May is right around the corner, and it packs more than flowers and sunshine. The month is shaping up to be a highlight of the year, stacked with major releases from Miley Cyrus to Kali Uchis.
For rap fans, Key Glock will return with Glockaveli, while Rico Nasty enters her Lethal era. Country fans can look forward to new albums by Morgan Wallen, Blake Shelton, Maren Morris, Eric Church, and Tyler Braden’s debut, Devil and a Prayer.
In the pop/rock scene, Icelandic band KALEO will drop Mixed Emotions, Garbage will make a long-awaited comeback with Let All That We Imagine Be the Light, and Thom Yorke teams up with Mark Pritchard for Tall Tale. Other releases include new music from Ben Kweller, Counting Crows, and Måneskin’s Damiano David’s solo debut.
For those who like something a little different, Pentatonix's Kevin Olusola offers Dawn of a Misfit, K-pop boy band RIIZE will release their first full album, Odyssey, and PinkPantheress will bring kitsch back on her mixtape Fancy That.
With so much to listen to, GRAMMY.com has curated 15 must-hear albums to guide you through May 2025.
Isaiah Falls — LVRS Paradise
Release date: May 2
R&B newcomer Isaiah Falls brings more of his velvety voice and Southern-Floridian bounce with LVRS Paradise, out May 2. The album follows July 2024’s Drugs n’ Lullabies, which put Falls on the industry’s radar and featured standout single “Florida Baby.”
The album is led by “Searching,” a smooth, sultry track featuring Afro-fusion artist Odeal. Falls shared in a statement that the collaboration was “effortless,” and that he appreciates it when “I can tell that someone puts the time and effort into their craft.”\
LVRS Paradise will also include features by Ambré and Joyce Wrice, with more details yet to be announced.
Eric Church — Evangeline vs. The Machine
Release date: May 2
“An album is a snapshot in time that lasts for all time,” said country star Eric Church in a statement about his new record, Evangeline vs. The Machine. “I believe in that time-tested tradition of making records that live and breathe as one piece of art.”
The album features eight tracks carefully assembled by Church. “I’ve always let creativity be the muse. It’s been a compass for me,” he added. “I never want our fans to get an album and go, ‘Oh, that’s like Chief, or that’s like this.’ Painstakingly, I lose sleep at night to try to make sure that whatever we do creatively, they go, ‘Wow, that’s not what I thought.’ I think that’s my job as an artist.”
The tracklist includes previously-released single “Darkest Hour,” whose publishing royalties have been donated to relief efforts after Hurricane Helene in Church’s home state of North Carolina. Other standouts are “Johnny,” a reinterpretation inspired by “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” and the Covenant School tragedy, and lead single “Hands Of Time.”
Kali Uchis — Sincerely
Release date: May 9
After 2023’s Red Moon in Venus and 2024’s Orquídeas, fans of Kali Uchis will soon rejoice with the release of her fifth studio album, Sincerely, out May 9. The Colombian-American singer announced the project with a mysterious Instagram teaser, whispering: "I dream of a home that even time will lie down and be still for. A place where everything works out the way it should."
In a recent interview with 10 Magazine, Uchis said that the new album was inspired by an unspecified "life-altering event" and the outcomes that came from it. "Listening back to the album after my life-altering event, I was able to hear so many things in the lyricism that fully encapsulate the way that I feel now," she shared. "In a strange way, it’s like my soul and spirit were able to predict what was coming next. I’ve been able to heal myself through this album in a lot of ways. But I never knew that I was creating it for that purpose."
Recently, Uchis shared another teaser video on Instagram unveiling the full 14-song tracklist for the album, which includes the soothing lead single "Sunshine & Rain…" Sincerely will mark Uchis' debut for Capitol Records, following the label’s merger with Interscope last year.
Maren Morris — D R E A M S I C L E
Release date: May 9
Maren Morris is set to return on May 9 with her highly anticipated fourth LP, D R E A M S I C L E. Produced by Jack Antonoff and Greg Kurstin, it features 14 tracks written by Morris, Julia Michaels and Tobias Jesso Jr., and asserts "a deeply personal exploration of transformation, resilience, and self-discovery," according to a release.
"D R E A M S I C L E takes place in the aftermath of loosening my grip on my personal and professional life," shared the country pop star. "Sweeping through the pits of grief, but never staying too long, and finding the joy in knowing that at my core, I’m still who I am — and that’s pretty f—ing great. D R E A M S I C L E became less about the hard lessons and more about enjoying the bumpy ride and finding people who genuinely want to be on it with you because they love you."
The record features all five tracks in 2024’s Intermission EP, as well as singles "People Still Show Up," "Carry Me Through," and "Bed No Breakfast." It also marks Morris’ first full-length work since her divorce from Ryan Hurd and coming out as bisexual last year.
