Tori Amos’ first ever seasonal album, Midwinter Graces, is an album that has been in the making for the past 40 years. Raised in the Baltimore area under the watchful eye of her Methodist minister father, Tori grew up playing holiday carols at Sunday services and Christmas Day celebrations in her father’s church. These were the songs that gave a young Tori her first taste of music, and now, almost 40 years later, Tori gets her own chance to re-imagine classics like “What Child, Nowell” and “Star of Wonder.” Tori will also add her own bittersweet bliss to the season with original tracks like “Pink and Glitter” and “Our New Year.” Amos has teamed up again with longtime collaborators Matt Chamberlain (drums), Jon Evans (bass), and Mac Aladdin (guitar.) Tori has also enlisted the help of a big band and an orchestra, with stunning John Philip Shenale arrangements to create her new seasonal classics.

You may recall that last month we got to listen to snippets from Midwinter Graces but now we can hear all 12 songs in full. After the jump, enjoy your first listen of Tori’s first ever holiday album …

Um, I think Beyoncé needs to check her belongings because it looks like Glambert pilfered her funky hand jewelry to use as his own. Unfortch, his fingers are too stubby to make this hardware look right. BUT, not only do we get to check out the single cover artwork but we also get to hear the song itself — after the jump …

Album cover revealed on adamofficial.com. Glam is back!!!

Prepare yourself for what’s to come … I’m not sure that even staunch Glambert fans are properly prepared to see this new cover artwork. Think Jem and the Holograms meets Liberace. After the jump, if you dare, see the full size album artwork for Adam Lambert’s For Your Entertainment …

I’m … speechless. That he actually approved this coverphoto is … stunning. I was unaware that a single human being could wear that much make-up … you know, seriously. I don’t … really … know what to say. Considering some of the photoshoots that Lambert has done in the past, I suppose this shouldn’t be all that surprising … and yet … it is. I, quite simply, have no words. What do y’all think? Do you find this album artwork truly, truly, truly outrageous?

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You’ve probably seen Rihanna’s racy single cover, and now PopEater is proud to exclusively premiere the cover for her impending album, ‘Rated R.’ The grainy black-and-white cover shows the R&B queen draped in hand jewelry and covering one eye. The album, which is set to be released on Monday, Nov. 23, is Rihanna’s first album since 2007’s ‘Good Girl Gone Bad.’ It is also Rihanna’s first album since she was assaulted by boyfriend Chris Brown in February. The ‘Rated R’ cover was shot by famed photographer Ellen von Unwerth, who says that “Rihanna was looking to create something a bit new for the look of the album.” Von Unwerth goes on to say that Rihanna is “so beautiful, sweet and tough at the same time — and a pleasure to shoot,” adding that she’s “fantastic to work with — very giving, very creative, very involved in every aspect of the shoot, and ready to push the boundaries.”

As far as album covers go, this is one ain’t too shabby. The look of the photo reminds me of the photospread Ri Ri did for Italian Vogue over the Summer. To be honest, I expected the album artwork to be more racy … I like that it’s kinda understated. I’m SO dying to hear this album tho … the photos are nice and all but it’s all about the music. I can’t wait to hear more from Rated R. As far as the coverphoto goes, tho, what do y’all think … do you like?

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THE WAIT IS OVA!!! RIHANNA’s NEW ALBUM – RATED R – HITS MONDAY, NOV. 23rd

(October 20, 2009 – New York, NY) The wait is ova – for one of the most hotly anticipated new albums in recent history, as multi-platinum, award-winning Def Jam recording artist Rihanna announces the completion of her fourth original studio album, Rated R, scheduled to arrive in the physical and digital marketplace on Monday, November 23rd. Rated R’s first single pick, “Russian Roulette” will be launched at 11:23am EST on October 20th worldwide on http://rihannanow.com. The “Russian Roulette” video, directed by Anthony Mandler, will premiere in prime-time on ABC. “Russian Roulette” was written and produced by fellow Def Jam artist Ne-Yo, whose long track record with Rihanna includes the #1 hit “Unfaithful” (2006, from A Girl Like Me), their Top 10 duet “Hate That I Love You” (2007, from Good Girl Gone Bad), and #1 pop/ #1 R&B “Take A Bow” (2008, from Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded). In addition to Ne-Yo, other producers and writers on Rihanna’s new album include the team of The-Dream and Tricky Stewart, Chase & Status, Stargate, Justin Timberlake and more. Rated R is the long-awaited follow-up to Good Girl Gone Bad (May 2007), which contained the non-stop string of hit singles that began with the MTV VMA and Grammy Award-winning global #1 hit “Umbrella” (featuring Jay-Z), then “Shut Up and Drive,” “Hate That I Love You” (featur­ing Ne-Yo), and “Don’t Stop the Music.” Good Girl Gone Bad spent 98 total weeks on the Soundscan chart, earned cumulative sales of more than 36-times platinum in at least 20 territories around the world, and spun off the CD+DVD package Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded (January 2009) – which continued the string of hits with the #1 “Take A Bow,” and the #1 “Disturbia.” Good Girl Gone Bad was the third album release in less than two years by the 21-year old Barbados native Rihanna. It followed-up 2006’s RIAA platinum A Girl Like Me, which contained the back-to-back hits, “S.O.S.” and “Unfaithful”; and her RIAA gold debut from 2005, Music Of the Sun, featuring the world-wide smash, “Pon De Replay.”

