1. Who Is Jill Scott: Words & Sounds Vol. 1 – Jill Scott

The Gist: Philadelphia spoken word artist and poetess fills-in for Erykah Badu at Roots show then puts pen to paper and debuts mouth to mic.

The Result: Audial orgasm.

Download: “It’s Love” and “A Long Walk”

Watch: “Gettin’ In The Way”

2. Robyn – Robyn

The Gist: Swedish 2-hit wonder breaks free of contractual slavery and opens her treasure chest.

The Result: Pop eruption.

Download: “Be Mine!” and “Cobrastyle”

Watch: “With Every Heartbeat”

3. Healing Is Difficult – SiA

The Gist: Aussie acid jazzer fugues to London for solo career with a knack for the haunting.

The Result: Moody’s paradise.

Download: “Judge Me” and “Drink To Get Drunk”

Watch: “Little Man”

4. The May Street Project – Shea Seger

The Gist: Folksy rootsy Texan chanteuse accidently bumps into The Neptunes at their prime.

The Result: Blues bliss

Download: “Clutch” and “I Love You Too Much”

Watch: “Clutch”

5. Moon Safari - Air

The Gist: French mood gurus decide that vocals are the way to go.

The Result: Chill-out cataclysm

Download: “Sexy Boy” and “Kelly, Watch The Stars!”

Watch: “All I Need”

6. Back To Black – Amy Winehouse

The Gist: Jazz damsel ditches the pretty for the booze, bong and blow.

The Result: Heartbreak ubiquity.

Download: “Back To Black” and “Just Friends”

Watch: “Love Is A Losing Game (live)”

7. American Life – Madonna

The Gist: World icon forgets about profiteering for a hot minute and gets to music progression.

The Result: Folktronic epitome.

Download: “Nobody Knows Me” and “Intervention”

Watch: “Love Profusion”

8. Made Of Bricks – Kate Nash

The Gist: Brit snot-tot brings debut heavily-accented vocals on girl-worry ditties.

The Result: Pretty pantomime

Download: “Mouthwash” and “Nicest Thing”

Watch: “Pumpkin Soup”

9. Everybody Got Their Something – Nikka Costa

The Gist: Former balladeer child star and goddaughter of Frank Sinatra discovers big sounds.

The Result: Funk phenom

Download: “Everybody Got Their Something” and “Hope It Felt Good”

Watch: “Like A Feather”

10. The Invisible Band – Travis

The Gist: The wise person’s Coldplay get more melodic and less loud.

The Result: Melancholy greatness.

Download: “Flowers In The Windows” and “Side”

Watch: “Sing”

11. Stripped – Christina Aguilera

The Gist: Disney starlet breaks the cookie-cutter and lets it all hang out.

The Result: Pop sex

Download: “Impossible” and “Infatuation”

Watch: “Fighter”

12. Revolution In Me - Siobhán Donaghy

The Gist: Former Sugababe leaves meanies and plays around with forbidden instruments.

The Result: Naughty escapade

Download: “Faces” and “Twist Of Fate”

Watch: “Overrated”

13. Parachutes – Coldplay

The Gist: Gentle rockers start their career with pure emotional out-pourance.

The Result: Benevolent rockfest

Download: “Shiver” and “Yellow”

Watch: “Don’t Panic”

14. Whoa Nelly! – Nelly Furtado

The Gist: Canadian Lilith Fair girl brings back the ambient hippie.

The Result: Introspective epic

Download: “Well, Well” and “Legend”

Watch: “I’m Like A Bird”

15. Light Years - Kylie Minogue

The Gist: Disco diva gets over experimental period and gets back to pure pop pureé.

The Result: Gargantuan dance

Download: “So Now Goodbye” and “Please Stay”

Watch: “On A Night Like This”

16. Detours – Sheryl Crow

The Gist: Liberal singer/songwriter dives head-on into political commentary.

The Result: Anti-war anthems

Download: “Detours” and “Out Of Our Heads”

Watch: “Gasoline”

17. Kid A – Radioheads

The Gist: Britrock band makes record label happy and gets experimental.

The Result: Beautiful noise.

Download: “Everything In It’s Right Place” and “In Limbo”

Watch: “Motion Picture Soundtrack”

18. The Emancipation Of MiMi – Mariah Carey

The Gist: The Voice shows everyone what a comeback is all about.

The Result: Melisma madness

Download: “Stay The Night” and “Circles”

Watch: “Shake It Off”

19. Eye To The Telescope – KT Tunstall

The Gist: Newcomer straps it on and belts it out.

The Result: Acoustic heaven.

Download: “Suddenly I See” and “Under The Weather”

Watch: “Black Horse And The Cherry Tree”

20. Aaliyah – Aaliyah

The Gist: Soul sister gives us the last goodbye.

The Result: Black butter.

Download: “It’s Whatever” and “More Than A Woman”

Watch: “Rock The Boat”

Click below for the honorable mentions.

