MEAT LOAF  Telling big stories, going for broke and having a hell of a time “I think dramatically,” declares Meat Loaf. “My albums are big, complicated stories.” Indeed, nearly every project Meat Loaf undertakes is bigger than life, starting with 1977’s smash rock opera Bat Out of Hell. Produced by Todd Rundgren and composed by classically trained songwriter Jim Steinman, the album has sold more than 14 million copies in the U.S. alone. Meat... 

KAISER CHIEFS One new album in a seemingly infinite number of variations     For its fourth album, the English group Kaiser Chiefs posted 22 new songs on its website and let fans assemble and purchase their own 10-track “bespoke” versions. The band, best known for the songs “I Predict a Riot” and “Ruby,” assembled its own iteration last year for release overseas under the title The Future Is Medieval. Yet another version is out now... 

JOAN OSBORNE  Bringing it on home to the blues and soul of her early days  From the moment she lit into Sonny Boy Williamson II’s “Help Me” on her triple-platinum 1995 debut, Relish, it was clear that Kentucky-born Joan Osborne had a natural feel for gutbucket blues. She’s explored those roots regularly ever since, but never so directly as on her new album, the all-covers affair Bring It On Home. With the help from her co-producer and... 

ESPERANZA SPALDING  A rising jazz star talks pop, popularity and the lure of the radio  The internet was abuzz when the name of last year’s Best New Artist winner was announced at the Grammys: Oregon-born jazz singer and bass player Esperanza Spalding. She triumphed over better-known names like teen idol Justin Bieber, whose fans’ over-the-top outrage extended to online death threats. “I don’t take it personally,” says Spalding, 27.... 

LIONEL RICHIE A country boy from Tuskegee reconnects with his unlikely roots  By Russell Hall Lionel Richie is a giant of soul, R&B and pop music, having scored hit singles and sold albums in the multimillions since the mid-1970s—first with his group the Commodores and, since 1982, as a solo artist. But the music that first caught the ear of this Tuskegee, Ala., native was very different from either the dance-floor funk of the Commodores or... 

THE CRANBERRIES Dolores O’Riordan and company bring the magic back to life  the Cranberries skyrocketed to international fame with their debut, 1993’s quintuple-platinum Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? But by 2003, it was time for the Irish group to take a breather. “I just wanted to not be in the Cranberries and not be famous,” says frontwoman Dolores O’Riordan. After making two solo albums, O’Riordan recently reunited... 

DIERKS BENTLEY A country superstar crisscrosses America to find home     “The last year’s been a blur of  asphalt, recording studios and songwriting,” says Arizona native Dierks Bentley, 36. “It’s hard work, but I love what I do. Every record you make, you have to pour more of yourself into it.” His previous effort, 2009’s Up on the Ridge, found him exploring bluegrass and roots music—but the new Home is a return to the muscular... 

KATE BUSH For this pioneering songstress, inspiration literally fell from the sky   “Shimmerglisten.” “Creaky-creaky.” “Boomerangablanca.” The Eskimos don’t really have 50 words for snow, but Kate Bush does. Featuring guest turns from Elton John, Stephen Fry and Bush’s 12-year-old son Bertie, her new 50 Words for Snow album is a quietly riveting meditation on the white stuff. “I started thinking about how it feels when it snows,... 

THE FRAY The journey to success was tough—and they have the scars to prove it “This is the first time we got to make the record we wanted to,” declares Isaac Slade of the Fray’s third album, Scars & Stories. The group went through plenty to reach that point. Formed by singer and pianist Slade, guitarists Dave Welsh and Joe King and drummer Ben Wysocki in the early-2000s church-music scene in Denver, the Fray found its secular breakthrough... 

KEITH JARRETT After four decades, a piano giant still plucks inspiration from thin air By Jeff Tamarkin Jazz is in part the art of improvisation—and legendary pianist Keith Jarrett takes the concept to its extreme. Up until the moment he presses down the keys, he hasn’t a clue as to how he will begin or what will follow. “There’s this nanosecond, or maybe it’s an eternity, between sitting at the piano ready to play something and actually... 

