Yes, I know Taylor Swift has a new album coming. Yes, I know she and Travis Kelsey are engaged.
Yes, there are all kinds of speculation about the wedding date, the maid of honour and the best man. And yes, she’s currently the odds-on favourite to perform the Super Bowl halftime show. But believe it not, there are plenty of other albums coming out this fall. Here’s a round-up of what to expect beyond Sept. 1.
September 5
Big Thief, Double Infinity (4AD)
Big Thief is an interesting band whose style is tough to categorize. This sixth album was recorded over just three weeks at Power Station, NYC’s famous studio.
David Byrne, Who is the Sky? (Matador)
A few weeks ago, David Byrne dashed everyone’s hopes about a Talking Heads reunion. No one in the group seems all that interested in getting back together, Byrne especially. Why? He’s got so much going on. This record, recorded with The Ghost Train Orchestra, is his 11th solo record (Talking Heads released only eight studio albums). I’m impressed with what I’ve heard so far.
Shame, Cutthroat (Dead Oceans)
Shame is a South London five-piece post-punk band with an impressive following and critical acclaim. It’s a noisy record for a noisy world. We need that.
Suede, Antidepressants (BMG Rights Management)
Suede appeared in that tiny gap between Madchester and Britpop and have been able to navigate things for more than 30 years. This will be their 10th album.
September 12
David Bowie: I Can’t Give Everything Away (2002-2016) Parlophone
Fans will recognize the title of this collection as the title of a song from his final studio album, Blackstar, released just hours before Bowie’s death in 2016. This is a massive box set (the sixth in a series) that will feature 13 CDs and 18 pieces of vinyl. Like the title says, it will cover material from his Heathen album (2002) right up to Blackstar and come with an 84-page hardback book. The best pre-order Canadian price I’ve seen is $265.
King Princess, Girl of Violence (Section 1)
If you haven’t discovered New York’s Mikaela Mullaney Straus yet, this might be the album that does it. She can already sell out medium-sized venues based solely on word of mouth. She is a hero of the lesbian and genderqueer community. This will be here third album.
September 19
Buckingham Nicks, Buckingham Nicks (Rhino)
The long-lost album featuring Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, released a few years before they joined Fleetwood Mac. I used to see this one in the delete bins back in the ’70s, but time can heal such wounds.
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Nine Inch Nails: Ares Soundtrack (Interscope Records)
Both NIN and Tron fans were sent into ecstasy when they heard that Trent Reznor and partner Atticus Ross had been commissioned to write the soundtrack for the latest in the franchise. Can they do better than Daft Punk with Tron: Legacy in 2010? Based on what I’ve heard so far, I think so.
Lola Young, I’m Only F—ing Myself (Island)
Lola is a fascinating English singer. She’s won or been nominated for numerous awards in the U.K., but also has a history of schizoaffective disorder that was diagnosed in 2017 when she was 17. Lola also has issues with vocal cord cysts, which have hampered her ability to tour.
September 26
Robert Plant, Saving Grace (Nonesuch)
Plant has long left Led Zeppelin behind. In fact, when he tours this record, he won’t be doing any Zep songs because he says that music isn’t related to what he’s doing today. This will be his first true solo album since 2017.
XTC, Drums and Wires (Steve Wilson Dolby Mix) (Ape House)
XTC were meticulous perfectionists in the studio. What will this 1977 release sound like in a multi-channel ATMOS form?
October 3
AFI: Silver Bleeds the Back Sun… (Run for Cover)
Although most people know AFI as the Northern California band that had a hit with their cover of Don Henley’s Boys of Summer, fans will know that they’re up to their 12th album. Word is that it’ll feature some rockin’ stompers and a song or two with obvious Goth vibes.
Oasis, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory (Big Brother)
Oasis isn’t missing a trick when it comes to generating revenue from their reunion tour. From $155 T-shirts sold at gigs and pop-up stores to this 30th anniversary edition of their second album, they’ll find a way to service their rabid fanbase. I don’t think they’re bothered by releasing this on the same day as Tay-Tay’s The Life of a Showgirl.
October 10
The Antlers, Blight (Transgressive)
Antlers release some of the saddest, most heart-wrenching, and frankly depressing songs I’ve ever heard (if you want to see what I mean, check out their 2010 album Hospice). This album will probably continue in that vein. What else can we believe when the first single is entitled Carnage?
John Lennon, Yoko Ono, The Plastic Ono Band & Elephant’s Memory, Power to the People (The Ultimate Collection) (Capitol)
If you’ve ever thought, “There’s not enough Yoko in my life,” you’re in luck. All of John and Yoko’s unreleased collaborations have been collected in one box set. It will contain 12 CDs featuring 90 never-before-released tracks from demos, home recordings, live performances and more. Expect to spend north of $300 for this one.
October 17
All Time Low, Everybody’s Talking (Basement Noise Records)
It’s the 10th album from the Baltimore band. A dose of pop-punk for when the weather begins to turn colder.
October 24
Just Mustard, We Were Just Here (Partisan)
My interest in this experimental Irish band has only grown with each single they’ve released. This third album could be the one that results in a breakthrough.
The Lemonheads, Love Chant (Fire)
Against all odds, Evan Dando is still chugging along. After once again disappearing from sight, this record (the first since 2019) is the 11th album from the band, a legacy that stretches all the way back to 1986. This will go nicely with a new memoir titled Rumor of My Demise, which will also be released in October.
November 7
Finger Eleven, Last Night on Earth (Better Noise Music)
Has it really been 10 years since the last Finger Eleven album? Yes, but the hiatus is coming to an end. We’re promised “a big rock record,” according to the band.
Sorry, Cosplay (Domino)
More interesting British indie music. Sorry comes from North London and was scooped up by Domino, home to groups like Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand, My Bloody Valentine, Wet Leg and dozens of other cool indie groups from around the world. The moment I see that a band has a deal with Domino, I’m interested.
White Lies, Night Light (Fiction)
I discovered White Lies, a modern-sounding Joy Division London band, about 15 years ago. They’ve sort of fallen off my radar, but I’ve made a note to check out their seventh album.
November 21
The Beatles, Anthology Collection (Capitol/Apple/UMe)
There seems to be an endless supply of material for the countless number of Beatles fans. This is a remastered collection of the original three Anthology collections of rarities and outtakes released in 1995 and 1996. This time, Giles Martin, son of George, has brought the audio up to date for 2025. Alas, this collection will not contain Story of Carnival of Light, a mythical, unreleased, never bootlegged track from the Sgt. Pepper era, which has legendary status amongst Beatlemaniacs. It remains locked away in the Abbey Road archives.
Danko Jones, Leo Rising (Sonic Unyon)
If there’s a Canadian band that rocks as honestly, authentically, and as hard as Danko Jones, I haven’t heard them. The 11-track 12th album promises to be as loud, rowdy, and beer-soaked as the other 11.
Release Dates TBA
- Asia: Still untitled. Only Geoff Downes remains from the early ’80s lineup
- Blondie: Still untitled. First album since 2017.
- Lana Del Rey: Delayed; title was The Right Person Will Stay, but that’s been changed.
- Gorillaz: Still untitled; ninth album.
- Incubus: Something in the Water; their ninth album
- JET: Still untitled. First album in 15 years.
- Megadeth: Still untitled, but Dave Mustaine says that this will be the last album.
- John Mellencamp: Orphan Train, his 26th album.
- Social Distortion: Still untitled. First album in 11 years.
- Sublime: Still untitled. Jakob Noel, the son of original singer Bradley Nowell, who died of an OD in 1996, is the new frontman.
