10 upcoming albums to stream in the summer sunshine

Album covers of ’Crash’ by Kehlani, ’Loom’ by Imagine Dragons, and 'I Love You So F***ing Much’ by Glass Animals

(Image credit: Getty Images / Atlantic Records / Kidinakorner and Interscope Records / Polydor Records)

published 28 May 2024

Get out your sunscreen and swimsuits because summer is here, which means the time has come for artists to release a slew of warm-weather tunes. Here are 10 summer albums to stream while you head to the beach.

Charli XCX, 'Brat' (June 7)

Charli XCX returns with some major pop stylings on her sixth studio album, "Brat." The English singer and songwriter last released an LP in 2022, and has described the forthcoming "Brat" as a "club record" that is "the album I've always wanted to make." What exactly this means remains to be seen — but Charli XCX is known for her provocative music, plus a song she featured on in 2012, "I Love It," which remains one of the most prominent pop songs of the 2010s. Two songs from the new album, "Von dutch" and "360," are out now.

Fifth Harmony remains one of the best-selling girl groups of all time, and now one of their founding members, Normani, is embarking on her own journey. The singer is getting ready to release her highly anticipated debut solo album, "Dopamine." The Atlanta-born artist has been stirring up a buzz on social media with hints at the album's contents, including a teaser trailer that Rolling Stone described as "hypersexual." The album's lead single, "1:59," is out now, and was uploaded to YouTube with a number of versions, including an a cappella styling.

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Kehlani is best known for their pop stylings, and at the age of only 29 has already released three albums. They are getting ready to release their fourth LP, "Crash," this summer. "[I want] my art to provide some kind of life and fun. I wanna hear this outside and I wanna feel good," Kehlani said of the album, per Vibe. The singer's last record, "Blue Water Road," was very well-received by critics, and Kehlani has already given fans a preview of the next offering: The lead single on "Crash," entitled "After Hours," is out now.

No, you aren't reading that wrong; the singer of "Folsom Prison Blues" is back. Johnny Cash passed away in 2003, but a soon-to-be-released studio album, "Songwriter," will feature 11 original songs from the Man in Black. The album will be Cash's fifth to be released posthumously, and was put together by the famed country singer's son from a 1993 session during which Cash "recorded an album's worth of songwriting demos at LSI Studios in Nashville of songs he'd written over many years," said Universal Music Group. The album's lead single, "Well Alright," is out now.

Speaking of Fifth Harmony, their most famous former member is undoubtedly Camila Cabello. The singer has crafted a solo career making her one of the most successful Latin artists ever — her 2017 song "Havana" has been streamed on Spotify over two billion times. But she's not resting on her laurels, and Cabello will soon be dropping her fourth studio album, "C,XOXO." Cabello got into the LP's headspace by "really sitting in the discomfort of things and realizing there's not gonna be a neat, in-a-box answer," she said to Rolling Stone. The album's lead single, "I LUV IT," is out now.

The end of June appears to be a popular time for new music, and Las Vegas' most iconic rock band is taking advantage of that. Imagine Dragons is set to release their sixth LP, "Loom," their first new studio album in two years. The album will only have nine songs, making it Imagine Dragons' shortest LP yet. It is "just an honest output sonically, lyrically of how I'm feeling in the moment," lead singer Dan Reynolds said to The Associated Press. One of the album's singles, "Nice to Meet You," is out now.

A few years ago, Glass Animals had the surprise hit of the summer with their single "Heat Waves," which made them a household name among Gen Z. Now the band is back with "I Love You So F***ing Much," their upcoming fourth studio album. The U.K.-based group fully admits that the album was partially based on the success of "Heat Waves," because "life can change dramatically, but sometimes you aren't able to change as quickly on a personal level," frontman Dave Bayley said to Clash. Only time will tell if the forthcoming album will have another smash hit. A single from the album, "Creatures in Heaven," is out now.

Porter Robinson combines electronic music with a unique style of vocals, and now he is continuing his rise to fame with a third LP, "Smile! :D." Robinson previously won a number of accolades, including various nominations at the Electronic Music Awards. His prior album, "Nurture," was released in 2021 to critical acclaim and was included on many lists of the best LPs of the year. He remains one of the most well-known electronic artists of his generation. Two of the singles on the new album, "Cheerleader" and "Knock Yourself Out XD," are out now.

Get your cowboy hat on, because Grammy-winning country star Lainey Wilson will soon be releasing her fifth studio album, "Whirlwind." This marks Wilson's first LP since 2022 and will seemingly represent a new era for the artist. "Whirlwind" is the "most cathartic and personal piece of art I've ever made," Wilson said to ABC News. It will feature a "diverse yet sonically cohesive collection of songs" that she hopes "brings some peace to your whirlwind and wraps its arms around you like it did for me." One of the singles from the album, "Hang Tight Honey," is out now.

While record producer Zedd is one of the most popular electronic artists of all time, he has only released two LPs in his career — until now. Zedd will be releasing his third studio album, "Telos," marking the first LP from the artist in nine long years. He "wanted to create a profound album listening experience that takes you on a journey beyond just the songs," Zedd said during the album's announcement. While details are scant, Zedd "can confidently say that [he has] made [his] best album yet." He will also be performing at his "Zedd in the Park" concert in Los Angeles this September.

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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 Hollywood news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.