From Bruce Springsteen to Charli XCX and Kylie Minogue, here are the hot new albums being released in 2018

IT’S promising to be a mega year for new albums.

Here SIMON COSYNS lines up his  expected  highlights.

JACK WHITE

THE mercurial former White Stripes frontman returns with his “bizarre” third album.

Recorded in New York and LA, he says “it’s good gardening music or roofing music or back-alley stabbing music”.

White’s mastery of loud/quiet and gentle/brutal looks certain to be explored.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

THE Boss has been wowing fans at his one-man shows on Broadway but he’s also found time to work on a new solo album minus the E Street Band.

He says it is “influenced by California pop music, Glen Campbell, Burt Bacharach.”

PAUL WELLER

THE Modfather’s creative streak looks set to continue apace in the year he hits 60. After 2017’s A Kind Revolution, we can expect an autumn release with an acoustic vibe and guests including folk legend Martin Carthy (yes, really) and Villagers’ Conor O’Brien.

JANELLE MONAE

IT’S nearly five years since the acclaimed singer/actress delivered The Electric Lady.

Now  2018 will see the R&;B star’s ground-breaking follow-up. Details are scant so maybe we’ll wake up one morning to find it on iTunes and Spotify.

MATTHEW E WHITE

THE big bearded soul brother brings his Spacebomb  sound back for album No3.

He’s been writing with acolyte Natalie Prass and performing new material live. “This record will be different,” he promises.“Move further along my road.”

PAUL  McCARTNEY

THE irrepressible Macca’s epic career continues to thrive. Now fans can look forward to his first studio effort since 2013’s New.

He’s been recording with producer Greg Kurstin, and that man Donald Trump comes into his sights.

MUSE

DEVON’S stadium giants fronted by Matt Bellamy have been busy preparing their eighth studio album,  their first since 2015’s Drones.

Bellamy says first single Dig Down offers a hint of optimism amid all the negativity in the world.

FIRST AID KIT

THE Swedish Soderberg sisters, Klara and Johanna, specialise in an intoxicating blend of soaring vocals and country-tinged arrangements.

If  tracks It’s A Shame, Fireworks and Postcard are anything to go by, expect more of the same when fourth album Ruins is released on Jan 19.

JOHNNY MARR

THE career renaissance of Smiths guitarist Marr yields a new solo album in April.

The song Bug addresses world politics but Marr insists  most of the record is  apolitical. Other tracks include Hi Hello and live favourite Spiral Cities.

ARCTIC  MONKEYS

WITH Alex Turner and Matt Helders back from side projects, one of the most anticipated albums of 2018 has to be by Sheffield’s likely lads, five years after the strong AM.

Recording began in Los Angeles in September.

SELENA GOMEZ

THE actress/pop princess maintains a hectic schedule despite last year’s kidney transplant.

She’s been working on new material and last year saw  three singles that should feature on her third solo album – Bad Liar, Fetish,  Wolves.

FATHER JOHN MISTY

NOT content with releasing one of last year’s best albums with Pure Comedy, the singular talent made a heartfelt new album last summer.

Evocative  titles include Mr Tillman, Please Exit the Lobby, and Ouch, I’m Drowning.

EDITORS

THE Brummie band fronted by Tom Smith have prepared ten songs for album No6, including some that have been previewed live  (Magazine, Hallelujah and Cold).

Electro artist Blanck Mass features giving the album, says Smith, a “fresher” sound.

KYLIE MINOGUE

RECORDED in London, LA and Nashville, Kylie has summoned a vast array of writers and producers for her 14th album, due in the spring, including Taylor Swift collaborator Nathan Chapman.   Will it include a bit of  country twang?

VAMPIRE WEEKEND

THE New York art-rockers’ first album since 2013 arrives after the departure of multi-instrumentalist Rostam Batmanglij, leaving them a three-piece.

Frontman Ezra Koenig is  inspired by country greats Hank Williams and George Jones.

THE 1975

SINGER Matthew Healy senses the pressure is on for new album Music For Cars.

He says: “If you look at third albums, OK Computer (Radiohead) or The Queen Is Dead (The Smiths), that’s what we need to do.”

THE PRODIGY

THE Essex ravers are still going strong and this year sees them revitalised on   their seventh album.

New songs premiered live so far are Resonate, Need Some 1 and Boom Tap.

MANIC STREET PREACHERS

NAMED Resistance Is Futile, the enduring Welsh rockers drop their 13th album on April 6.

The new music harks back to the “naïve energy” of Generation Terrorists and  “orchestral sweep” of Everything Must Go.

CHARLI XCX

BREAKING with convention, the Brit singer doesn’t have much truck with the album format, preferring to release mix tapes such as last year’s Number 1 Angel and Pop 2.

Yet the addictive Boys serves as the second single for her upcoming, as-yet-untitled third album.

FRANZ FERDINAND

ALWAYS Ascending is out on Feb 9 with new members and a new producer.

Alex Kapranos promises something a bit different, less of a “straight-up guitar album”. Never mind the vinyl boom, this gets a cassette release.

SPIRITUALIZED

ONE of the key bands of the  Nineties, they’re all about one constant . . .  Jason “Spaceman” Pierce and his visionary neo-psychedelic rock.

He says  the band’s eighth album, the first since 2012’s  Sweet Heart Sweet Light, could be their last.

NICKI MINAJ

THE outrageous singer is never backward in coming forward and she maintains: “I know this is going to be my best body of work.”

Singles released so far from her  currently untitled fourth album are Changed It, No Frauds and Regret In Your Tears.

CHVRCHES

NOT only has Paul McCartney been working with hot producer Greg Kurstin, so too Glasgow’s synth-pop darlings.

The trio with Lauren Mayberry on lead vocals received sage advice from Eurythmics maestro Dave Stewart.

Album No.3 WILL be a winner!

JUSTIN  TIMBERLAKE

OUT Feb 2, Man Of The Woods is described as Timberlake’s “most ambitious album”.

He suggests rocking lead single Filthy “should be played very loud”.

Traditional American rock combines with his modern, familiar R&B influences.