She should release in 2017 because Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Solo Performance is already a given for Adele also in 2017 the competition would be low like it was for 1989 considering all of the main pop girls are releasing this year...: she should focus on soundtrack singles
Out of all the pop girls, she is the only one who won AOTY twice so I don't think she has any real competition aside from Adele and it should not deter her career moves.
I hope the new haircut really means a new era is coming this year. I hope she releases the lead single the week before of the album and that the album is released in the first week of November. That way she'd have more time to rest her image while still releasing this year.
Because, let's not forget she's co-hosting the MET Gala in May!