After four years, Hozier (the stage name of Irish singer-songwriter Andrew John Hozier-Byrne) is returning to the music scene with his new album, Unreal Unearth on August 18. Since skyrocketing to fame with his 2013 smash “Take Me to Church,” the musician has cultivated a dedicated fanbase with his vivid and poetic writing style and buttery-smooth vocals. His music is like a waking dream, and the previously released song from the new album, “Eat Your Young,” reveals an acceptance of the finite nature of relationships, and life: “If there was anyone to ever get through this life with their heart still intact, they didn’t do it right.” The sentiment is perfectly captured by the album art: Hozier’s shining grin peeking through dirt.

This multitalented star of stage and screen releases her new album on August 18. Following her success as Regina George in the Broadway musical Mean Girls and Leighton in Max’s comedy-drama series The Sex Lives of College Girls, Rapp has now turned her focus to the music industry, where she’s making a name for herself as one of Gen Z’s most talented songwriters. Snow Angel’s first single, the title track, is an explosive piano ballad featuring Rapp’s signature layered harmonies, which immediately transport you to a frosty forest while breaking your heart. Though it’s her debut album, Rapp has already demonstrated an ability for crafting relatable, catchy songs with an old soul sound. Snow Angel is sure to take your breath away.

Jon Batiste can really do it all: winning the 2022 Grammy Award for Album of the Year, co-composing the 2020 Pixar film Soul, which earned him a 2021 Academy Award, and snagging a 2022 Emmy nomination for his work as bandleader and music director of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. He’s truly a one-in-a-generation talent, and he’s now out with a new album, World Music Radio, debuting August 18. This is no typical album; Batiste said on Instagram that it’s a “concept album that takes place in the interstellar regions of the universe,” with the fictional interstellar guide Billy Bob Bo Bob accompanying listeners on a unique sonic journey. With talented collaborators like Lana Del Rey, Lil Wayne, and Jon Bellion, World Music Radio promises to shake up the entire music industry…and the universe.

Later this year, the groundbreaking and universally acclaimed 1984 concert film Stop Making Sense is returning to theaters in a 4K remaster, courtesy of film production and distribution company A24. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the performances, Talking Heads is releasing a deluxe live recording on August 18, complete with remastered versions of the songs you love, along with two previously unreleased tracks, “Cities” and “Big Business/I Zimbra.” And for the first time ever, the full Stop Making Sense concert will be pressed on vinyl, perfect for fans and collectors. Whether you’ve been a fan of the band since their formation in 1975 or you’re new to their music, this is a recording you’ll want to hear.

Victoria Monét has an incredible gift for crafting songs. She’s behind some of your favorite pop and R&B hits, with writing credits on Ariana Grande’s “thank u, next” and “Be Alright,” as well as “Ice Cream” by Blackpink and Selena Gomez. On August 25, she’s following up her critically acclaimed 2020 record JAGUAR with even more exceptional music: case in point, “On My Mama,” a promotional single that Monét calls a “soundtrack to positive affirmations.” You may recognize part of the song as an interpolation of Charlie Boy’s 2009 hit “I Look Good,” but Monét puts her own spin on the classic. She never disappoints, and her years of experience in the music industry are evidenced in the album’s polished and refined sound. This is an artist with a massive talent and JAGUAR II is shaping up to be a highlight of the year.