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Collage image of Michael Salgado, Kat & Alex, The Mavericks, Veronique Medrano, and Leah Turner

(L-R): Michael Salgado, Kat & Alex, The Mavericks, Veronique Medrano, and Leah Turner

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5 Latinx Artists In Country Music You Should Know kat-alex-mavericks-leah-turner-michael-salgado-veronique-medrano-latin-country-music

5 Latinx Artists Reimagining Country Music: Kat & Alex, The Mavericks, Leah Turner, Michael Salgado & Veronique Medrano

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In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, GRAMMY.com is spotlighting five Latinx artists creating country music on their own terms. Get to know Kat & Alex, The Mavericks, Leah Turner, Michael Salgado, and Veronique Medrano.
Lucas Villa
GRAMMYs
Oct 15, 2021 - 1:16 pm

As Americana as country music is, the genre has roots in the region of Mexico closest to the borders. Many country music crooners have romanticized the U.S.-Mexico border in their lyrics as a place for partying or for banditos. In fact, Latinx country music artists are woven into the fabric of country music history, particularly the Tejanos from Texas. Among the greats, Tejano singer Freddy Fender scored a No. 1 on Billboard's country music chart and all-genre Hot 100 chart in 1975 with "Before the Next Teardrop Falls." Over 20 years later, another Tejano, Rick Trevino topped the country singles chart with his song "Running Out of Reasons" and the Spanish-language version "Se Escapan Mis Razones." Latinx artists in country music isn't a new phenomena, but instead fertile ground to explore deeper, less stereotypical expression in the genre.

As Latin music has become a global force in the past decade, country music artists have taken notice and tapped the market for crossover collaborations. Blake Shelton worked with Cuban-American superstar Pitbull on "Get Ready," Kane Brown collaborated with Mexican-American singer Becky G on a reggaeton remix of "Lost in the Middle of Nowhere," and Carrie Underwood sang in Spanish alongside Spanish artist David Bisbal on "Tears of Gold." Country music is becoming more inclusive, allowing more Latinx and Black artists into the fold that are redefining the age-old sound. Lil Nas X really shook things up with his 2019 hit "Old Town Road", and now Mickey Guyton is reclaiming an important place in the Black-rooted genre.

Long after the reign of Fender and Trevino, there's a new generation of Latinx artists proudly embracing country. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, here are five more Latinx country artists to look out for.

Kat & Alex

Married couple Kat Luna and Alex Garrido first made an impression as standouts on the 18th season of "American Idol" in 2020. Now going under the name Kat & Alex, the Miami-born singer/songwriters auditioned with the song that brought them together: Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper's "Shallow" from A Star Is Born. sSince then, Kat & Alex have made a name for themselves in country music while leaning into their roots — Luna's in Cuba, and Garrido's in Puerto Rico. The duo have released English and Spanish versions of songs like "How Many Times" and "Heartbreak Tour", tracks that shine thanks to the chemistry they share as a real-life couple. They're able to recapture the passion and fire behind the lyrics of their English songs in Spanish while maintaining that traditional country twang. Kat & Alex's TikTok offers further highlights, including Spanish translations of songs by Little Big Town, Rascal Flatts, and Tim McGraw.   

The Mavericks

The Mavericks have long been a staple in the Americana music scene, and have Cuban roots from Miami by way of frontman Raúl Malo and guitarist Eddie Perez. Malo formed The Mavericks in Miami and later relocated to Nashville in the late '80s, and the group earned their first Grammy Award in 1995 for Best Country performance for "Here Comes The Rain" (with seven other nominations to their name). Over three decades into their career, The Mavericks decided to tap fully into their Latin roots on their first Spanish album, En Español. Malo sounds amazing in Spanish, as he translates the band's soul and blues into his family's native tongue in songs like "Recuerdos" and "La Sitiera" — showing that Americana music is not just tied to the U.S., but the greater Americas as well. They give the genre a colorful kick of Latin music influences through layers of additional percussion and royal horns. The Mavericks have performed their songs in Spanish at festivals like Austin City Limits and the Latin Alternative Music Conference.

Read: 5 Latinx Rappers To Know Now: Santa Fe Klan, Chucky73, J.I The Prince Of N.Y, Yoss Bones & BIA

Leah Turner

Mexican-American singer/songwriter Leah Turner has been making noise in the country music scene for nearly a decade. Hailing from the country music capital of the world, Nashville, Tennessee, Turner made her debut with the release of her self-titled EP in 2014. In 2019, she explored her Latinx roots with the release of the "Vaquera Mix" of her single "Blah Blah Blah." Last year, Turner reclaimed the age-old country music trope of the South of the border escapade in "Once Upon a Time in Mexico." This month, she blended her country and Latin music roots in her new single "Vaquera and the Cowboy." She trades the steel guitar that's typical of country music for a Spanish guitar while never losing the twang in her voice. Turner is ending off Hispanic Heritage Month with the release of her EP, Lost in Translation on Oct. 15.

