Just like that, we’re in the final quarter of 2022. It’s been a roller-coaster of a year, full of unforgettable albums, and the next few months look to be the final drops of an already amazing ride. With new music from the Arctic Monkeys, The 1975, Lil Baby, Alvvays, and Taylor Swift, October is jam-packed with highly-anticipated releases. Everything this month has in store below.

October 7

Alvvays – ‘Blue Rev’

• Toronto indie-pop band Alvvays return with Blue Rev, their first record since 2017’s Antisocialites. The follow-up to a landmark record is a difficult task, and Alvvays recognized the tall order by taking their time to deliver their next record. Throw in a handful of setbacks, including stolen demo tapes and flooded basements, and the five-year gap makes total sense. Recorded completely live with production from Shawn Everett, this record aims to be a reimagined version of everything that makes Alvvays great. Already living up to the hype with singles “Pharmacist” and “Belinda Says”, Blue Rev is set to be another amazing addition to an already stellar catalog.

Charlie Puth – ‘Charlie’

• Pop superstar and newly proclaimed TikTok icon Charlie Puth is back with Charlie, featuring lead singles “Light Switch” and “That’s Hilarious”. Known for his polished DIY production and perfect pitch abilities, Charlie has built a diverse following of superfans and music purists. After scrapping his last project due to feelings of insincerity, Charlie completely immersed himself in his feelings and wrote an entirely new record. Deemed his most personal project to date, Charlie is Charlie completely reinventing himself.

Indigo Sparke – ‘Hysteria’

• Australian singer-songwriter Indigo Sparke is an artist that everyone must have on their radars. Her sophomore record, Hysteria, features impeccable lyricism matched with beautiful melodies anchored by her trademark soft voice. Produced by Aaron Dessner, who may be the most in-demand producer in pop music at the moment, Hysteria is Indigo affirming that she is ready to be heard by the masses. “Pressure In My Chest” and the title track “Hysteria” are gorgeous slow-burn ballads perfect for your fall walks, bonfires, and other autumn needs.

Daphni (Caribou) – ‘Cherry’

• Caribou’s Dan Snaith is back with a new Daphni record this week, titled Cherry. Daphni, which is Snaith’s house music moniker, showcases Snaith’s knack for inescapably catchy grooves and dancy beats while allowing him to return to his UK club roots. This is his first Daphni record since 2017, and further adds to his catalog of envelope-pushing dance music. “Clavicle” features beautiful glossy synths while “Cloudy” has an earworm piano line, all over elegant house beats of course. Whatever your mood is—going out with your friends, studying for midterms, or going on a weekend road trip—Cherry is proper accompaniment.

Chloe Moriondo – ‘SUCKERPUNCH’

• Gen-Z indie-pop hero Chloe Moriondo has had quite the trajectory over the last few years. From signing with legendary pop-punk label Fueled by Ramen, to releasing the superbly fun Blood Bunny, to collaborating on the track “Dizzy” with Alfie Templeman and Thomas Heady, Chloe has been on a roll. SUCKERPUNCH is their third record and features the bombastic “Fruity” along with the punchy “Cdbaby<3” that showcases Chloe’s uninhibited creative ability. At only 20 years old, Chloe has the potential to be the indie-pop voice of their generation, and SUCKERPUNCH is another step towards achieving that.

Quavo & Takeoff – ‘Only Built For Infinity Links’

• Two-thirds of the Migos return this week with Only Built For Infinity Links, featuring singles “Hotel Lobby” and “Nothing Changed”. Made with the blessing from their third Migos member, Offset, the duo looks to bring their Culture vibes to this new collaboration. Exciting features are expected of course, including verses from Gucci Mane, Birdman, and many more. If you’ve been craving more wild bars and hilarious ad-libs from the Atlanta rappers, then Only Built For Infinity Links should definitely be on your radar.

October 14

The 1975 – ‘Being Funny In A Foreign Language’

• The UK’s most beloved band is back and seemingly better than ever. After releasing their maximalist record Notes on a Conditional Form and landmark album A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships, The 1975 decided to go back to their roots with Being Funny in a Foreign Language, with vibes similar to their first two records, the band is fully leaning into what attracted fans to their music in the first place, and have released some of the best music of their career with their lead singles. Boasting production help from music extraordinaire Jack Antonoff, the band is sounding better than ever, and Matty Healy’s lyricism is as singular as ever. Destined to be on many year-end lists, this record is a must-listen.

