10 upcoming albums to stream in the spring breeze

Album covers of ‘Distracted’ by Thundercat, ‘Against the Dying of the Light’ by José González, and ‘This Music May Contain Hope’ by Raye on a background of spring flower buds — Thundercat, José González and Raye all have albums releasing this spring

(Image credit: Brainfeeder / Imperial Recordings / Human Re Sources / Getty Images)

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Blackpink, ‘Deadline’
Bruno Mars, ‘The Romantic’
Gorillaz, ‘The Mountain’
Harry Styles, ‘Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally’
BTS, ‘Arirang’
José González, ‘Against the Dying of the Light’
Raye, ‘This Music May Contain Hope’
Thundercat, ‘Distracted’
Zayn, ‘Konnakol’
Foo Fighters, ‘Your Favorite Toy’

The chill of winter has passed. So while you wait for April showers to bring May flowers, immerse yourself in a bunch of new music from your favorite artists.

Blackpink, ‘Deadline’

The K-pop supergroup Blackpink released their last album four years ago. While they don’t have a full LP drop on the radar, you can still listen to some fresh music with the band’s new EP “Deadline.” The extended play, which heavily features English lyrics, is Blackpink’s first official release since 2022’s “Born Pink” album. It was released to largely positive reviews. Most notable is the EP’s lead single, “Jump,” a “punchy, hardstyle-inspired track” that places Blackpink “within the current wave of K-pop influenced by electronic dance music,” said Pitchfork. (out now)

Pop sensation Bruno Mars took more than a four-year break after his last album, but now he’s back with a new solo effort: Mars’ album “The Romantic” is the fourth LP to be released by the Hawaii native. The artist’s mid-2010s singles like “The Lazy Song” and “Just the Way You Are” remain tentpoles of the era, but “The Romantic” hasn’t received similarly universal acclaim. The LP is “so-so” and “very unadventurous and just very predictable,” said The Needle Drop, although others have praised it. (out now)

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If you are looking for something truly different, Gorillaz might be for you; unlike the other entries on this list, this is an entirely virtual band that just released its ninth studio album, “The Mountain.” The band typically appears in 2D media like comic books and art strips, but “The Mountain” marks another new direction for Gorillaz. It focuses on sounds of the Indian subcontinent and “gathers collaborators both living and departed for a characteristically audacious monument to grief, India and archival memory,” said Pitchfork. (out now)

Harry Styles has been moving in one direction: up. The global pop superstar has had fans on their toes for his fourth studio album, “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally,” which marks his first LP in four years. While Styles has been in the spotlight for years, he only started releasing solo albums since 2019, and his most recent outing is a “murky self-portrait that obscures as much as it reveals,” said The New York Times. The “surface, though, is usually where Styles’ music sparkles, and there’s plenty of gleam throughout this LP.” (out now)

While Blackpink may have the K-pop girl group on lock, South Korean boy band BTS is its own cultural sensation. Now the band is releasing its milestone 10th studio album, “Arirang.” Fans have been eagerly awaiting the LP; BTS has not released new music in three years due to the band members’ mandatory military service. The album’s name “refers to the title of a beloved Korean folk song, often described as an unofficial national anthem and a core symbol of Korean culture and identity,” said Consequence. A trailer for a live reunion concert on Netflix has also been released. (March 20)

José González is known for blending a rich cultural background, and now the Swedish singer born to Argentinian parents is dropping his fifth studio album, “Against the Dying of the Light.” González doesn’t release solo music often, as his five LPs have landed during a 23-year period. But when he does put out new tunes, they typically receive critical acclaim; the upcoming album’s self-titled lead single, out now, is a “reflective meditation on the humanity of 2025, embracing who we are and what has shaped us, while turning our focus toward the challenges that lie ahead,” said KCRW. (March 27)

British singer-songwriter Raye has released several EPs but only one full studio album — until now. Her second LP, “This Music May Contain Hope,” is on the horizon, and will feature a hefty 17 songs. Raye is known for imbuing her music with a variety of symbolism, and the album is “set in four different ‘seasons’ that will span the complexities of human emotion,” said Melodic magazine. For fans of album art, these ‘seasons’ will “also be featured on each side of the vinyl release.” The album’s lead single, “Where Is My Husband!,” is out now. (March 27)

Thundercat started as a member of the heavy metal group Suicidal Tendencies before reinventing his music as a solo artist. His solo albums are typically a blend of funk, R&B and psychedelic, and his fifth LP, “Distracted,” is expected to continue this approach. The album features collaborations with artists like A$AP Rocky and Tame Impala, as well as a “previously unreleased collaboration with the late Mac Miller,” said Consequence. “Just know that the struggle is real and changes shape but just to keep pushing forward,” Thundercat said of the album. The LP’s lead single, “I Did This to Myself,” is out now. (April 3)

As the second member of One Direction to appear on this list, Zayn is no stranger to superstardom. Like Harry Styles, Zayn has forged his own solo path and is preparing to release his fifth LP, “Konnakol.” The English singer is known for pulling from various musical sources, and the album’s title references the “vocal percussion technique used in South Indian Carnatic music,” a “deliberate nod to his South Asian heritage and a signal of the musical direction he's taking,” said Forbes. The album features “deep integration of South Asian musical elements” and the lead single, “Die for Me,” is out now. (April 17)

Rockers rejoice: The Foo Fighters are back with their first LP in three years, “Your Favorite Toy,” which will be the band’s 12th overall studio album. Fans of the Nirvana successor may notice a difference from prior work, as this is the Foo Fighters’ first album without drummer Ilan Rubin. While details on the album are slim, the LP’s self-titled second single, out now, is the “fuse to the powder keg of songs we wound up recording for this record. It feels new,” frontman Dave Grohl said in a statement, calling the song an “insidious earworm.” (April 24)

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Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.