Mark Your Calendars: The 15 Most Anticipated Albums Of 2013 (So Far)

Fade by Yo La Tengo (January 15)

Or if not LONG.LIVE, then Fade Out, which comes out the same day. Yo La Tengo had a remarkable run in the 2000s, from the airy And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out to the snappier Popular Songs, and haven't released a "less than very good" album since 1992's May I Sing with Me. YLT's label, Matador, describes Fade as "arguably the most focused and cohesive output from Ira, Georgia, and James to date...a tapestry of fine melody and elegant noise, rhythmic shadowplay and shy-eyed orchestral beauty, songcraft and experimentation." In non-press release terms, it's going to be hella pretty.

Push the Sky Away by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (February 18)

As we've said before, when discussing “We No Who U R,” the first song from Push the Sky Away, "How no wrong can Nick Cave and his Bad Seeds do? Well, their new song 'We No Who U R' bears a strong [title] resemblance to Ke$ha’s 'We R Who We R'...And yet it’s impossible to get angry at the Bad Seeds; they’ve earned the right to all the language shorthands they want." And if you got mad at them, they'd probably kick your ass.

N/A by Black Sabbath (April?)

Of any of the choices on this list, Black Sabbath's first Ozzy Osbourne-led album since 1978’s Never Say Die! has the greatest possibility of being a total dud. But even if it goes down in unintelligible flames, it's still Black Sabbath with Ozzy (and every founding member except drummer Bill Ward), with production from the great Rick Rubin, who resurrected Johnny Cash's career with the American series, and therefore, worth a hesitant listen.

N/A by Arcade Fire (TBA)

A prediction: Arcade Fire's fourth album will be epic, earnest, eventful, and most of all, great. Funeral and the Grammy-winning The Suburbs are two of the most assured albums of the past decade, and even the "disappointing" Neon Bible includes some of their best material ("The Well and the Lighthouse" or GTFO). In December, Arcade played a secret show in Montreal under the moniker Les Identiks, to play new songs that were described by Pitchfork as "heavily percussive, long, and fun, dancy-y and groovy." Could that be because they worked with LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy in some unknown capacity? God we hope so.

N/A by Andre 3000 (TBA)

Much of what we just said about My Bloody Valentine could work for Andre 3000's first official solo album, too. Put out a masterpiece (The Love Below); been too long since last album; rumored for years, etc. etc. etc. Hopefully 2013 is the year — why should Big Boi have all the fun?

N/A by Lady Gaga/Katy Perry/Beyonce (TBA)

Don't pretend you're not excited. These three lovely ladies make some of the best, most catchy pop music out there ("California Gurls" excepted because holy sh*t, that song's awful), and I'd wager "Bad Romance," "Firework," and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" are on all y'alls iPods, hidden in the tracklisting for Metallica's ReLoad. None of the albums have release dates yet, though expect Lady Gaga's ARTPOP to come out in spring — and then for the first single to be stuck in your head for the next five months.

N/A by Daft Punk (TBA)

According to the ever reliable Daft Wiki:

Daft Punk's fourth album is expected to be released in Spring 2013, according to an interview conducted with Chilly Gonzales in late September of 2012, a musician who has worked with the band in the past.

Although the band hasn't yet officially announced the album, it has been revealed in interviews that the project is in progress. Many clues have been given since the Tron: Legacy Soundtrack. Artists such as Panda Bear, Paul Williams, Chilly Gonzales, and most recently Nile Rodgers had confirmed their collaborations on the current studio project. The album has been in the works since 2010. (Via)

First comes the album announcement, then said album is released, then Daft Punk will headline Coachella, then go on a nationwide tour, then they'll BLOW YOUR GODDAMN MINDS. It's going to be a good year.