Red Hot Chili Peppers – ‘Return of the Dream Canteen’

• California’s in-house band the Red Hot Chili Peppers are set to drop their second record of 2022, titled Return of the Dream Canteen. Sure to be chock-full of ridiculous bars from Anthony Keidis, stellar guitar lines from returning member John Frusciante, and held down by the world-class rhythm section of Flea and Chad Smith, this record should be everything a die-hard Chili Peppers fan wants. “Tippa My Tongue” is a fun throwback to their late 80’s funk rock, while “Eddie” sounds like it could be off their 1997 record By The Way. If you’re still on board with the wildly cringe bars and the lyrical delivery of legendary singer Anthony Keidis, check this one out.

M.I.A. – ‘Mata’

• There are not many artists in music like M.I.A. The “Paper Planes” singer is known for taking her time in between projects, and this is no different with six years since her last record AIM. Now a born-again Christian, M.I.A. looks to reclaim her spot atop the rap game with Mata, which features singles “Popular”, “Beep”, and “The One”. With production from Rex Kudo, T-Minus, and Diplo, the music sounds like M.I.A. hasn’t missed a beat and is exactly what her fans have been waiting all these years for. Narratively, the record sees M.I.A. in a personal clash between spirituality and ego, so we can expect some killer bars within her incredibly catchy hooks.

Lil Baby – ‘It’s Only Me’

• One of the hottest names in rap is back with It’s Only Me, Baby’s follow-up record to last year’s collaborative effort with Lil Durk The Voice of the Heroes. As one of the paramount features on some of the biggest tracks of the last few years (see: “Girls Want Girls”, “Wants and Needs”, and “Pride is the Devil”), Lil Baby still has much to prove as a stand-alone artist. He’s made some waves already with “Detox”, which is a hype trap track, but It’s Only Me will prove whether or not Lil Baby is the real deal. The record is 23 tracks long and has 7 features on it, so surely there will be some massive highlights and killer bars.

Plains – ‘I Walked With You A Ways’

• The next singer-songwriter supergroup is here, and they’re not messing around. Plains, comprised of Waxahatchee (Katie Crutchfield) and Jess Williamson, release their debut record this month titled I Walked With You A Ways. The record is a departure for Waxahatchee, as she leans completely into her country side and meshes perfectly with Williamson. “Abilene” is a gorgeous throwback to ‘60s country music with stunning instrumentation and harmonies, while “Problem With It” showcases the duo’s ability to seamlessly bounce off of each other. These singles are the definition of comfort music, and the rest of the record will undoubtedly match those vibes. If you’re a fan of The Chicks, The Staves, or Brandi Carlile, keep an eye out for this one.

Lolo Zouai – ‘PLAYGIRL’

• Lolo Zouaï has been giving fans a sneak preview of her new music for months on the road as the opening act for Dua Lipa on the Future Nostalgia Tour across North America. PLAYGIRL is the second album to come from Zouaï, following her 2019 debut, High Highs to Low Lows which garnered rave reviews and was beloved by fans worldwide. Playful, passionate, and bold, Lolo’s new era invites fans to follow her into her digital-arcade world of PLAYGIRL and dive through the record’s visceral pop. One who combines multiple styles, genres, and sometimes even languages (French, Arabic, and English), the pop phenom is poised to make noise well into 2023 and beyond.

October 21

Taylor Swift – ‘Midnights’

• Swifties everywhere are losing their minds over Midnights, the follow-up to 2019’s folklore and evermore. It’s hard to doubt Taylor Swift these days. While her haters are always expressive and loud, she never fails to quiet them by releasing consistently great music and racking up countless Grammy Awards in the process. Her forthcoming record Midnights is a big one for her. Not only is it her tenth studio album, but it’s also a reunion for her and Jack Antonoff, who worked on her past records Lover and 1989 as well as folklore and evermore. What’s exciting about this record is that we quite literally don’t know anything about it, other than the track titles that Taylor has been revealing on TikTok. It’s a safe bet thought that Midnights is going to be one of the biggest releases of the year and you should be ready to listen at midnight.

