From music to TV to celebrity babies, MTV News looks ahead to all of the big releases expected in the coming months.
By Jocelyn Vena
It's a new year and that means that there's lots of ooey-gooey pop goodness all ready to pour out in 2012. Between celebrity babies, music and Hollywood, fans should gear up for some really big stuff in the coming year. But if history has taught us anything, as hard as we might plan, pop culture always has a way of sneaking up and surprising us. Not that we're complaining. So get your planners out: MTV News is looking ahead at what to expect in the world of pop culture.
Music
There are lots of big album releases slated for 2012. Crossover queen Nicki Minaj will release Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded just in time to show her Barbz and Kenz some love on Valentine's Day. Madonna already has confirmed that she will drop her next album come spring. Fans already got a taste of it when the single "Gimme All Your Luvin' " leaked on the Internet.
"American Idol" alum Adam Lambert is readying the release of his next album, Trespassing, set to drop in March. Willow Smith's fans should whip their hair back and forth as the tween's long-simmering debut album, Knees and Elbows, will finally drop in April. Justin Bieber has teased his Believe album for a summer release. He's shared that it will pick up where Justin Timberlake left off before he decided to focus on his acting. Basically, he's bringing sexy back.
There are two forthcoming albums that don't have exact release dates but are highly anticipated nonetheless. Lady Gaga is already thinking about her next album and recently revealed to MTV News that she even has a title for her Born This Way follow-up in mind. Taylor Swift is knee-deep in and working hard on her follow-up to her phenomenally successful Speak Now.
TV
In between pumping out tunes, some big shows will also return in 2012. Everything from "The Secret Circle" to "2 Broke Girls" to "New Girl" will be back for more fun come the new year.
After a break, "Pretty Little Liars" will be back midseason. Will we finally find out who "A" is when season 2 resumes on January 2? Well, only that texting antagonist knows the answer. There are many other mysteries on "The Vampire Diaries" that will also have to be resolved once that show picks up again on January 5. And if all that drama is too much to handle, "Glee" will be back for more sing-along good times on January 17, with the Michael Jackson tribute episode airing one week later.
Celebrity Babies
2012 is poised to be a big year for famous babies. OK, so 2011 saw Mariah Carey and Dem Babies, but some of the most famous ladies in La La Land and beyond will become first-time moms in the new year, giving MC and her family a run for their money.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z will welcome their first child into the world any day now. The twosome revealed they were in the family way at the VMAs back in August. Jessica Simpson and her fiancé, Eric Johnson, will also welcome their first little bundle of joy. The news of the pregnancy came after a lot of speculation about Simpson's expanding midsection. As it turns out, it's a big year for triple-threat moms-to-be, with Hilary Duff also expecting a baby come 2012.
Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1676582/pop-culture-news-2012-beyonce-lady-gaga.jhtml