• Righteous Love – Joan Osborne
• 19 – Adele
• Colour The Small One – SiA
• Simple Things – Zero 7
• Try This – P!nk
• Saints & Sinners - All Saints
• Acoustic Soul – India.Arie
• Scarlet’s Walk – Tori Amos
• In Rainbows – Radiohead
• Songs In A Minor - Alicia Keys
• Fever - Kylie Mingue
• Fortune Cookies - Alana Davis
• I Am A Bird Now – Antony & The Johnsons
• Voyage To India – India.Arie
• Mama’s Gun – Erykah Badu
• Northern Star – Melanie C
• Afrodisiac - Brandy
• E=MC² – Mariah Carey
• Scissor Sisters – Scissor Sisters
• Open - Shaznay Lewis
• More Than A Woman – Toni Braxton
• Aerial – Kate Bush
• A Temporary Dive - Ane Brun
• Free Me – Emma Bunton
• Dirty Child – Rosey
• Under Rug Swept – Alanis Morrisette
• Damita Jo – Janet Jackson
• Beautifully Human: Words & Sounds Vol. 2 – Jill Scott
• Affirmation - Beverley Knight
• Evolve – Ani DiFranco
• Reason – Melanie C
• Be Not Nobody – Vanessa Carlton
• Glitter - Mariah Carey
• Let It Rain – Tracy Chapman
• Cantneverdidnothin’ – Nikka Costa
• Neon Nights – Dannii Minogue
• Talkie Walkie - Air
• Ghosts - Siobhan Donaghy
• Surrender Dorothy - Alana Davis
• Statues – Moloko
• White Lilies Island – Natalie imbruglia
• Destiny Fulfilled – Destiny’s Child
• 20 YO - Janet Jackson
• Body Language – Kylie Minogue
• Count To Ten - Tina Dico
• Black Summer’s Night - Maxwell
• Arular - M.I.A.
• Wanderland – Kelis
• Reprieve - Ani DiFranco
• In The Red - Tina Dico
• All For You – Janet Jackson
• Folklore – Nelly Furtado
• Fleshwounds – Skin
• Details – Frou Frou
• My One And Only Thrill – Melody Gardot
• Night On My Side – Gemma Hayes
• I’m Not Dead – P!nk
• Reckoning / Revelling – Ani DiFranco
• Patience – George Michael
• The Sound Of White – Missy Higgins
• Alphabeat – Alphabeat
• Scream If You Wanna Go Faster - Geri Halliwell
• When It Falls – Zero 7
• 12 Memories – Travis
• Dirty Paper Cup – Hafdis Huld
• X - Kylie Minogue
• So-Called Chaos – Alanis Morissette
• The Roads Don’t Love You - Gemma Hayes
• Ghost Is Not Real – Husky Rescue
• Frank – Amy Winehouse
• Some People Have Real Problems – SiA
• Epiphany – Chrisette Michele
• Vespertine – Bjork
• Sing When You’re Winning – Robbie Williams
• This Way – Jewel
• The Spell - Alphabeat
• Counting Down The Days – Natalie Imbruglia
• Discipline - Janet Jackson
• Finally Woken – Gem
• One Touch – Sugababes
• Music – Madonna
• Lungs – Florence + The Machine
• The Real Things: Words & Sounds Vol. 3 – Jill Scott
• 0304 - Jewel
• JoJo – JoJo
• Motherland - Natalie Merchant
• Undiscovered – James Morrison
• Hassle – Erik Hassle
• Melankton – Kate Havnevik
• Whatever Gets You Through The Day - Lighthouse Family
• The Diary Of Alicia Keys – Alicia Keys
• Kala – M.I.A.
• Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel – Mariah Carey
• Quiet Is The New Loud – Kings Of Convenience
• Afterglow – Sarah McLachlan
• The Beekeeper – Tori Amos
• Confessions On The Dance Floor – Madonna
• Let It Go – Will Young
• Ms. Dynamite - Ms. Dynamite
• The Understanding – Royksopp
• Experience: 826+ – Jill Scott
• Invincible – Michael Jackson
• Continuum – John Mayer
• Something Else – Robin Thicke
• In The Zone - Britney Spears
• Alas I Cannot Swin – Laura Marling
• Matinée - Jack Peñate
• American Doll Posse – Tori Amos
• Charmbracelet - Mariah Carey
• Amnesiac – Radiohead
• Flavors Of Entanglement – Alanis Morissette
• Birds – Bic Runga
• We Started Nothing – The Ting Tings
• Red Hot – RuPaul
• Room For Squares – John Mayer
• J.Lo – Jennifer Lopez
• Britney – Britney Spears
• Sol-Angel And The Hadley Street Dreams – Solange knowles
• Santogold – Santigold
• Daybreaker – Beth Orton
• Lovers Rock - Sade
• Good Girl Gone Bad - Rihanna
• Blackout – Britney Spears
• Forever – Spice Girls
• Mind, Body & Soul - Joss Stone
• The Evolution Of Robin Thicke – Robin Thicke
• Me & Armini – Emilina Torrini
• Drastic Fantastic – KT Tunstall
• Up! - Shania Twain
• Red Letter Year – Ani DiFranco
• Abnormally Attracted To Sin – Tori Amos
• Wait For Me - Moby
• Southern Hummingbird – Tweet
• Rudebox – Robbie Williams
• Happenstance – Rachael Yamagata
• Splendid Isolation – Yonderboi
• The Eraser - Thom Yorke
• The Garden – Zero 7
• Circus – Britney Spears
• Friday’s Child – Will Young