30 Must-Hear Albums Coming Out In 2024: Green Day, Usher, Tyla & More | GRAMMY.com

The beginning of a new year is always a hopeful time. We wonder what awaits next, hope for better things to come, and trace goals to improve our lives. And through all these moments, music follows us as the soundtrack to a movie. 

2023 came with plenty of fantastic tunes, and 2024 is shaping up to be just as great. Right from the get-go in January, punk legends Green Day will release Saviors, while Kali Uchis will come forward with her second Spanish album, Orquídeas. Art-rock band The Smile will bring us  Wall of Eyes, and K-pop girl groups (G)I-dle and ITZY are also slated for new releases.

In February, Alabama Shakes’s Brittany Howard and country darling Gabby Barrett will both release their sophomore LPs, What Now and Chapter & Verse, respectively. Later on, Usher will return to the stage with Coming Home, and J.Lo will finally drop This Is Me… Now, the sequel to 2002’s This Is Me… Then.

Starting March, we can expect Bleachers' eponymous new album, the debut LP of South African revelation Tyla, Lenny Kravitz’s Blue Electric Light, and more — maybe even Dua Lipa’s long-awaited third album?

As you gear up for the new year, below is a guide to 30 highly anticipated albums coming out in 2024 that will inspire you even more.

(G)I-dle - TBA

Release date: TBA

Although there’s barely any info out there, (G)I-dle’s label Cube Entertainment confirmed to news outlet Ilgan Sports that the K-pop quintet intends to release their second full album in January.

The new album follows a slate of 2022 releases: EPs I Love and I Feel, and their first studio album, I Never Die. Known for self-produced, challenging concepts, the group had a stellar 2023 with the success of "Queencard," which topped several Korean charts and was one of the year’s most influential K-pop songs.

ITZY - Born To Be

Release date: Jan. 8

K-pop girl group ITZY have been dropping teasers to their third studio album, Born To Be, like breadcrumbs. They first released an eponymous single on Dec. 18, which will then be followed by "Mr. Vampire" on Jan. 2, and finally by the lead track, "Untouchable," on Jan. 8.

With 10 tracks, Born To Be marks the first time ITZY will release solo songs by each member (including Lia, who is currently in a health-related hiatus), and the first time all members participated in writing and composition. To celebrate the release, the group will embark on a world tour, starting in Seoul on Feb. 24.

Kali Uchis - Orquídeas

Release date: Jan. 11

Less than a year after the release of Red Moon in Venus, Colombian American singer Kali Uchis is back — this time with Orquídeas, her second Spanish-language album (fourth in total), set to drop on Jan. 11.

"The orchid is the national flower of Colombia, and we have more species of orchid than anywhere on earth," Uchis said in a statement. "I always felt distinctly intrigued and magnetized by the flower. This album is inspired by the timeless, eerie, mystic, striking, graceful and sensual allure of the orchid. With this vast scope of fresh energy, I wish to redefine the way we look at Latinas in music."

To give a taste of how this redefinition will sound like, the singer has shared three singles so far: "Muñekita" with Dominican rapper El Alfa and JT from City Girls, "Te Mata," and "Labios Mordidos" with Karol G.

Kid Cudi - Insano

Release date: Jan. 12

Kid Cudi's new album has been teased for most of 2023, ending up postponed for January. "I’m sorry for the delay everybody, but I’m a perfectionist. And things gotta be right," the rapper shared on X in September. But as the new year approaches, it looks like Insano will finally see the light of the day.

Carrying a stacked lineup of guest appearances — including Travis Scott, Pharrell Williams and A$AP Rocky — Insano will have more than 40 songs "between the main album and deluxe(s)," according to the rapper. "I wanted to make something undeniable and change my entire live experience. This album was made for tour next year. Get ready," he added.

Until then, you can listen to singles "Porsche Topless," "At The Party" with Travis Scott and Pharrell and "Ill What I Bleed."

Ana Tijoux - VIDA

Release date: Jan. 18

Chilean-French singer Ana Tijoux is set to release VIDA, her first album in nine years, next month. The record is her sixth studio effort, and follows 2014’s Vengo.

With the announcement, the hip-hop musician also shared reggaeton fusion single "Niñx," which was "born as a manifesto to the child we all have inside of us," she explained in a press release. "That living being that is capable of dreaming and building infinite castles of humanity and love."

