The forthcoming year looks to be an exciting one for new music. 2011 will witness the release of albums from new musicians, not to mention the reappearance of some long established acts. There has been much talk, with YouTube and free music downloads, about the commercial decline of rock and pop music. New releases from U2, Lady Gaga, REM, and the Arctic Monkeys should go someway towards reviving the art form.
The release of REM’s 15th studio album entitled “Collapse is Now” should be something of an event. This follows on from their acclaimed and commercially successful “Accelerate”. Will the group from Athens Georgia abandon its rock roots and become more experimental? Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” in the wake of her phenomenal success in 2010 is probably the most eagerly anticipated album of the year.
The Strokes are back after a long absence. Their last album “First Impressions of Earth” got a poor reception and was criticised for it sloppy lyrics and distinct lack of hooks. It was certainly nowhere near the standard of their debut album “Is This It” and hopefully this studio album will see them back on form.
U2, in particular, have a point to prove after the release of their last record “No Line on the Horizon”, which achieved poor record sales and is widely regarded as having flopped. Other notable music artists due to release new material in 2011 include the Amy Winehouse, Radiohead, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Coldplay and Justin Timberlake.
There are numerous new bands entering the scene in 2011. The Vaccines have been lauded in the UK music press and their rise to stardom appears to be unstoppable. Nero are set to release their debut album blending drum and base with dubstep with “Nineties commercial house and trance.” They look certain to make it big in 2011. Northern Ireland’s Two Door Cinema Club developed a strong fan base playing live music and are now receiving due attention.
This is just a sample of the extraordinary amount of talent out there in the music for free era. Take a look at YouTube music and catch all the latest sounds.