The latest album for the rapper who also is a member of Little Brother and The Foreign Exchange features guest appearances by 9th Wonder, Big K.R.I.T., Evidence, Elzhi, and Pharoahe Monch.

The singer-songwriter and producer releases his first studio album since his 2008 album Popular was shelved by Blue Note.

The trio, who worked on the tours of Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, and 50 Cent, releases its debut album.

The second album for the New Orleans jazz artist who not only plays the trombone, trumpet, piano, and drums, but also sings features such guests as Jeff Beck, Warren Haynes, Kid Rock, Lenny Kravitz, and Ledisi.

The UK singer's debut album is an eclectic mix of electronic pop, dubstep and R&B.

The soulful singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist releases her sophomore album.

The second of a trilogy of mixtapes from Canadian artist The Weeknd was produced by Doc McKinney and Illangelo.

The comeback album for the funk legend features guest appearances by Jeff Beck, Bootsy Collins, Ray Manzarek, and Ann Wilson.

The debut album for the supergroup consisting of Man Man's Ryan Kattner, Islands' Nicholas Thorburn, and the Shins' Joe Plummer is influenced by doo-wop music.

The guitarist best known for working with Booker T & the M.G.'s releases a tribute album to the R&B band The 5 Royales.

The UK singer-songwriter releases her fifth studio album of soulful songs, produced by Dave Stewart.

The former Destiny's Child singer puts out her third solo effort.

The fifth album for the jazz drummer features such guests as Dianne Reeves, Sheila E, Esperanza Spaulding, and Cassandra Wilson.

King of Hearts -- Lloyd's fourth album -- is his first release with Polow da Don's Interscope-affiliated Zone 4 label.

The aptly titled fourth studio album from the pop songstress has both dance-floor-ready jams and down-tempo tunes that are a bit tamer than those in the last album.

The Philadelphia native releases her fourth studio album of soulful pop and R&B.

The dance pop duo are back with their sophomore album of party anthems.

The Miami rapper's new album consists of club bangers and features collaborations with Marc Anthony and Ne-Yo.

The legendary three-time Grammy winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer returns with a solid soul and funk album, featuring guest appearances by Sharon Jones and Lou Reed.

The soul singer continues his 1960's-inspired music with a fourth album, blending vintage R&B sounds and smooth soul-pop.

This fourth studio album from the hip-hop artist is his first offering after a four-year silence. Of Volcanic Sunlight, Williams said, "On this album, I wanted to put words that didn't get in the way of the music. Before, I always let the words dominate." It was produced by Renaud Letang.

The legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, funk bassist, singer, and songwriter returns with his first new album in five years.

Known primarily as a rapper, Ben Drew releases his soul singer concept album, exploring different sounds and an alter ego.

This compilation collects some of the earliest recordings for the blues singer while she was with Modern Records.

Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis return to work together on this Ray Charles tribute with Norah Jones recorded in February 2009 at the Rose Theater.

The singer known for being constantly steeped in controversy turns the spotlight back on music with up-tempo R&B on his latest 13-track release, cowriting the majority of the record and incorporating a synth-pop sound.

The Oscar-winning actress and Grammy-winning singer Jennifer Hudson returns with her sophomore studio album.

The final album for the soul singer who passed away in October 2010 features a collaboration with Dutch artist De Dijk.

The mixtape by Canadian artist Abel Tesfaye was released as a free download.

The retro-soul rock quartet, featuring an eight-piece horn section, offers up a funky blend of R&B and blues reminiscent of early J. Geils Band, James Brown, and Otis Redding.

Remixed by Jamie XX, R&B and hip hop samples are added to Gil Scott-Heron's 2010 album I'm New Here, creating this latest release.

The British singer’s sophomore album is full of soul and pop rhythms, comparable to Amy Winehouse and Duffy.

The mixtape was released as a free download on Frank Ocean's Tumblr.

The album produced by Thomas Brenneck is the debut album for the 62-year-old singer Charles Bradley, who was discovered singing at the Tarheel Lounge.

Tony Cook was discovered by James Brown and became his drummer in 1976. This collection of unreleased and rare releases from his side projects was recorded between 1982-1986.

With such guests as Rick Ross and Chris Brown featured on her album, the R&B songstress's sophomore album contains both club hits and seductive ballads.

Featuring acclaimed producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, along with guest singers and rappers, Keyshia Cole's latest release offers a mix of down-tempo R&B melodies and upbeat tracks.

The fourth album from the stand-up comedian, actor, and singer features club bangers and his recognizable brand of R&B. It also guest stars Justin Timberlake, Ludacris, Soulja Boy, and others.

The long-awaited fourth album by model, actress, and R&B superstar Ciara features Ludacris and Usher, balancing back and forth between club beats and slow ballads.

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Taking his sound back to Motown, the R&B hit maker tones down his controversial image, releasing classic love songs inspired by '50s and '60s slow jams.