In October came second single "Tania," which pays homage to her late sister. Both songs were produced by longtime collaborator Andrés Celis. Recently, Tijoux announced that she will go on her first U.S. tour since 2018, as well as a string of dates across Europe and a performance at Lollapalooza Chile.

Green Day - Saviors

Release date: Jan 19

According to a statement, "Saviors is an invitation into Green Day’s brain, their collective spirit as a band, and an understanding of friendship, culture and legacy of the last 30 plus years." The album is their 14th studio release, and follows 2020’s Father Of All Motherf—ers.

As of its contents, the pop-punk trio promises to approach "power pop, punk, rock, indie triumph" and varied themes like "disease, war, inequality, influencers, yoga retreats, alt right, dating apps, masks," and more. "It's raw and emotional. Funny and disturbing. It’s a laugh at the pain, weep in the happiness kind of record," they shared further.

Set to embark on a stadium tour starting May 2024, Green Day dropped three singles off the album to amp up the excitement: "The American Dream Is Killing Me," "Look Ma, No Brains!" and "Dilemma."

Neck Deep - Neck Deep

Release date: Jan. 19

"We’re so stoked to announce our new self-made, self-titled record," Neck Deep vocalist Ben Barlow shared in a statement. "With a return to roots approach, we made this record ourselves at our warehouse in North Wales, with Seb [Barlow, bass] at the helm, and the rest of us over his shoulder, like it was at the start."

This is the Welsh pop-punks’ fifth album, and sees the quintet "knowing ourselves and knowing our ability," explains Barlow. "It’s unapologetically us. We’re professional songwriters now and we’ve really honed in on what we’re good at — but it’s also about having fun and enjoying writing these tracks. And there are those little sonic signatures in the mix that even I can’t really put my finger on that just make it Neck Deep."

Out of 10 tracks, the band shared "Heartbreak of the Century," "Take Me With You," "It Won't Be Like This Forever," and "We Need More Bricks" as singles. One week after the album release, they will kick off a U.S. tour that runs throughout February.

Sleater-Kinney - Little Rope

Release date: Jan. 19

How do you navigate grief? This is a question that rock duo Sleater-Kinney (formed by Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker) attempts to explore in Little Rope, their 11th studio album.

In August 2022, Brownstein lost both her mother and stepfather in a car accident while they were vacationing in Italy. In the following months, she turned to her guitar to process the pain. "I don’t think I’ve played guitar that much since my teens or early twenties," she said in a press release. "Literally moving my fingers across the fretboard for hours on end to remind myself I was still capable of basic motor skills, of movement, of existing."

And so Little Rope slowly took shape — a record that "careens headfirst into flaw, into brokenness, a meditation on what living in a world of perpetual crisis has done to us, and what we do to the world in return."

Philip Glass - Philip Glass Solo

Release date: Jan 26

Legendary pianist and composer Philip Glass will release a new piano album in January, called Philip Glass Solo. The collection is described in a statement as "an intimate portrait" of the 84-year-old musician, where he "takes a new look at some of his most enduring and beloved piano works."

Recorded during 2020-2021 in New York, when he spent days at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Glass adds in the same statement that this album is "a document on my current thinking about the music" and that "the listener may hear the quiet hum of New York in the background or feel the influence of time and memory that this space affords."

The album features seven of his best, most renowned oeuvres, like the "Metamorphosis" series, the 1978 organ piece for the Dalai Lama "Mad Rush," and a reworked version of "Truman Sleeps" from the 1998 film The Truman Show.

The Smile - Wall of Eyes

Release date: Jan. 26

Comprising Radiohead members Jonny Greenwood and Thom Yorke with drummer Tom Skinner, The Smile received critical acclaim with their 2022 debut LP, A Light For Attracting Attention. On Jan. 26, they'll release sophomore album Wall of Eyes.

Wall of Eyes was recorded in Oxford and at the Abbey Road Studios, and produced and mixed by Sam Petts-Davies. A first single,  "Bending Hectic," was released in June featuring strings by the London Contemporary Orchestra, followed by the album’s title track in November. The trio will kick off an European tour in March 2024.

