fault it's true. We aren't the ones making all that 'really good' music that's going to be put out over the next twelve months. So maybe just calm your farm and get ready for all of the musical delights that are coming your way. "But from who?" you ask with a bewildered, childlike smile forming on your face. "Well, little Jimmy and or Jane, that's what we're here to discuss," I reply as I chuckle and tousle your hair. "Don't touch my hair!" you scream. "Fine, whatever," says I.

IN THE YEAR 2016...

by Matt Bond

...debut albums from some of Australia's finest young acts are going to be gracing us with their presence. We've seen that Montaigne is hard at work on hers and the new tracks previewed at her recent 'Clip My Wings' tour were absolute knockouts. While there's been no formal announcement, 2016 is likely to be the year we also hear debuts from Thelma Plum, Tkay Maidza and (hopefully) Tired Lion and Airling. Holy Holy are showing no signs of slowing down and are already back in the studio following their own debut LP release in 2015, When The Storms Would Come. If you follow Thelma Plum on the socials, you'll be treated to some snippets of new material every now and then. Her and her old mate Airling were in one recently singing about ghosts and making me want to cry... so looking forward to that one, woo! Other than that, Emma Louise is going to have a huge year. 'Underflow' is getting a ton of play on triple J and the lead single from sophomore album Supercry has already amassed over 140,000 hits on YouTube. 

...innovation will be the name of the game. Kanye West might be at war with Nike at the moment, even giving his upcoming seventh studio album the title Swish, but that will hardly be the only surprise he's got in store. Expect creative and ambitious projects from the likes of PJ Harvey, Gorillaz and (again, hopefully) Radiohead and Jay-Z to knock our socks off. And hey, maybe Beyonce will attempt the smoke-bomb, digital album drop thing again as 2016 comes to a close. 

...the nu-gen divas are back. With a vengeance? Maybe. Lady Gaga is supposedly going in a darker direction following her memorable stint on an otherwise forgettable show. Britney Spears is tweeting up a storm about new tracks she's laying down in the studio and Christina Aguilera is going to do... something? Gwen Stefani is kicking around too and there's always the chance that Katy Perry will drop an album made up entirely of Taylor Swift diss tracks. But it's Rihanna that will release a career defining album with Anti. If it ever sees the light of day. 

...we will build this city on rock and roll. It's expected the Red Hot Chili Peppers will release a new track any day now. Guns 'N Roses are back, with the announcement the iconic outfit will headlining  Coachella. Can Slash and Axl get along for long enough to make it through an entire world tour? We'll find out sooner or later. It must be time for some new Pearl Jam and that actually makes me super excited because their last couple of albums have been stellar. Quiet. They have been stellar. 

...we won't be able to keep up with all of the incredible new music. 2016 is going to be nuts. Think about it, if all the acts mentioned above release music it's already going to be out of control. Keep your anti-Britney and Xtina sentiments to yourself thank you very much. But you've got all that bunch, plus expected new stuff from Frank Ocean, Haim, Lorde, Santigold, Missy Elliott, M.I.A, The xx, Sia, Primal Scream, James Blake, M83 and the other hundred albums that will take us by surprise. Well, we're already satisfied customers with 2016. 

It's going to be one fun ride these next twelve months. Oh and Madonna is finally touring Australia after a million years, so there's that too. That is also a thing. 2016... it's going to be a really good year for us music fans.