Astra Heights - Choices

Album: Good Problems

Formed by four Latin-American brothers named Morales, and a Chinese guy named Bernard Yin as lead guitarist, their debut album had been delayed and delayed, and finally it's being released digitally.

Avenged Sevenfold - Almost Easy

Album: Avenged Sevenfold

Probably the most mainstream heavy metal band out right now. From their second album, "Avenged Sevenfold"

Baby Bash - Cyclone /ft. T-Pain

Album: Cyclone

T-Pain is everywhere. I feel like every month I select some song with T-Pain in it. This one sounds a lot like Lil Jon's "Snap Yo Fingers."

Blake Lewis - Break Anotha

Album: Audio Day Dream

This Seattle native (Bothell to be exact), won second place on last year's American Idol. This track was produced by Blake and his friend from OneRepublic (band famous for "Apologize" featuring Timbaland). Kinda has a modern day James Brown feel to it.

Cobra Starship - Guilty Pleasure

Album: ¡Viva La Cobra!

The whole album was produced by Patrick Stump (lead singer of Fall Out Boy), and most of the album sounds a lot like Fall Out Boy, (except this song, which is very pop/dance). The lead singer acts and sings comically, like Ben Stiller (kinda looks like him, too). Extra note: the female keyboardist in the group is cute.

Faber Drive - Second Chance

Album: Seven Second Surgery

These Vancouver guys were discovered by the producer that brought Nickelback to the charts. Though they aren't that well known in the US, they have a couple of decent hits in Canada including this one. They won the Vancouver's Best Band Award in 2006.

Freeway - Roc-A-Fella Billionaires /ft. Jay-Z

Album: Free At Last

Five years after his great debut, he comes back with second album. This one featuring his Roc-A-Fella boss, Jay-Z.

The Hives - Tick Tick Boom

Album: Black And White Album

First single from their third album, which is worth checking out. All five members are from Sweden. They love hip-hop as they have worked with Timbaland and Pharrell. When I saw them live, the lead singer seemed dorky (in a good way) like Eric from That 70s Show.

James Blunt - Same Mistake

Album: All The Lost Souls

"You're Beautiful" was one of the biggest hit of the 2005, and it was also voted in top 5 of Most Annoying Song of All Time. I normally don't listen to this kind of music, but this one actually caught my attention. It starts out really slow and boring, but midway through it picks up.

Jay-Z - Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)

Album: American Gangster

Jay-Z was inspired after watching the Denzel Washington/Russell Crowe movie, "American Gangster" about a real life black gangster from the 60s that rose above Italian mafias (good movie by the way), and decided to make a whole album about the rise and fall of a street hustler. Good album.

Johnathan Rice - End Of The Affair /ft. Jenny Lewis

Album: Further North

Great duet with his girlfriend, Jenny Lewis (vocalist of Rilo Kiley). His album is also great, which is filled with folky-pop-rock songs that reminds me of Counting Crows and The Wallflowers.

Kylie Minogue - 2 Hearts

Album: X

First single off of her 10th album, "X", which is her first album since her chemotherapy treatment from her breast cancer.

Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love

Album: Spirit

One of the biggest hits of the year in UK. She is this year's X-Factor champion (what American Idol was based on). She is being compared to younger day Mariah.

Mary J. Blige - Just Fine

Album: Growing Pains

First single from her 8th album. It's not as emotional as most of her other songs, but it's a decent track.

Paramore - Crushcrushcrush

Album: Riot!

Female lead singer Hayley has been fronting this band since she was 13, and six years later they are getting some airplays on the radio and MTV. Sounds like more rocked out version of Avril.

The Rocket Summer - So Much Love

Album: Do You Feel

This band is a one man band by a kid named Bryce Avary, who was only 16 when he signed to the label. He writes and plays all of the instruments heard on the CD. Music, especially piano is good (reminds me of Sara Bareilles), but his voice sounds like a little 16 year old, which I'm not a huge fan of.

Serj Tankian - Empty Walls

Album: Elect the Dead

The Lebanese lead singer of the Metal band, System of A Down goes solo and gets political on his debut album, Elect the Dead.

The Starting Line - Island (Float Away)

Album: Direction

Hailing from Pennsylvania they sing catchy punk-pop song similar to Blink-182, but a bit more melodic and less punk.

Tegan And Sara - Back In Your Head

Album: The Con

They have been one of my favorite bands recently. Tegan and Sara are identical twins, and they are both lesbians. They have expanded from just the two of them playing acoustic guitars. This song is so simple but so catchy. I thought they were singing, "I just want that kitty on bed" and had no idea what they were talking about, but I was wrong.

The Veils - Calliope!

Album: Nux Vomica

The lead singer was born in London, but spent most of his time in New Zealand. The Veils sounds like Arcade Fire and Radiohead mashed together. Vocalist Finn Andrews' haunting voice matches nicely with the piano.