Brittany Howard - What Now

Release date: Feb 2

It’s been four years since the release of her soulful solo debut, Jaime, and Brittany Howard is finally ready to welcome us into her life’s new chapter. What Now is a 12-track collection recorded at the Sound Emporium and RCA Studio B in her hometown of Nashville.

The Alabama Shakes singer/songwriter also shared an eponymous lead single, which she described as "the truest and bluest of all the songs" in a statement. "It’s never my design to hurt anyone’s feelings, but I needed to say what was on my mind without editing myself. I like how it’s a song that makes you want to dance, but at the same time the lyrics are brutal."

In support of the album, Howard will embark on a U.S. tour with L'Rain and Becca Mancari starting February. She also shared second single "Red Flags" in November.

Gabby Barrett - Chapter & Verse

Release date: Feb 2

Chapter & Verse is the upcoming sophomore album by country star Gabby Barrett, due out Feb. 2. Written by Barrett and co-produced by Ross Copperman, the LP's 13 tracks document her journey as a singer, wife, and mother of (almost) three.

Barrett shared singles "Glory Days," "Cowboy Back," and most recently the ballad "Growin’ Up Raising You." On Instagram, she explained that the latter is "a very sensitive song for me," as it was written based on the experience of raising her firstborn, Baylah. "I’m only 23. I don’t have all the answers to everything. I have not got everything figured out. I am doing the best that I can while trying to raise other people to be the best people that they can be."

Release date: Feb. 9

According to a press release, Zara Larsson’s upcoming Venus is "a pop album fit for a goddess." It is said to find the Swedish singer "setting her own agenda – in part, by looking back on where she’s come from."

This is Larsson’s fourth studio album in total, and her third international one. In an interview with Billboard, she shared that Venus isn’t constricted to one single genre, and that "the real thread throughout the album is just my voice and me telling a story depending on what I’m feeling right now."

The album’s release is spearheaded by singles "Can't Tame Her," "End of Time" and "On My Love" with David Guetta. Larsson will also embark on a UK and European tour in February and March 2024.

Declan McKenna - What Happened to the Beach?

Release date: Feb 9

In his irreverent style, English singer Declan McKenna took it to Instagram to announce his upcoming work. "My third album What Happened To The Beach? is out 9th February," he wrote. My favorite third album yet. In my top three albums I’ve ever made of all time."

Following 2020’s Zeros, What Happened To The Beach? was primarily inspired by Unknown Mortal Orchestra and St. Vincent, and McKenna aimed to "distance himself from the soapboxing of his previous material," according to a press release. "Any time I tried to be too serious, the songs would get too heavy and the thing I was trying to get at, this idea of a release, was weighed down," McKenna said. "The songs sound a lot like the music I listen to."

To get a taste of his new style, McKenna shared singles "Sympathy" and "Nothing Works." In March 2024, he is set to tour the UK and Ireland.

Usher - Coming Home

Release date: Feb 11

Coinciding with his Super Bowl LVIII halftime show performance on Feb. 11, R&B star Usher will release his ninth studio album, Coming Home. This is his first solo effort since 2016’s Hard II Love, and marks his much-awaited return to the stages.

"We’ve put a lot of thought and creativity into this new album to tell a story that is open to interpretation and that will connect with people in different ways," Usher said in a statement. "I know this has been a long time coming for my fans and what I’ll say is that all good things come to those who wait. I hope you enjoy it once you hear it." 

The project is set to feature 20 tracks, including single "Good Good" with 21 Savage and Summer Walker.

Blackberry Smoke - Be Right Here

Release date: Feb. 16

With Be Right Here, southern rock band Blackberry Smoke wants us to enjoy the present. The album was produced by GRAMMY winner Dave Cobb, and recorded at the historic RCA Studio A and at Cobb’s Georgia Mae studio in Savannah, Georgia.

"We always track live together, but this time we had all our amps and drums and everything in the same room," said frontman Charlie Starr in a statement. "It’s just as natural and as real as possible. The last album was very raw too, but with this one I remember different times I would say, ‘I think we should redo that,’ and Dave [Cobb] was like, ‘No, leave it that way. That way it’s magical.’"

Following 2021’s You Hear Georgia, Be Right Here is the band’s eighth studio album. In support of the release, they announced a lengthy 2024 tour across the US, U.K. and Europe.

serpentwithfeet - GRIP

Release date: Feb. 16

R&B musician Josiah Wise — best known as serpentwithfeet — is unafraid to experiment in music. For his upcoming third album, GRIP, he extends that investigation to the Black gay clubs he grew up in and the intimacies of physical touch. 

