When it comes to queer music, you can never have too much of a good thing. Fortunately, we’re living amid a deluge of releases from LGBTQ+ artists who are producing everything from dance-floor bangers to boundary-pushing experimental music. That makes the job of curation a little challenging, which is a welcome problem. At the end of last year, we here at Them found it almost impossible to narrow down all of our favorite queer tracks into our 23 favorite songs of 2023 list, and we’re facing a similar problem at the start of 2024: There have already been so many exciting new albums by iconic artists announced — with some red-hot debuts on the horizon, too — that we don’t have time to detail everything we’re looking forward to listening to this year. So consider this list a sonic cross-section of what’s to come. These are 11 of the albums we can’t wait to play.
Some of the most exciting upcoming releases of 2024 are new records by alternative and indie superstars. Notably, indie sleaze stalwarts Gossip are dropping Real Power, their first album in over a decade, and feminist indie rock stars Sleater-Kinney are returning to gritty rock-n-roll with the January release of Little Rope. Both Mannequin Pussy and serpentwithfeet are dropping albums that find the queer musicians evolving their sound in exciting new directions. I Got Heaven, the fourth album by Philly shredders Mannequin Pussy will find the band embracing dreamy pop after years of riotous rocking, while serpentwithfeet’s latest single “Damn Gloves,” off his upcoming album Grip, marks a clubbier turn for the alt-soul singer.
But that’s just a tiny peek at some of the albums queer artists are dropping this year. Below, check out our list of 11 records from LGBTQ+ artists we are impatiently awaiting in 2024.
Orquídeas — Kali Uchis (January 12)
Nobody is working harder than Kali Uchis. Fresh off her third album Red Moon in Venus, the bisexual pop singer is dropping her fourth record (and second Spanish-language album) Orquídeas in early 2024. Her first single “Labios Mordidos” off the soon-to-arrive LP is a collaboration with reggaeton royalty KAROL G and an ode to queer Latinx horniness. Uchis sings, “Amo a mis Brasileñas y mis Colombianas, Dominicanas, Boricuas, amo a mis Mexicanas. Y esta noche soy lesbiana, tú me das las ganas.” (For non-Spanish speakers, a quick internet translation will help you decode this delightfully sapphic message.)
Little Rope — Sleater-Kinney (January 19)
Queer feminist rockers Sleater-Kinney are releasing their eleventh studio album, and their second since longtime drummer Janet Weiss’ departure from the band. Their 2021 album Path of Wellness found the group flirting with pop rock in an unexpected way. But their 2024 album promises to be a return to the heavy riffs and gritty production found on my personal favorite Sleater-Kinney album, The Woods. Their music video for their single “Say It Like You Mean It,” which stars Succession actress J. Smith Cameron, is already a Them favorite.
What Now — Brittany Howard (February 2)
Alabama Shakes singer Brittany Howard is dropping What Now, her second solo album, on February 2. So far, Howard has teased the record with “Red Flags,” a groovy, lush and slightly psychedelic track. In a press release, she noted that the song “sounds very dystopian, which makes sense for a song that feels like end-of-times as far as me emotionally maturing.” That sentiment of sorrowful personal growth is punctuated by the track’s meditative ending, which sounds like a droney singing bowl. If this is any indication of what we have to look forward to on Howard’s sophomore solo release, it’s sure to be quite a ride.
Chupetones — Meth Math (February 2)
The Mexico City-based avant hyper-pop trio Meth Math is set to release their debut album Chupetones at the beginning of February. Until then, we’ll be listening to their lead single “Mantis,” an eerie reggaeton-tinged lullabye that’s the perfect teaser for the full-length record. The woozy hyperpop track is about a praying mantis, but it’s also about the sweet dangers of falling in love — apt for an album whose title translates to “hickey.”
