Most Anticipated Album of 2024

“Reputation (Taylor’s Version)” -Taylor Swift

2023 was unarguably the year of Taylor Swift. With “Midnights” being released at the tail end of 2022, her monumental Eras Tour and the re-release of both “Speak Now” and “1989,” it was impossible for Swift to stay out of the headlines.

This far into 2024, Swift was mainly seen at the Kansas City Chiefs playoff games. She returns to her Eras Tour in Tokyo, Japan, on Feb. 7, where the Swiftie theories also resume.

But even if the extensive and elaborate conspiracy theories that support Swift will announce “reputation (Taylor’s Version)” in Tokyo, it is beyond likely that the pop titan will be releasing the re-recording of her sixth studio album this year.

Between Swift talking about the album in her Time: Person of the Year interview and only having “reputation” and her self-titled debut left in her quest to reclaim her art, it would be unwise to bet against this album being slated to drop this year.

“reputation” is a more divisive album in Swift's discography and, to many, one that was misunderstood by the general public in its original 2017 release.

Whether it was the anti-Swift attitude of the public or the mismarketing of the themes this album has, “reputation” is the project that needs a re-release moment to reclaim its narrative as Swift's most misunderstood album.

Songs like “Call It What You Want,” “Delicate,” and “Don’t Blame Me” have had their moments on TikTok, and the aforementioned Eras Tour has pushed what a great album “reputation” is.

With the added component of the “Vault Tracks” that are heavily rumored to have a Drake feature, “reputation (Taylor’s Version)” may be the most significant moment in the music world this year. -Sophia D’Ovidio.

Cage The Elephant

Cage The Elephant is approaching five years since their latest album release.

That album “Social Cues” as well as “Tell Me I’m Pretty” before it both took home Grammys for best rock album.

In the five years since, a new album has been teased as far back as 2021 where Matthew Schultz played an acoustic unreleased song following a concert in Harrisburg.

At the end of 2022, the band’s Twitter account released a christmas post telling fans to expect new music in the coming year. However, Schultz pleaded guilty to gun charges in June and any talk of a return quieted.

The band once again teased a new release with a clip of a new song on Twitter in January.

The short clip featured a distorted guitar and layered vocal that resembled the sound of “Social Cues.”

The band has thrived in their last two outings based on the emotion of real events in their lives being turned into song, and with the break between albums this long, and featuring a pandemic and other controversies for the band, their latest album could rival their previous grammy winning works in quality. -Evan Smith

Sophia D’Ovidio is a third-year majoring in digital and print journalism. To contact her, email sgd5184@psu.edu.

Evan Smith is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email ers5828@psu.edu.