According to a press release, "from the project’s start to its end, moments of sweat, indulgence, and tension can be felt through upbeat high-energy records as well as songs that find their home in the steamy bedroom moments."

Out Feb. 16, GRIP follows up on 2021’s Deacon and will feature 10 tracks, led by single "Damn Gloves" with Yanga YaYa and Ty Dolla $ign. The album also soundtracks Heart of Brick, serpent’s debut theater production which ran across the U.S. in the past months.

Idles - TANGK

Release date: Feb 16

British rock band Idles said in a press release that the meaning behind TANGK — their upcoming studio album — is an onomatopoeia for the "lashing way" they imagined their guitars sounding. Described as their most "ambitious and striking" work yet, the band’s fifth album is set to drop on Feb.16.

"TANGK. I needed love. So I made it. I gave love out to the world and it feels like magic. This is our album of gratitude and power. All love songs. All is love," said frontman Joe Talbot, reinforcing that TANGK is, first and foremost, an album focused on that feeling. The first taste of this project can be heard on the single "Dancer," which features LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy and Nancy Whang.

Jennifer Lopez - This Is Me… Now

Release date: Feb. 16

Twenty years after the release of her iconic This Is Me… Then album — which featured hits like "Jenny from the Block" — J.Lo is back in the spotlight again. After rekindling with actor Ben Affleck in 2021, she announced the sequel to her 2002 release, This Is Me… Now, and stated in an interview with Vogue that the album represents a "culmination" of who she is.

A press release also describes This Is Me… Now as an "emotional, spiritual and psychological journey" across all that Lopez has been through in the past decades. Fans can also expect more details on the new-and-improved Bennifer, as many of the titles among its 13 tracks suggest, especially "Dear Ben Pt. II."

After months of teasing, the singer finally revealed the release date to be Feb. 16 — with first single "Can’t Get Enough" coming out Jan. 10.

Les Amazones d'Afrique - Musow Dance

Release date: Feb. 16

Formed in 2014 in Bamako, Mali, by three renowned music stars and social change activists (Mamani Keïta, Oumou Sangaré and Mariam Doumbia), the all-female supergroup Les Amazones d’Afrique has since expanded to include several artists across Africa and the diaspora.

Blending a myriad of music styles with a pledge for gender equality and ending ancestral violence, they received critical acclaim with 2017’s République Amazone and 2020’s Amazones Power, and aim even bigger for their upcoming third record, Musow Dance.

For that, a press release states that the group worked with producer Jacknife Lee (U2, Modest Mouse, Taylor Swift) to "embrace a powerful pop sound led by 808s and glitchy synths and drawing from contemporary hip-hop and trap influences," expanding their already rich sonic tapestry into something extraordinary.

Chromeo - Adult Contemporary

Release date: Feb. 16

2024 marks 20 years since Chromeo arrived in the music scene with the flashy, funky She’s in Control. To celebrate this milestone and to prove that they still have more to give, the Montreal duo will release their sixth studio album, Adult Contemporary, on February 16.

Compared to the works of Steely Dan in a press release, the album is said to explore "what it means to be funky in your 30s and 40s," and features 14 songs written and produced by the duo. "Adult Contemporary is a meditation on modern, mature relationships, which means: If we gotta sing about curling irons, so be it," said vocalist Dave 1.

Chromeo released four singles off the project so far: "Personal Effects," "(I Don't Need a) New Girl," "Replacements" with La Roux and "Words with You."

MGMT - Loss of Life

Release date: Feb. 23

MGMT have announced their first album in six years since 2018’s Little Dark Age. Loss of Life features 10 tracks, including their first-ever album feature with French singer Christine and the Queens.

In a statement, the Connecticut duo said that they are "very proud of this album and the fact that it was a relatively painless birth after a lengthy gestation period." Over on Instagram, they added that Loss of Life is "an album that brandishes the power of love in the face of inevitable human death and decay, and hopes to encourage collective comfort in remembering the universe’s inextinguishable yet often brutal desire to find balance and harmony. Or something." Singles "Mother Nature" and "Bubblegum Dog" are out now.

