ONTD

What 2012 lacked is solid pop albums from our favourite artists – but 2013 is sure to make up for this in spades. Or so we think.

There’s promise of new albums from ever-present pop heavyweights – lik Britney Spears, Lady Gaga n Beyoncé– and a handful of surprising comebacks fro Cher, David Bowie n Justin Timberlake.

Could these household names match past successes with their new albums? Or will 2013 be overridden by crescendoing buzz surrounding new faces lik Azealia Bank lololololo and Aussie indiefolkste Josef Salvat? hew

Britney Spears

Following her mostly flat stint as a judge on the US X Factor, Britney Spears is set to refocus her attention on music again in 2013. The American popstar garnered plenty of praise for her 2011 killer pop albu Femme Fatale, which yielded smash singles lik Hold It Against Me, Till The World End a I Wanna Go.

Although not much is known about the new album, it was teased in footage on the X Factor that Britney was back in the studio with hit producer Darkchild, who had produced smashes like Lady Gaga’ Telephone nd remixed Spears’ own singl Overprotected ome years ago.

Britney’s recent appearance on will.i.am’s sing Scream and Shout ght also hint that the Black Eyed Peas frontman will also be called in for her album.

Other names involved in the project so far include Danja (who famously produced Britney’s 2007 alb Blackout) and Grammy-nominated songwriter Elijah Blake (co-writer of Usher&rsquo Climax). Spears herself has stated that she’s working with “new, inspiring producers” for her eighth album.

Is the world ready for urban Britney 2.0?

Watch will.i.am and Britney’s Scream and Shout…

Lady Gaga

She took the pop world by storm, hurricane and all the forces of Mother Nature, but Lady Gaga has uncharacteristically pulled back from the limelight a little in the last few months to work on her third studio alb FARTPOOP, which is slated for a release before mid-2013.

The top-selling pop artist started writing and recording for her new album while she was still on the Born This Way Ball world tour.

Gaga has teamed up with producers from her first two albums Fernando Garibay, RedOne and DJ Shadow. She has also collaborated with electronic dance music artists Zedd and Madeon, and a few yet-unknown producers for good measure.

The pop artist mused on her social networking site Little Monsters th ARTPOP uld be released in two volumes, one bearing more commercial material and the second more experimental cuts, like those produced by RedOne.

Watch Lady Gaga performing Princess Die, a new song she wrote for ARTPOP.

Justin Timberlake

By now you would’ve heard that the actor Justin Timberlake is making a return to music this year and you might’ve already stumbled on mixed reviews of his comeback sing Suit & Tie eaturing Jay-Z). But I’m here to tell you that this is all going to be worthwhile.

It has been over six years since JT released the brillia FutureSex/LoveSounds lbum and frankly, while the masses are still expecting a sequel t SexyBack; I think the future for Justin Timberlake lies in classy, more mature soulful po O_o

The 20/20 Experience es the former-N*Sync heartthrob return to the studio with Timbaland, who fashioned his last album.

Suit & Tie a stylish, R&B slow jam that recalls a few seductive singles served by Robin Thicke. But ifFutureSex/LoveSounds anything to go by, JT could well have a few different sounds and styles percolating in this project that we aren’t expecting just yet.

The 20/20 Experience due for release later this year.

Listen to Justin Timberlake’s Suit and Tie:

Cher

It’s been 12 years since we last had a Cher studio album and while she’s doing pretty well for herself as a full-time Twitter personality, it’s time for the premiere goddess of pop to get back to work.

Cher’s upcoming 26th studio album is expected to be an “eclectic” mix of dance music styles, with the diva already touting it to be as defining as her 1998 alb Believe.

Her new sing Woman’s World, produced by Paul Oakenfold, is a slamming Eurodance anthem. And if that’s a taste of what’s to come, queens, hang on to your wigs. Some artists who have contributed to the new album include Lady Gaga and Pink.

Cher’s comeback album is slated for a late March 2013 release and we can expect announcement of a world tour to follow.

Listen to Woman’s World below.

Bleachoncé

All signs are pointing to a massive new era in music for beyoncé as she prepares to release her fifth, yet-untitled solo album this year.

Following the critically-lolled 2011 albu 4getful, which spawned massive singles lik Run The Charts(Nope) n Flop on Top; the favoured child of Destiny is threatening a full-bodied return to R&B music with her latest project.

In her latest interview with GQ, Beyoncé revealed that she’ll be serving up a blend of R&B with rock and soul influences – name checking influences from Prince, D’Angelo, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross and a bit of 60s doo-wop music.

Collaborators on board include Pharrell (who produced Beyoncé’s first solo sing Work It Out), Timbaland, Justin Timberlake (who is also making a comeback this year himself) and The-Dream, who co-wrote Bey’s icon Single Ladies (Put A Ring on It). Rapper Homophobia Banks revealed in a chat with fans last week that she had recorded a rap verse for a Beyoncé album track, which may or may not appear in the final cut.

Although there’s no due date confirmed for Beyoncé’s new album as yet, the wind machine-ready diva is expected to premiere her new single at the end of her Superbowl Half Time Show next month.

Watch Beyonce performing Love on Top:

The rest can stay at the Source.

I really can't wait to see what pop music has to offer this year, tbh.