Michael Salgado

A longtime staple of the Tejano music scene, Michael Salgado built his career on crossing the genre with the Norteño music that's typical of Mexico's northern states that border Texas. In 1995, he launched his career with the release of his debut album, Reina de Mi Vida. At the 2011 Grammy Awards, Salgado received a nomination for Best Norteño Album for No Vengo A Ver Si Puedo... Si Por Que Puedo Vengo. He also has two Latin Grammy wins to his name, including Best Tejano Album in 2016 for Por Cielo Y Tierra. After decades of fans demanding a formal country music album, Salgado released Blame It On The Beer earlier this year — with highlight "Honky Tonks and Cantinas" best exemplifying the collision of country and his Latinx roots. He brings out the steel guitar while drawing lyrical allusions to his life as a Mexican-American. Salgado has soul in his music in English or Spanish, and his success proves Tejano music is country music.

Read More: 5 LGBTQ+ Latinx Artists You Need To Know

Veronique Medrano

Veronique Medrano is a proudly Tejana singer/songwriter from the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. Through her Tejano and regional Mexican music, she proves that there's an overlooked intersection between those genres and country music. Medrano released her first album, Encantadora, nearly a decade ago in 2013, and has since been nominated at the Tejano Music Awards four times. Last year she released La Novela, an EP which touches on the experience of a Latina growing up close to the Texas and Mexican border. Earlier this year, she released another EP, Crying, in which she sings the title country song in both English and Spanish. "Crying" gets an extra Latin touch on the banda version, featuring Omar Sanchez Omi. She brings together the steel guitar and accordion that's typical to Latin music while belting out her multicultural heart. The emotions in her voice are tangible in any language. Akin to a historian, Medrano excavates and honors  the Latinx and Tejano roots in country music..

5 Black Artists Rewriting Country Music: Mickey Guyton, Kane Brown, Jimmie Allen, Brittney Spencer & Willie Jones

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Margo Price (L) speaks at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles in 2016

Margo Price (L) speaks at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles in 2016

Photo: Rebecca Sapp/WireImage for The Recording Academy

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GRAMMY Museum In August: Margo Price & Much More grammy-museum-august-2020-content-lineup-margo-price-pete-yorn-bright-eyes-ava

GRAMMY Museum August 2020 Content Lineup: Margo Price, Pete Yorn, Bright Eyes, Ava Max, Kiana Ledé & Much More

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The upcoming month's programming also includes intimate sit-down interviews with Toots and the Maytals, Burt Bacharach & Daniel Tashian, The Airborne Toxic Event, Ashley McBryde and many others
John Ochoa
GRAMMY Museum
Jul 31, 2020 - 4:03 pm

The GRAMMY Museum has announced the next round of new and never-before-released digital content to be shared every week throughout August 2020. As the physical location in Los Angeles remains closed until further notice in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the GRAMMY Museum will continue its digital initiatives, including the newly announced Spotlight Saturdays series.

Highlights for next month's programming include new, intimate sit-down interviews with artists and musicians recorded via Zoom, as part of the Museum's Public Programs digital series, with breakout country star Margo Price, alternative legend Pete Yorn, pop sensation Ava Max, indie icons Bright Eyes, reggae legends Toots And The Maytals and several others. 

Launching this weekend (Aug. 1) at their Digital Museum, the GRAMMY Museum's new Spotlight Saturdays series will feature intimate sit-down interviews and performances via digital conferencing with up-and-coming artists. The series kicks off with an exciting class of emerging acts including platinum-selling R&B artist Kiana Ledé, New Zealand pop star BENEE, rising L.A. rapper Duckwrth and others. 

https://twitter.com/GRAMMYMuseum/status/1288597820224741381

Next month➡️ we are teaming up with our friends over at @RepublicRecords to launch a digital program series spotlighting new artists! Tune-in every Saturday to watch 🖥️ https://t.co/3lTSvKJFgh pic.twitter.com/Ou4UVstiSy

— GRAMMY Museum (@GRAMMYMuseum) July 29, 2020

On August 7, the GRAMMY Museum will also release a new digital exhibit, "Rhymes & Reasons: The Music Of John Denver," with several photo slideshows.

In addition to the new content released during August, GRAMMY In The Schools Mini-Lessons will be posted on Thursdays. 

Since the GRAMMY Museum opened 12 years ago, it has offered more than 900 Public Programs. The Museum continues to release digital educational content and lesson plans as part of the GRAMMY In The Schools Knowledge Bank, continuing its mission of paying tribute to our musical heritage and bringing our community together through music.

Check out the GRAMMY Museum's full digital programming schedule for August 2020 below:

DIGITAL PUBLIC PROGRAMS

8/3 – Ruth B.
8/5 – Burt Bacharach & Daniel Tashian 
8/5 – The Immediate Family
8/10 – Pete Yorn
8/10 – Ava Max
8/12 – Margo Price
8/17 – Chuck Prophet
8/17 – Bright Eyes
8/19 – The Mavericks
8/24 – The Secret Sisters
8/24 – Toots & The Maytals
8/26 – The Airborne Toxic Event
8/31 – NEEDTOBREATHE
8/31 – Ashley McBryde

SPOTLIGHT SATURDAYS SERIES

8/1 — Kiana Ledé 
8/8 — BENEE
8/15 — Conan Gray
8/22 — Duckwrth
8/29 — Jeremy Zucker

DIGITAL EXHIBIT

8/7 – Rhymes & Reasons: The Music of John Denver

For more information about the GRAMMY Museum, how to become a member and to access its catalog of digital content, visit their Digital Museum. 