Allie X - Girl With No Face

Release date: Feb. 23

"It’s very hard to sum up a body of work you’ve spent thousands of hours on, but here’s an attempt," pop visionary Allie X said about her upcoming album, Girl With No Face, in a statement. "There is a death in this music, as well as the beginning of a rebirth. I needed to make something that came completely from me." 

Entirely self-produced, Girl With No Face is preceded by "Black Eye" and an eponymous single, and is slated to release on Feb.23. According to the Canadian singer/songwriter, its 11 tracks are "angry, stubborn, honest, dry, melodramatic, fast, and indulgent." 

Jacob Collier - Djesse Vol. 4

Release date: Feb. 29

Virtuoso Jacob Collier is also set to conclude his Djesse series in 2024 with the release of Djesse Vol. 4.The album follows 2021’s GRAMMY-nominated Djesse Vol. 3, and symbolizes the end of an era for the English artist.

"Five years ago, in the wake of a musical journey that had begun in solitude, I set out on an epic adventure with a big dream — a collaborative quadruple album," Collier said in a statement. "In many ways, Djesse Vol. 4 is an album that’s taken me 30 years to make. It is, to me, a celebration of humankind — the way that I see it and hear it, built with musicians from every corner of the world. To be culminating this collaborative experiment with a 100,000 voice audience-choir, a sound that permeates the heart of this album, feels like I’ve found the heart of it."

Even before release, Djesse Vol. 4 is already notable: 2022 standalone single "Never Gonna Be Alone," featuring Lizzy McAlpine and John Mayer, was nominated for a GRAMMY award for Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals, and later revealed to be included in the tracklist. Other singles comprise "Wellll," "Little Blue" with Brandi Carlile, "Wherever I Go" with Lawrence and Michael McDonald and "Witness Me" with Shawn Mendes, Stormzy, and Kirk Franklin.

Bleachers - Bleachers

Release date: March 8

Jack Antonoff is one of the most important hands shaping the sound of current pop. His songwriting and producing skills crafted hits for a slew of artists, from Taylor Swift to Lana del Rey, and earned him eight GRAMMYs so far (he is also nominated for the 2024 GRAMMYs in the Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical category alongside D'Mile, Metro Boomin, Hit-Boy and Daniel Nigro). In addition to that, Antonoff also fronts rock band Bleachers, and is gearing up to release its eponymous fourth studio album.

Lead track "Modern Girl" and second offering "Alma Mater," featuring Lana del Rey, exemplify the press release description of the album as bittersweet "music for driving on the highway to, for crying to and for dancing to at weddings." Bleachers offers a "reassuringly touchable and concrete" sentiment, the release continued, to "exist in crazy times but remember what counts." Bleachers will tour the U.K. in March before heading to the U.S. with band Samia in May and June.

Tyla - Tyla

Release date: March 1

2023’s revelation Tyla is ready to dazzle the world even more with her eponymous debut LP. Coming out March 1, it will feature the viral hit and lead single "Water" — which is nominated for Best African Music Performance at the 2024 GRAMMYs alongside "Amapiano" by ASAKE & Olamide, Burna Boy's "City Boys," "UNAVAILABLE" from Davido feat. Musa Keys, and Arya Starr's "Rush" — as well as other tracks like "Truth or Dare," "Butterflies" and "On and On."

"I cannot wait for the world to experience an African Popstar," the singer shared on Instagram. "Everything that’s happening has surpassed anything I could have dreamt of. African music is going global and I’m so blessed to be one of the artists pushing the culture." 

Tyla will be touring Europe and the U.S. in spring.

Lenny Kravitz - Blue Electric Light

Release date: March 15

In October, Lenny Kravitz kicked off his return to music with the Star Wars-inspired "TK421" and its NSFW music video — in which the singer appears naked from behind in several scenes. The single spearheads his twelfth studio album and first double LP, Blue Electric Light, set to release on March 15.

Blue Electric Light is Kravitz’s first effort since 2018’s Raise Vibration. He recorded the album’s 12 tracks entirely in the Bahamas, and played most of the instruments himself, in collaboration with Craig Ross. Kravitz has recently announced a European tour in support of the album, starting in June.