Weird Faith — Madi Diaz (February 9)
The prolific, 37 year old folk singer-songwriter Madi Diaz found her audience with her breakout album 2021’s History of a Feeling, but Diaz has a long history of releases dating back to 2007. In fact, Weird Faith, due out this February, will be Diaz’s sixth LP. Her latest single “Same Risk,” off the soon-to-drop album, is about the fear that festers within romantic partnerships. She sings, “Do you think this could ruin your life? ’Cause I can see it ruining mine.” It’s bold lyrics like these that have connected with listeners. Weird Faith seems poised to cement Diaz’s place in the musical landscape of Americana.
Hole in My Head — Laura Jane Grace (February 16)
Pop-punk hero Laura Jane Grace is releasing her third solo album Hole in My Head in early 2024. The Against Me! lead singer recently made Billboard’s list of the 50 greatest rock lead singers of all time, and it’s clear to see why based on the title track “Hole in My Head.” The power-pop track packs a big punch in just under two minutes with fuzzy guitars and fiery vocals. Heartfelt punk rock is alive and well in 2024, and we’re more than ready for its resurgence.
Grip — serpentwithfeet (February 16)
Experimental R&B artist Josiah Wise a.k.a. serpentwithfeet is dropping Grip, his highly anticipated follow-up to the 2021 album Deacon, on February 16. The track “Damn Gloves” off the forthcoming record finds Wise at his most confident to date. Featuring Ty Dolla $ign and Yanga YaYa, the track is an equal parts unsettling and enticing club anthem. The accompanying music video serves hot looks, alluring choreo and an even steamier makeout scene.
TBA — Saint Precious (February)
Swedish-Barbadian singer-songwriter Saint Precious has already released two singles, “Ode to T,” and more recently “Sanctum,” off her TBA debut EP, due out sometime in February. “Sanctum,” a gorgeous R&B track is about a date Saint went on with a now ex-boyfriend that left her feeling euphoric and deserving of love. In an artist statement, the musician explained, “Feeling free in my body and sexuality was very hard before starting on HRT. My dysphoria was at an all time high and vision blurred. He saw me though, and this date was one of the first moments I can recall having the privilege of feeling like any other girl.” These are precisely the kinds of queer and trans experiences that are finally finding their way into music in the 2020s.
I Got Heaven — Mannequin Pussy (March 1)
Philly punkers Mannequin Pussy continue to evolve and refine their sound, leaning more into pop and shoegaze as the years go by. I Got Heaven, their new album slated for spring of 2024, feels like the product of a band that has truly harnessed their power. Their single “Sometimes” is the perfect balance of heavy and sweet, with jangly guitars morphing into distorted chaos and whispered vocals blooming into tuneful screams. In an artist statement, lead singer Marisa Dabice says, “There’s just so much constantly going on that feels intentionally evil that trying to make something beautiful feels like a radical act,” which is exactly the kind of sentiment we need more of this year.
Real Power — Gossip (March 22)
With the announcement that dance-punkers Gossip are dropping a new album in 2024, it looks like indie sleaze really is back in full force. Real Power is the band’s first album in over twelve years and their first single, “Crazy Again,” is a pleasant pop surprise that trades skronky guitars and heavy four-on-the-floor beats for a chill new wave sound. Powerhouse lead singer Beth Ditto sings in dulcet tones that marks a departure from her typically booming soulful vocals. But I have a hunch that the track may just be a sweet introduction — a soft launch if you will — for what will most likely be an album with a punk-rock edge.
TBA — TR/ST
We don’t have much information the 2024 release from Robert Alfons a.k.a. TR/ST other than his new single “Robrash,” his first for Los Angeles-based label Dais Records. The track opens up with late-aughties Gaga-esque synth leads and punchy boom-clap beats before Alfons’ sassy vocals enter the mix. TR/ST is known for gloomy synth pop, and “Robrash” seems to tease a shinier art-pop palette. We’re excited for everything the queer Canadian musician has in store for 2024.
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