From BTS To Olivia Rodrigo, Here's All The New Music That's Dropping In May
With May just around the corner, you'll never have to utter "I'm so bored with my music library" ever again — because your playlists will soon be stuffed with tons of new releases. The temperature is finally rising, and artists of all sounds are dropping plenty of heat before summer. With all this new music coming out in May 2021, you might be worried about missing your fave's big drop. But don't worry, I gotchu!
From pop and R&B to hip-hop, EDM, and indie rock, musicians are bringing their freshest projects to the table. The month starts off bright with new albums from long-time pop veterans like Bebe Rexha, who hasn’t released an LP since 2018, and Aly & AJ, whose upcoming project is their first proper album in 14 years. Later in the month, UK R&B songstress Jorja Smith is putting out a soulful eight-track project, while indie rockers St. Vincent and The Black Keys are also delivering highly anticipated records. Late May also brings Blake Shelton’s newest album, which is sure to have plenty of summer-ready country bops.
But, while there’s clearly a lot going on next month, the most highly anticipated May 2021 releases are that of BTS and Olivia Rodrigo. While the Bangtan Boys are dropping their second English-language single, "Butter" (which already sounds like it'll be so smooth), Rodrigo is releasing her debut album, Sour. I’m so hyped just thinking about the other nine tunes that are going to be on Rodrigo's project alongside “Deja Vu” and “Drivers License.” (TBH, I still need to stock up on Kleenex for all those happy tears that are bound to fall.)
Here's a list of all the new music that you'll want to keep on your radar.
Week of May 7, 2021
For the first time in 14 years, former Disney Channel sweethearts Aly & AJ are gifting their fans an album. It's wild to think that this new LP will be their first since 2007's Insomniatic, which housed "Potential Breakup Song" (aka the best "boy, bye" track of all time) The sister duo said their new project is inspired by music from the 1960s and '70s.
May 7 - Aly & AJ’s A Touch of the Beat Gets You Up on Your Feet Gets You Out and Then Into the Sun album
May 7 - Bebe Rexha’s Better Mistakes album
May 7 - Cheat Codes’ Hellraisers, Pt. 1 album
May 7 - Coldplay’s "Higher Power" single
May 7 - Dodie’s Build a Problem album
May 7 - Fickle Friends' Weird Years: Season 2 EP
Week of May 14, 2021
Over the last few years, R&B singer-songwriter Jorja Smith has taken the world by storm, particularly after earning herself two features on Drake's smash 2017 mixtape, More Life. But her emotive 2018 debut album, Lost & Found, was also an impressive feat, and in May, she's returning with her latest project. It'll include two already-released singles, "Gone" and "Addicted," along with six other fresh tunes.
May 14 - Jorja Smith’s Be Right Back project
May 14 - St. Vincent’s Daddy’s Home album
May 14 - The Black Keys’ Delta Kream album
May 14 - Current Joys’ Voyager
May 14 - Erika de Casier’s Sensational album
Week of May 21, 2021
It's been about about eight months since BTS released their first English-language single, "Dynamite" in August 2020. Now, ARMYs around the globe will be shook once again with "Butter," the boys' second English-language single. Slated for a May 21 release, the song will be a "dance pop track brimming with the smooth yet charismatic charm of BTS," according to a press release.
May 21 - BTS' "Butter" single
May 21 - Blake Shelton’s Body Language album
May 21 - Twenty One Pilots, Scaled and Icy album
May 21 - Olivia Rodrigo's Sour
May 21 - Sinead Harnett’s Ready is Always Too Late
May 21 - Sara Bareilles’ Amidst the Chaos: Live at the Hollywood Bowl live album
Week of May 28, 2021
Wrapping up the end of May are new projects by sister duo The Veronicas, who will be dropping their first album since 2014.
May 28 - The Veronicas’ Godzilla album
