The biggest surprise albums

The Weeknd started off 2022 with a bang as he announced on January 3 on Instagram that he would be releasing a surprise new album just four days later. The Toronto native shared a trailer for the album, called 'Dawn FM,' which teased clips of new music and named some artists involved in the project, including Canadian comedian Jim Carrey, legendary record producer Quincy Jones, popular musician Tyler, the Creator, and iconic rapper Lil Wayne. The album will be The Weeknd's first since 2020's 'After Hours.'

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Bad Bunny and J Balvin - They're two of the top reggaeton artists, bringing Latin American music to a wider audience. Balvin and Bunny surprised fans with a collaborative album intended for day parties and summer nights. It makes sense since the pair have found success together in the past. "Working with J Balvin has undoubtedly been an unparalleled experience," Bunny said in a press release. "I have always admired and respected him a lot and we have had an excellent vibe throughout this whole process." The respect is mutual, "I am proud to say I LOVE Bad Bunny; we always seem to be on the same wavelength, as he likes what I like," said J Balvin.

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Bad Bunny and J Balvin - Bunny and Balvin are two reggaeton stars, hailing from Puerto Rico and Colombia, respectively. They released 'Oasis,' a collaborative album, with no warning or promotion in 2019.

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Beyoncé - Before 'Homecoming,' Beyoncé dropped a major surprise when she released 'Lemonade' in 2016, shortly after an hour-long music video premiered on HBO.

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Beyoncé - Queen Bey had mastered the element of surprise, however, when she dropped her self-titled album in December 2013, with no notice whatsoever.

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The Carters - The pair loves catching the world off-guard, and their surprise release of 'Everything is Love' was announced on jumbo screens at the end of their second co-headlining show at London Stadium in June 2018.

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U2 - The release of U2's 2014 album 'Songs of Innocence' was surprising both for its unexpected date and the intrusive way it inserted itself in everyone's iTunes.

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Prince - For his 2007 album 'Planet Earth,' Prince decided to do what no other major artist had done before, and gave it away for free in the UK with The Mail on Sunday. He made all the money back and more at his sold-out 21-date run at London's O2 arena.

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Frank Ocean - Just before Ocean's performance on 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon' in 2012, Fallon announced that 'Channel Orange' was available on iTunes, a week ahead of schedule.

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Frank Ocean - His fans waited years for his next album, and Ocean surprised everyone when he released his visual album 'Endless' on August 16, 2016.

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Frank Ocean - Then he surprised everyone again by dropping another album, 'Blonde,' two days later!

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David Bowie - The legendary artist stunned the music world in January 2013 with a completely unexpected single and the announcement of his album 'The Next Day,' which was his first album in 10 years.

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Drake - The 17-song mixtape 'If You're Reading This, It's Too Late,' was released on iTunes with no warning, and Drake had the satisfaction of personally letting everyone know in a tweet.

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D'Angelo - After a long silence, D'Angelo released his surprise album 'Black Messiah' in December 2014, which sold 117,000 units in the first week without any promotion!

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Radiohead - The self-release of 'In Rainbows' in 2007 was significant for many reasons: it had been four years since their last album, they decided to release it online, people could pay any amount, and they only gave 10 days notice.

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Radiohead - Radiohead treated fans once again in 2011 when they released their eighth studio album, 'The King of Limbs,' a day early.

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Radiohead - The band adopted a similar approach for 2016's 'A Moon Shaped Pool,' when they announced its imminent release by deleting all content from their social media pages one week before.

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Ariana Grande - Just six months after releasing 'Sweetener,' Ariana Grande released another album, 'Thank U, Next,' on February 8, 2019.

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Justin Timberlake - After 2006's 'FutureSex/LoveSounds,' JT was off the radar. Then, seven years later, with only a month's notice, he dropped 'The 20/20 Experience.'

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Justin Timberlake - Later, he surprised everyone with the album's 'Part 2,' which he had disclosed in an open letter written just weeks before.

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Kendrick Lamar - The rapper released his surprise compilation album, 'Untitled Unmastered,' on March 4, 2016, without any advance notice. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart that week.

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Kanye West - Following suit on his many surprises of 2018, West released his short album 'ye' on June 1, and one week later he released his joint album with Kid Cudi, 'Kids See Ghosts,' both of which were announced in late April.

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Jay-Z - In an advert during Game 5 of the 2013 NBA finals, Jay-Z announced he'd be releasing a completely unexpected album, 'Magna Carta Holy Grail.' Fans were able to download it just two weeks later on a Samsung app.

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Eminem - Just eight months after 2017's 'Revival,' Eminem surprised everyone with his 10th studio album, 'Kamikaze.'

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Björk - In January 2015, Björk released 'Vulnicura' on iTunes just one week after announcing it in a handwritten note and two months ahead of its original March release date.

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My Bloody Valentine - Twenty-two years of silence is surely enough to presume a band is over, but My Bloody Valentine knew they had the element of surprise on their side when they suddenly dropped 'mbv' in February 2013.

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Future - Despite having dropped three mixtapes and a studio album in 2015, and dropping the surprise mixtape 'Purple Reign' in January 2016, Future released his surprise album 'Evol' in early February.

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Pixies - The four-track record 'EP 1' was a complete surprise, accompanied a new video as well, in September 2013.

