Pick a Day

Music History Events: Releases

May 17, 2019 Tyler, The Creator releases his fifth album, Igor, also the name of his blond-haired alter-ego. It becomes his first #1 album and earns Tyler his first Grammy win when it takes the trophy for Best Rap Album.

October 5, 2018 Twenty One Pilots release Trench, their first album since Blurryface in 2015. It's a concept album that follows the character Clancy around a dystopian city called Dema. Standout tracks include the dark, cinematic "Jumpsuit" and the trip-hop slow burner "Chlorine."

August 3, 2018 Travis Scott releases his third album, Astroworld, a psychedelic concept record named after the theme park in Houston he went to as a kid (it was demolished in 2006).

May 11, 2018 Charlie Puth puts out his second album, Voicenotes, which includes the hit "Attention." The album title refers to the app on his phone that he uses to keep track of song ideas. Every song on the album started as a Voice Note.

April 6, 2018 Cardi B releases her debut album, Invasion Of Privacy. It goes to #1 and clears a path for female rappers like Megan Thee Stallion and GloRilla.

June 2, 2017 Luke Combs, who majored in criminal justice at Appalachian State University, releases his debut album, This One's For You. Music suits him: He wins the CMA for New Artist Of The Year and becomes a top concert draw.

May 12, 2017 Harry Styles becomes the second One Direction member (following Zayn Malik) to release a solo album. The eponymous album is a departure from his boy band material in 1D, with meaty songs like "Sign of the Times" and "Sweet Creature." It goes to #1 in many countries (including the US and UK) and establishes Styles as a solo artist.

November 18, 2016 Bruno Mars releases his third album, 24K Magic, a party record that picks up where his Mark Ronson collaboration "Uptown Funk" left off. Packed with hits like "That's What I Like" and "Finesse," it wins the Grammy for Album Of The Year.

October 19, 2016 American Football, an emo band whose 1999 self-titled debut album found a following in the years after their 2000 breakup, finally release the follow-up. It's also self-titled, so the album becomes known as LP2.

July 3, 2016 Maren Morris releases her first major-label album, Hero. It goes to #1 on the Country chart and includes one of her most enduring songs, "My Church."

May 20, 2016 Tom Petty's reunited pre-Heartbreakers band Mudcrutch release their second and final album, 2. It's the last album of original material Petty puts out before his death in 2017.

May 13, 2016 Chance the Rapper puts out his third mixtape, Coloring Book. It's released independently and not available for purchase, but still debuts at #8 on the Billboard 200, the first release to make the chart on streams alone. Chance goes on to win the Grammy for Best New Artist.

January 29, 2016 Charlie Puth issues his debut album, Nine Track Mind, which includes the hits "Marvin Gaye" and "We Don't Talk Anymore." He co-writes every song on the album and does most of the production as well.

September 4, 2015 Travis Scott, already known for his mixtapes, releases his debut album, Rodeo, a psychedelic trap record with a guest list that includes Kanye West, Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, Future and Swae Lee.

July 31, 2015 Drake releases "Hotline Bling," the first single from his album Views. He doesn't rap in the song, but it still wins Grammy Awards in two rap categories, which Drake doesn't show up to accept because he feels it's really a pop song.

May 29, 2015 Florence + the Machine release their third album, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful. With songs like "What Kind Of Man" and "Ship To Wreck," it leans more into rock than their first two albums. It becomes their first #1 album in America and third in their native UK.

May 5, 2015 After years working in Nashville as a songwriter and as a member of the bands The SteelDrivers and The Jompson Brothers, Chris Stapleton, 37, releases his debut album, Traveller, with a rootsy sound that harkens back to the days of Hank Williams. It wins the Grammy for Best Country Album and both the ACM and CMA awards for Album Of The Year.

February 10, 2015 Charlie Puth releases his debut single, "Marvin Gaye," which turns the soul legend's name into a verb (definition: To get it on). It's a duet with Meghan Trainor, who is coming off her hit "All About That Bass."

September 2, 2014 Less than two months after his death at age 70, Johnny Winter's album Step Back is released. The project includes an all-star cast of guest musicians, among them Eric Clapton, Aerosmith's Joe Perry and ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons. It earns Winter his only Grammy Award, taking the prize for Best Blues Album.

July 29, 2014 Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers release their 13th and final album, Hypnotic Eye. It debuts at #1, and is the band's only album ever to top the US chart.

July 22, 2014 Weezer release "Back to the Shack," the lead single from Everything Will Be Alright in the End. The song finds the band reminiscing on their rise in the early '90s when they were the hot new band.

July 4, 2014 Sia, the hit songwriter behind Rihanna's "Diamonds" and David Guetta's "Titanium," releases her album 1000 Forms Of Fear, which goes to #1 in America. For a "layer of protection," she wears a wig that covers her face while promoting the album and doesn't appear in the videos for the singles "Chandelier" and "Elastic Heart," which instead feature interpretive dancing by Maddie Ziegler.

December 7, 2012 Bruno Mars releases his second album, Unorthodox Jukebox. Like his first (Doo-Wops & Hooligans in 2010), it's packed with hits, including two chart toppers: the ecstatic-in-love "Locked Out of Heaven" and the piano ballad "When I Was Your Man."

November 19, 2012 Rihanna releases Unapologetic, her seventh album in eight years. The lead single is the #1 hit "Diamonds," written by Sia.

November 13, 2012 Brian Eno releases his first solo album in seven years, LUX, on Warp Records. It marks his first intervention as autonomous composer, compared to his previous purely generative albums.More

September 4, 2012 Imagine Dragons release their debut album, Night Visions, which takes off thanks to bombastic rockers like "Radioactive" and "Demons."

July 17, 2012 The soundtrack album to the film The Dark Knight Rises is released, destined to debut at #8 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. It also scores #10 on the Canadian albums chart. Composer Hans Zimmer becomes an overnight sensation, frequently compared with former golden soundtrack star John Williams.

July 10, 2012 Frank Ocean releases his highly acclaimed debut album, Channel Orange, which goes on to win the Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album. Standout tracks include "Lost" and "Thinkin About You."

April 9, 2012 Alabama Shakes release their debut album, Boys & Girls, featuring "Hold On." Led by powerhouse singer Brittany Howard, they bring a rootsy, organic sound to the landscape that helps earn them a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.

April 4, 2012 The single "Boyfriend" by Justin Bieber debuts at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It's the third-highest first-week sale at 600,000 copies sold. Lots of teenage girls want to be Bieber's girlfriend.