Little Big Town, Ledisi & More Partner With GRAMMY Museum & Michelle Obama's Reach Higher To Mentor College Students

Photo of the Las Vegas skyline and the Strip at dusk

Las Vegas skyline and the Strip at dusk

Photo: Stuart Dee

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2022 GRAMMYs: New Date & Location Announced 2022-grammys-awards-64th-new-air-show-date-location-las-vegas-april-3-announcement

New Air Date & Location For 2022 GRAMMYs Show Announced: April 3 In Las Vegas

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The 2022 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 64th GRAMMY Awards, have been rescheduled and will now be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 3
GRAMMYs
Jan 18, 2022 - 12:15 pm

The following is a statement from Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr.: 

I'm so pleased to let you know that the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards have been rescheduled and will now be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 3 (8:00-11:30 PM, live ET/5:00-8:30 PM, live PT) on the CBS Television Network and will be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+. Trevor Noah, the Emmy Award-winning host of "The Daily Show," will return as master of ceremonies for Music's Biggest Night. 

Additional details about the dates and locations of other official GRAMMY Week events, including the GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony, MusiCares' Person of the Year, and the Pre-GRAMMY Gala, will be announced soon. 

We are excited to take the GRAMMYs to Las Vegas for the very first time, and to put on a world-class show. From the moment we announced the postponement of the original show date, we have been inundated with heartfelt messages of support and solidarity from the artist community. We are humbled by their generosity and grateful for their unwavering commitment to the GRAMMY Awards and the Academy's mission. We appreciate the leadership CBS and our production partners at Fulwell 73 have shown during these challenging weeks and the flexibility of everyone who worked toward this solution. 

Onward, 
Harvey 

2022 GRAMMYs Awards Show: Complete Nominations List

30 Must-Hear Albums In 2022

(L - R): Machine Gun Kelly, Charli XCX, Saweetie, Earl Sweatshirt, Rosalía

(Source Photos L - R): Rich Fury/Getty Images for dcp; Jason Koerner/Getty Images; Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for iHeartRadio; Marc Grimwade/WireImage; Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

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30 Albums You Should Listen To In 2022 30-must-hear-albums-2022-kendrick-lamar-cardi-b-rosalia-mitski-machine-gun-kelly-charli-xcx-enhypen

30 Must-Hear Albums In 2022: Kendrick Lamar, Cardi B, Rosalía, Machine Gun Kelly, Charli XCX, Saweetie & More

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2022 has no shortage of new albums to keep your shuffle hard at work. GRAMMY.com compiled a list of 30 upcoming releases — from Kid Cudi, Earl Sweatshirt, Combo Chimbita, Dolly Parton, and Guns N' Roses — to keep you moving in the new year.
Brennan Carley
Britt Julious
Ilana Kaplan
Ernesto Lechner
Rob LeDonne
Jessica Lipsky
Victoria Moorwood
Mosi Reeves
Jack Tregoning
Taylor Weatherby
GRAMMYs
Jan 7, 2022 - 1:28 pm

Editor's Note: This piece has been updated to reflect release dates and album titles announced after publishing. 

While it may feel like there's not much to look forward to during yet another wave of COVID-19, music fans around the world are eagerly waiting to load their playlists with new releases as 2022 gets underway.

And there's certainly plenty to look forward to: Along with The Weeknd, who released his fifth studio album, Dawn FM, on Jan. 7, superstars like Machine Gun Kelly, Camila Cabello, Dolly Parton, Guns N' Roses, and Rosalía have all announced or teased albums coming this year.

The pandemic may have slowed things down, but there's no stopping artists in 2022. Keep an eye out for these 30 albums from ENHYPEN, Mitski, Saweetie, Bastille, and many more.

The Weeknd, Dawn FM

Release date: Jan. 7

Only a year removed from his incendiary Super Bowl Halftime Show performance, the crowned pop prince of Canada returns with the semi-surprise Dawn FM, a hotly anticipated follow-up to his record-breaking 2020 release, After Hours (you know, the one with "Blinding Lights" and "Save Your Tears" on it).

As The Weeknd's album teasers promised, Dawn FM delivered sinister synthesizers, a vocal appearance from Jim Carrey, and old-man makeup that's arguably only slightly less distressing than his wax-faced After Hours persona.Max Martin is back (on lead single "Take My Breath"), and other guests include Tyler, the Creator and Oneohtrix Point Never.

