March is set to be one of the most exciting months in recent memory for music. With two of pop’s biggest stars dropping new albums, a folk legend reworking some of his previously overlooked B-sides and a beloved indie musician releasing a solo project for the first time in three years, this month starts 2025 music off right.   

Lady Gaga — “MAYHEM”

Gaga’s Little Monsters have long awaited her seventh album, which comes out March 7; the artist considers “Harlequin,” her musical contribution to “Joker: Folie à Deux” (2024) as “LG6.5.” Still, “LG7” includes plenty of nods to Gaga’s work on the film — “Die With A Smile,” the radio hit with Bruno Mars penned for “Joker,” is the album’s closer.

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“MAYHEM”’s singles, “Disease” and “Abracadabra,” encompass everything the pop star has come to be known for. Both tracks include hyperbolic lyrics, campy production and dramatic melodies. “Abracadabra” leans into a retro, ‘70s-esque production while “Disease” is more sonically similar to “Die With A Smile.” “Disease” also features an extremely catchy hook, earning its lead single status: “I could play the doctor, I can cure your disease.” 

Fans and critics can only speculate how the rest of the album will sound. But one thing is certain: “MAYHEM” is sure to energize listeners, in typical Gaga fashion. 

Neil Young — “Oceanside Countryside”

One of Young’s famed “lost albums,” “Oceanside Countryside,” is Young’s latest upcoming release in his Analog Original Series. Set to drop on March 7, the project consists of 10 previously released tracks refashioned into one cohesive album. Side One, “Oceanside,” and Side Two, “Countryside,” thematically group some of the folk artist’s deep cuts. 

According to Young, “These songs are the original mixes done at the time of the recordings.” The “Oceanside” tracks were recorded in coastal Florida, while “Countryside” tracks were mixed in the country hub of Nashville. Knowing this will provide listeners with a new framework to approach Young’s reworkings of his beloved music. 

Selena Gomez & benny blanco — “I Said I Love You First”

This is the couple’s first release together and Gomez’s first album since 2020. Since the album’s announcement, the duo has released the lead single, “Scared of Loving You,” as well as a collaboration with Gracie Abrams: “Call Me When You Break Up.” 

“Scared of Loving You” marks a clear artistic detour for the couple, who are both individually known for their pop, electronic-influenced tracks. “Scared of Loving You” features Gomez singing over an acoustic guitar accompaniment, emblematic of FINNEAS’ co-production credit. 

The song feels more like an unreleased Billie Eilish track, but Gomez doesn’t necessarily have Eilish’s vocal chops to compensate for its lyrical inadequacy. The track features songwriting clichés such as “When I was young, I would love too fast / Hope I don’t repeat my past.” 

“Call Me When You Break Up” is a synth-pop song that catchily blends the voices of two members of Taylor Swift’s star-studded entourage. The track skillfully utilizes the breathy vocals of Gomez and Abrams with stylized autotune over an upbeat electronic production. The writing is notably stronger than its predecessor, perhaps due to Abrams’ lyrical input. “I’m emotionally bankrupt,” Abrams sings. 

It will be interesting to see whether “I Said I Love You First” leans more toward the trite shallowness of its lead single or sticks to what its creators know best — safe, pleasant pop — when the album comes out on March 21. 

Lucy Dacus — “Forever Is A Feeling”

Dacus, an indie darling in her own right as well as one-third of supergroup boygenius, will drop her heavily anticipated fourth album March 28. Three singles — “Ankles,” “Limerence” and “Best Guess” — have already been released, and if their success is any indication, fans will be more than pleased with “Forever Is A Feeling.” 

“Ankles” reflects on a mutually tense buildup between two pining lovers — “How lucky are we to have so much to lose?” — while “Limerence” is a piano rumination on the titular feeling — an infatuation characterized by an obsession with romantic reciprocation. “I’m thinking about breaking your heart someday soon / And if I do, I’ll be breaking mine too,” Dacus croons over a lush instrumental backing. 

“Best Guess” is rumored to be about Dacus’ relationship with fellow boygenius member Julien Baker. Dacus first performed the song at Baker’s Brooklyn concert in October, with the track gaining traction on TikTok prior to its release. Dacus makes up for the song’s slightly monotonous production with witty lyricism: “You may not be an angel / But you are my girl / You are my pack a day / You are my favorite place.” 

Granted, “Forever Is A Feeling” has hefty shoes to fill. “Home Video,” Dacus’s last solo project, received widespread acclaim from critics and fans alike. “Ankles” doesn’t necessarily make the same lyrical gut punch as “Hot & Heavy,” but devout listeners will likely enjoy the album nonetheless.