Sheryl Crow - Evolution

Release date: March 29

After saying she wouldn’t make another album following 2018’s Threads, Sheryl Crow changed her mind — on March 29, her twelfth studio LP, Evolution, will be out. "I said I’d never make another record, though there was no point to it," she said in a statement. "But this music comes from my soul. And I hope whoever hears this record can feel that."

Talking about the creative process of the album, the nine-time GRAMMY winner shared: "I started off sending one song to [producer] Mike [Elizondo], which turned into four, and it was going to be an EP. But the songs just kept flowing out of me, four songs turned into nine and it was pretty obvious this was an album." With the announcement, Crow also shared lead single "Alarm Clock."

Bring Me the Horizon - Post Human: Nex Gen

Release date: TBA

Post Human: Nex Gen was first announced in June 2023, leaving Bring Me the Horizon fans excited for the follow-up to the band’s 2020 EP, Post Human: Survival Horror. However, in August, frontman Oliver Sykes shared on Instagram that due to "unforeseen circumstances," the band was "unable to complete the record to the standard we’d be happy with," postponing its original Sept. 15 release.

A new release date hasn’t been confirmed, but Sykes affirms that it is "close." The album is preceded by singles "LosT," "AmEN!" featuring rapper Lil Uzi Vert and Daryl Palumbo of Glassjaw, and "DArkSide." On Dec. 22, the band also announced that they have split ways with keyboardist Jordan Fish, but that their upcoming UK and Ireland tour in January will continue as expected.

Dua Lipa - TBA

Release date: TBA

The stunning Future Nostalgia brightened early pandemic days of 2020, and since then the world can’t get enough of Dua Lipa. In 2023, the superstar reached new heights with Barbie movie soundtrack "Dance The Night," earning two GRAMMY nominations. In the Song Of The Year category, the track is up against Lana del Rey's "A&W," Swift's "Anti-Hero," "Butterfly" by Jon Batiste, Miley Cyrus' "Flowers," SZA's "Kill Bill," Billie Eilish's "What Was I Made For?" and "Vampire" by Olivia Rodrigo. In the Best Song Written for Visual Media category, competitors are "Barbie World," "I'm Just Ken" and "What Was I Made For?" from Barbie The Album, and "Lift Me Up" from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. 

But she has even more in store for 2024. With the release of "Houdini" in November, the English-Albanian singer ushered in a new chapter — her third album, title and due date yet to be announced, is well on its way.

2023 In Review: 5 Trends That Defined Pop Music

Watch highlights from the 2025 GRAMMYs on live.GRAMMY.com.

The 2025 GRAMMYs telecast has been reimagined to raise funds for MusiCares Fire Relief, a dedicated campaign to support the people affected by the recent wildfires in the Greater Los Angeles Area. Donate now.

The 2025 GRAMMYs started on a bittersweet but ultimately resilient note Sunday night with a tribute to those impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires, as well as to first responders, and the glorious City of Angels itself.

Set against a video montage of the L.A. community uniting to help each other, the opening act brought together an all-star cast of artists. Led by folk-rock band Dawes — whose members suffered losses in the fires that ravaged Los Angeles last month — John Legend, Brad Paisley, Sheryl Crow, Brittany Howard, and St. Vincent delivered a rousing performance of the city’s unofficial anthem, "I Love L.A." by Randy Newman. 

Throughout the rocking performance, Dawes frontman Taylor Goldsmith shouted out iconic locations and altered the lyrics to fit the occasion: "Look at this city getting back up off its knees / Look at these firefighters / Ain’t nothin’ like them nowhere." In the background, Legend commanded the piano, St. Vincent played the keyboard, Sheryl Crow was on bass, and Howard and Paisley took on the electric guitar.

More than just Music’s Biggest Night, the 67th GRAMMY Awards carried an especially renewed sense of purpose. The telecast has been reimagined to raise additional funds to support wildfire relief efforts. Since launching the Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort To Support Music Professionals, the Recording Academy and MusiCares have raised and pledged over $4 million in emergency aid for music professionals impacted by the crisis.

Learn more: Recording Academy & MusiCares Expand Wildfire Relief Efforts With New Partnerships During 2025 GRAMMYs

By true miracle of nature, 66 year-old tenor Andrea Bocelli has never strayed away from his Italian roots, and yet he became an international star across genres and styles — equally comfortable performing full operas, sacred choral works and evergreen pop standards.

