ROBERT PLANT & ALISON KRAUSS
It's been a busy year for Robert Plant. Old Goldilocks is getting up onstage with Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones again for what may be an extended Zeppelin reunion, and keeps on keeping on with his impressive, eclectic solo career, teaming up with bluegrass megastar Alison Krauss for "Raising Sand." Though at first blush the pairing sounds odd, if not downright strange, the two display a remarkable harmonic convergence, pairing their beautiful voices together on songs such as "Polly Come Home," "Trampled Rose," and The Everly Brothers' "Gone, Gone, Gone." The full-bodied, warm production style of T-Bone Burnett anchors this remarkable collaboration, which manages to be laid-back, yet contain plenty of chemistry.
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JOSH GROBAN
Although only 26, Los Angeles native Josh Groban has accomplished more in his musical career than most who've been at it for decades. He first came to the public's attention in 2001, playing the role of Malcolm Wyatt on "Ally McBeal," and setting the stage for his debut record, "Josh Groban," a collection thick with luscious pop. His next release, 2003's "Closer," made it to No. 1 on the Billboard charts, and sported the hit cover of Brian Kennedy's "You Raise Me Up." Since then, he's appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno," and even "Larry King Live," and his latest record is "Noel," a Christmas-themed collaboration with the London Philharmonic. "Awake," a live DVD, is slated for release in 2008.
Hear "Noel" sampler
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LED ZEPPELIN
Though Led Zeppelin has never exactly disappeared, 2007 has seen a flurry of activity for the remaining members of this totemic band. First, there's "Mothership," a retrospective CD that's sure to introduce a whole new generation to songs such as "Stairway to Heaven," and "Kashmir." Then, in December, the surviving members -- along with Jason Bonham on drums -- will perform at the O2 Arena in London, headlining a benefit for the Ahmet Ertegun education fund, along with Pete Townshend, Foreigner and Paul Rodgers. In addition, a possible 2008 tour is in the works, with rumored shows at American summertime festivals such as Bonnaroo. For Zeppelin fans, of which there are about a billion, it's a whole lotta love, indeed.
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MARY J. BLIGE
Few contemporary pop artists cast as long a shadow as Mary J. Blige, who since 1991 has sold more than 40 million copies of her records. Hailing from the Bronx, this modern Queen of Soul got her start at Uptown Records under the aegis of a young Sean "Puffy" Combs; her second record, 1994's "My Life," soared up the charts, setting the stage for her breakthrough release, 1997's "Share My World." Produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, "World" debuted at No. 1, and since then she's rarely had a misstep, establishing herself as the heir to Aretha Franklin and other high priestesses of R&B. "Growing Pains," her latest CD, is out on Dec. 18.
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RADIOHEAD
With the pay-what-you-like, download-release strategy of "In Rainbows," Radiohead may have changed the entertainment industry forever, proving that you don't need the monolith of the major label machine to sell and promote your music. Or not. Either way, the record is already being hailed as the band's best since "OK Computer," which is a dubious claim, considering that Radiohead don't exactly put out mediocre records. That said, with tracks such as "Nude," "House of Cards," and the slamming-good "Bodysnatchers," it's hard to argue with the critics this time around. The deluxe version of "In Rainbows" will be available in physical form on Dec. 3, in a "discbox" that features a second CD of additional material. In 2008, they'll hit the road for an extensive world tour.
New Radiohead video: "Jigsaw Falling Into Place"
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