As for what the three-time GRAMMY winner wants his listeners to take away from his latest work? "Picture the album being like the listener is dead," The Weeknd told Billboard. Capisce? — Brennan Carley

ENHYPEN, DIMENSION : ANSWER 

Release date: January 10

Seven-piece boy group ENHYPEN may still be relatively new to the K-pop scene (the band formed in 2020 on the Korean survival competition show "I-Land"), but they're already making moves to put themselves in the ranks of BTS and EXO. Their latest release, DIMENSION : ANSWER, marks the group's first studio repackage album, expanding on their 2021 debut set, DIMENSION : DILEMMA.

DIMENSION : ANSWER will feature three new tracks,: "Polaroid Love," "Outro : Day 2," and lead single "Blessed-Cursed." Fans got a first taste of the three B-sides thanks to an album preview the group released on Jan. 4, which teased a wide array of sounds: punchy pop-sprinkled production on "Polaroid Love," sultry R&B vocals with "Outro : Day 2," and guitar-heavy rock on "Blessed-Cursed." With such vast musical prowess, DIMENSION : ANSWER may just be the group's ticket to K-pop superstardom. — Taylor Weatherby

Read More: 5 Rising Korean Artists To Know Now: STAYC, ENHYPEN, ITZY, TOMORROW X TOGETHER & ATEEZ

Cordae, From a Bird's Eye View

Release date: Jan. 14

Cordae set the bar high with his GRAMMY-nominated debut album The Lost Boy and emerged as one of the most exciting new talents of 2019, making his return to the game with his hotly anticipated second album.

The Maryland-raised rapper held fans over with his Just Until… EP last April before launching into his album rollout with the braggadocious hit, "Super" and a collaboration with Lil Wayne, "Sinister." The 24-year-old wordsmith — known for his reflective, carefully-crafted raps — said From a Bird's Eye View was inspired by "a life-changing trip to Africa, enduring the loss of a friend gone too soon and evolving as an artist and a man." 

The album will also mark Cordae's first full-length effort since the official disbanding of his YBN collective in 2020. — Victoria Moorwood

Animal Collective, Time Skiffs

Release date: Feb. 4

Followers of experimental pop adventurers Animal Collective have waited six years for a new album following 2016's Painting With. At last, the four-piece will release Time Skiffs, an album full of otherworldly harmonies and mind-opening melodies.

Animal Collective has released two singles from the LP so far: the gently psychedelic "Prester John" and the equally trippy "Walker." The latter is a tribute to Scott Walker, the prolific singer-songwriter who died in 2019. Its beautifully intricate music video, directed by band member Dave Portner and his sister Abby, brings the Time Skiffs album cover to life in vivid detail. — Jack Tregoning

Avril Lavigne, Love Sux

Release date: Feb 25 

Like everything Y2K, pop-punk is making a comeback. And nearly 20 years since the release of her seminal pop-punk debut Let Go, Avril Lavigne brings back her pop-punk princess persona in all its glory — combat boots and all. In early November, the "Sk8r Boi" singer shared her the angsty anthem "Bite Me," first new single in over two years, featuring Travis Barker.

With the new music, Lavigne also shared she had signed to the drummer extraordinaire's label DTA Records. Her seventh studio album is set to be the artist's first LP since her more traditional pop LP Head Above Water in 2019. — I.K.

Bonobo, Fragments

Release date: Jan. 14

Like everyone else around the world, electronic shapeshifter Simon Green had a very unusual past two years. The British musician and DJ, better known as Bonobo, found himself grounded in his adopted home of Los Angeles, itching for new inspiration to get through the pandemic. His wanderings took him from a tent in the Californian desert to a new appreciation for modular synths back home in lockdown, all with a nervous eye on the precarious state of the world.

This activity fed into a flood of music which we'll soon hear on Bonobo's seventh studio album, Fragments, out on Ninja Tune. Fragments features guests including Jamila Woods, Joji and Kadhja Bonet, while channeling influences from UK bass, Detroit techno and global music through Bonobo's widescreen lens. The producer is already up for two Best Dance/Electronic Recording awards at this year's GRAMMYs, for "Heartbreak," his collaboration with Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, and "Loom," with Ólafur Arnalds. Bonobo begins a tour of the US in February, giving fans a few precious weeks to soak up the album before its live debut. — J.T.

Earl Sweatshirt, SICK

Release date: Jan. 14

With a decade-plus of acclaimed projects such as 2018's Some Rap Songs, Earl Sweatshirt is both an underground hero and a critic's darling. He hasn't achieved the same level of mainstream success as former Odd Future colleagues Tyler, the Creator and Syd – which is fine with him.

Judging from SICK's lead track "2010," where he pays homage to his mother in cryptic terms, the 10-track album promises to be another collection of stylized verses, dusty beats and autobiographical confessions (albeit rendered in a clearer voice than his previous album, 2019's lo-fi affair Feet of Clay). As its title suggests, SICK was inspired by the pandemic. "My whole thing is grading things on the truth, you know what I mean? However expansive or detailed the truth is," he told Rolling Stone. — Mosi Reeves

iann dior, On To Better Things

Release date: January 21

After blasting onto the scene with his 24kgoldn team-up (and runaway smash) "Mood" in 2020, iann dior hasn't slowed down, releasing an EP and countless other collabs. On To Better Things marks dior's first full-length album since 2019, serving up 15 tracks that will help the rapper truly come into his own.