The funky and soul-filled Welsh singer's second album blends soft ballads with upbeat pop tracks, revealing a range of influences from the retro 1960's to modern day disco sounds.

The album following The E.N.D., The Beginning is the sixth studio album from the hip-hop, dance-pop quartet.

The Philadelphia-born R&B singer/songwriter who has written songs for such artists as Christina Milian, Monica, and Jennifer Hudson, releases her second solo album.

The lead singer from the group DeBarge returns for his first solo album in over more than 16 years.

Ne-Yo's latest effort takes on the influence of themes and character archetypes found in sci-fi fantasies and comic books and structures them around a musical plot to create a daring concept album.

The eight-track companion released as an EP is part of the deluxe reissue of Ke$ha's debut album, Animal, and includes remixes and outtakes.

After making an explosive debut appearing on other artist's songs, rapper Nicki Minaj finally releases her debut of electro-infused, bold, and hook-heavy hip-hop.

The Barbadian pop star's fifth album is boasted as her rebirth, showcasing her vocal and lyrical range as a versatile artist. It carries more than just club-ready cuts and includes collaborations with Nicki Minaj and Eminem.

Bringing back his blend of Motown and neo-soul to pop music, Cee-Lo returns with his third solo album featuring his viral hit, "F*** You".

Quincy Jones returns to rerecord songs he has either written or produced with a variety of guest singers, including Amy Winehouse, Akon, Snoop Dogg, T-Pain, Ludacris, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Talib Kweli, John Legend, Tevin Campbell, Robin Thicke, LL Cool J, Usher, Tyrese, BeBe Winans, and Barry White.

The second Christmas album for the pop singer includes four new songs and a rerecording of her 1994 Christmas song "All I Want for Christmas is You."

The debut album for Tom Krell, a singer from Germany, includes tracks that were previously released on EPs.

The third full-length album for the duo of Phonte and Niolay features Darien Brockington, Jesse Boykins III, Median, Chantae Cann, and YahZarah as guests artists.

The second full-length album for the California-born singer E. Nathaniel Dawkins goes for retro R&B and soul style.

Frankie Rose, who previously was in several up-and-coming indie rock bands, such as Vivian Girls, Dum Dum Girls, and Crystal Stilts, returns with the debut album for her own band.

Backed by The Roots, John Legend delivers his fourth studio album of soul-conscious classics and original material.

The soul singer returns with his first release on indie label Plug Research after Interscope Records shelved what would have been his second album, Love for Sale, in 2006.

The fourth release for the R&B singer features guest appearances by Nicki Minaj and Drake.

You Are Not Alone finds Mavis Staples teaming up with Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, who produced the album and penned several of the songs, and while Tweedy may seem an odd fit, he obviously knew what he was up to, crafting material that fits Staples' gospel-fueled vocals.

The second part to the Swedish pop artist's trilogy of albums combines pop, dance, and hip-hop and includes collaborations with Diplo and a duet with Snoop Dogg.

The American Idol songstress returns with her highly anticipated third album featuring--for the first time as a bonus track--Fantasia's signature song from her acting role in The Color Purple.

The Grammy Award-winning R&B recording artist and actor returns with another album full of confessional slow jams and club bangers.

The Detroit singer's follow-up to his 2005 album expands on his theme of intimacy and features Jill Scott as a guest vocalist.

Ever since the dawn of the electric guitar, white boys have sung the blues, some with considerably more success than others. Eli “Paperboy” Reed is part of that long tradition, but he stands apart from the pack as much as he belongs to it, due in large part to his age. Raised on CD reissues of classic blues and soul -- he was not even 10 when the first Complete Stax/Volt Singles box came out -- Reed has absorbed the sound and sensibility of classic ‘60s soul but sings without any white-boy blues affectations, totally comfortable in his own skin because nobody else his age, of any race, was attempting to make this kind of music. This can cause a kind of a disconnect -- Reed sounds so white when he sings, it’s disarming -- but he pours on the passion and has fully absorbed the tight turns of Stax and loves the sound as much as the structure, so much so that Come and Get It -- his third LP and first for a major label -- feels a bit like an unearthed relic, built on songs and sounds that could pass for unheard gems if it wasn’t for Reed’s unapologetically white voice, free of affectations and ticks. Some of that may be due to producer Mike Elizondo’s work -- he manages to make this sound like a throwback without being stiff, and without having a hint of Mark Ronson’s hipster retroism for Amy Winehouse -- but he’s just articulating Reed’s gifts, letting the songs stand front and center. And that’s what’s remarkable about Come and Get It: this is not a modern-day blues album, it’s a classic soul album, with almost all the tracks clocking in at 3:30 or less, leaving very little room for showboating solos. All concentration is on the tunes themselves, with the band kicking them toward kineticism, Reed channeling all his energy into making the songs sing, and they wind up sticking, sounding a bit like forgotten classics upon first listen, then winding up as familiar favorites upon the second. If there is any fault here, it’s that Reed’s voice remains perennially boyish, sometimes preventing this from achieving a level of gravity, but there’s no attempt to hide this: it’s an honest reflection of who Reed is, a young kid from Boston in love with the Southern sounds of the ‘60s and intent on carrying them on, even if he invites ridicule or scorn. He believes it, man, and based on Come and Get It, it’s hard not to believe it too. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The third full-length album for the Staten Island group was recorded live during a 48 hour period.

