8 Hotly Anticipated 2016 Albums (And Why They'll Be Disappointing)

7. Blink 182 €“ Untitled 2016 Album

Blink-182 is defined by several things. Of course, there's the songs €“ ranging from the deeply angst-filled to the hilariously grotesque, with lots of great stuff in-between. But there's also two distinct voices €“ Mark Hoppus's low croon and Tom Delonge's high-pitched wail. These two vocal elements somehow complement each other, giving the band a wholly unique sound. But Blink-182 fans haven't had a great time in the last few years. There was initial elation in 2009 when the band announced it had returned after a five year hiatus, followed by mixed messages and bouts of internal turbulence. 2011's Neighborhoods was a disappointing affair, weak in comparison to 2003's self-titled release, a record that promised a much maturer sound. Though many fans hoped that the band was still trying to find its feet after such a long break, it transpired that Delonge had not been physically present for much of the recording. Things didn't get much better, and in 2015 Delonge confirmed that he had once again left the band. At the same time, Hoppus and Barker began playing shows with Alkaline Trio's Matt Skiba. At present, the three are currently in the studio working on Blink-182's seventh album. Unfortunately for fans, this is only going to perpetuate the disappointment. As mentioned, Tom Delonge is one of the components that defines Blink-182. His vocals are a massive part of what makes the band so much fun to listen to, with many of their most famous songs (like All The Small Things, Dammit and I Miss You) being carried by his voice. To remove Delonge from the equation is to remove one of the band's fundamental elements, and though Skiba may contribute something interesting to the equation, it sure as hell isn't going to sound like Blink-182.