The Daily Campus will soon stop printing for the next few months, and while the Life section will be on break, the world of popular music never stops. Several new albums have already been announced, and it looks like this season will have plenty of music to talk about. Before we begin our quest to determine the song of the summer, the Life section has come together to share what the world should listen for after finals end.
Samantha Brody, she/her/hers, Life Editor, sab23059@uconn.edu
Photo courtesy of @oliviarodrigo on Instagram.
If there’s one thing I am and always will be, it’s an Olivia Rodrigo fan. I’ve been listening to her latest single “drop dead” repeatedly since it came out, and I absolutely cannot wait for “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love” when the album drops on June 12. I’ve always enjoyed the extra level of rock edge she’s added to her pop songs over the years, and I think “drop dead” is a sign that she might be evolving past it. It definitely reminds me of some of the songs on “Wishbone” by Conan Gray, and given the similarity in their covers, I think these two albums might end up being siblings.
Aside from Rodrigo, Ariana Grande’s “petal” looks to be interesting. I’ve been operating under the assumption that after “Wicked,” Grande might be returning to a more acting-focused career, but it seems I’ve been proven wrong! I’m not a regular listener of hers, but it’ll be interesting to see where it goes.
Finally, Shaboozey is dropping “The Outlaw Cherie Lee & Other Western Tales” that same day on July 31. Now, I don’t listen to Shaboozey, but I think the unprecedented success of “Tipsy” means we ought to keep an eye on him. I’m curious to see if he plans to replicate that earlier success, if he’ll take a different track or if he’ll flop entirely. All we can do is wait!
Maleena Muzio, she/her/hers, Associate Life Editor, maleena.muzio@uconn.edu
“Stove.” That’s all I have to say. Or should I call it “The Right Person Will Stay” or even “Lasso?”
Lana Del Rey has been teasing her new album for two years now, with several name changes before landing on the final “Stove.” She initially marketed it as a country album, before its current southern-gothic description. For me, the name and date changes don’t even matter, as long as she releases something that she thinks is near-perfect. Singles like “Henry Come On” and “Bluebird” were released in spring 2025, and I was not disappointed.
The album is now set to come out sometime in late spring or early summer after she told W Magazine in August 2025 that delays were due to the addition of six autobiographical tracks. “White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter” debuted as an eerily seductive single accompanied by a homemade music video in February. Del Rey performed other tracks from the album, like “Husband of Mine,” which may be the song I am most looking forward to, “Quiet in the South” and “57.5” at concerts last summer. “All About Ethel,” a diss track aimed toward American singer Ethel Cain, was also teased in a snippet on Del Rey’s Instagram last summer. I’m sorry Ethel (I am a huge fan of her as well), but I cannot wait to here to full thing to see who really is “the Most Famous Girl at the Waffle House.”
Elijah Polance, he/him/they/them, Staff Writer, elijah.polance@uconn.edu
I don’t usually listen to much pop music, but Olivia Rodrigo is a big exception. Her 2023 release, “GUTS,” has only grown on me each year, especially with the additional deluxe tracks released in 2024. With her third album, “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love,” set to release on June 12, I’ve found myself anticipating another stellar project. The upbeat lead single, “drop dead,” exceeded my expectations, especially compared to the ballads she usually starts her release cycles with. Most of all, I’m hoping to see more of the tongue-in-cheek lyricism that graced “GUTS” on this new project.
Photo courtesy of @thestrokes on Instagram
On the more indie side of things, I’m interested to see how The Strokes’ upcoming album, “Reality Awaits,” will turn out. The lead single, “Going Shopping,” felt burdened by excess autotune on Julian Casablancas’ voice, but I have hope for the rest of the track list. Considering how the band knocked it out of the ballpark with their 2020 comeback album, “The New Abnormal,” you can never really count them out.
I’m also awaiting what the electronic duo Boards of Canada are cooking on “Inferno,” which will be the first album release from the Scottish brothers Mike Sandison and Marcus Eoin since 2013. I just started listening to their music lately, and I really dig their sound when it’s focused on ambient soundscapes and folktronica textures. They haven’t dropped any singles yet, but the bits of teased music have sounded pretty great so far.
Jaylyn Davis, she/her/hers, Staff Writer, iue25001@uconn.edu
I’m looking forward to most of the music coming out this summer. However, I can’t wait for Madonna’s “Confessions II” to come out on July 3. I began listening to Madonna a few months ago, and I absolutely love her tunes. Her music videos are excellent, and her voice shines through in every song she sings. I’m not entirely sure what “Confessions II” will be like, but I have a feeling it’s going to be amazing!
Besides Madonna, I’m looking forward to Evanescence’s “Sanctuary,” which will be released on June 5. I’ve heard Evanescence is a great band, so their new album might be amazing as well. I’m also excited for Olivia Rodrigo’s new album, “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love.” I haven’t listened to a lot of Rodrigo’s songs, but the ones I’ve listened to are gorgeous, so this album might be a stellar piece as well.
Sarah Barker, she/her/hers, Campus Correspondent, sarah.barker@uconn.edu
While I’m still listening to Noah Kahan’s “The Great Divide,” three of my favorite pop girls are dropping music this summer that I can’t wait for. First on May 22, Maisie Peters is releasing “Florescence” and if the singles she’s released so far are any indication, the album should be a great mix of indie pop, and there’s a Marcus Mumford feature I can’t wait for.
In June, Olivia Rodrigo’s “you see pretty sad for a girl so in love” comes out and although “drop dead” isn’t my favorite song from Rodrigo I’m still hopeful that the album will deliver. And, announced just this week, Ariana Grande is officially releasing a new album in July. There’s not much information yet besides its title (“petal”) and that it’ll be about healing, but I’m excited nonetheless. Lastly, Gracie Abrams has been teasing new music recently and I’m hoping we get some news soon.