That Grape Juice’s Fall 2016 Release Preview

As last days of the summer season play out, the fun doesn’t stop this Fall. Because an onslaught of new music is set to be unleashed in the months ahead.

Many of which we are all sorts of excited about.

Join us after the jump to see which releases we here at That Grape Juice are most eager to get our hands on.

Lady Gaga

With ‘Perfect Illusion’ just hitting airwaves, we are at the cusp of a new Gaga era. While ‘ArtPop’ may have not have achieved the same success as her previous installments, we’re thrilled to see how this soul + pop merger comes to fruition. Though always boasting a great voice, the past couple years have seen the star really delve into her craft and we hope this is showcased in her new project. Could telephone part 2 on the the horizon? Time will tell.

Usher

All roads lead to September 16th. After several push backs, ‘Hard II Love’ will officially hit shelves this week. After a slew of singles dating back to early 2014, it’s nice to see the star’s 8th studio album finally ready to push. Though utilizing the Voice could have been useful to push the album in its original time frame, here’s hoping this album gets the proper promo needed to push an R&B album in today’s market.

Bruno Mars

There is something refreshing about an artist that doesn’t have to flood the market with rushed projects just to stay in the public eye. Bruno is one of the few artists that have this luxury. With that being said, 2016 marks four years since Bruno’s sophomore album ‘Unorthodox Jukebox.’ Needless to say, the masses are ready for new material. Though releasing no new music of his own, he still remained in a creative space penning Adele’s ‘All I Ask’ just last year. Bruno has proven to be a hitmaker, and we expect nothing less with album #3.

JoJo

It has been quite the rocky road for the teenage sensation that was JoJo. After numerous legal woes, label constrictions, and album setbacks, the singer is finally releasing her third studio effort. ‘Mad Love’ comes almost exactly ten years after her second studio LP, ‘The High Road,’ which spawned the signature hit ‘Too Little Too Late.’ There is something to be said about an artist that can essentially be out of the public eye for a decade, and still pique interest of many. It will be interesting to see how the belter fairs in today’s fickle market, but we wish the singer nothing but the best. Her talent is a rarity amongst many “singers” in today’s industry. Here’s hoping the third time is the charm.

Mary J. Blige

The Queen of Soul recently announced her joint world tour with R&B royalty, Maxwell. Despite her own personal trials, parting ways with her long husband / manager, it is nice to see the legend not allowing it to bring her down. Never one to leave her emotions out of her music, we anticipate that this time in her life is just the spark needed to breathe new life into her music. With album #12 in the works, fingers crossed she channels the same fire she drew from on  ‘No More Drama.’

Justin Timberlake

Interestingly enough, the megastar has only released four studio albums as a solo artist. Two of which, were released in the same year. (See ‘The 20/20 Experience’). After scoring a colossal hit with ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling’ recently, it’ll be intriguing to see what’s to come from the ‘Suit & Tie’ crooner. Can he keep churning out the smashes without encountering a brick wall?

Speculative Releases

The Carters

The infamous Mr. & Mrs. Carter album is rumored to be coming soon. With sizeable number of their biggest hits being together, we wonder if the joint album will be well received. Their chemistry has always been undeniable, and we expect nothing but greatness from two of the industry’s most towering icons. With a collaborative LP, it’s only natural to assume there’ll be a part II of the ‘On the Run Tour.’ After all, the power couple are all about their coins and with demand meeting them at every look and corner, any such trek is sure to be a blockbuster.

Kanye & Drake

Kanye West and Drake are also tipped to drop a joint album in the upcoming months. Beyond the sound, it’ll be fascinating to observe how the project is released, being that Kanye is Team Tidal and Drake is the poster-guy for Apple Music. Both parties have much to gain by teaming up.

Kanye’s projects since ‘Yeezus’ have not been as well received as his previous endeavors, and Aubrey is in good company critically with the 21 time Grammy award winner.

Could a double dose of magic be on the horizon before the year’s end? Watch this space!

Christina Aguilera

Synonymous with “The Voice” in more ways the one, fans have been awaiting the follow up to the star’s 6th studio album: ‘Lotus.’ Going on four years since its release, perhaps this time has given Xtina the needed window away to cook up something incredible. We’ve made no secret of our enduring love for ‘Your Body,’ as such it’s naturally the nasty-naughty direction we’d love to see her build on.

That said, there’s beauty in versatility and Aguilera has enjoyed success by bending, stretching, and blending an array of different sounds.

At this point and after an age away, we’d take anything – as long as it delivers.

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What do you think of our picks? Who are you most buzzed about? Did we miss any?
As ever, let us know…