With the new year well upon us, there is no doubt music fans are looking forward to the future releases of 2013.
2012 marked a huge year in music, and although many favorites may not release new material this year, 2013 aims to offer some quality projects.
Christian musical artists led the pack of the newest arrivals.
Newcomer and American Idol finalist Colton Dixon arrives with “A Messenger,” dropping Jan. 29.
Fiction Family presents their second project, “Fiction Family Reunion,” the same day. This experimental group, led by Jon Foreman of Switchfoot, takes on a more low-key sound. Fans of Foreman can expect less “Meant to Live” and more “Your Love is a Song” from him.
Longtime Christian mu-sic staples Jeremy Camp and Sanctus Real both release new projects in February.
“Run,” Sanctus’ ninth studio effort since 1998, will hit stores on Feb. 5. Camp’s “Reckless” marks his 11th project to date, and it becomes available Feb. 12 to audiences.
Plumb has been a strong female force in Christian music for 15 years now, recently gaining momentum with songs such as “Hang On” and “Need You Now (How Many Times).” Her latest album, “Need You Now,” becomes available Feb. 26.
Those looking for an edgier sound can look for-ward to RED’s “Release the Panic” on Feb. 5 and “Rebuild” from female-fronted The Letter Black on Feb. 26.
Amidst the wave of auto-tune, artists with true vocal ability stand out. Josh Groban, best known for his inspirational smash hit, “You Raise Me Up,” will release “All That Echoes” on Feb. 5.
Harry Connick Jr. has had success in music, film and on Broadway. His iconic old-school charm will make a reappearance Feb. 5 with the single release of “Smokey Mary.”
Connick is not the only actor-turned-recording artist to make a splash this year. Emmy Rossum of “Phantom of the Opera” releases her album “Sentimental Journey” on Jan. 29.
Country music artists offer something to look forward to as well. Tim McGraw makes a comeback Feb. 5 with “Two Lanes of Freedom.” McGraw hails his new project as “a way to reach a little further back, to all that I’d done throughout my career and bring both sides together.”
If that’s not enough to suppress your appetite, the album does close with a song including one of music’s biggest and brightest.
“Highway Don’t Care,” a “breezy yet complex track” features Taylor Swift. The song is track No. 11 of the album, but will be listed as No. 13, which is Swift’s lucky number.
Alternative acts make waves this February. Matt Pond gets wordy with “The Lives Inside the Lines In Your Hand Out,” set for release on Feb. 5.
United Kingdom-based Indie Pop band Veronica Falls releases “Waiting For Something to Happen” on Feb. 12. The group follows up their acclaimed 2009 self-titled debut.
Released by inhabitants of the Inland Empire, surf-punk act Beach Fossils’ “Clash The Truth” washes up on Feb. 19 for audiences to listen.
These are just a few of the many albums coming that can help in constructing the soundtrack to your 2013 music collection.