Like the Lil Uzi Vert-assisted "V12" and the racing single "Let You," On To Better Things will see dior further explore his capabilities as a rapper while also tapping into his alt-pop/rock sensibilities. Judging by his previous releases, dior won't be afraid to get raw and real on his latest project as he opens up about love, relationships and loyalty. There may be glimmers of hope on the album, though, as dior captioned a post teasing the album, "life is better now." — T.W.

Dive Deep: 9 Revolutionary Rap Albums To Know: From Kendrick Lamar, Black Star, EarthGang & More

Combo Chimbita, IRÉ

Release date: Jan. 28

The melding of cumbia beats and psychedelic vibes was embraced during the '70s by many pioneering outfits in Peru and Colombia. Since the release of their 2017 debut, New York quartet Combo Chimbita has built on that foundation, amping up the mystical tinge of its material through the soulful chanting of extraordinary vocalist Carolina Oliveros. 

Always ready to speak up on social and political issues, Chimbita uses cumbia as a starting point, adding swashes of funk and soul, Afro guitar lines and atmospheric samples. The band's new album expands its palette, enhancing lead single "Oya" with a video shot at the ruins of Puerto Rico's abandoned Intercontinental Hotel. A tour with the awesomeLido Pimienta will follow soon. — Ernesto Lechner

Aaliyah, Unstoppable

Release date: January 2022

Anticipation surrounding Aaliyah's fourth album has been building since 2012, when Blackground Records released "Don't Think They Know," which paired the late singer's vocals with Chris Brown, and a Drake collaboration, "Enough Said." The long-awaited arrival of her back catalog to streaming last fall added fresh fuel for a project that has been controversial, with some diehard fans questioning whether it honors Aaliyah's legacy.

Unstoppable includes guests like Snoop Dogg, Future and Ne-Yo. The first single, a woozy ballad titled "Poison," features The Weeknd as well as lyrics originally written by the late Static Major. "Some of the people Aaliyah liked are on the album. She loved Snoop Dogg," Blackground CEO and Aaliyah's uncle Jomo Hankerson told Billboard. "Everything I do at Blackground is always with her in my heart and my mind." — M.R.

Read More: For The Record: How Aaliyah Redefined Her Sound And Herself On One In A Million

Bastille, Give Me the Future

Release date: Feb. 4

If the pandemic had even a glimmer of a bright side, it comes courtesy of musicians like Bastille pivoting and positioning their art to address the present, as Give Me the Future promises to do.

Bandleader Dan Smith had already begun work on the English pop-rock group's fourth album before COVID-19 threw a wrench in his plans, but the pandemic made the album's probing themes seem that much more prescient. Glistening songs like "Thelma + Louise" and the vocoded "Distorted Light Beam" dig more deeply into Bastille's exploration of escapism when the troubles of the world are thundering outside our windows, all with the help of new collaborators Rami Yacoub and One Republic's Ryan Tedder. We promise it's way more fun than it sounds. — B.C.

Mitski, Laurel Hell

Release date: Feb. 4

Mitski almost pressed pause on her music career which, according to a Rolling Stone interview, was "shaving away my soul little by little." After a final performance, "I would quit and find another life."  Fortunately, though, Mitski has stuck with it.

Three years since the release of her fifth studio album Be the Cowboy, the indie singer-songwriter is set to share her forthcoming project Laurel Hell. While the majority of the LP was penned in 2018, it wasn't mixed until 2021, making it the longest the singer has spent on one of her records. What listeners can expect is a transformative set of songs that pair Mitski's signature vulnerability with uptempo dance beats and, ultimately, catharsis. — Ilana Kaplan

Guns N' Roses, Hard Skool EP

Release date: Feb. 25 

In 2021, 36 years after the band first formed in the hard rock hotbed of Los Angeles, Guns N' Roses returned with two new singles. This productive streak was remarkable enough in itself given the group's notoriously haphazard release schedule. The singles "ABSUЯD" and "Hard Skool" are doubly remarkable, though, because they usher in a new EP that brings beloved members Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan together again after 28 years.

Reinterpreted from the band's Chinese Democracy sessions, "ABSUЯD" features a raw, punk-tinged sound that surprised some fans before rewarding repeat listens. "Hard Skool," meanwhile, harkens back to the classic sound that Guns N' Roses perfected in the late 1980s. The Hard Skool EP will feature the two 2021 singles alongside live renditions of GNR favorites "Don't Cry" and "You're Crazy." To mark this new era, the band is touring arenas throughout 2022, reuniting Axl, Slash and Duff as a powerhouse onstage trio. — J.T.

Take a Look Back: Guns N' Roses' 'Appetite For Destruction' | For The Record

Charli XCX, CRASH

Release date: March 18

Pop polymorph Charli XCX has been promising fans her sellout era for months now ("tip for new artists: sell your soul for money and fame," she tweeted last July), ushered in with last summer's "Good Ones" and buoyed into the holidays with "New Shapes," a powerhouse team-up with Caroline Polachek and Christine and the Queens.