SEAN GARRETT    Does this R&B hitmaker want to change the world through music? Yeah!             By Michael Gallant Atlanta native Sean Garrett grew up the son of an Army man, moving along with his family to wherever his father might be stationed. Everywhere he found himself, including a variety of military bases across England and Germany, young Garrett had his ears wide open. “Living abroad and listening to so many variations of music... 

ANI DiFRANCO  A hard-driving, hard-rocking modern folk pioneer learns to take her time  For a decade and a half, Ani DiFranco was among the most prolific acts you could name. Between 1990 and 2007, the Buffalo, N.Y., native released 16 studio albums of new material, not to mention a handful of live collections, compilations and EPs. But the latest, ¿Which Side Are You On?, is her first new offering in almost four years—and the primary reason... 

THE LITTLE WILLIES Norah Jones, Richard Julian and company take a side trip into the country    “It’s like eating a big bowl of my grandma’s macaroni and cheese,” jazz-pop superstar Norah Jones says of her childhood love for country music. “It feels nostalgic.” Today she expresses that fondness in part with the Little Willies, the group she first helped form in 2003 with singer and guitarist Richard Julian, guitarist Jim Campilongo,... 

JUDY COLLINS Looking back honestly on the bitter and sweet, in song and otherwise  Not many lives would include enough excitement for three memoirs, but Judy Collins’ is the exception. She has been a troubadour of the ’60s folk boom; accomplished composer; interpreter for the likes of Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell; founder of her own Wildflower Records label and relentless social advocate. She was famously the inspiration for the... 

CHRIS THILE AND YO-YO MA Two master musicians (plus two more) throw a genre-busting rodeo The rhythmic cascade of Chris Thile’s mandolin kicks off “Attaboy,” the first track of a new album with the unlikely title The Goat Rodeo Sessions. Thile is known for virtuosity and whimsy, so neither the bluegrass chops nor the album title is a surprise. But 32 seconds into “Attaboy,” a deeper-toned, bowed instrument unexpectedly takes the melody.... 

STANLEY JORDAN Still reinventing the sound of jazz, with the aid of some talented friends  By Jeff Tamarkin “To me, I’m just playing guitar,” says Stanley Jordan. “Then somebody points out the technique and I remember, ‘Yeah, it’s weird.’” Most musicians would be loath to describe their own performance method as “weird.” But Jordan, who first astonished the jazz world more than a quarter-century ago, is well aware that his trademark... 

JIMMY JAM AND TERRY LEWIS    The time is always right for this iconic R&B production partnership            By Michael Gallant “Production is about getting it done and getting it to be the best it can possibly be,” says James “Jimmy Jam” Harris III. Over the last several decades he and partner Terry Lewis have racked up a stunning roster of production credits for names including Michael Jackson, Usher, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion,... 

RAY MANZAREK From the Doors to the blues, a keyboard legend finds poetry in music   By Russell Hall  “I’ve been lucky to have lots of poet friends,” says Ray Manzarek. “Poets are great to work with.” For example, the legendary keyboardist’s new album with slide guitar great Roy Rogers, Translucent Blues, features lyrics from some of rock’s finest wordsmiths, including Michael McClure, Jim Carroll and Warren Zevon. That string of luck... 

PETER GABRIEL  Injecting new blood into familiar songs with his biggest band ever Peter Gabriel has been exploring rhythm for practically his entire life. He played drums in rock bands as a teen, before his legendary stint as lead singer for English progressive-rock band Genesis. Since his departure from that group, he has relentlessly incorporated rhythms from around the world and from the cutting edge of technology into his solo music—be it... 

MARTINA McBRIDE A country powerhouse finds a new attitude south of Nashville   “I don’t claim to be Kris Kristofferson,” says Martina McBride. “I’m still learning to express myself.” After two decades of performing hits written mostly by others, the country superstar co-penned six tracks for Eleven (eight on the 15-track “deluxe edition”). The Kansas native makes other changes, too: The new album finds her embracing styles like... 