Born in 1958 in Tuscany, Bocelli had problems with his vision since childhood due to congenital glaucoma, and lost his sight permanently when he was only 12. He never allowed this setback to hamper his extraordinary singing career, nor his lifelong passion for horseback riding. He released his debut album in 1994, and made it big only two years later thanks to his wondrous vocal chords, his ability to perform in many languages, and a carefully curated repertoire of boleros, romantic balladry and operatic pop.

"I believe that there is a purpose conceived for each one of us. Every life is a story that reflects a specific plan," Bocelli previously told GRAMMY.com. "I personally tried to honor mine, making my voice available to share values, such as love, optimism and brotherhood."

A five-time GRAMMY nominee, Bocelli has released over 15 albums, and is also known for his ability to record unforgettable collaborations with artists from across the globe. The intensity of his vision illuminates every single track of the recently released Duets, a two-disc compilation celebrating 30 years in music.

On Dec. 24 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, CBS and Paramount+ will air "Christmas with Andrea Bocelli And Friends: A GRAMMY Holiday Special," a musical celebration that will find the singer performing a number of Christmas standards accompanied by Dua Lipa, Jennifer Hudson, Josh Groban, Sofia Carson and other guests.

Read more: Christmas Music 2024 Playlist: Listen To 50 New Songs From Pentatonix, Ed Sheeran, LISA & More

As a preview of Bocelli’s spectacular songbook, here are five iconic tracks that illustrate the breadth of his artistry.

"Con Te Partiró" (1995)

If you’re looking for the one track that best sums up Bocelli’s magic, one listen to "Con Te Partiró" should be enough to give you a feel for the maestro’s Midas touch. An exquisite, sinuous melody that unfolds with the unhurried inevitability of a religious ritual, it sounds like a classic aria from a famous Italian opera. In reality, it was composed expressly for Bocelli during the 1990s by pianist Franceso Sartori and the late lyricist Lucio Quarantotto.

Arguably the pinnacle of the operatic pop genre, "Con Te Partiró" has a distinguished recording history. It was performed by the singer at the Sanremo Music Festival, appeared first as a single — topping the charts in France and Belgium — and was included on his second album, 1995’s Bocelli. The following year, he recorded it as a duet with English soprano Sarah Brightman under the title "Time to Say Goodbye." It became one of the best-selling singles of all time.

Both versions bookended Romanza, the 1997 compilation that established Bocelli as an international sensation and major concert attraction. With sales of over 20 million copies — and a remastered, augmented 2016 edition — it remains his most commercially successful album to date.

"Vivo Per Lei" (1995)

With its opening piano chords, bombastic drum pattern and the soulful harmonizing of Bocelli and guest vocalist Giorgia, "Vivo Per Lei" sums up the rousing melodrama of vintage Italian pop. The other big smash off the Bocelli album, it was written by Gatto Panceri and Valerio Zelli, and found the singer recording multiple versions in a variety of languages, including the Spanish "Vivo Por Ella" with Marta Sánchez, used as the opening theme for a Mexican telenovela.

In 2024, Bocelli showed his keen understanding of contemporary trends by releasing a revamped version of the song — now favoring a supple rhythm section and digital sonics — with Colombian diva Karol G.

"Ave Maria" (1999)

Bocelli made such a splash on the pop charts, that it’s easy to forget what a tremendous impact he had on the commercially challenged field of classical music.  His robust tenor is perfectly suited for traditional choral music — and his sixth studio outing, Sacred Arias, became the biggest-selling classical album of all time by a solo artist.

Accompanied by an Italian symphony orchestra, his no-frills version of Charles Gounod’s "Ave Maria" — a mashup of Bach’s sobering Prelude No. 1 in C major with an original melody by Gounod — is mournful to the core.

"Bésame Mucho" (2006)

In 2006, Bocelli celebrated Valentine’s Day in style with the release of the romantically themed Amore, his eleventh studio album. Recorded mostly in Los Angeles and leaning deeply on a plush, traditional Latin pop sound, the album benefited from the production skills of veteran Chilean helmer Humberto Gatica. It includes a duet with Christina Aguilera — the Armando Manzanero balada standard "Somos Novios" — and features by Stevie Wonder and Kenny G. A companion album, Amor, featured Spanish versions of most of its songs.