CRASH is the fifth and final album she owes Atlantic Records — a benchmark not lost on fans or Charli herself. For it, Charli promises edge-of-your-seat appearances from Rina Sawayama, frequent collaborator A. G. Cook, and frequent Weeknd cohort Oneohtrix Point Never. Come for the bloody album artwork, stay for the cheeky, self-aware pop concoctions contained within. — B.C.

Dolly Parton, Run, Rose, Run

Release date: March 2022

The beloved, multi-GRAMMY Award-winning singer-songwriter Dolly Parton has built a career as a trailblazer, so it stands to reason that her next musical effort would carry on that grand tradition. Run, Rose, Run is an album of original tunes taking its energetic moniker from a companion novel that Parton co-authored with the acclaimed writer James Patterson.

According to Parton, the accompanying album consists of "all new songs written based on the characters and situations in the book" and centers on a tale about a girl who treks to Nashville to pursue her dreams. Adds Patterson, "the mind-blowing thing about this project is that reading the novel is enhanced by listening to the album and vice versa." Both projects are dropping in tandem. It's a unique undertaking that celebrates a smoldering passion for music; but if you've been following the legend's career, would you expect anything less? — Rob LeDonne

Maren Morris, Humble Quest

Release date: March 25

GRAMMY-winning singer Maren Morris has conquered modern country music with her soulful solo material and even forayed into pop (just mentioning "The Middle" will glue its sticky chorus to your every waking moment for the next week). So whatever magic Morris might make with her highly anticipated third album, Humble Quest, is cause enough for celebration.

Morris kicked off her next LP with "Circles Around This Town," an expansive, freewheeling single that blends the echoing production of her 2016 debut HERO and super-personal lyrics of 2019's GIRL. The album will be Morris' first since the untimely 2019 passing of her longtime creative partner busbee, but her partnership with pop hitmaker Greg Kurstin (who produced "Circles Around This Town" as well as four GIRL tracks) hints that this next project is going to be a timeless trip and an emotional walloping. — B.C.

Thomas Rhett, Where We Started / Country Again: Side B

Release date: April 1 / Fall 2022

Though country music has always been the core of what Thomas Rhett has done since his debut album (2013's It Goes Like This), the star's 2021 set, Country Again: Side A, was more traditional than his past projects. Clearly his roots (along with the unexpected pandemic-induced downtime) sparked a bout of inspiration, as Rhett announced in November that he'll be releasing Side B as well as another LP, titled Where We Started, in 2022.

Surprisingly, Side B won't be coming first. But it will create one cohesive Country Again narrative once it arrives, as Rhett promised in an interview with Rolling Stone last year — though he did hint that Side B will feature production that's "a smidge more experimental" than Side A. His latest single, the wistful "Slow Down Summer" hints that Where We Started will also bring back more of the pop-leaning production he's incorporated in his previous albums.

Still, that doesn't mean he'll lose sight of the country boy that has been unleashed: In writing all of this music, Rhett told his producers (per Rolling Stone), "This is the direction I'm headed in, and I think I'm gonna be here for a long time." — T.W.

Read More: Saddle Up With The Best Country Song Nominations | 2022 GRAMMYs

Jack White, Fear of the Dawn / Entering Heaven Alive

Release date: April 8 / July 22 

Epic ambition fuels the very essence of rock 'n' roll and Jack White has embodied the genre's weakness for glamour, dissonance and excess since his days with The White Stripes. The reckless propulsion of "Over and Over and Over" — off 2018's Boarding House Reach — proved that he has kept the bravado in his songwriting very much alive. 

2022 will find the multi-GRAMMY Award winning singer/guitarist releasing two full-length albums: Fear of the Dawn, led by the wonderfully bombastic single "Taking Me Back," will also include a collaboration with rapper Q-Tip. No details are available on July's Entering Heaven Alive, but the appearance of two albums in the same year is the kind of grandiloquent gesture that rock is in need of more than ever before.  — E.L.

Swedish House Mafia, Paradise Again

Release date: TBA, ships April 15

When GRAMMY-nominated Swedish House Mafia announced they were getting back together (and this time for good), fans were cautiously optimistic. The trio of DJ-producers — Steve Angello, Sebastian Ingrosso and Axwell —  promised a host of new music to mark their return, and so far they've kept to their word. The comeback began with the dark, guest-free "It Gets Better," which deviated from the big-room EDM sound championed by the Swedes up to their split in 2013.

From there, the trio delivered "Lifetime," featuring Ty Dolla $ign and 070 Shake, and "Moth to a Flame," featuring The Weeknd, which became their first major hit of the new era. This flurry of activity sets the stage for Swedish House Mafia's first full album, Paradise Again. As Ingrosso told NME, the album will combine their trademark "Scandinavian melodies with dark production and hard sounds." Starting July 2022, the DJs embark on their first tour in a decade, playing 44 dates throughout the US, UK and Europe. — J.T.

