This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCF chapter.

Friday is one of the most loved days of the week. It signifies the end of the typical five-day work week and the beginning of a relaxing weekend. The day is synonymous with take-out orders and movie nights. And if you’re a music lover like me, it also means new music.

With three Fridays left in March, it’s hard not to be excited about the number of artists who have announced new music. If you’ve been out of the musical loop and aren’t too sure of which songs you should be adding to your playlists come Friday, here’s a list of major music releases to check out.

TWICE (MARCH 10): After the major success of their fourth world tour in 2022, the K-pop girl group will be returning with their 12th mini-album, READY TO BE. The EP follows their recent well-loved releases, their 11th mini-album, BETWEEN 1&2, and their fourth Japanese-language studio album, Celebrate, both of which were released in 2022. READY TO BE will feature six new songs as well as a Korean version of their newest English single, “Moonlight Sunrise.” The mini-album also signals the approach of their fifth world tour of the same name, which will begin on April 15 in Seoul. If you participate in the album-collecting culture of the K-pop fandom, READY TO BE is available for pre-order at Target, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon. The EP will also be Twice’s first body of work to be released on vinyl.
Miley Cyrus (March 10): Our favorite Disney star is coming back with her eighth studio album, Endless Summer Vacation. The album follows the critically acclaimed Plastic Hearts album that released in late 2020. The album has already been making noise with the success of its first single, “Flowers,” which has already broken numerous records, including Spotify’s all-time one-week record with over 100 million streams. Cyrus claims that the album serves as a love-letter to Los Angeles, which means we’ll be saying goodbye to the glam rock aesthetics of her previous era and say hello to Cali summers. Endless Summer Vacation will have 12 tracks and feature artists like Sia and Brandi Carlile.
Hozier (March 17): The last time we got an album from Hozier was in 2019 with Wasteland, Baby!. Since then, the singer-songwriter has gone on to tease the potential release of a third album, Unreal Unearth, that is rumored to release later this year. On February 23, however, Hozier announced his three track EP, EAT YOUR YOUNG, which will drop on March 17, just in time for the musician’s 33rd birthday.
Victoria Monét (March 24): Since she released her disco-themed EP, Jaguar, the world has been waiting for Victoria Monét to announce new music. In June 2022, she stated on Twitter that she was working on a sequel to the EP, Jaguar II. In the meantime, she has released two singles, “F.U.C.K” and “Coastin’,” and will be dropping a new single, “Baby can we smoke?,” come March 24. This new era will certainly mark a shift in Monét’s music. Since Jaguar’s release in 2020, she has given birth to her first child, a daughter, and her discography has grown since then.
Lana del rey (March 24): Lana Del Rey’s upcoming album, Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd, has been one of the most anticipated albums since its announcement in 2022 when Lana released the album’s title track. On Valentine’s Day 2023, the album’s second single, “A&W,” was released. Lana will be working with Jack Antonoff, a common collaborator. The album was anticipated to release on March 10, but was pushed to March 24 for undisclosed reasons.
Melanie Martinez (March 31): As she stated on the teaser for her upcoming album, it’s time to put Cry Baby to rest. Melanie Martinez is returning to our playlists once again with Portals. Martinez is known for her unique visuals and she seems to be taking it up a notch with this new era. With aesthetics inspired by the likes of Björk and Grimes, it’s clear we’ll be taking a break from the pastels of her previous lolita looks. Since announcing the new album, Martinez has released a number of teaser trailers that amp up the weird with visuals straight out of a science fiction movie.