Oh look … the song is online now, click HERE to check it out in full. I just gave it a listen and … liked it … but ………. it’s too slow a jam for me to really get into. I’ll have to give the song a few more listens but, yeah, it didn’t immediately grab me. Take a listen and tell me what y’all think.

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Zzzzzzz. I understand the photo used for this album cover art was taken back in 2001 … and appeared in the tour book for Janet’s All For You Tour. It’s like they aren’t even trying very hard to market this collection … I am not impressed. I am hearing that Miss Jackson will be releasing a new studio album of entirely new music in 2010, which is exciting, but this release just seems like a throw-away to me. If the folks behind this release don’t seem to care about promoting the disc, why should I care about buying it?

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01. Don’t Stop Believin’
02. Can’t Fight This Feeling
03. Gold Digger
04. Take a Bow
05. Bust Your Windows
06. Taking Chances
07. Alone
08. Maybe This Time
09. Somebody to Love
10. Hate On Me
11. No Air
12. You Keep Me Hangin’ On
13. Keep Holding On
14. Bust a Move
15. Sweet Caroline
16. Dancing with Myself
17. Defying Gravity

Wee … this is great news!! I kinda love that Fox releases the songs on iTunes the week that they are featured on the show but I would much rather own the full set on CD this way. It’s a much cheaper way to have all the songs. I’ve already placed my pre-order HERE. I am DYING to hear the Glee version of Defying Gravity.

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Britney Spears becomes the first artist in over three years to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, to be released tomorrow (Oct. 15), as “3″ opens at the pinnacle of the chart. Her new track, a racy paean to the joys of three-way sex from the upcoming hits set “The Singles Collection,” due Nov. 24, shifts 255,000 downloads in its first week of release, also propelling it to No. 1 on Digital Songs. The title also jumps 38-25 on the Pop Songs chart and debuts at No. 49 on Radio Songs/Hot 100 Airplay, which ranks songs based on airplay audience on all radio formats. “3″ is the first title to debut at No. 1 since Taylor Hicks’ “American Idol” victory song “Do I Make You Proud” did so on the chart dated July 1, 2006. In fact, the last four songs to open at No. 1 were all “American Idol”-related. Prior to Hicks, Carrie Underwood’s “Inside Your Heaven” (July 2, 2005), “I Believe” by Fantasia (July 10, 2004) and Clay Aiken’s “This Is The Night” each debuted at No. 1. The last non-”Idol” song to open at No. 1 was Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing)” on Nov. 14, 1998. “3″ is Spears’ third Hot 100 No. 1. Her debut single “…Baby One More Time” spent two weeks at No. 1 in 1999 and “Womanizer” spent a sole frame at the top, exactly one year ago this week, on the chart dated Oct. 25, 2008.

Woooot!!! What amazing news!!! While I’m still pretty stunned to realize that Britney has only ever previously enjoyed 2 #1 songs, the stunning success of 3 more than makes up for it. I knew that the song was doing well but I had no idea it was doing this well. Congratulations of the highest degree are deffo in order for our dear Britney today. In case you are one of the few folks who has yet to hear 3, you can give it a listen after the jump …

Somebody To Love (Featuring Robin Thicke)

(You say hello, I say goodbye) x2
Somebody to love

I really like this song … it’s really sexy. Considering how much I like Good Girls Go Bad, I might end up liking Leighton’s whole album. HMMM. After the jump, listen to the song in full …

Apparently, this track will be released in two versions on the new soundtrack album for the This Is It film … a slow ballad, This Is It has a bit of a mournful feel to it. After the jump, listen to the new track from Michael Jackson in full …