Jason Aldean, Georgia 

Release date: April 22

Jumping on country music's 2021 double album trend, Jason Aldean issued Macon, the first half of his own two-disc set, Macon, Georgia, in November. The title is an homage to his hometown, which he refers to as a "melting pot" that shaped his music, according to Country Now. Yet, the 30-song project expands on Aldean's signature country-rock sound without steering too far away from what fans have grown to love, as evidenced with both Macon and Georgia's crooning lead single, "Whiskey Me Away."

Like its predecessor, Georgia will include 10 new songs and five live recordings of his biggest hits, essentially creating Aldean's first-ever live album.With the aptly titled track "Rock and Roll Cowboy" to boot, Georgia helps make Macon, Georgia a career highlight for Aldean. — T.W.

Machine Gun Kelly, Born with Horns

Release date: TBD 

The upcoming sixth studio album from enigmatic rocker Machine Gun Kelly, ominously titled Born with Horns, was rumored to drop on New Year's Eve 2021, but it seems Kelly had a change of heart tweeting "See you in 2022." While the release date continues to be murky, there is some solid information about the highly anticipated fresh slate of music from the multi-hyphenate rockstar.

For one, the album is produced by fellow rock luminary Travis Barker and includes the decidedly dark single "Papercuts." "It feels more guitar-heavy for sure, lyrically it definitely goes deeper, but I never like to do anything the same," Kelly said of Born with Horns in an interview with Sunday TODAY, noting it'll also mark a personal evolution. "I'm not scared anymore, there's nothing holding me back from being my true self — and my true self can't be silenced, can't be restrained." — R.L.

Watch Now: Up Close & Personal: Machine Gun Kelly On Working With Travis Barker & Influencing The Next Decade Of Music

Camila Cabello, Familia

Release date: TBD

There's perhaps never been a better advertisement for an album than Camila Cabello's edition of NPR's Tiny Desk. Released last fall, the session begins with three old songs and ends with two Familia cuts strong enough to bowl you over. In just 20 minutes, the former Fifth Harmony singer genuflects at the altar of pop's past while steering its ship into the future.

"Don't Go Yet" brims with the promise of comfort as it opens with a warm flamenco guitar. "La Buena Vida" is a Mariachi-based explosion of emotion and evocation, anchored by Cabello's arresting vocals. Whereas her prior albums sought to cement the 24-year-old amidst her contemporaries, the uber-personal Familia seems likely to propel her into a whole new pedigree of artistry. — B.C.

Rosalía, MOTOMAMI

Release date: TBD 

In 2018, Rosalía's cinematic El Mal Querer signified a before-and-after for the music of Spain and Latin America. A visionary blend of flamenco, hip-hop and confessional torch song, the album introduced her to the world as an intellectual, musicologist and pop diva wrapped up into one slick sonic package. Subsequent singles (2019's "Haute Couture" was a gorgeous slice of electro-pop) demonstrated that Rosalía's path to global domination relies on a voracious curiosity for disparate styles and high-profile collaborators such as Billie Eilish and Bad Bunny. 

Titled MOTOMAMI, Rosalía's much anticipated release includes "LA FAMA," a deliciously distorted bachata duet with The Weeknd. We can only imagine what other wonders Rosalía's remarkable imagination has dreamed up for this, her first full-length album since becoming a cultural icon. — E.L.

Saweetie, Pretty Bitch Music

Release date: TBD

Saweetie is set to finally release her debut album, Pretty Bitch Music, this year. After first announcing the project in 2020, the Bay Area native's star power has exploded, reaching new heights last year with major endorsements, her first GRAMMY nominations and a "Saturday Night Live" debut. Pretty Bitch Music was initially slated to arrive in 2021, but Saweetie postponed the effort for some additional fine-tuning.

"I'm just living with it to ensure it's perfect," she told Hollywood Life in August. "I'm really challenging myself and I just want to ensure that I put out a body of work that [will] symbolize art."

Pretty Bitch Music is expected to include Saweetie's 2x Platinum-certified collaboration with Doja Cat, "Best Friend" and her single "Tap In" with production by Timbaland, Lil Jon and Murda Beatz, among other heavy-hitters. — V.M.

Kid Cudi, Entergalactic

Release date: TBD

Three years after it was announced, Kid Cudi's animated music adventure for Netflix is set to arrive this summer, as the rapper declared during his set at Rolling Loud California in December. "I got some tasty surprises," he told fans before offering a snippet of unreleased music that may be on the soundtrack. 

Not much else is known about the project, which takes its title from a song on Cudi's 2009 debut Man on the Moon: The End of Day, and which co-creator Kenya Barris referred to as "the most ambitious thing" in a 2019 interview with Complex.

Entergalactic might not be where Kid Cudi stops in 2022, either: Amid his Rolling Loud teases, he said, "I want to drop another album before [Entergalactic]... I really am excited about all this new s***, this new music to give to you guys. So that's why I'm teasing this s*** now, 'cause it's comin' out soon." — M.R.

Beach House, Once Twice Melody

Release date: throughout 2022

Nearly four years since the release of their seventh studio album aptly titled 7, Beach House is slowly unveiling their latest record Once Twice Melody. But instead of dropping all 18 tracks at once, the dreamy indie duo has been giving fans a taste of their new sound in four chapters.

