(Pop)
Christina Aguilera
“Ain’t No Other Man”
Based on the tambourine-happy first single (and the fact that she isn’t yet pumping out babies like arch-nemesis Britney), Aguilera hasn’t grown out of her deliciously dirty phase. The album, Back to Basics, coming this August, is likely to be just as titillating as her last.
(Funky Soul)
India.arie
“I Am Not My Hair”
The proud-woman vibe of the first single from her album Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship makes it an instant classic: smooth raps, uplifting anthems, and black-is-beautiful ballads.
(Hip-Hop)
Lupe Fiasco
“Kick, Push”
The album Food and Liquor isn’t due until the end of August, but it leaked onto the Internet in April. The first single was supposed to be “I Got Ya,” but the skate-culture-themed “Kick, Push” is already the people’s choice.
(Indie Rock)
Thom Yorke
“Atoms for Peace”
Radiohead front man Yorke’s solo debut drops in two weeks: “Atoms for Peace” is the song most likely to succeed on the radio. Still, the track (like its maker) is eccentric, as is the album. It takes a couple of listens, but the album, The Eraser, definitely grows on you.
(Dance)
Madonna
“Hung Up”
The single may feel like it’s been out for ages, but the remixes keep coming—and the boys keep dancing to them. Archigram’s house version infuses the already danceable hit track with a trancey urgency and downplays the vocals—which is a wise or an unwise choice, depending on your level of fandom.
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