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"A slow month for new releases"? Turns out, that's a popular misconception.
12/15/2025
Beyonce performs on stage during "The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour" at the Staples Center on December 3, 2013 in Los Angeles, Calif. Larry Busacca/PW/WireImage for Parkwood Entertainment
We are now halfway through December, which is often thought of as a slow month for new album releases. If that was ever true, it no longer is.
A fairly recent release that blew that concept out of the water was Beyoncé’s eponymous fifth solo album (Dec. 13, 2013), which perfected the notion of the “surprise drop.” SZA’s SOS, which became the first album by a woman to spend 100 weeks in the top 10 on the Billboard 200, was also a December release (Dec. 9, 2022). The Lana reissue of SOS was also a December release (Dec. 20, 2024).
The ranks of December releases also include Eagles’ Hotel California (Dec. 8, 1976), the fourth highest-certified album in history, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.
It also includes four Grammy winners for album of the year – Blood Sweat & Tears’ eponymous sophomore album (Dec. 11, 1968), George Harrison & Friends’ The Concert for Bangla Desh (Dec. 20, 1971), Christopher Cross’ eponymous debut album (Dec. 27, 1979) and the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack (Dec. 5, 2000).
Many soundtracks have been December releases, in part because they accompany films that are released at year’s end to qualify for Academy Award consideration. Other soundtracks that were released in December include Into the Woods (Dec. 16, 2014), Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Dec. 18, 2015), The Greatest Showman (Dec. 8, 2017) and Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse (Dec. 14, 2018).
Many greatest hits albums have also been December releases, in part because they require no set-up or consumer education. They include The Rolling Stones’ Hot Rocks 1964-71 (Dec. 20, 1971), Garth Brooks’ The Hits (Dec. 13, 1994), Eminem’s Curtain Call: The Hits (Dec. 6, 2005) and Carrie Underwood’s Greatest Hits: Decade #1 (Dec. 9, 2014).
A sobering number of posthumous albums were released in December: Jim Croce’s I Got a Name (Dec. 1, 1973), The Notorious B.I.G.’s Born Again (Dec. 7, 1999), 2Pac’s Loyal to the Game (Dec. 14, 2004), Michael Jackson’s Michael (Dec. 10, 2010), Amy Winehouse’s Lioness: Hidden Treasures (Dec. 2, 2011), XXXTentacion’s Skins (Dec. 7, 2018) and Juice WRLD’s Fighting Demons (Dec. 8, 2019).
Of the hundreds of albums that have been released in December, here are some of the most notable (not repeating any already named).
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The Beatles, Beatles ’65 and Rubber Soul
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection The biggest and most important act of the 1960s (and beyond) released two studio albums in December – Beatles ’65 (Dec. 15, 1964) and Rubber Soul (Dec. 6, 1965). Both albums had long runs at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 – nine weeks and six weeks, respectively.
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Taylor Swift, Evermore
Swift, who is closing in on multiple Beatles records, also has a December release in her discography: Evermore, which was released on Dec. 11, 2020. The album — a companion to her prior 2020 release Folklore — topped the Billboard 200 for three nonconsecutive weeks, spawned the No. 1 Hot 100 hit “Willow” and received a Grammy nod for album of the year.
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The Rolling Stones, Their Satanic Majesties Request and five more
The act long hailed as “the world’s greatest rock’n’roll band” released four studio albums in December – December’s Children (and everybody’s) (Dec. 3, 1965), Their Satanic Majesties Request (Dec. 8, 1967), Beggars Banquet (Dec. 6, 1968) and Blue & Lonesome (Dec. 2, 2016). They also released two greatest hits albums in December – Hot Rocks 1964-71 (Dec. 20, 1971) and its sequel More Hot Rocks (Big Hits & Fazed Cookies) (Dec. 11, 1972). All six albums made the top 10 on the Billboard 200.
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Dr. Dre, The Chronic
Image Credit: Ken Weingart/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Dre’s debut studio album, The Chronic, was released on Dec. 15, 1992. It reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and spawned the classic singles “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang,” “Dre Day” and “Let Me Ride.”
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Paul McCartney & Wings, Band on the Run and two more
The band’s most successful album, critically and commercially, was released in the U.S. on Dec. 5, 1973 – five days after it was released in the U.K. The album topped the Billboard 200 for four nonconsecutive weeks, spawned three top 10 hits on the Hot 100 and received a Grammy nod for album of the year.
