Mariah Carey, Frank Ocean-Top Anticipated R&B Albums of 2014
MTV: Mariah Carey, Frank Ocean, Jhene Aiko Top Most Anticipated R&B Albums of 2014
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Mariah Carey: The title track from her 14th studio LP, The Art of Letting Go, is the reason every girl ever sang into a hairbrush. Just ask Ariana.
Features from Nas, R. Kelly, The-Dream and Q-Tip, along with Rodney Jerkins and Jermaine Dupri behind the boards, ensure more of the same.
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Frank Ocean: Enigmatic Ocean made songs in the key of his life on Channel Orange, but the vibes will come via the Beach Boys and the Beatles, not Stevie Wonder, on this 'go-round. If an R&B album inspired by 1966's Pet Sounds has you scratching your head (*opens new tab, Googles "God Only Knows"*), know that Frank's manager assures there's always a method to the singer/songwriter's vision.
"This is a guy who has the ability to change things, and for him to change things, he has to follow his intuition," Christian Clancy said.
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Jhene Aiko: It should be nothing but smooth sailing for the "Bed Peace" crooner on the Def Jam follow-up to her sultry Sail Out EP. Tentatively titled "Souled Out," and due out this spring, Aiko told Billboard mag she's "grateful to finally put out something people can buy. I didn't want them to wait any longer."
The Los Angeles native made noise last year with a series of noteworthy co-signs, from signing to No I.D.'s Atrium imprint to an opening slot on Drake's Would You Like a Tour? jaunt. But none of that would have been possible without her real-talk lyricism (Aiko penned every track, including verses like "We make love, and then we f---, and then you give me my space") and clear-as-crystal soprano (stream "Stay Ready (What a Life") featuring Kendrick Lamar)
