Gordon Lightfoot Book, Music and More!

Ryder’s breakthrough came with 2012’s Harmony, which featured two massive hits: the snappy love song “What I Wouldn’t Do” and the thunderous rock anthem “Stompa.” That album was forged out of a romantic breakup—as was this powerful followup. The Canadian star is now in a happy relationship with Trews frontman Colin MacDonald, who is now her fiancé. And her new album reflects those diverse emotional states. “Making [Utopia] has taken me to dark places, light places and places in the middle,” says Serena. “It’s my goal in life to find some kind of balance.” From the painful revelation of “The Flame” and the stark confession of “Rollercoaster” to the joyous “Electric Love” and the thumping “Got...

The world’s gone wild about Harry. He’s already compared notes about going solo with Paul McCartney and been interviewed by Almost Famous director Cameron Crowe for Rolling Stone. The sensation surrounding the former One Direction member stems from this kaleidoscopic solo debut, in which he remakes himself from boy-band idol to grownup rock star. The album draws from influences ranging from the Beatles and Bowie to Prince. And yet Styles manages to make it personal with intimate confessions. There are hints of glam rock on “Only Angel,” in which he woo-hoos like T-Rex’s Marc Bolan, and soft-rock in “Sweet Creature,” which includes a “Blackbird”-like riff. “You can't bribe the door on your wa...

The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul has always mined personal issues for her best work. This is the r&b diva known for such deeply confessional numbers as “Not Gon’ Cry” and “No More Drama.” For her 13th studio album, Blige had the biggest real-life drama to draw from: divorce from her longtime manager-husband Martin “Kendu” Isaacs. She doesn’t pull her punches, attacking him for his infidelity in the scathing “Set Me Free.” “How could you believe I wouldn’t fight back,” she tells him on “Telling the Truth,” a club number produced by Canada’s Kaytranada. But most of the album is more positive, with warm numbers like “Indestructible” and “Survivor.” “I’ve been broken for a long time,” she sings on ...