There is no doubt that 2020 has been a more than unusual year, and it has been tough for everybody. No matter what people do for a living, their work situation almost inevitably changed. Particularly for artists, touring stopped being an option, so a lot of them found themselves with a lot of time in their hands.

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With so many changes and uncertainty, it was almost obvious that inspiration would strike and that these weird times would influence music. From Taylor Swift to Paul McCartney, people have seen musicians explore different styles and come up with great new things. Here's what can be expected in music for 2021.

10 Rihanna

It's been difficult for fans to get something out of Rihanna regarding when the new album will be released, but they know for sure that, for about a year now, there was been music on the works. At the end of 2019, she posted a video on Instagram with the caption "update: me listening to R9 by myself and refusing to release it." Since then, fans have been asking about it with no luck. Whatever the new project is, surely it will be worth the wait, and hopefully, it will come out soon.

9 Foo Fighters

Since the beginning of 2020, Foo Fighters have talked about their new album. They had plans to release it last year, but anyone who listens to them knows that this rock band loves touring and playing live more than anything, so when the pandemic began, they decided to postpone it. Of course, they didn't know concerts would be suspended for so long, so they had to set a date anyway. The new album is called Medicine at Midnight and will come out on February 5th. They put out two tracks so far, Shame Shame, and No Son Of Mine.

8 Drake

Last year, Drake has been putting out a few teasers, hinting to his fans that new music would be coming, and in October, he confirmed that there would be a new album and that it would be called Certified Lover Boy. 

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There is still no information about the specific date this album will come out, but he confirmed it would be in January, so fingers crossed. This will be Drake's sixth studio album, and from what he's said, it will have quite a few collaborations.

7 The Pretty Reckless

The band led by Gossip Girl star Taylor Momsen announced in early 2020 that they were working on new music, and to celebrate it, they put out the single Death By Rock & Roll. Previously there had been hints about a new project, like, for instance, a picture at the end of 2019 with Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron. Later, when the album was confirmed, she said on an Instagram live that she collaborated with a few Soundgarden members in it. The album will come out on February 12.

6 Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish and Finneas have not been slacking off this year, that's for sure. They put out two songs, My Future and Therefore I Am, but that's not all. Billie has announced on Instagram that she's been writing and recording songs with her brother and that she's close to finishing an album. There's hope that it will come out this year, but Finneas stated that, as much as they want their music to be heard, they don't want to release it during the pandemic because they want people to be able to enjoy it together.

5 Lorde

If there is an artist that is mysterious and coy about her plans, that's Lorde. She's used to making her fans wait, but it's always worth it. She's been hinting at a new album for a few months now, but without giving any specific information.

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She has, however, assured people that she was working hard at the studio and was very happy with her progress. She's also traveled to Antarctica this year and said that the experience had been a life-changing experience, which will for sure influence her work.

4 Red Hot Chili Peppers

In December 2019, the Red Hot Chili Peppers let their fans know that there had been an important change in their band, with the return of their long-time guitar player, John Frusciante. The next months after that the band was quiet, and then suddenly, through interviews and teasing pictures, they announced they were working on a new album. Fans were hopeful it would come out in 2020, but their progress was slowed down for obvious reasons. Now, however, the band is hard at work, and new music can be expected soon.

3 St. Vincent

As can be read in St. Vincent's tweet, she will be rewarding her fans' long wait with a new album. Although she hasn't said anything more about the release, she did talk about how much this new project difers from what people have previously heard from her.

"(The new album is a) tectonic shift," she explained, "I felt I had gone as far as I could possibly go with angularity. I was interested in going back to the music I’ve listened to more than any other—Stevie Wonder records from the early ’70s, Sly and the Family Stone. I studied at the feet of those masters."

2 Greta Van Fleet

After the release of a new single in October titled My Way, Soon, there was a lot of speculation about a new album from Greta Van Fleet. The new album will be called The Battle at Garden's Gate and it will come out on April 16. After that exciting announcement, the band put out a second single, Age of Machine.

"It’s an analogy. Each song is a theme," said singer Josh Kiszka. A magnification of different cultures and civilizations inside of this world searching for some kind of salvation or enlightenment."

1 Ringo Starr

The Beatles' drummer has made it clear that he'll never retire, and at 80 years old, he announced a new EP titled Zoom In for 2021. It will come out on March 19, and it features some great collaborators like Dave Grohl, Sheryl Crow, Lenny Kravitz, and his former bandmate, Sir Paul McCartney, who has released his own album on December 18, McCartney III.

Ringo put out a single titled Here’s to the Nights, and said that he "wanted it out in time for New Year’s because it feels like a good song to end a tough year on. So here’s to the nights we won’t remember and the friends we won’t forget—and I am wishing everyone peace and love for 2021."

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