Cuco — Ridin’
Release date: May 9
A true Angeleno, American-Mexican singer Cuco drew inspiration from car culture to craft his new album, Ridin’. "Everybody listens to music when they’re driving," he shared. "Music is a part of your commute, whether you’re in a good or bad mood. You’re ridin’ through the motion of your life where nothing is linear."
Ridin’ explores similarly nonlinear themes of love, loss, and memory, embracing highs and lows with a poetic resilience. "All of my songs here are romantic, where that’s in a super-animated way or sad and heartbroken," Cuco added.
To support the announcement, he dropped "My 45" with Jean Carter — a homage to the long gone era of soul music that shaped his taste and artistry — and the upbeat "Phases." Ridin’ was produced by industry veteran Tom Brenneck, and will be available on May 9 via Interscope Records.
PinkPantheress — Fancy That
Release date: May 9
Born Victoria Walker in Bath, England, PinkPantheress took the world by storm in 2021, when her self-produced, dopamine-charged tracks went viral on TikTok. Four years and several hits later, she's gearing up to release what she calls "the most tied together project I’ve applied myself to" — her sophomore mixtape, Fancy That.
Written and produced by Walker, Fancy That features collaborations with aksel arvid, Count Baldor, phil, Oscar Scheller, The Dare, and others, as well as samples and interpolations from Panic! At the Disco, Jessica Simpson, and Basement Jaxx. Thematically rooted in British culture, the nine-track collections marks the singer’s "fun and kitsch-y era" — a mood captured in the single "Tonight." The project also includes the previously teased track "Illegal."
To celebrate the release, PinkPantheress will play two headline shows at London’s O2 Academy Brixton on Sept. 18 and 19.
KALEO — Mixed Emotions
Release date: May 9
"The songs are kind of a mixture between daydreaming and some social matters you can’t help but see," said KALEO frontman, JJ Julius Son, in a statement about the band’s upcoming album."Sometimes you have a bigger need to dive deep, or to speak frankly, about some issues."
Mixed Emotions — described as a "landmark rock album tackling themes from ending gun violence to overcoming despair" — is set to drop on May 9. "The theme of Mixed Emotions is kind of going through the various mood swings of life. For me, both mentally and musically," says JJ. "I don’t like to limit myself to a specific genre and enjoy the freedom to explore where to take my songs sonically." Produced by JJ, Eddie Spear, and Shawn Everett, the record follows 2021’s Surface Sounds, and will include recent singles "Lonely Cowboy," "Rock N Roller," "USA Today," "Sofðu Unga Ástin Mín," and "Back Door."
Along with the album news, the Icelandic blues rock quintet has scheduled a world tour launching May 9 in Aspen, CO, and wrapping up on May 25 in Anaheim, CA.
Damiano David — Funny Little Fears
Release date: May 16
Måneskin frontman Damiano David has been plagued by fears for a long time. "I’ve always been afraid of heights, that any moment the ground breaks apart under my feet and in one second, everything’s gone," he shared. "I’ve been afraid of darkness, an immensity I don’t get to see or understand, that might take me if I don’t watch my steps. I’ve been afraid of myself, asking for too much, chasing something I didn’t even know if I really wanted. And, honestly, sometimes I’m still scared."
Those anxieties inspired Funny Little Fears — David's upcoming debut album, described as a "manual" for handling life’s uncertainties. Due May 16, the LP sees him "break the moulds of expectation, both sonically and lyrically, defy genre boundaries, and bravely journey deep within the confines of his own mind as he confronts his fears."
The album includes his first single, "Born With A Broken Heart,"the Labrinth-produced "Silverlines," and his latest release, "Next Summer." Soon after the album drops, David will kick off a world tour covering 33 dates across five continents, including major festival appearances at Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and Osheaga.
Rico Nasty — Lethal
Release date: May 16
Sugar trap pioneer Rico Nasty is entering a new era. After releasing 2022’s Las Ruinas, the Maryland rapper said she felt like she was “living in character,” she explained in a press release. “And when I first started, that was the whole idea of it — but that gets exhausting.
Seeking a reset, Rico spent the past year reconnecting with herself. "I just completely let life take me: letting myself indulge in things that made me excited, living real life experiences,” she shared. Those experiences formed the heart of Lethal, her fourth studio album — and first under Fueled by Ramen (Atlantic Music Group). Executive produced by Imad Royal, the record presents “a more complex framing of all the angles of Rico — the performer, the mother, the artist.”
"This album is about being confident and saying f— everybody else,” Rico added. “It’s about getting doors slammed in your face and people telling you to try it their way again and again, and you stay true to yourself and it works." Lethal can be previewed through singles "Teethsucker (Yea3x)" and "On the Low."