Once Twice Melody is a significant shift as it's the first album produced in full by the band. Beach House also thought about its structure completely differently than they had in the past. "It didn't just feel like a regular, like another album of ours, it felt like a larger, newer kind of way of looking at our music," singer Victoria Legrand told Apple Music. Instead, they view it as "cinematic" and "literary." What fans can expect, they say, is "a lot of love" and "a sacredness of nature." — I.K.

Kendrick Lamar, TBA

Release date: TBD

One of our most celebrated artists of his generation may make his triumphant return this year.  Although it's been nearly five years since Kendrick Lamar released his GRAMMY- and Pulitzer Prize-winning album DAMN, Lamar has remained busy. In 2018, Lamar  curated the Black Panther soundtrack and he's also made guest appearances on tracks by artists as varied as Nipsey Hussle, Anderson .Paak, U2 and his cousin, Baby Keem. 

But Lamar has been mostly mum about his own music, save for an August blog post titled "nu thoughts." "Love, loss, and grief have disturbed my comfort zone, but the glimmers of God speak through my music and family," he wrote, adding that his next album will be his last with Top Dawg Entertainment. It's the sort of thoughtful, precise announcement (and perhaps a hint to his album's content) that fans have come to expect from the notoriously private rapper. Lamar will thankfully make an appearance at this year's Super Bowl in February. — Britt Julious

Read More: Black Sounds Beautiful: How Kendrick Lamar Became A Rap Icon

Cardi B, TBA

Release date: TBD

Despite the slow-burning success of her single "Bodak Yellow," few could have predicted the popularity of Cardi B'sdebut album, Invasion of Privacy. A critical and commercial success, "Invasion of Privacy" won Best Rap Album at the 61st Grammy Awards, making Cardi the first woman to win in the category. That's why anticipation for her sophomore record is so high.

Cardi's brand of hip-hop is provocative and fun, and her two singles (possibly from the record) seem to confirm that same mood is still present in her music. In 2020, she dropped "WAP," a cultural reset of a collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion, and in 2021, she released "Up," which later inspired a viral TikTok dance challenge. As with many artists, the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed the release of Cardi's new album. But late last year on Instagram Live, Cardi said she has "lots of jobs now" and one of them is to "put out this album next year." Hopefully fans won't have to wait too long. — B.J.

Koffee, TBA

Release date: TBD  

If Koffee's latest single is any indication, the youngest GRAMMY Award winner for Best Reggae Album is planning a glorious homecoming in 2022. Sung with a wide smile you can nearly hear, "West Indies" is a dancehall love letter to the islands and an upbeat promise for what the singer has in store on her first full-length.   

"I want to speak of a solution and of a way that we can come together and get along, even when things are going wrong," Koffee told Rolling Stone.

Although the pandemic halted her album recording and nixed her first Coachella performance, Koffee defies the dour attitude of much of the past two years. On "West Indies," Koffee assures that she's partying and having the time of her life — her as-yet-untitled album will likely soundtrack yours while you do the same. — Jessica Lipsky

Read More: The Women Essential To Reggae And Dancehall

Girl Ultra, TBA

Release date: TBD 

Few musical experiences are as uplifting as listening to a singer/songwriter's follow-up to a brilliant debut, where they enhance the scope of their craft with new influences and sounds. Nuevos Aires, Girl Ultra's first full-length album, was just that – a breath of fresh air for Latin R&B, anchored on the purity of her voice and collaborations with Ximena Sariñana and Cuco (for the languid hit "DameLove.") 

Following that 2019 release, the artist also known as Mariana de Miguel returns with a new EP. Lead single "Amores de Droga" evokes the sophistication of Everything But The Girl, combining smoldering vocalizing with cool electro grooves. A study in contrasts, it finds the Mexico City chanteuse reaching a pinnacle of inspiration. — E.L.

The Pandemic Robbed Music Of Its Rapport. These Immersive Experiences Are Restoring It In Mind-Blowing Ways.

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Announcement: 2022 GRAMMYs Postponed

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After careful consideration and analysis with city and state officials, health and safety experts, the artist community and our many partners, the Recording Academy and CBS have postponed the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards Show
GRAMMYs
Jan 5, 2022 - 11:45 am

Editor's Note: The 2022 GRAMMYs Awards show, officially known as the 64th GRAMMY Awards, has been rescheduled to Sunday, April 3, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The below article was updated on Tuesday, Jan. 18, to reflect the new show date and location.

The following is a Joint Statement from the Recording Academy and CBS:

“After careful consideration and analysis with city and state officials, health and safety experts, the artist community and our many partners, the Recording Academy and CBS have postponed the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards Show. The health and safety of those in our music community, the live audience, and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly to produce our show remains our top priority. Given the uncertainty surrounding the Omicron variant, holding the show on January 31st simply contains too many risks. We look forward to celebrating Music’s Biggest Night on a future date, which will be announced soon.” 

2022 GRAMMYs Awards Show: Complete Nominations List

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Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy and its Affiliates. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy and its Affiliates lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy and its Affiliates.