Well, let’s start with what’s been going on in the popular charts and those that frequent our guilty pleasure playlists. First up let’s talk about the girl with 9 lives, Miss Britney Spears; Is she? isn’t she? Will she? Won’t she? Gossip is getting all confused, half the world is saying that she’s about to throw in the towel and take a very deserved break and the other half is saying that album number 8 is underway? Either way, the unstoppable juggernaut that is Britters has never been one to shy away from the public, even when she was at her worse. If it’s true that producer Elijah Blake has been picked up to work on album number 8 (he’s responsible for Usher’s Climax) we could be in for a surprise. Here’s hoping.

All the X Factors around the world have finally ended much to the dismay and joy the world’s reality TV and Glee fans. What’re their next moves? Well, no actually cares what they do, that is except for the moves that sensational Ella Henderson, from the UK’s edition, will be making. In the middle of December she signed a record contract with Sony, much to the delight of X Factor fans, who were shocked when she was kicked off the show way before the final. It’s good to see that her star won’t be dulling down anytime soon… unless Adele has anything to do with it.

British-American Rock band Fleetwood Mac are gearing up for an impressive 2013, embarking on tour covering 34 cities of North America, maybe including a stint on festival circuits and Europe, and the release of an expanded version of the album Rumours, which is celebrating its 35^th anniversary. Singer Stevie Nicks is so stoked about the happenings of the band that she’s labeled 2013 as ‘the year of Fleetwood Mac’. The only drawback of this is that it might encourage a tirade of awful europop covers… no thanks. Some guy recently remixed Led Zeppelin’s Baba O’Riley. I am not impressed. I wondering if we might be seeing new material from them, too, as the last LP of new recordings was 10 years ago. Talking of old rockers, there is a rumour that The Rolling Stones might be headlining Coachella 2013. I’m there!

A highly anticipated LP to be released in 2013 is from Brother singer Matt Corby whose song touched the hearts of millions in 2011 and we are still waiting for his debut album. We’ve heard more from the artist but we don’t know what to expect from it but we’re hoping for more roaring vocals like those that can be found on Brother. Corby said, ‘It's such a definitive statement making a first album and I don't really want to rush it’. Fair play, he’s right and I’d hate to be disappointed by a rushed effort.

Another one to get excited about it the return of New York’s indie rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs, who announced on December 17 that we can expect a new album from them in Spring 2013… Yes please. Since 2009’s It’s Blitz, which made the top 3 of best album lists and the song Zero named track of year, Karen O has worked with artists like Peaches, Spike Jonze and Santigold. More details about the album are yet to be released but you can expect them to move on from the electronic buzz of It’s Blitz.

New artists that are going to have a very interesting year are likely to be folk/soul singer Denai Moore, whose track Flaws literally went viral during December. Similar to that of London Grammar, whose haunting song Hey Now has been doing the rounds on the internet the last few months, are taking their time with new material, even though pressure is being applied for them to put more out there. Also Brit Rockers Coastal Cities and China Rats are set to good things in 2013.

Arcade Fire are back in the studio working with a cast of interesting producers including James Murphy from LCD Soundsystem but drummer Jeremy Gara said that nothing will be released until the end of 2013. Why would they tease us like that? The same can be said for Vampire Weekend, who have simply said that they are working on new material but lead singer Ezra Koenig said that he ‘…always want to release music as soon as possible, but more and more I'm realising it's something you almost have no control over’.

One rumour that I can’t stop thinking about is that Swedish electronic group The Knife are set to release new material in 2013… that is all that needs to be said.

And that’s not all, new material from Major Laser, Azealia Banks, Franz Ferdinand, Queens of the Stone Age and The National can be expected.

Oh... and how could I forget? A brand new LP from one of the most legendary and iconic woman in pop. The unstoppable Cher. Love her or hate her, you have to respect the fact that this woman is about to release her 26th album... an album that features appearances from Pink and Lady Gaga. Yes, you're correct, I think this is what one of the many layers of Gay Heaven will be like. But, will it be enough to beat THAT song Believe? 2001's Living Proof wasn't up to the cut and the reception that her latest track Woman's World received was luke warm. What this comeback needs is an epic video.

Bring it on.