Bocelli’s reading of the 1932 bolero "Bésame Mucho" became one of his signature tunes. His reading evokes the breathy smoothness of early Julio Iglesias, anchored on a silky cushion of crystal-clear acoustic guitars and subtle accents of Latin percussion.

"Perfect Symphony" (2017)

Only 15 days after Ed Sheeran released a version of his 2017 tune "Perfect" as a duet with Beyoncé (the international hit "Perfect Duet"), he unveiled this lovely operatic cover blessed with the soaring vocalizing of Bocelli, now titled "Perfect Symphony."

Boasting tasteful orchestral coloring recorded at London’s Abbey Road Studios, this version begins with Sheeran’s solo verse, leaving Bocelli’s booming voice for the second half of the track. The passion and control with which Bocelli delivers his contribution — in Italian, of course — makes it perfectly clear that the maestro from Tuscany can make his prodigious voice a natural fit for any contemporary song, no matter its style, or cultural context.

The Recording Academy, in partnership with CBS and Ken Ehrlich Productions, has announced "CHRISTMAS WITH ANDREA BOCELLI AND FRIENDS: A GRAMMY HOLIDAY SPECIAL," a Christmas special celebrating the holidays with classical music legend and five-time GRAMMY nominee Andrea Bocelli. Airing Christmas Eve, Tuesday, Dec. 24, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on the CBS Television Network and streaming live and on-demand on Paramount+^, the special features GRAMMY winners Dua Lipa and Jennifer Hudson, five-time GRAMMY-nominated singer and songwriter Josh Groban, and singer and actress Sofia Carson. The special will also feature Andrea Bocelli's wife, Veronica Bocelli, and daughter, Virginia Bocelli.

The Christmas special bookends an incredible year celebrating Andrea Bocelli's 30th anniversary in music, which started with his performance at the 2024 Oscars alongside his son, Matteo Bocelli; included the release of his new album Duets; and also included the concert film Andrea Bocelli 30: The Celebration. Duets debuted atNo. 1 on Billboard's Classical Albums chartand Classical Crossover Albums chart, marking Bocelli's 22nd and 16th leaders on the lists, respectively, extending his record forthe most No. 1sin each chart's history.

Boasting nearly 90 million records sold worldwide and one of the most recognizable voices in the entertainment industry, Andrea Bocelli has sold out arena-sized concert events and performed record-breaking livestreams. Bocelli has participated in many major global events including the Olympic Games, the World Cup and Global Citizen. He has earned five GRAMMY Award nominations and six Latin GRAMMY Award nominations, a Golden Globe, seven Classical BRITs, and seven World Music Awards, plus a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Learn More: Living Legends: Andrea Bocelli On His Favorite Duets & What Keeps Him Inspired 30 Years Later

"With this special, we are not only celebrating the holidays, but also one of music's greatest voices," Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. said in a statement. "We invite families everywhere to tune in and enjoy the festive performances that Andrea and his amazing guests have in store for us all."

"All my life, I've enjoyed entertaining people in person, on record, on film, and on television, and to have the opportunity of doing so on CBS, where I have had many memorable appearances over the years, and with the Recording Academy, which has been a supporter of classical music for decades, is quite exciting," Andrea Bocelli said in a statement. "I am really looking forward to sharing performances with both friends and family on my own Christmas special."

"I am thrilled to have executive produced a show that can be enjoyed by the entire family, full of Christmas music performed by Andrea, incredible guests, and his beloved wife and daughter," Ken Ehrlich, who executive-produced the show, said in a statement. "Thank you to CBS and the Recording Academy for agreeing to bring this show to life and air on a night when families are gathered to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year."

In association with Andrea Bocelli Management, "CHRISTMAS WITH ANDREA BOCELLI AND FRIENDS: A GRAMMY HOLIDAY SPECIAL" is produced by Ken Ehrlich Productions, with Ken Ehrlich, Veronica Bocelli, Harvey Mason jr., and Francesco Pasquero serving as executive producers; Renato Basile as supervising producer; Branden Chapman as producer; and Julia Knowles as director. Ken Ehrlich also writes.

^Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers will have access to stream live via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service, as well as on-demand. Paramount+ Essential subscribers will not have the option to steam live, but will have access to on-demand the day after the special airs.