Thanks to the 2018 remake of “A Star Is Born,” we know Lady Gaga can play a protagonist with pipes. But what happens when an unhinged anti-hero ropes her into his circus? Next October, Gaga stars alongside Joaquin Phoenix in “Joker: Folie à Deux,” the musical — yes, musical — sequel to 2019′s “Joker.” DC Studios has revealed little else about the film, but after earning one Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and four Grammys strictly for her songs in visual media, it’s certain that Gaga won’t be clowning around on this soundtrack. Her first solo album since 2020′s “Chromatica” could hit dancefloors next year as well. — Victoria Wasylak
There aren’t too many records that Afrobeats champ Burna Boy hasn’t broken yet, and now here comes another one: His March 2 “I Told Them . . . Tour” appearance at TD Garden is on track to be the biggest ticketed show ever performed by an African artist in New England. (Even fellow Nigerian Fela Kuti never played to more than a few thousand people here.) While Burna Boy’s lyrics often dig deep, this night should be the ultimate arena dance party. — Noah Schaffer
I’ve been a longtime fan of the music made by Chan Marshall, a.k.a. Cat Power, and I have a particular fondness for one integral aspect of her art — her recurring practice of collecting her interpretations of the songs of other artists. But I’ve somehow never managed to see her live. She’ll be in town at the Chevalier Theater Feb. 17, and that show will check both boxes for me, since she’ll be performing her new release, a reprise of Dylan’s famous, volcanic 1966 Royal Albert Hall concert. — Stuart Munro
I eagerly await the day when a group of theatrically inclined young women can just rock without half the internet accusing them of being industry plants, because London-based fivesome The Last Dinner Party has better things to do than weather that storm. This past year, they unleashed four singles including opening salvo “Nothing Matters,” which rides on a chorus just as catchy and twice as vulgar as any of ABBA’s gold. Debut album “Prelude to Ecstasy” is slated for Feb. 2 on Island Records. A Boston tour date has yet to materialize, but fingers crossed they’ll visit soon; when they do, no thrift store within 10 miles will be safe. — A.Z. Madonna
The king of alt R&B made major waves back in 2010 with his dynamic debut album, “All I Want Is You.” On the heels of its release, Miguel was praised for relishing in artistic freedom, whether through his sensual lyricism, vocal lucidity, or eclectic style. The Grammy-winning singer’s fifth LP, “Viscera,” is his first full-length project in seven years and promises to be an immersive continuation of his very public spiritual journey. — Candace McDuffie
MGMT recently celebrated the 15th birthday of “Oracular Spectacular” — a whimsical debut record that remains emblematic of a certain indie pop era — but the duo have hardly spent the ensuing years replicating its formula. They’ve instead embraced gonzo flights of fancy (2010′s “Congratulations”), druggy psychedelia (2013′s self-titled album), and modern satire via retro synths (their most recent, “Little Dark Age”). The ominously-titled “Loss of Life,” their first project in six years, arrives in February promising to be anything but predictable. — Ben Stas
2021′s resilient “Path of Wellness” served as proof of concept for a Sleater-Kinney minus the propulsion drive of longtime drummer Janet Weiss, who anchored and propelled the band for more than two decades. Just as crucial to Sleater-Kinney’s future (albeit in more subtle ways), “Little Rope,” due Jan. 19, is less a pivot point than the first real steps of forward movement for their new phase. Watching where they go will be nerve-wracking and thrilling all at once. — Marc Hirsh
Kali Uchis’s “Red Moon In Venus” was one of the 2023 releases that I returned to most since its release in March, its gorgeously wrought meditations on love having equal sonic and emotional depth. Less than two weeks into 2024, she’ll be back with “Orquídeas.” The album, out Jan. 12, is named in honor of her ancestral country Colombia’s national flower, and she said in a statement that it’s inspired in part by the bloom’s “timeless, eerie, mystic, striking, graceful and sensual allure” — which makes it sound like an ideal companion to “Red Moon” and an early candidate for 2024′s best-of lists. — Maura Johnston
Who named Idles, exactly? Since dropping the debut album “Brutalism” in 2017, this frenetic British group has been relentlessly active, on a mission to attack hearts and change minds. In February they’ll release their fifth studio album, “Tangk” (co-produced by longtime Radiohead associate Nigel Godrich), followed by a massive tour that will hit Roadrunner in September. The album title, they say, is the sound of the guitars they envisioned for the record. Whatever you do, don’t call Idles’ music punk. They’re “all love songs,” says frontman Joe Talbot. — James Sullivan
