Upcoming Music: February 2017

Upcoming+Music%3A+February+2017

Sharia Williamson, Staff Writer

February is one of the busiest months in the music industry. Any music junkie can find a new song that matches their style. Genres ranging from deathcore to gospel will be released this month. Some artists expected to release new albums this month include Grateful Dead, Big Sean, The Knocks, Sofía Reyes, Alison Krauss, Little Big Town, Kanye West, and many more.

Big Sean’s fourth studio album: I Decided

On February 3, American rapper Big Sean will be releasing his fourth album, I Decided, through labels DEF Jam and GOOD. I Decided is said to be based on the idea of “rebirth”. The cover of the album  corresponds with this idea. Two houses can be seen, both with a car in the drive way and two men standing outside. At first glance, the cover does not seem like it’s anything special; however, on October 31, 2016, Big Sean made an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and confirmed that the album cover does indeed have meaning. The man on the left represents a current version of himself, while the man on the right represents an old version. Songs such as “Bounce Back”, “Halfway Off the Balcony”, and “Moves” can be expected to appear on the album.

Overkill’s eighteenth studio album: The Grinding Wheel

From the American label eOne Music and the European label Nuclear Blast, American metal band Overkill will be releasing their newest album The Grinding Wheel. The album will consist of ten songs with a total of 60 minutes and 12 seconds of thrash metal. The album was originally set to be released back in October, but will be released on February 10 to coincide with the band’s U.S. tour with the technical death metal band, Nile. The artwork and the track listing have already been released and from the looks of the listings, hardcore Overkill fans will have no complaints on this album.

Little Big Town’s eight studio album: The Breaker

Country music group Little Big Town returns with their eighth album, The Breaker. The 12 song album will hit the shelves on February 24. The musical group has been active since 1998 and have released multiple hits over the years. Their hit single “Pontoon”, took the Number 1 spot on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and won a Grammy in 2013 for Best Country Duo/Group Performance. The Breaker will include the song “Better Man”, written by country artist Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift wrote the song after one of her big time break ups and thought Little Big Town would be the perfect group to sing it. She was proven right, as “Better Man” is the album’s lead single and was able to sell 6,000 copies on the first day of release. Since then, it has sold a staggering 233,000 copies and has taken the Number 2 spot on the Hot County Songs chart. With a mix of raw talent, a successful song, and a strong group of dedicated country lovers, The Breaker is sure to be a chart topper.

More Upcoming Albums:
Red Velvet: Rookie – February 1
Big Wreck: Grace Street – February 3
The Knocks: Testify EP – February 3
Sofía Reyes: Louder! – February 3
Kyuhyum: One Voice – February 8
Mother Mother: No Culture – February 10
Prince Royce: FIVE – February 10
The Orwells: Terrible Human Beings – February 17
The Feelies: In Between – February 24
Steel Partner: Lower the Bar – February 24
Brad Paisley: Love and War – TBA
Kanye West – TBA
Travs Scott – TBA
RZA – TBA
Frank Dukes – TBA
DJ Toomp – TBA