Two other Wings albums were also released in December: Wild Life (Dec. 7, 1971) and the triple-disk Wings Over America (Dec. 10, 1976), the live document of the band’s 1976 tour. Both were credited simply to Wings.
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Nicki Minaj, The Pinkprint and Pink Friday 2
Two of Minaj’s five studio albums were released in December: The Pinkprint (Dec. 12, 2014) and Pink Friday 2 (Dec. 8, 2023). The albums reached No. 2 and No. 1, respectively.
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Alicia Keys, The Diary of Alicia Keys and two more
The R&B star released her sophomore album on Dec. 2, 2003. It topped the Billboard 200 for two nonconsecutive weeks, spawned three top 10 hits on the Hot 100 and received a Grammy nod for album of the year. Two subsequent Keys albums also came out in December: The Element of Freedom (Dec. 15, 2009) and Keys (Dec. 10, 2021).
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21 Savage, I Am > I Was
The rapper’s classic album was released on Dec. 21, 2018. It topped the Billboard 200 for two weeks and spawned the top 20 Hot 100 hit “A Lot” (featuring J. Cole).
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The Clash, London Calling and Sandinista!
The Clash released back-to-back albums in December – London Calling (Dec. 14, 1979) and Sandinista! (Dec. 12, 1980). Both were multi-disk collections. They were the band’s first two albums to make the top 30 on the Billboard 200.
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Bruno Mars, Unorthodox Jukebox
Image Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images Mars’ sophomore album was released on Dec. 7, 2012. It topped the Billboard 200, and spawned the No. 1 Hot 100 hits “Locked Out of Heaven” and “When I Was Your Man,” as well as the top five hit “Treasure.”
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Jay-Z, Vol. 3…Life & Times of S. Carter
Vol. 3…Life & Times of S. Carter was released on Dec. 28, 1999. It became the second of his (so far) 14 No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, and spawned the top 20 Hot 100 hit “Big Pimpin'” (featuring UGK).
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Harry Styles, Fine Line
Styles’ second solo album was released on Dec, 13, 2019. It topped the Billboard 200 and spawned Styles’ first No. 1 hit on the Hot 100, “Watermelon Sugar.”
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Mary J. Blige, The Breakthrough and two more
Three consecutive studio albums by the queen of hip-hop/soul were released in December – The Breakthrough (Dec. 20, 2005), Growing Pains (Dec. 18, 2007) and Stronger With Each Tear (Dec. 21, 2009). The first two of these albums topped the Billboard 200; the third reached No. 2.
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DMX, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood and …And Then There Was X
DMX had two December releases – Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood (Dec. 22, 1998) and …And Then There Was X (Dec. 21, 1999). Both topped the Billboard 200, Flesh of My Flesh… for three weeks.
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J Cole, 2014 Forest Hills Drive and 4 Your Eyez Only
Cole dropped in December with two albums: 2014 Forest Hills Drive (Dec. 9, 2014) and 4 Your Eyez Only (Dec. 9, 2016). Both albums topped the Billboard 200.
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Bob Dylan, John Wesley Harding
Image Credit: PA Images via Getty Images Dylan’s album was released on Dec. 27, 1967. It rose to No. 2 on the Billboard 200, Dylan’s highest ranking to that point. “All Along the Watchtower” became one of Dylan’s most prized songs after Jimi Hendrix’s rendition was released in the autumn of 1968. The album was named after Texas outlaw John Wesley Hardin, whose last name was misspelled.
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Roddy Ricch, Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial
The rapper’s smash debut studio album was released on Dec. 6, 2019. It topped the Billboard 200 for four nonconsecutive weeks and spawned the smash “The Box,” which led the Hot 100 for 11 weeks, more than any other song in 2020.
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John Lennon: John Lennon Live Peace in Toronto 1969 and John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
John Lennon Live Peace in Toronto 1969 was released on Dec. 12, 1969. John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band followed almost exactly one year later, on Dec. 11, 1970. These were his first two albums apart from The Beatles. Both made the top 10 on the Billboard 200.
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Metro Boomin, Heroes & Villains
The producer’s second album as an artist was released on Dec. 2, 2022. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200. It spawned two top 10 hits on the Hot 100: “Creepin'” (the Weeknd and 21 Savage) and “Superhero (Heroes & Villains)” (with Future and Chris Brown).
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The Black Keys, El Camino
The band’s seventh studio album was released on Dec. 6, 2011. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200, their highest ranking to that point, and received a Grammy nod for album of the year. It spawned the Hot 100 hits “Lonely Boy” and “Gold on the Ceiling.”
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