A Look at What's to Come in 2013

Written by Jon Williams

With 2012 behind us, it’s time to take a look at what 2013 will have to offer. In both music and audiobooks, it looks to be a big year, with big name musicians and authors releasing titles that your patrons will be excited to get their hands on.

Audiobooks

Of course, you can expect a slew of books from names typical to the bestseller lists. Plenty of these have already been announced for later this winter. James Patterson (Alex Cross, Run), Jonathan Kellerman (Guilt), and Jodi Picoult (The Storyteller) are among the names to look for in February, with Harlan Coben (Six Years) and Joyce Carol Oates (The Accursed) releasing in March. Khaled Hosseini’s third novel, And the Mountains Echoed, comes out in May.

 Also in May, Charlaine Harris waves goodbye to Sookie Stackhouse and friends in Bon Temps with Dead Ever After, the final novel in the Southern Vampires series that spawned the popular HBO show True Blood. Horror master Stephen King has two novels coming out in 2013. The first, in June, is Joyland, about an amusement park serial killer. Then, in September, comes Doctor Sleep, the long-awaited sequel to The Shining. King’s son Joe Hill, a bestselling author in his own right, releases his third novel, NOS4A2, in April. And if you enjoy the macabre, look for Neil Gaiman’s latest, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, in June.

June will also bring a new novel from Colum McCann, who follows up his National Book Award-winning Let the Great World Spin with Transatlantic. Literary heavyweight Thomas Pynchon will also deliver a new novel in 2013, Bleeding Edge, although a publication date has not yet been set.

And of course, what would a year be without a handful of posthumous releases? In February, look for one from Maurice Sendak, My Brother’s Book. In March comes The Tragedy of Mr. Morn, a play written by Vladimir Nabokov in 1923. With a movie based on his work staying strong at the box office right now, a new release from J.R.R. Tolkien comes in May. Leaving behind the world of Middle-earth, The Fall of Arthur deals with Arthurian legends and was edited for publication by the author’s son, Christopher.

Music

There are plenty of new releases to look forward to in the music world as well. In the world of pop, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, and Justin Bieber all have new albums coming out sometime in 2013, as does Beyonce, who will also be performing for the Super Bowl halftime show. The current queen of pop music, Lady Gaga, will release ARTPOP this year as well. Paws up, little monsters!

Beyonce’s husband, Jay-Z, will have some new tunes coming this year as well, as he works on Watch the Throne 2 with Kanye West. Staying in the rap game, Eminem will release an album to follow up 2010’s Recovery. His protégé, 50 Cent, drops his latest, Street King Immortal, on February 26.

Two current American Idol judges have releases coming in 2013. Nicki Minaj says Pink Friday: The Pinkprint will have its basis in rap more than pop. Mariah Carey will also have a new CD out this year, which will feature her most recent single, “Triumphant.” No word on a new release from Keith Urban, although he will appear (as will Taylor Swift) on fellow country music superstar Tim McGraw’s album Two Lanes of Freedom, which comes out February 5.

Look also for new releases from a few music legends. In late March, Cher will release her first new album since 2001’s Living Proof. On his 66^th birthday earlier this week, David Bowie released a new track (complete with video), “Where Are We Now?” His first album since 2003, The Next Day, comes out in March as well. In April, look for a new release from Black Sabbath, complete, believe it or not, with Ozzy Osbourne back on vocals for the first time since 1978. Another stunner, an album of new material from Jimi Hendrix, drops on March 5.

Also, Justin Timberlake announced today that he is in the studio recording some new tunes of his own. The first track, featuring an appearance from the aforementioned Jay-Z and produced by Timbaland, could be available as soon as next week. That being the case, the likelihood of the album being available sometime this year is pretty decent. This would be JT's first new album since 2006, as he's spent the past few years focusing on the acting side of his career.

This is just a very small sampling of all the great audiobook and music titles we’ll see in 2013. What are you looking forward to in the year to come?