This Week's New Music Round-Up: The Weeknd, Prince & A Major Lazer Xmas Tune!

Albums

The Weeknd - Starboy

It's here. Having released incredible music videos for 'Starboy' and 'False Alarm', and letting us lap up 'Party Monster' and 'I Feel It Coming', The Weeknd's third studio album is here and it's incredible.

From the unexpected, Disclosure-esque banger 'Rockin'' to the sublime 'Stargirl Interlude' featuring Lana Del Rey, Abel has gifted us 18 tracks of enthralling R&B. 

In his one and only interview on the album, The Weeknd recently opened up to Zane Lowe about keeping his sobriety, chopping off his hair as well as working with the "genius" Kendrick Lamar. Read more on that here but in the meantime, ahead of its release this week, Abel dropped another visual companion in the form of the 12 minute 'M A N I A', which you can watch below, featuring many of the tracks from the album...

Flume - Skin Companion EP 1

Australian producer Flume just won the Album Of The Year ARIA in his home country for Skin, and like us if you couldn't get enough of his second studio album, which featured that incredible team-up with Tove Lo on 'Say It', he's got a treat for you this week with four more new tracks including this aural wonder…

Prince - 4Ever

Still a darker world without him, celebrate the legend with this brand new compilation featuring the previously unreleased 'Moonbeam Levels'. 

Various Artists - A Very Decent Christmas 4

Bet you weren't expecting a festive treat from Major Lazer were you? Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to have a sun-soaked Xmas and 'Christmas Trees', with the aid of Protoje, features on this Yuletide compilation from the Mad Decent bunch...

Busted - Night Driver

Get a nostalgia hit with the reformed group's first studio album in 13 years...

Singles

Martin Solveig Ft. Ina Wroldsen - 'Places'

Opting to leave the brass blasts of 'Intoxicated' and '+1' behind him, Martin's switched up his sound on his new tune 'Places', with the aid of 'How Deep Is Your Love' singer Ina Wroldsen...

John Legend - 'I Know Better'

The soul superstar teases his new album with another ballad…

Ashanti Ft. Ja Rule - 'Helpless'

SO MANY YEARS since their last collab, the pair who brought us R&B classics 'Always On Time', 'What's Luv?' and 'Helpless' have reunited once more on The Hamilton Mixtape, which also features covers and songs inspired by the Broadway smash from artists including Sia, Alicia Keys, Kelly Clarkson and more...

Calum Scott - Rhythm Inside
Can Calum match the huge success of 'Dancing On My Own' with his brand new single?