Arctic Monkeys – ‘The Car’

• Is there a band as unforgivably ambitious as the Arctic Monkeys these days? After winning fans over with the high-energy rock music of their early career, and taking over the world with AM, the band has gone in a completely different direction of spacy zonked-out lounge rock. Perhaps it was for the best because the singles “There Better Be A Mirrorball” and “Body Paint” are some of the best singles of 2022. Alex Turner’s outlandish lyricism delivered in his trademark croon is something to behold, especially on top of the gorgeous expanded instrumentation that the band has been utilizing since their last record Tranquility Hotel Base and Casino. The Arctic Monkeys are back, and The Car loudly proclaims that they aren’t going away any time soon.

Labrinth – ‘Ends & Begins’

• English R&B artist and Euphoria soundtrack star Labrinth releases his third studio album this month, titled Ends & Begins. Revealed with a comic-book-style trailer, Labrinth’s new album should be the chill R&B vibe that we need heading into the Fall. Featuring singles “Lift Off” and “Kill For Your Love”, the album features exceptional production, as expected, and Labrinth’s voice sounds as good as ever. Fan-favourite Euphoria track “I’ve Never Felt So Alone” is also slated to appear in the tracklist, which fans have been itching to add to their playlists since the show debuted in 2019. The rest of the album has been kept a secret, so we’ll have to wait and see what surprises Labrinth has in store for us in the coming weeks.

Carly Rae Jepsen – ‘The Loneliest Time’

• Canadian pop icon Carly Rae Jepsen returns this month with The Loneliest Time, featuring the exuberant new singles “Western Wind” and “Talking To Yourself”. The record serves as a follow-up to 2019’s brilliant Dedicated, and features production from Rostam Batmanglij, Captain Cuts, and Alex Hope, among many others. Carly Rae’s energy is unmatched, and her music has quietly become the soundtrack to a generation of young people discovering themselves through pop music. Currently embarking on a massive tour, Carly Rae is poised to have a massive new year, and The Loneliest Time is just the beginning.

Nick Hakim – ‘Cometa’

• Genre-pushing R&B artist Nick Hakim releases his third record this month, titled Cometa. Described as a collection of love songs written through different lenses, Cometa sees Hakim growing into the person he wants to be, as the music has guided him through the floating sensation of loving someone. With guest appearances from Alex G, Helado Negro, and Abe Round, the record is Hakim at his most mature and most sincere. Will This Make Me Good from 2020 is criminally underrated, and hopefully Cometa will be the record that showcases Hakim to a broader audience. He deserves all the hype in the world, and Cometa should kickstart his welcoming party.

Frankie Cosmos – ‘Inner World Peace’

• Sub Pop Records’ indie-pop extraordinaire, Frankie Cosmos, is back with Inner World Peace, her first record since 2019’s Close It Quietly. As a veteran of the guitar indie-pop wave we’ve seen over the last five years (see: Snail Mail, Soccer Mommy), Frankie Cosmos doesn’t have much left to prove as her music has inspired a generation of young female artists. At the same time, her lead single “One Year Stand” is one of the best tracks she’s ever released, and her follow-up singles “F.O.O.F.” and “Aftershook” have been great teasers. If you’re a fan of guitar-based pop music, Clairo, Stella Donnelly, or Snail Mail, this is sure to be aligned with your taste.

October 28

Show Me The Body – ‘Trouble the Water’

• New York rock band Show Me The Body has quickly become one of the most exciting bands making noise in the hardcore scene. Their upcoming fourth record Trouble the Water pulls no punches, as the intense guitar riffs and heavy hooks from singles “We Came To Play” and “Loose Talk” will have you headbanging. Their 2021 EP Survive was one of the best heavy projects of that year, and this follow-up record only looks to expand on their mix of hip-hop and hardcore sounds. There are not many bands out there like Show Me the Body, and there won’t be many records this year like Trouble the Water.

Dragonette – ‘Twennies’

• Toronto electronic artist Dragonette is set to release her first record since 2016 at the tail end of the month, titled Twennies. Anchored by the song of the same name, the record looks to be a perfect blend of electronic and pop music—reflecting a hybrid of singer Martina Sorbara’s influences. Known for collaborating with some of the world’s biggest artists, including Galantis, Martin Garrix, and Kaskade, and writing for artists like Keith Urban and Cyndi Lauper, Dragonette has finally been ready to put all of her energy into her own record. Produced by Dan Farber (Lizzo and Dizzee Rascal) and recorded entirely in a Toronto studio, Twennies is the return that Dragonette fans have been waiting for.