LOU REED AND METALLICA Two giants of rock ’n’ roll team for a controversial collaboration Lou Reed is the first to admit that Lulu, his collaborative concept album with Metallica, is “not a normal recording by any stretch.” First there is the very idea of the pairing, which left many wondering where the legendary Velvet Underground founder and the iconic heavy metal band would find common ground. Then there’s the subject matter: Lulu is... 

CHRIS CORNELL  Soundgarden’s frontman strips down to show off his songbook  Seattle native Chris Cornell has lived several musical lives. He rose to fame in the 1990s as the leader of grunge giant Soundgarden, then spent much of the 2000s belting rock hits with Audioslave. That group’s breakup cleared the way for both the resumption of his on-and-off solo career and the return of Soundgarden, now completing its first new album since 1997’s... 

EVANESCENCE Amy Lee wanted to go it alone—but needed her band to bring the pain After forming in Arkansas in the mid-1990s, the members of Evanescence watched in amazement as their 2003 debut full-length album, Fallen, sold 17 million copies worldwide on the strength of hits like “Bring Me to Life” and “My Immortal.” Three years later the follow-up, The Open Door, racked up another 5 million. After such a whirlwind ride, bandleader Amy... 

VINCE GILL A country guitar slinger takes his craft all the way back home By Chris Neal When Vince Gill was putting the final touches on the newly built studio in his Nashville-area home, he had an unlikely burst of inspiration. He needed something to cut down on the amount of sunlight streaming through the tall windows of the room, and he knew just what material had the color and texture he wanted: the tweed from the front of a vintage Fender amplifier.... 

TORI AMOS Turning ancient sounds into a modern soundtrack for “cataclysmic change” Although Tori Amos studied at Johns Hopkins University’s elite Peabody Conservatory of Music in Maryland for five years as a child, classical music had long since been a thing of the past for the singer, songwriter and pianist who rose to fame in the 1990s with alt-rock hits like “Cornflake Girl,” “God” and “Silent All These Years.” That is, until... 

MASTODON Their toughest task yet: reinventing heavy metal on deadline Longtime fans may be surprised by some new twists on heavy-metal giant Mastodon’s latest, The Hunter. There’s the absence of the group’s usual concept-album narrative, and the presence of producer Mike Elizondo—who has worked with artists ranging from Dr. Dre to Carrie Underwood, but has very little hard rock on his résumé. Then again, fans might also be surprised to... 

JOE HENRY Being himself helps this artist-turned-producer help others do the same By Michael Gallant “When I listen to music, all I want to know is what works and why it works,” says Joe Henry. “I don’t care about genre distinctions. I’m happy to do anything that’s of quality.” Apt words from a prolific producer who has helped craft distinctive albums for artists as diverse as Elvis Costello, Aimee Mann, Mavis Staples, Brad Mehldau,... 

Roy Mitchell-Cardenas, Darren King, Paul Meany MUTEMATH Slimming down, stepping up and throwing new paint at the canvas Beset by strife both internal and external, New Orleans-based alt-rock band Mutemath nearly broke up while recording its 2009 album Armistice. So for its latest, Odd Soul, a few changes were due. Guitarist Greg Hill quit the band, leaving a trio of vocalist Paul Meany, drummer Darren King and bass player Roy Mitchell-Cardenas,... 

LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM Fleetwood Mac’s visionary guitarist reaps the solo seeds he’s sown By Russell Hall The story of Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 album Rumours is well-worn: Fueled by the angst of the various romantic collisions among the members—singer and guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, singer Stevie Nicks, singer and keyboardist Christine McVie, bass player John McVie and drummer Mick Fleetwood—the album became one of the best-selling in rock history.... 

ALICE COOPER America’s favorite shock rocker dreams up an all-new nightmare It’s Alice Cooper’s party, and he’ll invite whomever he likes. “Anytime someone tells me I shouldn’t have a particular artist on an album, I take that as a challenge,” declares Alice Cooper. “I think, ‘I’ll take that person and create a situation where you see a different side of them.’” That attitude led the legendary shock-rocker to recruit such... 

