Three of the biggest albums in 2016, all for different reasons, and we are now approaching a decade since these albums are all of these artists’ last solo release.

All of them have had varying degrees of presence since their respective absences:

• Frank has done numerous radio episodes, released a handful of singles, and had a very controversial Coachella headlining set a few years back
• Bruno did a soul collab project with Anderson .Paak, has been consistently touring, and dropped a decent amount of features and collab singles (two of which were among the biggest hits of 2024)
• Rihanna is the one who has been the most musically absent; we can count on one hand the amount of new songs she’s been a part of since 2017, and instead during that time has been building up her beauty brand to billion dollar status as well as building a family with Rocky

It just really blows my mind that these three albums were at the forefront of pop culture in 2016, and coincidentally all three of them haven’t released a new solo album since.

Are you still playing these projects? Do they hold up still to this day to justify the waiting period for their next release? And who of these three do you think will be the first to break the solo album silence?

My nigga Frank. F***, f*** Frank, nigga, f*** him

Bruno is 200% dropping in the next weeks!

Bruno Mars is the most likely to drop outta the 3 tho

There a source for this?

Blond is legendary. Most important album of the 2000s centurie so far

Bruno's career is so interesting to me... I could honestly write an article about it lol. He's been very smart about managing it since 2010.

In fact, that was one of the reasons I was drawn to him back in 2013, during Unorthodox Jukebox - it was such a perfectly crafted era.

He could’ve easily released an album in 2015 riding the success of Uptown Funk, but instead, he waited and dropped 24K Magic in late 2016, two years after UF. And at first, the album was kind of seen as an underperformance, but he kept pushing it all through 2017 and even 2018.

Then, last year, when everyone expected him to finally drop again, he released two collabs instead, and both blew up simultaneously. Fat, Juicy and Wet was a rare career mistake though...

I think he knows his power with the GP, so he’s careful not to get Ed Sheeran’d. He knows his songs will always become massive hits, so he avoids dropping too often to not become overexposed.

I can actually see his upcoming album being his only solo release this decade (since we’re already halfway through it), and he’ll probably make the era last at least two years.

Man Bruno had the radio on lock back then, peak pop album

Blonde is still like… wow… incredible

Don’t really listen to anti big the few times I did it was good, I just don’t really relate to female rnb like that, maybe I’m sexist

rih blew up in the fashion/beauty game with fenty so it makes sense why she aint dropping nothing

bruno dropped a classic with anderson .paak so that brought him some time

not sure what the deal is with frank. think he’s doing movies now?

3 classics if you ask me

Blonde is leagues above both of those other albums if we being real

Frank & Rihanna both put out great albums
Frank will return eventually, who knows if Rihanna will

bruno mars is lowkey mysterious...

Ed Sheeran dropped 6 albums since then and is up multiple billion off just touring, I’ll never understand artists decisions :vlosereave: but Anti still fire

idk about that

Couldn’t really imagine what Rih would have to say on an album at this stage of her life

She can talk that Billy talk wit the wives of Fenty.. and she seems to have a loving family wit Rocky and their kids she can talk about that. Some love joints. Idk

are you fr? she's gotten married and had 2 kids, thats pretty life changing in itself. Madonna made Ray Of Light after having her daughter

wait she got married?

Rihanna doesn’t strike me as the type of individual that’s going to try and outdo herself artistically or step out of comfort zone atp 🤷🏾‍♂️

Anti carrying the heavy load of her entire discography

i saw a rumour but i dont think its confirmed

fair enough. not saying its bound to happen but it is possible. if she doesn't drop another album, i dont think it will be due to a lack of subject matter

Only one I miss is queen Riri. New Bruno Mars wouldn't be too shabby though. Couldn't care less about Frank

you not supposed to relate to female r&b unless you a zesty fester...

you're supposed to image they're singing to you...