On the latest Pop Shop Podcast, Keith & Katie discuss the rapidly changing album release calendar & why artists choose different paths.
Under normal circumstances, the world would be listening to Lady Gaga’s new Chromatica album right now. The set was scheduled to be released this past Friday, April 10, but was pushed back to a yet-unannounced date, as the pop superstar said it didn’t “feel right” for her to release the set during a “global pandemic.”
And Chromatica is just one of a number of albums from A-listers that has been delayed. It’s joined by Alicia Keys’ Alicia (previously March 20, now May 15), The 1975’s Notes on a Conditional Form (was Feb. 21, then April 24, now May 22), Luke Bryan’s Born Here, Live Here, Die Here (April 24 to Aug. 7), Haim’s Women in Music Pt. III (April 24 to Aug. 21) and Sam Smith’s upcoming album (formerly titled To Die For, moving from May 1 to an unannounced date).
On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast (listen below), the team discusses why these albums were likely pushed back, while others held to their release date -- including the latest efforts by rock band The Strokes and singer-rapper Rod Wave.