NICK LOWE A rocker finds new magic by embracing change “I’m 61 years old now / Lord, I never thought I’d see 30,” Nick Lowe sings on his new release, The Old Magic. The subject of aging, and how to do it gracefully, is one that Lowe has given much thought over the last two decades. The British rock icon’s solution has been to reinvent himself as a bard steeped in a timeless-sounding blend of classic country and jazz standards. We caught... 

KELLY ROWLAND From Destiny’s Child to full-fledged solo star, here she is Although She is inevitably overshadowed by media darling and former bandmate Beyoncé since the breakup of R&B powerhouse Destiny’s Child, Kelly Rowland has been quietly and surely building an estimable career all her own. Worldwide sales of Rowland’s first two solo albums are approaching 4 million total, and her latest, Here I Am, looks primed to continue that success.... 

DEREK TRUCKS & SUSAN TEDESCHI Two guitar aces making beautiful music together—onstage and off “Music is supposed to be medicinal,” says Derek Trucks. “It should be uplifting and it should be a tool for relief. That’s the point of a band like this.” The group he’s talking about is the Tedeschi Trucks Band, the 11-member ensemble (including two drummers, background vocalists and a horn section) he leads with his wife and fellow master... 

LADY ANTEBELLUM A multiplatinum trio keeps it country while reaching for the stars Lady Gaga’s outlandish outfits may have been the talk of the Grammy Awards earlier this year, but she was upstaged that night by another Lady: Lady Antebellum. The country trio walked away with five trophies on the strength of its triple-platinum second album, Need You Now. “It was the first time for us to be recognized at that level,” says guitarist and pianist... 

BARRY MANILOW The dangers of pop stardom inspire his first new songs in a decade Maybe Barry Manilow’s latest should include a thank-you to Britney Spears. “I was watching her being chased by the paparazzi,” Manilow says. “This young, talented singer just trying to live her life, but being followed everywhere. I thought, ‘Is this the price of fame now?’” The question inspired his first album of all-new material in a decade, penned with... 

DOLLY PARTON After four decades of hits, the queen of country still sparkles “Grindstones and rhinestones, that made up my life/But I’ve shined like a diamond through sacrifice,” sings Dolly Parton on “The Sacrifice,” one of several autobiographical songs on her new album, Better Day. The line neatly sums up an astonishing career. Over the years, Parton’s ambitions have taken her into acting, film production, philanthropy and countless... 

CHICK COREA After five decades, this jazz pioneer forever returns with something new By Jeff Tamarkin A half-century into one of the most storied careers in jazz history, Chick Corea finds himself drawn to the allure of live performance now more than ever. “Rather than pull back and say, ‘Well, I’m getting a little older, I’ll tour less,’ I decided to do the opposite and tour more,” says the keyboard giant, who recently turned 70. The... 

JAY JOYCE Whether it’s country, indie rock or something in between, the vibe is king By Michael Gallant For Jay Joyce, producing isn’t a matter of hitting every right note, tracking with the finest mics or working with the hippest software plug-ins. Nope, it’s all about the vibe. “My job is knowing when and where a beautiful moment is happening, and capturing it,” he says. “Making records is a totally spiritual thing.” Joyce’s approach... 

TOM MORELLO A fearless guitarist channels his righteous rage By Russell Hall “I’ve tried to take off the blinders in regard to what could be done with a guitar,” says Tom Morello. “I’m like the Old McDonald of the instrument, going through a barnyard of sounds. I might not be able to make the guitar ‘moo’ or sound like a hay thrasher, but if you’re aiming for that instead of Chuck Berry riffs you wind up at a place that’s different.” Morello... 

YES For Chris Squire, life in a progressive-rock giant means perpetual change A total of 16 musicians have counted themselves members of the rock powerhouse Yes since the group’s formation in England more than 40 years ago. At the center of this whirlwind of constant inconstancy has been bass player Chris Squire, who has carried the group’s flame through changes in lineup and style, as well as periods of dormancy and uncertainty. “It’s a... 

