The artists dropping music in 2018

January is usually pretty hard to get through - Christmas fun seems like a distant memory and pay day can't come soon enough.

But some top artists look set to release albums in 2018 to give us something to look forward to.

Here's who to keep tabs on this year.

Ariana Grande

2017 was a challenging year for the 24-year-old singer after a terrorist attack at her concert in Manchester last May killed 22 people.

She's recently gone back into the studio to record her fourth album - with Pharrell Williams putting his producer hat back on to work with the singer.

He told the LA Times her new material was "pretty amazing", adding: "The things that she has to say on this album, it's pretty next-level."

Justin Timberlake

JT has also been dropping hints about new music.

His last album was released in 2013, but in December he trademarked the phrases "Man Of The Woods" and "Fresh Leaves" for use in music and merchandise.

His website has now also changed to a symbol made up of the letters MOTW.

Should we be expecting a set list of brand new songs for his Superbowl performance later this year?

We can only hope.

Cardi B

Bodak Yellow was everywhere in 2017.

The single from the Bronx rapper topped the charts, broke records, was nominated for a Grammy but she's yet to release her debut album.

Fear not, speaking to Capital Xtra in November while in the UK for the Mobos - she confirmed an album is on the way.

"I have deadline and it will be coming out in January," she said. "I have three good songs right now."

Nicki Minaj

From one Bronx-born rapper to another, in 2018 Nicki Minaj is back with a new album.

She hasn't exactly fallen off the grid as she released lots of singles last year, but no full body of work.

The release date for her 2018 album is yet to be confirmed and we don't know who will be featured on it.

What we do know is she thinks it's going to be great.

"I know it's going to be my best body of work," she said.

Arctic Monkeys

After the Arctic Monkeys' headline sets at Reading & Leeds Festivals in 2014, lead vocalist Alex Turner said it seemed "like the perfect place to leave things for a while".

He wasn't lying - three years later, not a single new track.

Right now, we're very much in the dark on a new album.

But the band's bassist Nick O'Malley has confirmed they have been recording at a "secret location" and hoped it would be out this year.

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