PLAYDAR: What the Boys Are Bringing to Music Charts This Fall

Can Justin Timberlake, MGMT and Sir Elton John stay afloat in a season that promises to be dominated by divas?

Now that you’ve heard “Blurred Lines” and “We Can’t Stop” so much your ears are bleeding, it’s time to toss out the best of this year’s summer jams and phase into the tunes that will ease us into fall.  Music over the past few months was certainly testosterone-driven — with hits by Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams  just to name a few — but will the bros be able to maintain their reign in a season that promises to see one diva release after another? Today, I’m looking ahead at some of the male-led contenders that should give the ladies a run for their money. 

Perhaps the two most-anticipated dude releases belong to “I survived the ’90s” artists Justin Timberlake and Eminem. Along with his current single, “Take Back The Night,” his nearly 20-minute (!!) performance at this year’s VMAs and a solo tour, JT has also found time for a new album, The 20/20 Experience: 2 of 2. Slated to drop on Sept. 30, the record follows up March’s Part 1, which has sold close to two-million copies. In a close second, Eminem is beginning to build momentum for his upcoming still-untitled fall album, having just released the awesome lead single, “Berzerk. The song is already burning up radio and download charts.

I hope you’re ready to hear more rock-tinged releases this autumn. The Kings of Leon, Arcade Fire and old-schoolers Pearl Jam are all set to debut new releases over the next few months. The one I’m most excited for, however, is MGMT, which will return with its self-titled fourth album on Sept 17. The buzzworthy video for the album’s lead single, “Your Life Is A Lie,” has already given the group’s new endeavor plenty of ignition.

For you dancefloor queens, “Wake Me Up” beatmaster Avicii will release  True on Sept 17, and club-bumpin’ DJ Kaskade’s Atmosphere drops on Sept 30. The latter is shaking up things by using his own vocals on the new tracks, as opposed to using guest stars like he’s done on previous efforts.

And because no music season — male or female — is complete without a queen: Sir Elton John is releasing his first solo album in eight years. The Diving Board, dropping on Sept 24, promises to be a throwback to the early days of Sir Elton’s career, with heavy piano and vocals on top of a modicum of drum and bass. Let’s cross our fingers for some “Bennie and the Jets”-style sass.

Other releases of note include The Weekend (Kiss Land, Sept. 10), Drake (Nothing Was The Same, Sept 17), Future (Honest, Nov. 26), and for the cowboys among you, Keith Urban (Fuse, Sept. 10). Stay tuned next week when I flip the coin and take a look at some of the most exciting new releases from the ladies.

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Have music you’d like to see featured on an upcoming Playdar? Email Patrick DeMarco at tintedoz@yahoo.com.