It’s no longer a secret that I fill up my calendar with album and book releases more than I do social events. To be fair, picking up hard copies of these new releases is a bit of a hobby of mine, so they technically are like mini events (does anyone else buy CDs besides me?). Now, if you haven’t heard, summer 2017 is going to be a musical TREAT.
It seems as if there’s something in the water for alternative musicians, because there are so. many. releases. coming. Spanning from early May through early September, your ears are in for some major spoiling. Check out the playlist of singles I included for a little preview of your alternative summer soundtrack. Here are the albums I’m most looking forward to:
MAY 12, 2017
Paramore, After Laughter
PARAMORE. IS. BACK. I’ve been watching frontwoman Hayley Williams tweet little teasers about the album as a work in progress for over a year now and after a solid four-year wait, After Laughter is nearly here. I’m loving the happy pop vibe the band has seemed to morph into with neon colors. This isn’t 2009-era Paramore—and I’m digging it. “Hard Times” is like the 80’s pop sister of “Ain’t It Fun.” I have a feeling more than a few tracks off of After Laughter will make appearances on my playlists this summer.
Satellite Stories, Young Detectives
For a little dose of chill indie pop, look no further than this group from Finland. They’ve got that perfect festival vibe—easy to listen to, upbeat with quirky vocals, and fun to dance around to (think: Atlas Genius or Bombay Bicycle Club). Whether you’re looking for a roadtrip soundtrack or something to mellow out to by the bonfire, Young Detectives might be just what you’re looking for.
MAY 19, 2017
MISSIO, LONER
If you’re unfamiliar with the dark, intense synth-pop that embodies MISSIO, I’d like to introduce you, as I discovered them only a few months ago and I’ve been hooked ever since. “Middle Fingers” is as catchy as it is lyrically sharp, while “Bottom Of The Deep Blue Sea” makes me feel like I’m living the intro montage of my own CW mystery/drama series (Hidden Palms, anyone?). LONER, the duo’s full-length debut, is sure to be packed with even more honest anthems, heavy beats, and hints of smooth pop vocals with a hip hop twist. This one’s going to be a top contender for my favorite alternative albums of 2017.
MisterWives, Connect the Dots
You may know them from their hit single, “Reflections,” but after opening for Panic! At The Disco earlier this year, the NYC-based indie pop group is back with a new album, Connect the Dots. Every summer playlist needs a few high-energy tracks to bounce along to—check out ”Oh Love” and “Machine” for a little taste of what you can expect from the new album.
JUNE 2, 2017
All Time Low, Last Young Renegade
What I love most about All Time Low is the way they feel like older brothers who like a good house party and share a likeness to Peter Pan in not wanting to grow up. That’s not to say their sound hasn’t evolved and matured over the years, but I can always count on them to deliver the neon-lit, red solo cup fueled pop punk anthems I’m still craving in my late twenties. I immediately fell in love with their first single off of Last Young Renegade, “Dirty Laundry.” It’s a little bit moodier with lyrics that punch me in the gut every time (seriously the last minute melts me—those Gaskarth vocals!). My emo punk heart is ready for this new chapter of All Time Low.
Bleachers, Gone Now
Jack Antonoff might be a bit of a musical genius, so it’s no surprise how much anticipation there is surrounding his upcoming album, Gone Now. Bleachers is perfecting the art of bringing the 80’s back to life with a modern indie rock twist. Both singles, “Don’t Take The Money” and “Hate That You Know Me” are catchy and will surely take over alternative radio this summer.
Halsey, hopeless fountain kingdom
Alternative pop goddess Halsey is back with her second full-length album, hopeless fountain kingdom. More than anything else, I still have deep respect for Halsey’s passion and gritty honesty. Her single “Now Or Never” proves she is growing and exploring her own sound. If Halsey’s first album is any indication of the dark, lyrical detail she is capable of, I can’t wait to see what her sophomore effort will be like.
JUNE 9, 2017
London Grammar, Truth Is A Beautiful Thing
Even though I think of London Grammar as my go-to for eerie, rainy October nights, it’s been four years since the release of their debut album and my body is more than ready. I can never get enough of the trio’s haunting vocals and ambient melodies, so it’ll be exciting to hear how their sound has grown over the years. Their single “Rooting For You” ebbs and flows with a guitar melody that melts into Hannah Reid’s voice and suggests that the rest of Truth Is A Beautiful Thing will be a hypnotising delight.
JUNE 16, 2017
Lorde, Melodrama
Thank the Lorde… because she is back and better than ever. In recent interviews, Lorde has explained the inspiration and stories behind Melodrama—it’s bigger than heartbreak. It’s a bolder, more complex concept album about the good parts and the bad parts of being alone. She has put a great deal of heart, thought, and artistic effort into this new record and given that both singles, “Green Light” and “Liability” have already taken off in the charts, there’s no doubt Lorde’s second full-length release is going to be a showstopper. I for one am ready to experience Melodrama.
JUNE 23, 2017
Imagine Dragons, EVOLVE
Imagine Dragons perfectly timed their new album announcement yesterday. Would this list really have been complete without them? They’re arguably one of alternative rock’s most widely adored bands and they’re back with their third full-length album, EVOLVE. If you haven’t heard them in advertisements or on the radio yet, check out their singles “Believer” and “Thunder.” True to what they’re known best for—arena-sized anthems that get stuck in your head—these singles are going to stick with you all summer. And they’re just a hint of what’ll be packed into this new album.
JULY 7, 2017
Haim, Something To Tell You
I think of Haim as my indie, soft-rock soul sisters (I mean, they would naturally be a source of inspiration should I ever start a band with my own sisters). I’ve been jamming to the first single off Something To Tell You, “Want You Back” since it dropped last week (and since Hayley Williams excitedly tweeted about it). This is another album that has a lot of ~we’ve been waiting for so long~ buzz around it. And knowing Haim, it’ll be worth the wait.
AUGUST 4, 2017
PVRIS, All We Know Of Heaven, All We Need Of Hell
PVRIS is everything my dark, angsty, alt-rock loving heart has been looking for in recent years. The way they blend heavy rhythms and dark rock with starry-eyed synth pop is so, so good. There is no other alternative band quite like this trio—and don’t even get me started on Lynn Gunn’s gritty vocals (swoon). All We Know Of Heaven, All We Need Of Hell is the group’s second full-length release and the first single, “Heaven” is equal parts angry and ethereal. Bring on hell.
SEPTEMBER 15, 2017
Fall Out Boy, M A N I A
Unpopular opinion: Fall Out Boy can do no wrong. While they may get a lot of flak for changing “too much” over the years, they never fail to amaze me with their growth. Album after album, my hometown heroes rework and build their sound into whatever represents them in the present. Similar to Paramore, Fall Out Boy isn’t stagnant and each new album marks a new era. From what it sounds like based on the first single off of M A N I A, “Young and Menace,” Fall Out Boy is diving deeper into an amalgam of punk rock and synth-fueled electronic. Whatever they have in store for us, I’m very much on board for this dark, trippy era.
Bonus: TBD
Tonight Alive, TBA
Technically speaking, Tonight Alive doesn’t have a new album scheduled for release. But this past April, they announced they’d been signed to Hopeless Records and put out a new single, “World Away.” Rumor has it they’re set to record a new album this summer and I had to give them an honorary mention for two reasons: one, “World Away” is my JAM right now and two, I can’t wait for more from my staple Australian pop punk rockers.
Are there any albums coming out this summer you’re pumped for? Share them with us @litdarling or in the comments below!
