If you've been living under a rock or just took a break from the relentless chaos of the Opium ecosystem, you might still be bumping Whole Lotta Red like it’s the only thing that exists. Honestly, for a long time, it was. But the world changed. The dry spell finally broke.
When was cartis last album actually released? It wasn't 2020.
Playboi Carti dropped his third studio album, titled MUSIC, on March 14, 2025.
Yeah, it actually happened. After years of cryptic Instagram stories, "I am music" hats, and enough "00" aesthetic posts to confuse a cryptographer, King Vamp finally delivered. It wasn't just a midnight drop either; it was an event that basically reset the trajectory of modern trap.
The Long Wait for MUSIC (2025)
Before this, we were all stuck in the Whole Lotta Red era. That album came out on Christmas Day, 2020. For over four years, fans were surviving on leaks and random features like his verse on Travis Scott’s "FE!N" or the chart-topping "CARNIVAL" with Kanye West.
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The rollout for MUSIC was basically a psychological experiment. Carti started dropping loose singles on YouTube and Instagram back in late 2023 and early 2024. Remember "2024"? Or "H00dByAir"? Everyone thought the album was coming then. But in classic Carti fashion, he went ghost.
When MUSIC finally hit streaming services in March 2025, it didn't just meet the hype—it was a 30-track monster. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, moving about 298,000 units in its first week. That’s massive. It officially made him the first rapper to have all 30 songs from one album debut on the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously, a record he now shares with giants like Taylor Swift.
What Does the New Album Sound Like?
It’s different. If Whole Lotta Red was "rage" and punk energy, MUSIC is more refined but somehow weirder. He leaned heavily into that deep, raspy voice—the "Antagonist" voice—that we first heard on those 2024 singles.
The production is a mix of that signature F1lthy distortion and some surprisingly melodic stuff from Cardo and Ojivolta.
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Key tracks you should've heard by now:
- "Rather Lie" (featuring The Weeknd) – This was the lead single that dropped right before the album.
- "Backd00r" (featuring Kendrick Lamar and Jhené Aiko) – A collab nobody saw coming.
- "Pop Out" – The high-energy festival anthem fans had been begging for since he teased it at Wireless years ago.
- "All Red" – A track that sounds like a tribute to the WLR era but with better mixing.
The Discography: A Quick Refresher
It’s easy to get lost in the mixtapes and the "leaked" albums that aren't actually albums (shoutout to Narcissist which never existed as a project).
- Playboi Carti (2017): The self-titled mixtape. The "Magnolia" era. Pure SoundCloud royalty.
- Die Lit (2018): The debut studio album. This is where the "baby voice" peaked.
- Whole Lotta Red (2020): The experimental shift. It was hated at first, then became the blueprint for every underground rapper for the next half-decade.
- MUSIC (2025): The current era. More mature, more features, and arguably his most commercial success despite the experimental deep-voice vocals.
Why the Release Date Mattered So Much
You have to understand the context. By the time 2025 rolled around, the "rage" sound was starting to feel a bit stale. Every kid with a laptop was trying to sound like Carti. If he had dropped another WLR clone, it would’ve flopped.
Instead, he pivoted.
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By waiting until March 2025, he let the market breathe. He watched the "Opium" sound dominate through Ken Carson and Destroy Lonely, then he stepped back in to remind everyone who the boss was. The album even had a deluxe-style follow-up titled MUSIC - SORRY 4 DA WAIT that added even more tracks to the pile later in the year.
What’s Next for Carti?
Now that we’re in 2026, the focus has shifted again. Carti is currently headlining major festivals like Rolling Loud Orlando 2026 (happening May 8-10). He’s still touring the Antagonist show, which was famously delayed about a dozen times before finally hitting the road.
Rumors are already circulating about a project called Baby Boi. Whether that's another album or just a new persona remains to be seen. Given his track record, we might be waiting another three years, or he might drop it tonight at 3:00 AM on a random burner account.
Actionable Insights for Fans:
- Check the Credits: If you want to understand the new sound, look up producers like F1lthy, Cardo, and Ojivolta. They are the architects of this current era.
- Ignore the Leaks: Seriously. Most of the "leaked" 2026 tracks are AI-generated fakes. If it isn't on his official YouTube or Interscope’s site, it’s probably a bot.
- Watch the Live Sets: Carti’s music is designed for the mosh pit. His Rolling Loud 2025 set in California was a 2.5-hour marathon—watch the replay to see how the MUSIC tracks actually hit in a crowd.
The wait is over, but the mystery definitely isn't. Keep your notifications on.
Next Steps:
Go listen to "Rather Lie" on Spotify or Apple Music to hear the shift in his vocal style. If you’re planning on seeing him at Rolling Loud this year, start looking for tickets now; the GA passes are already starting at $279 and usually sell out by March.