Dec 31, 1969 04:59PM

I'm Having Fun Now

Jenny Lewis and Johnathan Rice are, by all indications, a happy indie-rock power couple. But you wouldn't know it from I'm Having Fun Now. In their solo work, Lewis and Rice are bards of the bummer, and these shapely power-pop numbers are no exception: songs about hard times ("Big Wave") ...

Dec 31, 1969 04:59PM

Junky Star & the Dead Horses

On his own albums and his contributions to Crazy Heart, Ryan Bingham has tried hard to be the next great Texas singer-songwriter: He has the gruff voice, moodiness and melodramatic song titles ("The Poet," "Junky Star"). But on his third disc, his lyrics come off as more cinematic than believable; ...

Dec 31, 1969 04:59PM

Red Velvet Car

Everybody has a favorite incarnation of Heart ? the acoustic hippie troubadour sisters of "Crazy on You"? The arena-rock warriors of "Barracuda"? The bustier-clad glitter queens of "Nothin' at All"? For some fans, Heart's finest moment might be right now, as the Wilson sisters keep making good music years after ...

Dec 31, 1969 04:59PM

Something for the Rest of Us

The first album in four years from the Buffalo, New York, trio sounds like the darkest moments of previous Goo discs stuck together in a 48-minute marathon of middling angst. For many groups, digging deeper and hitting harder would be a good thing. But when your specialty is multiplatinum pop ...

Dec 31, 1969 04:59PM

Back to Me

American Idol Season Three winner Fantasia Barrino comes across like an updated Patti LaBelle: She has a big voice equal parts gurgling and throaty, with a predilection for melodrama to go with it. But on her third album, Fantasia's singing is more contained, which fits the modestly scaled material. Fantasia ...

Dec 31, 1969 04:59PM

Pauper's Field

Raised by a country songwriter dad amid old-school guitarists in Shreveport, Louisiana, 20-year-old Dylan LeBlanc can't help but let his roots show on his debut, with brooding songs built around pedal steel and fingerpicked acoustics. He's got the doomed romanticism of Townes Van Zandt, and his slurry voice shines with ...

Dec 31, 1969 04:59PM

Fidelity!

"I found my perfect lover, but he's only half my age," sings Chrissie Hynde on Fidelity!, a collaboration with JP Jones, a Welshman who is indeed half her age but not her lover. From an old rock dude, this might be icky. But Hynde is a force of nature with ...

Aug 25, 2010 09:40AM

Eminem's 'Recovery' holds on to No. 1

Tune Tracker: Rapper's set shifted 116,000 copies in 9th week -- Though seven albums made their debuts in the national top 10, Eminem's "Recovery" maintained its hold on No. 1 for another week.

Jul 14, 2010 10:09AM

Eminem's 'Recovery' tops for 3rd week

Tune Tracker: Rap icon's Aftermath collection sold 229,000 discs -- Eminem's "Recovery" hangs tough at the apex of the U.S. album chart, claiming the No. 1 slot for the third week in a row.

Jul 07, 2010 11:47AM

Album sales drop, digital sales soar

Tune Tracker: Strong releases helped slow decline of new album sales -- Physical album sales continued to decline and digital album sales grew during the first six months of 2010, according to data released Wednesday by Nielsen SoundScan.

Jun 30, 2010 10:14AM

Eminem's 'Recovery' tops charts

Tune Tracker: Disc sells 741,000 copies its debut week -- As anticipated, Eminem's "Recovery" smashes onto the U.S. album chart at No. 1 this week with the biggest-first week tally in 21 months.

Jun 23, 2010 11:04AM

Drake tops U.S. charts with 'Thank'

Tune Tracker: Album sells 447,000 copies -- The record industry is giving thanks to Drake, as the rapper's debut album "Thank Me Later" enters at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with some of the biggest numbers of the year.

May 26, 2010 09:34AM

'Glee' steals spotlight on album charts

Tune Tracker: 'Showstoppers' enters charts at No. 1 -- For the second time in five weeks, a new package of "Glee" music tops the U.S. album chart, as the hit series' "Showstoppers" album enters at No. 1.

May 19, 2010 09:29AM

Bieber's 'World' returns to top spot

Tune Tracker: Week marked by all-time low album sales -- Justin Bieber's "My World 2.0" limps back into the No. 1 position on the U.S. album chart.