Can a deloused Whitney Houston trounce fellow diva Mariah Carey? Will a one time mega-selling band like Creed make a comeback after nearly a decade away?And could the most buzzed-about up-and-comer of the summer, Kid Cudi, become the next pop-rap sensation? Such questions highlight the many dramas of this fall in music. Every leaf-blowing season, the music industry brings out its biggest names, or most promising contenders, in hopes of milking as many back-to-school, and pre-holiday, dollars as possible. Even in the industry's enfeebled state, fall still accounts for roughly one-third of yearly music sales, according to Nielson/SoundScan. With that in mind, here's a look at the stars most likely to inspire significant chart action — or at least plenty of chatter this cooling season:
Divas:
Word has it that Mariah keeps pushing back the release date of her new "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel" CD so as not to go head-to-head with the first album from fellow scream-queen Whitney in seven long years. While Houston's CD, "I Look to You," will definitely hit stores tomorrow, as of this moment, Mariah's much-delayed, bitch-slap back won't arrive until Sept. 29.
Odd Couples:
Power-pop god Pete Yorn made a pact with the devil (or at least with actress Scarlett Johansson) on a CD, titled "Breakup," arriving Sept. 8. There's an intriguing concept behind this strange match. Yorn and Johansson mean to channel the classic, decadent recordings of French legend Serge Gainsbourg and his '60s muse, actress Brigitte Bardot. Good luck.
Sting takes on an equally unusual partner for his new CD, "If on a Winter's Night" (Oct. 27). It pairs the ex-Police chief with lullabies, carols and chants meant for the snowy season. In other words, it's an intellectual's version of a Christmas album.
Speaking of Christmas albums, the initially Jewish Bob Dylan is rumored to be readying his own shock disk of churchy songs to arrive before the holiday. Then again, being Jewish didn't stop stars like Barbra Streisand and Kenny G from putting out their own smash Xmas works.
Also, speaking of Streisand, some listeners will surely think the singer formed an odd couple on her latest CD, "Love Is the Answer" (Sept. 29). It's her first ever jazz CD. Then again, Babs' earliest recordings definitely had a jazzy swing, back when she swooned at clubs like The Bon Soir. She'll return to those downtown roots with a special, fan-only show Sept. 26 at the Village Vanguard, though you'd need a crate full of "buttah" to grease your way into such a snug spot. SOURCE:NYDAILYNEWS.COM
