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Yeezus
Screengrab: Wired
Seemingly almost out of nowhere, Kanye West sent a tweet in May that simply read "June Eighteen." The public immediately jumped to the conclusion that it was the release date for a new album--and, indeed, it was. Yeezus hits next Tuesday and it'll probably be the album of the summer—if only because it's Kanye West and he might will it into existence because, as one of the early tracks notes, he is "a god."
But West's isn't the only album dropping this summer. The Andy Samberg-led comedy trio The Lonely Island just dropped the misleadingly titled Wack Album this past week, while eardrum-rattling rockers Queens of the Stone Age released …Like Clockwork. Looking for something more, well, summery? Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros are coming out with a record full of (predictably) picnic-ready jams in July. Want something more danceable? There's allegedly a second installment of Justin Timberlake's The 20/20 Experience coming towards the end of the season. (Mr. JT is also hitting the road with Jay-Z to claim their titles as the "Legends of the Summer" too.) And if all the fun-in-the-sun music gets to be too much after a while, Trent Reznor is here to help: He's dropping a new Nine Inch Nails record in September to help bring the edge back.
On the hip-hop front there's also a lot to go around. Wale has a new record entitled The Gifted. The young Brooklyn wunderkind known as Joey Bada$$ has a new mixtape appropriately titled Summer Knights set to hit the internets in July, and the legendary Wu-Tang Clan is celebrating their 20th anniversary (!!) this year and just released the barbeque-ready "Family Reunion" and has plans for a new fall record. Oh, and as if Yeezy's new record wasn't enough to get excited about for Tuesday, MCs Mac Miller and J. Cole are also both releasing records that day as well.
Bottom line: There's a lot of great music to look forward to this summer. Check out our must-hear list and prepare to roll around with the top down.
