You’ll remember at the end of my post on albums I was anticipating in 2008, I stated that I would start keeping vigil for albums from certain artist the second 2009 rolled in.

Light a candle and let the vigil begin!

We had a plethora of good music last year, particularly in the last half of the year. 2009 promises to deliver some very heavy hitters. However, promises is the key word. Music lovers, that’s why we have to use our collective energy and wish upon a star that these albums see the light of day.

Let’s start off with a list of  albums that I’m anticipating that actually have release dates….whatever that means.

January

• 13 – Syleena Johnson, Labor Pains (already available on Itunes)
• 13- Heather Headley, Audience of One (gospel album)
• 20-Platinum Pied Pipers, Abundance

February

• 10-India Arie, Testimony, Vol. 2: Love and Politics
• 10- Muhsinah, The Oscillations: Sine (available on Itunes)

March

• 3 – Tamia, Live in DC (CD/DVD will include three new tracks)
• 6 – Tortured Soul, Did You Miss Me? (helllll yea!)
• 10-Cornielle, The Birth of Cornelius
• 17- V
• 31-Chrisette Michele, Ephiphany Sigh.
• Tweet, Love, Tweet (After the Dresden Soul Symphony album, I am so ready for this)
  
• Kevon Edmonds

May

• 5-Chrisette Michelle, Ephiphany

June

• 16- Laura Izibor, Let The Truth Be Told
• 30–Chico Debarge-Addiction

July

• 7-Maxwell-Black Summers Night

August

• 25 – N’dambi, Pink Elephant

Now there are some artists that have promised to deliver albums this year. No release dates yet of course. So we can only hope they made New Years resolutions to keep their butts in the studio 24/7 until the final track is done.

• Prince We’re supposed to get THREE albums this year from everyone’s  favorite joy kill. We shall see. Stay tuned to his new official website and the internets for details. Update: (We got three albums, but only one of them was worth listening to. Sigh.
• Erykah Badu (I’ve seen dates of 2/17 floating around but since I’m her close personal friend on Twitter, I seriously think she would have let me know. However, I do feel confident that we will get New Amerykah Pt 2 after the bambino drops. And hopefully another tour!)
• Eric Roberson (I hear that he has fifty tracks already completed. Let’s get with the getting!)
• D’Angelo (I will want to shut this whole shit down if we don’t get this album by year’s end) Glad I was smart enough to say I would want to shut it down because I hear we’re not going to see the album until 2010.
• Deborah Bond
• Yazarah (After the Prelude she gave us, I need for her to hurry up this way again)

I won’t likely purchase these three but I will give them a listen.

• Dr. Dre, Detox
• Jay Z, Blueprint 3
• Eminem, Relapse

I was scrolling through my iPod today and came up with a wish list for the artists that I hope, wish and pray are preparing to step back in front of the mic. Some of the people on this list I could have put on a separate “where are they now” post. If you’ve heard anything about when any of them will get back in the studio, please let me know in the comments.

• Amel Larrieux (The standards album was cool and all but I’m going to need something else from her) Update: She’s been releasing a track a month, available for download on Amazon and iTunes.
• Amerie (I got my hands on the unreleased album. Let’s see if it ever sees the light of day) Now that she’s on Def Jam, her fate, or better yet, the fate of a palatable album lies in the hands of the music gods.
• Angela Johnson (“Presenting” others is cool but I want the next album to be all Angela)
• Anthony David (I need NEW music from you, Acey Ducey)
• Brand New Heavies (I know we got something in 2007 but I’m greedy!)
  
• Brown Baby Girl
• Corrine Bailey Rae
• D’Nell
• Darien Brockington (I hope he stops traipsing around with Little Brother and gets his own album done!)
• Faith (The way to feed your family is with that voice. Quit the foolishness and pick the mic up!)
• Fertile Ground
• Georgia Ann Muldrow
• Goapele
• Jaguar Wright
• Javier
• Jazzyfatnastees (I got my hands on some unreleased music that I assume was from their third album, The World Is Coming. Good stuff. Needs to be heard.)
• Joy Denalane (She was great on the Dresden Soul Symphony album. Let’s get on that solo material!)
• Keite Young
• Lizz Fields
• Liv Warfield
• Marie Tweek
• Omar
• Peven Everett
• Ra-Re Valverde
  
• Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings
• The Rebirth
  
• Stephanie McKay
• Teedra Moses (Will Young Lioness ever see the light of day?)
• Van Hunt (after Popular was shelved, will a new album ever see the light of day?)

If you’re not familiar with any of these artists, consider this my ringing endorsement to get acquainted with their earlier projects until we get new music.

Share what albums you’re most looking forward to this year. Who needs to get their hindparts back in the studio ASAP?

I’ll be keeping this list updated so check back.