Dr. John revives the Night Tripper persona for his new album Tribal, which features guest spots from Derek Trucks, Donald Harrison, and tunes by Bobby Charles and Allen Toussaint.

The album of remixes of Lady Gaga's hits was originally released in Japan.

The fifth studio album from Kelis features producers David Guetta and Benny Benassi, bringing dance and techno tidbits within her soulful R&B mix.

After a three-year hiatus, Macy Gray delivers soulful vocals, storytelling lyrics, and sparkling melodies on her latest album.

Subtlety not being part of Christina Aguilera’s vocabulary, she trades the retro-swing of Back to Basics for the future-pop of Bionic, receiving assists from a roster that reads like a who’s-who of progressive pop in 2010: M.I.A., Le Tigre, Peaches, and John Hill & Switch, known for their work with Santigold. But like the half-cyborg/half-diva illustration of the album cover, this revamp is only partial. Aguilera hedges her bets by adding a ballad from old friend Linda Perry, gets Tricky Stewart to produce a trio of cuts, drafts Polow da Don and Focus… to produce some heavy and slow R&B, respectively, letting enough air into the machines to reassure hesitant fans that she hasn’t abandoned her roots. All this hesitancy means that for as many risks as it takes, Bionic doesn’t feel daring. Apart from the stuttering opener of the title track and glassy chill of “Elastic Love,” notably the two Hill & Switch productions, this never delivers the future shock it promises, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, because the robot-diva hybrids are often interesting even when they stumble, as they do on “WooHoo,” its incessant title loop piercing like a dental drill. Exhibit A in Xtina’s curious tin ear for sex, “WooHoo” doesn’t work as temptation, not when the chorus come-on is “licky licky yum yum,” but her crassness is no longer alienating as it was on Stripped; it’s simply part of her persona, just like her shameless narcissism, showcased on the closing “Vanity,” where she gets her kid to confirm that she’s the greatest of them all. This triumphant self-possession comes so naturally to Christina that it’s hard not to wish that she acted so boldly throughout Bionic, letting the entirety of the record be as distinctly odd as its best moments. Frankly, the deluxe edition of Bionic does suggest what the album could have been: it’s supplemented by four bonus songs that are wildly imaginative, whether it’s the clattering, chanting “Bobblehead,” the cool synth glide of “Birds of Prey,” the perfect new wave pop of “Monday Morning,” or Sia’s mournful ballad “Stronger Than Ever.” In their place on the album proper are competent, relatively colorless club odes to fashion and fabulousness and Perry’s boring inspirational “Lift Me Up,” songs that play to Aguilera’s persona without inhabiting it. The rest of Bionic -- not just the hipster flirtations and Sia’s trio of richly ruminative AAA ballads, but the tracks directly within Aguilera’s wheelhouse, like Tricky Stewart’s wildly successful, slinky “Desnudate,” and the sultry slow burner “Sex for Breakfast” -- find Christina not playing to expectations but simply acting as a natural diva and is all the more compelling for it. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The London-based producer/singer-songwriter who worked with such artists as Omar, Sugababes, Cheryl Cole, Kesha, McFly, and Kylie Minogue releases his second album.

The R&B/soul singer covers songs by such British rock legends as the Beatles, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Who, and the Rolling Stones.

The second full-length album for the singer born in Kansas City is a continuation of the story of Cindi Mayweather, the android introduced in the 2007 EP, "Metropolis Suite I of IV: The Chase."

This is the first album on Atlantic Records for the R&B singer and features Trey Songz on the first single "Yesterday."

The Grammy-winning Los Angeles-based group releases its latest album produced by Tony Berg.

The fourth album for the funk/soul group from New York was produced by Bosco Mann.

After being pushed back several times, the sixth album for the R&B singer is finally released, featuring guest appearances from Ludacris, Nicki Minaj, T.I., and will.i.am.

Unlike New Amerykah Part One: 4th World War, the follow-up is the opposite of the 2008 release, with songs about relationships and love and with a more analog sound.

The second release for the Canadian singer is described as the second half of his debut album--the first half being the November 2009 release "My World."

The R&B singer returns with her first album in nearly four years featuring songs cowritten with such artists as Bryan-Michael Cox, Missy Elliott, Jermaine Dupri, Ludacris, Jazmine Sullivan, Crystal Johnson, and Stargate.

The seventh album for the British pop group is its first with new singer Jade Ewen, who replaced Keisha Buchanan, the last original member.

This is the debut album for the singer-songwriter who wrote songs for a variety of artists, such as Cassie, Danita Kane, Lil Mama, and Sean Kingston.