Morgan Wallen — I’m the Problem
Release date: May 16
Pachyman — Another Place
Release date: May 23
"I was trying to understand who I am as a musician — not just operating in a distinct lineage but how I've metabolized and expanded upon it," explained Pachy Garcia, the artist behind Pachyman, in a press release. "It's a very personal, vulnerable journey. I wanted to build my own world and create these new connections in my brain, incorporating everything: vaporwave, chillwave, soul-jazz, James Brown, Kosmiche musik and krautrock, the driving repetition of drum n bass."
The result is Another Place, due May 23 via ATO Records. As Pachyman's "most daring project to-date," it marks an artistic breakthrough for the Puerto Rican-born, Los Angeles-based musician. Recorded in his own basement studio 333 House, it blends the various roots of dub reggae with synth-pop, dub techno, and chillwave influences.
Since February, Pachyman has toured across New Zealand, Australia, Europe, and the U.K., recently joining Darkside for select North American dates.
Joe Jonas — Music for People Who Believe In Love
Release date: May 23
Joe Jonas hasn't released a solo album since 2011's Fastlife. "I have so much love for those songs — they actually aged pretty well," Jonas told Billboard. "But it feels like a different person."
Since then, the Jonas Brothers' middle sibling has navigated major life changes: founding DNCE, getting married, becoming a father, reuniting with his brothers, and later, navigating divorce. "I was going through a lot of life changes," he reflected. "This album speaks to the experiences of being a father, being a friend to oneself and others, and the happiness I've found in doing what I love for a living."
Originally slated for October 2024, Music for People Who Believe In Love was delayed so Jonas could add "final touches" after feeling "flooded with inspiration." The 14-track project — now set for release May 23 — includes singles "Heart by Heart," "What This Could Be," and "Work It Out," and features appearances from Domi & JD Beck, Frankie Jonas, Sierra Ferrell, Louane, Tiny Habits, and Luísa Sonza.
Garbage — Let All That We Imagine Be the Light
Release date: May 30
Legacy alt-rock band Garbage return with their eighth studio album, Let All That We Imagine Be the Light, set to release on May 30. Following 2021's No Gods No Masters, the LP was recorded at Los Angeles' Red Razor Sounds, at drummer Butch Vig's home studio, and in singer Shirley Manson's bedroom.
"Going into making this record, I was determined to find a more hopeful, uplifting world to immerse myself in," Manson shared in a press release. "When things feel dark, it feels imperative to seek out forces that are light, positive and beautiful in the world. It almost feels like a matter of life and death. A strategy for survival."
To amplify their message, Garbage announced the Happy Endings Tour, kicking off Sept. 3 in Orlando, FL, and hitting major cities like Nashville, Boston, Seattle, and Vancouver before wrapping Nov. 2 in Phoenix, AZ. The album is led by the single "There's No Future in Optimism."
Miley Cyrus — Something Beautiful
Release date: May 30
Miley Cyrus' next project, Something Beautiful, promises to be one of her most ambitious yet. Slated for release on May 30, the visual album is rooted in the theme of healing, accompanied by a companion film directed by Cyrus, Jacob Bixenman, and Brendan Walter, set to premiere in theaters this June.
"It was important for me that every song has these healing sound properties," Cyrus told Harper's Bazaar. "The songs, whether they're about destruction or heartbreak or death, they're presented in a way that is beautiful, because the nastiest times of our life do have a point of beauty. They are the shadow, they are the charcoal, they are the shading. You can't have a painting without highlights and contrast."
The GRAMMY-winning star also shared that Pink Floyd's The Wall was one of her main inspirations for the record — but with her own glam-pop twist. To heighten the anticipation, Cyrus dropped promotional tracks "Prelude" and "Something Beautiful," along with the sweeping lead single "End of the World."
Mt. Joy — Hope We Have Fun
Release date: May 30
Mt. Joy's upcoming album, Hope We Have Fun, captures the whirlwind journey the band has experienced over the past few years. "We've all worked incredibly hard together and done ridiculous things in sickness and in health," said singer and guitarist Matt Quinn in a statement. "You just kind of look up and you're at Madison Square Garden with these people, and it makes you emotional — it feels like something you never could have dreamed."
Previewed by singles like "Highway Queen" featuring Maren Morris, "She Wants to Go Dancing," and "More More More," the 13-track album was written during what Quinn calls "the most insane three years of our lives." Hope We Have Fun also marks Mt. Joy's first release under their own label, Bloom Field Records, an imprint of Futures.
In support of the album, the band launched a massive North American tour on April 19, with stops in cities like Pittsburgh, Seattle, Indianapolis, San Diego, Toronto, and Boston before wrapping with two hometown shows in Philadelphia on September 26–27.