New Albums to Watch For in April 2019

April is here, which means a brand new batch of new albums is getting ready to hit shelves over the course of the next few weeks. There are some highly anticipated pop and rock albums on that list, including titles from BTS, P!nk, Sara Bareilles, AJR and Cage the Elephant, as well as the final album from The Cranberries.

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, loves new music. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of some of the new albums we’re excited to see hit shelves in April. From the highly anticipated to the highly interesting, here are six albums to keep an eye out for.

1.       Andy Black, ‘The Ghost of Ohio’: Black Veil Brides frontman Andy Biersack is releasing his second solo album under stage name Andy Black, ‘The Ghost of Ohio,’ this month. The album is the follow-up to his well received 2016 debut ‘The Shadow Side.’ Biersack has already released three singles that take the hard rock of BVB and gives it a pop tinge that takes a bit of the edge off. Alongside the album, a graphic novel of the same name is being released with Z2 Comics. (4/12)

2.       BTS, ‘Map of the Soul: Persona’: South Korean boy band BTS has proven themselves to be a driving force of the new global K-Pop phenomenon. Last year the group released two highly successful albums, of which ‘Love Yourself: Tear’ became their first number one album in the US and the first K-Pop album to hold that top spot. This month, the band releases the first in their next series of themed albums, ‘Map of the Soul: Persona.’ Pre-orders are already exceeding two-and-a-half million copies, so this album is, without a doubt, highly anticipated and going to be one of the hottest of the year. (4/12)

3.       Cage the Elephant, ‘Social Cues’: Written at a tumultuous time in frontman Matt Shultz’s life, ‘Social Cues’ finds Cage the Elephant heading in a different direction musically. Lead single “Ready To Let Go” has a noticeably darker sound to it than the band’s previous, more punk-y indie-rock fare. The band explores new influences as well, with the 80s-synth-filled “House of Glass” and the reggae-tinged Beck-featuring “Night Running,” though they are still underlined by this dark, stoic, down beat vibe. (4/19)

4.       AJR, ‘Neotheater’: Bursting onto the pop-rock scene in 2017 with their sophomore album, ‘The Click,’ AJR is ready to prove that the band of brothers is not just a one-hit wonder with the release of their upcoming third album, ‘Neotheater.’  The band has already been ramping things up as evidenced by the big, triumphant horn-filled sound of first single “100 Bad Days.” Latest single “Birthday Party” isn’t as bouncy, instead going for a Jason Mraz-like easy vibe with added hip-hop beats, more horns and lyrics exploring the innocence of childhood. (4/26)

5.       King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, ‘Fishing for Fishies’: King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard are an interesting band with very unique sound. For example, the titular single of their upcoming 14^th studio album, ‘Fishing for Fishies,’ is light and bouncy, mirroring perfectly what it might feel like to be fishing at a river on a hot, sunny country day. In contrast, first single “Cyboogie” is electronic and heavy with a bit of jazz mixed in. This is sure to be an eclectic album with many more twists and turns, which could make it an exciting listen. (4/26)

6.       The Cranberries, ‘In The End’: At the time of The Cranberries frontwoman Dolores O’Riordan’s untimely death, the band was working on a new album. To honor her memory, the band finished the album using the vocal tracks O’Riordan had already recorded, and are now releasing it under the title ‘In The End.’ The album marks the end of an era, as this will understandably be the band’s final studio release. (4/26)

April is gearing up to be another great month for new music. With some highly anticipated new releases, as well as some albums that are sure to be great listens even without the hype, there is a lot to keep an eye out for in the coming weeks. Check out some of our April picks above and let us know what albums you’re excited to hear this month in the comments below.

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