The year begins with a bang with three high-profile indie releases. Anyone who has already heard Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion(January 16) has gone away raving about it and you can expect people to be still wowing about it a year from now.
Both Franz Ferdinand( Tonight!,Jan 23) and Antony The Johnsons( The Crying Light,Jan 9) return to the fray with what preview listens indicate are very strong releases.
The blockbuster hit of the month, though, will come from New Jersey. Bruce Springsteen's16th studio album Working On A Dream(Jan 23) was produced again by Brendan O'Brien and features The E Street Band.
Key February releases include It's Not Me, It's You, the second album from Lily Allen(Feb 6), Morrissey( Years Of Refusal,Feb 13), 50 Cent( Before I Self-Destruct, Feb 20), Beirut( March of the Zapotec, Feb 13), The Prodigy( Invaders Must Die, Feb 27) India Arie( Testimony, Feb 6) and M Ward( Hold Time, Feb 13).
Most promising of all is Dark Was The Night(Feb 21), a double-album compilation from the Red Hot AIDS awareness organisation with new music from Arcade Fire, The National, Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevensand many others.
But the February/March release you won't be able to avoid is that new U2album. It would seem that everyone in the music industry, from labels to shops, is betting the house on No Line On The Horizon(Feb 27) and its subsequent tour being a big ol hit.
In March, Laura Iziboris slated to release Let The Truth Be Told, a debut album that has been on the cards for the last couple of years.
You can also reserve some cash for new albums from Paolo Nutini(March) and April releases from Depeche Mode, Dovesand Bat For Lashes.
Irish band Bell X1are expected to release their first studio album after the departure of founder member Brian Cosby in the first few months of 2009.
Then, we're into the realm of "to be confirmed" with albums due from Sonic Youth, Outkast(they're talking about releasing three albums in 2009), Eminem, Jay-Z( The Blueprint 3), Coldplay, The Strokes, Dr Dre(Detox is turning into hip-hop's Chinese Democracy), Wilco, Hot Chip, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Robbie Williams. Aerosmith, Green Dayand No Doubt.
Sadly, there's also the threat of a new Westlifealbum in the next 12 months.
