Music Shopping List: Britney Spears Returns

The final music release week in August 2016 is a “big one.”  Three high profile albums become available August 26.  The biggest of the bunch is arguably the return of Britney Spears after a three-year hiatus.  Next, Florida Georgia Line returns with its third album following a two- year break.  Finally, after scoring a no. 1 album with previous duets album Partners, Barbra Streisand returns with another collaborative effort.

The fun doesn’t stop with Streisand – at least not in Ingrid Michaelson’s eyes.  Here are eight new albums to consider this week!

1. Britney Spears, Glory

[RCA]

Britney Spears returns with Glory, her first album in three years.  Spears surely expects more out of Glory compared to 2013 LP Britney Jean, which underperformed in the sales department.  Spears released four singles ahead of Glory.

• Tracks: 17
• Featured Guests: G-Eazy
• Pre-Release Singles: “Make Me…” ft. G-Eazy, “Private Show,” “Clumsy” & “Do You Wanna Come Over?”

2. Florida Georgia Line, Dig Your Roots

[Big Machine]

Florida Georgia Line (Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard) returns with their third album, Dig Your Roots.  Dig Your Roots follows up 2014 LP Anything Goes, which debuted at no. 1 on the Billboard 200. Both of Florida Georgia Line’s albums have been certified platinum or multiplatinum, not to mention multiple gold and multiplatinum singles.  

• Tracks: 15
• Featured Guests: Ziggy Marley, Tim McGraw & Backstreet Boys
• Pre-Release Singles: “Smooth,” “Life is a Honeymoon” (ft. Ziggy Marley), “H.O.L.Y.,” “Island,” “May We All” (ft. Tim McGraw) & “God, Your Mama, And Me” (ft. Backstreet Boys)

3. Barbra Streisand, Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway

[Columbia]

Vocal veteran Barbra Streisand returns with her latest album, Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway.  Encore follows Streisand’s no. 1 2014 album, Partners. Partners were certified platinum by the RIAA in January 2015.

• Tracks: 10
• Featured Guests: Anne Hathaway, Daisy Ridley, Jamie Foxx, Seth MacFarlane, Melissa McCarthy, etc.
• Pre-Release Singles: “At the Ballet” (w/ Anne Hathaway & Daisy Ridley) & “Any Moment Now” (w/ Hugh Jackman)

4. Ingrid Michaelson, It Doesn’t Have to Make Sense

[Cabin 24]

Singer/songwriter Ingrid Michaelson returns with her seventh studio album, It Doesn’t Have to Make Sense.  It Doesn’t Have to Make Sense follows up Michaelson’s 2014 effort, Lights Out, which debuted at no. 5 on the Billboard 200.

• Tracks: 10
• Featured Guests:
• Pre-Release Singles: “Light Me Up,” “Hell No” & “Celebrate”

5. Glass Animals, How to be a Human Being

[Harvest]

British alternative band Glass Animals return with sophomore album, How to be a Human Being.  How to be a Human Being follows up 2014 debut, ZABA, which debuted at no. 177 on the Billboard 200.  Only two singles – “Life Itself” and “Youth” – arrived ahead of the album.

• Tracks: 11
• Featured Guests: none
• Pre-Release Singles: “Life Itself” & “Youth”

6. Various Artists, Roadies (Music from the Showtime Original Series)

[Republic]

The soundtrack to the Showtime original series Roadies is star-studded to say the least.  Eight tracks arrived ahead of the album.

• Tracks: 16
• Featured Guests: Frightened Rabbit, Lindsey Buckingham, Machine Gun Kelly, etc.
• Pre-Release Singles: “Simple Man” (Machine Gun Kelly), etc.

https://youtu.be/bpcn9G7sj5w

7. Banks & Steelz, Anything But Words

[Warner Bros.]

Paul Banks (Interpol) and RZA (Wu-Tang Clan) join forces as Banks & Steelz, releasing debut album, Anything But Words.  An unlikely duo, but based upon pre-release tracks, this album is a special one.

• Tracks: 12
• Featured Guests: Kool Keith, Florence Welch, Ghostface Killah, Method Man & Masta Killa
• Pre-Release Singles: “Giant,” “Sword in the Stone” (ft. Kool Keith), “Speedway Sonora,” “Anything But Words” & “Love and War” (ft. Ghostface Killah)

8. De La Soul, and the Anonymous Nobody

[A.O.I., LLC]

Veteran hip-hop collective De La Soul returns with and the Anonymous Nobody, it’s first proper studio album since 2004 (The Grind Date).  It should be noted, however, that De La Soul issued First Serve in 2012, though it’s not solely a De La Soul album.

• Tracks: 17
• Featured Guests: Jill Scott, Snoop Dogg, Usher, etc.
• Pre-Release Singles: “Royal Capes,” “Pain” (ft. Snoop Dogg), “Greyhounds” (ft. Usher), “Trainwreck” & “Drawn” (ft. Little Dragon)

Also Released: Big Gigantic, Brighter Future [Big Gigantic]; Eric Hutchinson, Easy Street [Let’s Break]; FUTURISTIC, As Seen on the Internet; Ryan Robinette, Progression [Ryan Robinette]

Photo Credit: RCA, Big Machine, Columbia, Cabin 24, Harvest, Republic, Warner Bros. & A.O.I., LLC