Diversity is the trend for music in the ‘year of the solo artist’

By Ashley Emert

Fall Out Boy, 50 Cent and Guns ‘N Roses: these are just a few of the music acts with albums scheduled for release in 2007. The beginning of the year will start off with CDs from such diverse performers as Yoko Ono, Sondre Lerche and Bloc Party in February.

While there are several albums coming out by full bands, there is no shortage of solo artists releasing CDs: Norah Jones, Joss Stone and Maria Taylor, all solo female performers, have albums dropping in the first few months of the year. Jennifer Lopez will also be releasing a Spanish-language album, Como Ama Una Mujer, in April.

Rufus Wainwright has Release the Stars coming out in May and Moby has an album set for release in the fall.

Bright Eyes took a year off from releasing a new album (a CD of rarities came out in 2006), but they are back in April with Cassadaga. March will see the release of Good Morning Revival, the new album by Good Charlotte. Fans of their older music may be surprised to hear a She Wants Revenge influence to their new song, “Keep Your Hands Off My Girl,” which can be heard on the band’s MySpace profile.

A few CDs will be released by side projects and solo efforts done by single members of bands. Dolores O’Riordan (of the Cranberries) and Satellite Party, a Perry Farrell side project, both have albums coming out in May. Britt Daniel of Spoon also has a CD scheduled for release in 2007 (the date has yet to be determined).

Indie experimental band Explosions in the Sky has an album set for release in February. After All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone comes out, they will be playing at the Alcazar on March 12.

As far as former (and sort of current) pop stars go, ex-‘N Sync-er JC Chasez will be releasing his second solo album in the spring and Mandy Moore has something scheduled for April. On the kind-of-indie-but-mostly-mainstream front, Rilo Kiley and The Postal Service also have CDs coming out this year. Also, rap acts such as Big Boi, Three 6 Mafia and N.E.R.D. are dropping new albums this year.
Obviously there is much more music coming out this year than is highlighted here and you can see a list of other albums at http://www.metacritic.com/music/upcomingreleases.shtml.