With vinyl sales at their highest level for thirty years, streaming services continuing to grow even further in popularity, and even the humble cassette tape making a comeback, it’s clear that the music industry is as popular as ever - even if it’s harder than ever for artists to earn a living.
Last year saw a plenty of huge releases, with Adele, Ed Sheeran, Abba and Olivia Rodrigo leading sales, while the likes of Little Simz, Sault, Arlo Parks and Dry Cleaning produced critically-acclaimed records.
Now we can look forward to more of the same in 2022, with new albums from The Cure, Arctic Monkeys, BTS, Harry Styles and Lizzo all the in the pipeline.
Here are 10 of the most intriguing set to drop in January.
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9. The Lumineers
American folk band The Lumineers have scored three massive hit albums so far - reaching the top two on the American Billboard charts with every release to date. They are likely to repeat the trick with 'Brightside' when it's released on January 14. Photo: Jason Koerner
10. Elvis Costello & The Imposters
One of the UK's greatest ever songwriters, Elvis Costello is back with The Imposters for his 26th studio album 'The Boy Named If'. It's described as being "a new album of urgent, immediate songs with bright melodies, guitar solos that sting and a quick step to the rhythm." Photo: Elvis Costello & The Imposters