AMERICA A classic pop group’s 40th anniversary is marked by triumph and tragedy Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell of America are celebrating their fourth decade together with an album of cover versions, Back Pages, which harks back to the group’s formation as high school friends living abroad in England. America immediately scored with megahits like “A Horse With No Name,” “Ventura Highway” and “Sister Golden Hair” before fellow founding... 

MARIANNE FAITHFULL A legendary rock chanteuse talks sad songs and horror stories Yes, singer, songwriter and actress Marianne Faithfull’s 1964 breakthrough hit “As Tears Go By” was written by the Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Yes, she and Jagger dated throughout the late ’60s. No, she doesn’t want to talk about it. “I don’t even mention their names,” she says. “Those people are written out of my picture.”... 

“WEIRD AL” YANKOVIC Rock’s favorite “pop-culture Cuisinart” is still mixing things up “Weird Al” Yankovic is in St. Charles, Mo.—at least, he thinks so. “I’m pretty sure I am,” he reports by phone. “They took the bag off my head and here I was.” He may prefer to open with a joke, but the man born Alfred Matthew Yankovic takes the craft of skewering the music world just as seriously today as he did when he first burst onto... 

DEF LEPPARD Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell are hard rock’s double-barrel dream team By Russell Hall Chemistry is a delicate thing among the members of any band—but in a hard-rock outfit with a trademark two-guitar attack like Def Leppard, there is another, secondary chemistry that must also be just right. Guitarists Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell have for nearly two decades forged a perfect balance between the former’s more technically minded,... 

ADAM ANDERS Glee’s music man runs one of the world’s biggest hit-making machines By Michael Gallant Adam Anders remembers his first season as executive music producer for the hit TV show Glee with a mix of pride and horror. “It was brutal,” he says. He and production partner Peer Åström worked six days a week, often running on a few hours sleep per night. “It was horrendous, but I love doing it,” he says. “And we have a much better... 

BÉLA FLECK The banjo virtuoso breaks boundaries again with his original Flecktones By Steven Rosen Béla Fleck made the banjo dangerous. Before he picked it up, the instrument was mostly consigned to the province of old-fashioned country and bluegrass tunes. But all that changed in 1979 when the native New Yorker recorded his first solo album, Crossing the Tracks. “I was really intent on being good on the banjo,” Fleck says. “So I learned... 

COLBIE CAILLAT Falling in love, making new friends and sharing more of herself than ever Colbie Caillat believes in fate. In fact, it plays a major role in the songs on her third album, All of You. The 26-year-old California singer wrote most of the tunes about her relationship with guitarist Justin Young. Caillat wasn’t looking for a boyfriend, but she had just released an album and hired a band that happened to include Young. A connection was... 

MARC BROUSSARD This son of Louisiana’s Cajun country prefers humanity to perfection A signed picture of local native Marc Broussard hangs on the wall at Don’s Country Mart grocery store in Carencro, La., but the acclaimed singer and guitarist doesn’t get treated like a celebrity around here. “They don’t really know what I do,” he says with a laugh. “And that’s fine with me. Here in Cajun country, that’s just how you supplement your... 

MY MORNING JACKET One of rock’s leading bands hits the gym to reset its circuits My Morning Jacket bassist Tom “Two-Tone Tommy” Blankenship is out of breath, and there are a few possible reasons. Most likely that he just completed a morning workout at his Louisville, Ky., home. But it’s also possible he’s still collecting himself after his band’s electrifying set from days earlier at this year’s Bonnaroo Music Festival. Or he may just... 

JOSS STONE How one whirlwind week in Nashville offered her a fresh start Joss Stone was in Spain last year, helping a friend repair his boat, when producer and Eurythmics co-founder Dave Stewart rang with an intriguing proposal: Fly to Nashville and make an album in just a few days. “I thought, ‘Wow, that sounds like a good idea,’ so I did,” the 24-year-old British soul singer remembers. She told her friend, filmmaker and photographer Paul...