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Guns N' Roses - The enormous wait and 15-year recording process for 'Chinese Democracy' made it a huge surprise that it ever came out at all.

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Death Grips - On November 13, 2013, Death Grips both announced their third LP 'Government Plates' and released it—for free!

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Death Grips - Two years later, after they were supposed to have broken up in 2014, they released the 14-track instrumental album 'Fashion Week.'

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T-Pain - In February 2019, T-Pain surprised fans with '1UP,' a new album featuring appearances from Lil Wayne and Tory Lanez.

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Weezer - The seminal rock band shocked fans by releasing a self-titled cover album, featuring versions of 'Take on Me,' 'Mr. Blue Sky,' 'Billie Jean,' and Toto's 'Africa.'

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Bryson Tiller -

R&B crooner Bryson Tiller released his album 'True to Self,' a month ahead of schedule. The record shot to number one on the US album chart.

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Michael Cera -

Michael Cera isn't just an actor, and has released some interesting music over the years. Cera surprise-released his debut album, 'True That,' in August 2014.

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The Weeknd -

Getty Images

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Beyoncé - Before 'Homecoming,' Beyoncé dropped a major surprise when she released 'Lemonade' in 2016, shortly after an hour-long music video premiered on HBO.

4 / 36 Fotos

Beyoncé - Queen Bey had mastered the element of surprise, however, when she dropped her self-titled album in December 2013, with no notice whatsoever.

5 / 36 Fotos

6 / 36 Fotos

U2 - The release of U2's 2014 album 'Songs of Innocence' was surprising both for its unexpected date and the intrusive way it inserted itself in everyone's iTunes.

7 / 36 Fotos

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Frank Ocean - Just before Ocean's performance on 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon' in 2012, Fallon announced that 'Channel Orange' was available on iTunes, a week ahead of schedule.

9 / 36 Fotos

Frank Ocean - His fans waited years for his next album, and Ocean surprised everyone when he released his visual album 'Endless' on August 16, 2016.

10 / 36 Fotos

Frank Ocean - Then he surprised everyone again by dropping another album, 'Blonde,' two days later!

11 / 36 Fotos

David Bowie - The legendary artist stunned the music world in January 2013 with a completely unexpected single and the announcement of his album 'The Next Day,' which was his first album in 10 years.

12 / 36 Fotos

Drake - The 17-song mixtape 'If You're Reading This, It's Too Late,' was released on iTunes with no warning, and Drake had the satisfaction of personally letting everyone know in a tweet.

13 / 36 Fotos

D'Angelo - After a long silence, D'Angelo released his surprise album 'Black Messiah' in December 2014, which sold 117,000 units in the first week without any promotion!

14 / 36 Fotos

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Radiohead - Radiohead treated fans once again in 2011 when they released their eighth studio album, 'The King of Limbs,' a day early.

16 / 36 Fotos

Radiohead - The band adopted a similar approach for 2016's 'A Moon Shaped Pool,' when they announced its imminent release by deleting all content from their social media pages one week before.

17 / 36 Fotos

Ariana Grande - Just six months after releasing 'Sweetener,' Ariana Grande released another album, 'Thank U, Next,' on February 8, 2019.

18 / 36 Fotos

Justin Timberlake - After 2006's 'FutureSex/LoveSounds,' JT was off the radar. Then, seven years later, with only a month's notice, he dropped 'The 20/20 Experience.'

19 / 36 Fotos

Justin Timberlake - Later, he surprised everyone with the album's 'Part 2,' which he had disclosed in an open letter written just weeks before.

20 / 36 Fotos

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Eminem - Just eight months after 2017's 'Revival,' Eminem surprised everyone with his 10th studio album, 'Kamikaze.'

24 / 36 Fotos

Björk - In January 2015, Björk released 'Vulnicura' on iTunes just one week after announcing it in a handwritten note and two months ahead of its original March release date.

25 / 36 Fotos

26 / 36 Fotos

27 / 36 Fotos

Pixies - The four-track record 'EP 1' was a complete surprise, accompanied a new video as well, in September 2013.

28 / 36 Fotos

Guns N' Roses - The enormous wait and 15-year recording process for 'Chinese Democracy' made it a huge surprise that it ever came out at all.

29 / 36 Fotos

Death Grips - On November 13, 2013, Death Grips both announced their third LP 'Government Plates' and released it—for free!

30 / 36 Fotos

Death Grips - Two years later, after they were supposed to have broken up in 2014, they released the 14-track instrumental album 'Fashion Week.'

31 / 36 Fotos

T-Pain - In February 2019, T-Pain surprised fans with '1UP,' a new album featuring appearances from Lil Wayne and Tory Lanez.

32 / 36 Fotos

Weezer - The seminal rock band shocked fans by releasing a self-titled cover album, featuring versions of 'Take on Me,' 'Mr. Blue Sky,' 'Billie Jean,' and Toto's 'Africa.'

33 / 36 Fotos

Bryson Tiller -

R&B crooner Bryson Tiller released his album 'True to Self,' a month ahead of schedule. The record shot to number one on the US album chart.

Getty Images

34 / 36 Fotos

Michael Cera -

Michael Cera isn't just an actor, and has released some interesting music over the years. Cera surprise-released his debut album, 'True That,' in August 2014.

35 / 36 Fotos