These days, new music comes to us in all kinds of different forms online. It’s not always as simple as waiting for a new release on iTunes anymore. Rather, new artists are establishing themselves through channels like soundcloud.com, and established artists are leaking new songs through all kinds of different online means. All we tend to need these days is to surf the Internet for new sounds and occasionally visit an electronics site like www.mysmartbuy.com to make sure we have all the audio equipment we need.

Still, despite the simplicity of finding new music these days, there’s nothing quite like the official release of an anticipated album from an established artist. So with that said, here are 8 of the hottest releases for the upcoming summer.

Goo Goo Dolls – Magnetic

Popular alt/rock band Goo Goo Dolls may have faded a bit from the public eye, but fans will never forget the group’s lengthy list of popular hits. Those hits alone – “Slide,” “Broadway,” and “Iris” among others – make “Magnetic,” the group’s 10th album, worth checking out.

Jimmy Eat World – Damage

If you miss the upbeat pop rock of the late 90’s and early 00’s, Jimmy Eat World is probably on your list of nostalgia bands. The new album “Damage” reportedly brings a new list of tunes that transport listeners back 10 years.

J. Cole – Born Sinner

One of hip-hop’s most exciting emerging artists, J. Cole exploded onto the scene in 2011 with the hit single “Work Out.” This second studio album will show us if J. Cole has staying power.

Kanye West – Yeezus

Perhaps the most highly anticipated album of the summer, “Yeezus” will mark Kanye’s first solo album since the wildly popular “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.” Aside from rumoured collaborations with the like of Daft Punk and Skrillex, the album is still a bit mysterious – but we know it’ll be a big deal.

John Legend – Love In The Future

John Legend enjoyed a bit of a surge in popularity thanks to his presence on the incredible soundtrack for the film Django Unchained, which makes for great timing for this new solo album.

Wale – The Gifted

“The Gifted” is Wale’s third studio album, and features a collaboration list that doubles as a who’s-who of popular hip-hop artists. Judging by lead single “Bad,” this album will keep Wale moving up the charts.

Mariah Carey – TBD

Mariah Carey will launch her 13th album on July 23rd. Though the album is untitled, it’s sure to create a stir – Carey has never lost her hold on fans, and the somewhat unexpected album should be exciting.

Backstreet Boys – In A World Like This

This new album accompanies the Backstreet Boys’ 20th anniversary tour (yes, it’s really been that long!). The band’s most recent album was actually in 2009, so while they haven’t been away that long, it certainly feels like a blast from the past to hear new music from these late-90’s sensations.