Today will make things look like babies, rehab, and the Pearlman Ponzi scheme never happened, as new albums from Britney Spears and The Backstreet Boys hit stores. Unbreakable is the first Backstreet Boys album without original band member Kevin Richardson who, over a year ago, decided “to move on to the next chapter” of his life. Blackout, Britney Spears’ latest, proves that she has failed to. But that won’t stop fans from eating it up. Her dance moves at this year’s MTV Music Awards may have been less than stellar, but the single, “Gimme More,” was extremely catchy—and remarkably honest. Can we expect the same from the Backstreet Boys? Probably not. Edge: Britney.

It took Arrested Development three years, five months, and two days to get a record contract to release their first album in 1992. The album, appropriately called 3 Years, 5 Months, and 2 Days in the Life of ... introduced white college kids everywhere to rap and to Mr. Wendal (Remember him?). It's taken more than 10 years to get out their follow-up to their sophomore effort Zingalamaduni, Since the Last Time. It’s not going to be so easy this time around—there aren't a bunch of pushovers like the Spin Doctors to compete for airtime. But they understand what they’ll need to succeed: their first single is titled “Miracles.”  read more »

The Fall takes a look back in order to move pop music forward.  read more »