10 Biggest Albums Released in July 2016

Believe it or not, we’re already past the midpoint of the year. As we begin the stretch back to December, it would appear the big releases of 2016 aren’t letting up. Let’s take a minute to look forward to all the albums of goodness that July is set to deliver us.

 

1. blink-182 – California
July 1st

blink-182 have had more of a roller coaster career than most. The band’s seventh album, California is blink’s first release in 5 years, but it’s a wonder it was released at all. After the release of 2011’s Neighbourhoods there came years and years of prevaricating between the band members, and many thought tat was it for blink. A solution eventually came about: Matt Skiba, frontman of Alkaline Trio, stepped in to take Tom DeLonge’s place in blink-182. California is the long awaited result.

2. Snoop Dogg – Coolaid
July 1st

After playing almost every medium sized festival in the UK last year, July sees Snoop Dogg add yet another album to his frighteningly huge back catalogue. Coolaid is solo album number 14 for him. Earlier this year he was one half of Cuzznz, a collaborative album with Daz Dillinger. Regardless of the busy years he’s had or the content of Coolaid, we can all agree on one thing: at least he’s back to being the Snoop Dogg we all know and love.

 

3. Billy Talent – Afraid of Heights
July 29th

The Canadian rock band are back again, this time with an album of originals, their first in four years. As much as we all love bands celebrating a bunch of their own hits with an album of highlights – okay, plus two newbies – there’s nothing quite as good as a full length record of originals to get your teeth stuck into. Due to suffering from an MS relapse, the band’s Aaron Solowoniuk was replaced by Alexisonfire’s Jordan Hastings for Afraid of Heights’ drums.

 

4. Biffy Clyro – Ellipsis
July 8th

After the release of Opposites back in 2013, Scotland’s Biffy Clyro took a step back from the limelight to stop their fans getting bored of them. Like that was going to happen. The trio have already released ‘Wolves of Winter’ and ‘Animal Style’ off Ellipsis, and whilst, well, a little straight forward for them, Biffy Clyro have a talent of throwing some real punches in the album tracks. Things feel a little more rough and ready than 2013’s Opposites, so you can expect that whatever Ellipsis is, it’ll be tough with it.

5. NAO – For All We Know
July 29th

Though July is looking to be a big month for additions to huge back catalogues, it’s also the month for some new faces. Take NAO, for example. For All We Know will be NAO’s debut album, but big things are expected. She came third in BBC’s Sound of 2016 award, and with critical acclaim stacking up for her first two EPs, it would be no great surprise if the East London 28-year-old will have made huge waves before she’s 30.

 

6. Viola Beach – Viola Beach
July 29th

Another debut album, but Viola Beach’s full length is one with a sadder story behind it. In February, all four members of the band and their manager were killed in Sweden when the car they were traveling in fell into a canal. Viola Beach were tipped to achieve big things, having only a handful of songs to their name yet having already played with the Courteeners. The band’s families chose to release the recorded songs on the band’s own record label. In a statement of Facebook, they said: “We hope that it brings you as much happiness listening to it as we know it did to them making it.”

 

7. BadBadNotGood – IV
July 8th

Though it’s not due out for a few days yet, BadBadNotGood is already streaming online. What to expect? Well, a lot (a lot) of collaborations. Sam Herring, Colin Stetson, Kaytranada, Mick Jenkins, and Charlotte Day Wilson all make an appearance, and it’s also the first BadBadNotGood album to feature Leland Whitty as a permanent member. The folks at Cultured Vultures are already loving what we’ve heard of the record.

 

8. The Bouncing Souls – Simplicity
July 29th

Another artist with a considerable back catalogue, The Bouncing Souls release their (approximate) hundredth album at the end of this month. Simplicity was record back in February, and was announced in May with a statement on their website. They said: “We set out to recapture the spirit of our earlier songs, not over-thought or over-produced. In the studio our goal was to keep it raw and real, the feeling of a band playing live.”

 

9. Good Charlotte – Youth Authority
July 15th

Girls don’t like boys, girls like bands ending their hiatus and releasing an album for the first time in six years. Or, at least, let’s hope that’s it, because that’s exactly the move Good Charlotte have pulled. They’ve been trickling out single releases since they announced the end of their hiatus back in November 2015, but the real test on if Good Charlotte’s return is all its hyped up to be will come with Youth Authority‘s release. We’ll just have to wait and see.

 

10. Shura – Nothing’s Real
July 8th

Take a step back from all the alt-rock releases of July and you’ll find another up and coming gem – the debut album of Manchester’s synthpop artist Shura. With seven tracks already released from the album, there’s not much guessing needed to deduce that Nothing’s Real will be a triumphant debut. ‘Touch’, the album’s first single, released back in 2014, has already seen huge success on mainstream radio. Onwards and upwards.