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Yoko Ono has long been misunderstood. Blamed for the Beatles’ breakup and criticized for her influence over husband John Lennon, she has never been accepted outside of avant-garde circles. That may be changing. Last year, New York’s Museum of Modern Art mounted an extensive exhibition of her paintings, drawings, sculptures, films and music. Now everyone from Sonic Youth to Lady Gaga is calling the controversial 83-year-old an influence. A new album of collaborations sees contemporary musicians reinterpreting her music. Alt-rockers Death Cab for Cutie provide new synth backing to Yoko’s “Forgive Me My Love,” while Sweden’s pop-rock trio Peter, Bjorn & John offer dramatic accompaniment to ...

The flame-haired star, part of rock’s sisterhood with Linda Ronstadt and Maria Muldaur, is a formidable slide guitarist. As a young performer on the Boston coffeehouse circuit in the late 1960s and early ’70s, Raitt met blues greats like Sippie Wallace, Son House and Muddy Waters and immersed herself in the tradition. Soon, she was winning acclaim for her own bottleneck style. Born and raised a Quaker, she has always mixed activism with her music, campaigning against nuclear energy with No Nukes concerts and co-founding the Rhythm and Blues Foundation, which works to improve royalties, financial conditions, and recognition for R&B pioneers. Her recorded history is exceptional, ...

Dynamite is right. With a voice that channels Pasty Cline and Peggy Lee in equal measure, this Canadian torch singer has exploded since emigrating to New Zealand, where she’s become a country music star. From the plaintive twang of “Cry Over You” to the defiant sass of “Walk (Back To Your Arms),” her talent is on full display.

Rock’s most famous chameleon has changed personas countless times during his career, from Ziggy Stardust to the Thin White Duke. With each mask comes a new sound. For his 25th album, Blackstar (stylized as a symbol), the icon threw out the rulebook. His longtime producer, Tony Visconti, says the goal was to avoid rock ’n’ roll and create a new fusion sound. Released to coincide with the singer-actor’s 69th birthday, the seven-song album includes the unsettling title track, a shape-shifting, apocalyptic torch song that runs nearly 10 minutes, and “Lazarus,” the horn-drenched title number from Bowie's current off-Broadway musical, based on The Man Who Fell to Earth (he starred in the...

Neko Case’s extraordinary journey from punk drummer and country torch singer to avant pop icon is well documented in this box set, which gathers her entire discography of eight titles on remastered vinyl and includes an 80-page book of photography. The collection features the American-born, Canadian-bred musician’s 1997 solo debut The Virginian, on vinyl for the first time, and her excellent 2004 live album The Tigers Have Spoken, recorded with Toronto’s The Sadies. There are a wealth of inspired covers, including the Everly Brothers’ “Bowling Green” and Buffy Sainte-Marie’s “Soulful Shade of Blue,” and such stunning originals as “Hold On, Hold On” and “Near Midnight, Honolulu...

The British star’s last album, 21, sold over 30 million copies—the only release this century to reach that zenith, making Adele’s long-awaited followup something like pop’s second coming. The “Rolling in the Deep” singer doesn’t disappoint. Her new album revisits the heartbreak that informed 21 while allowing Adele, now a mother of one in a steady relationship, to move on. It opens with “Hello,” featuring her wondrously deep, soulful voice, and includes “When We Were Young,” about running into an old flame. “River Lea,” takes her into gospel territory, while “All I Ask,” her collaboration with Bruno Mars and his crew, expresses loneliness with palpable emotion. Best of all is the adventurous...

With his handsome dark looks and deep melancholic croon, the California singer and actor easily channels  early Elvis Presley. For his last album, Beyond the Sun, Isaak actually ventured to Memphis to cover the King and other legends on the iconic Sun Records label like Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis. This time around, the “Wicked Game” singer took his muse to Nashville and worked with some of Music City’s finest songwriters and session musicians. The result is a collection that bristles with originality while still paying homage to heroes. The rollicking “Down in Flames” cites both Elvis and Hank Williams in its lyrics, while the piano-driven “Running Down the Road” is pure Jerry Lee-...

Elvis Costello is one of pop’s most inventive composers—he once penned a song called “Everyday I Write the Book,” which brilliantly drew parallels between romance and a wordsmith’s craft. Now the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer has actually written a book, a memoir called Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink, in which he cleverly weaves stories about his life, jazz-musician wife Diana Krall and assorted music-legend friends. He’s also compiled 38 songs on two discs that compliment the themes and stories in his book. The collection draws from his impressive song catalogue, including early hits like “Alison” and “Watching the Detectives” to numbers co-written with the likes of George Jones, All...

The King of Rock & Roll backed by strings and brass? It’s not as far-fetched as it sounds. Elvis had diverse musical tastes and was a big fan of opera singer Mario Lanza. “This is the album he always would have wanted to do,” says Priscilla Presley, the singer’s former wife. Added Priscilla, who approved the pairing of Elvis’ vocals with brand-new accompaniment by London’s Royal Philharmonic: “He would have loved to play with such a prestigious symphony orchestra.” Released for his 80th birthday, the collection is a reminder of Elvis’ emotive power, whether on familiar songs like “Love Me Tender” or the inspirational title track. Italian operatic pop trio Il Volo joins Elvis on a robust ...

What a time to be Drake. The Grammy-winning Toronto hip-hop star’s mixtape If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, released in February, is one of the year’s most successful recordings, with sales of over one million. This summer, the former actor born Aubrey Graham became embroiled in a mud-slinging beef with the rapper Meek Mill over ghostwriting accusations. Now Drake has released another bestselling mixtape. Recorded quickly with Atlanta rapper Future, the collection presents the MCs’ contrasting styles: Drake’s sharp raps and Future’s spaced-out drawls. The best collaborations are the booming “Jumpman” and the hypnotic “Diamonds Dancing.” The last two tracks are solo efforts, with Future’...