Here come the would-be blockbusters. The music industry inevitably rolls out new releases by its biggest artists in the fall, just in time for holiday gift-giving. This year is no exception, with studio albums expected from Drake and Mary J. Blige; a host of reissued and archival material by revered rock acts such as U2 and Nirvana; and new long-form downloads (or discs) from both the first “American Idol” winner and the most recent. Here’s a rundown of what’s in store:
Country
LeAnn Rimes, “Lady and Gentlemen” (Sept. 27): The singer puts a feminine spin on country classics previously recorded by male vocalists, including tunes associated with Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings and George Jones.
Rodney Atkins, “Take a Long Road” (Oct. 4): Atkins prefers baseball caps to country Stetsons and he’s usually good for a handful of hits with a small-town flavor on each album.
Scotty McCreery, “Clear as Day” (Oct. 4): The youngest male winner in “American Idol” history, the 17-year-old makes his country-tinged debut.
Hank Williams Sr., “The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams” (Oct. 4): Contemporary artists ranging from Alan Jackson to Norah Jones create new songs out of some of the country legend’s unused lyrics.
Martina McBride, “Eleven” (Oct. 11): One of Nashville's most durable voices will release 11 tracks on her 11th studio on Oct. 11. Could it be called anything else?
Toby Keith, “Clancy’s Tavern” (Oct. 24): The latest from the former Oklahoma oil-field worker and author of the flag-waving, boot-stomping anthem "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue (The Angry American)" in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Miranda Lambert, “Four the Record” (Nov. 1): One of mainstream country’s “bad girls” aims to keep her string of platinum-plus albums intact.
Hip-hop/R&B
Van Hunt, “What Were You Hoping For?” (Sept. 27): After a lengthy hiatus, enforced in part by record-company problems, the gifted songwriter releases his first album since “On the Jungle Floor” in 2006.
The Knux, “Eraser” (Sept. 27): Kentrell "Krispy" Lindsey and Alvin "Joey" Lindsey, the duo behind the hit "Cappucino," update their scruffy boho-rap-rock hybrid.
DJ Shadow, “The Less You Know, The Better” (Oct. 4): Josh Davis has taken the art of sampling and pastiche composition to new heights in the last two decades, plotting each album with careful consideration; this is his first since 2006.
Drake, “Take Care” (Oct. 24): The follow-up to Aubrey Drake Graham’s best-selling 2010 release, “Thank Me Later.”
Mary J. Blige, “My Life II... The Journey Continues (Act I)” (November): The singer’s 10th studio album is being billed as a sequel to her classic 1994 merger of hip-hop and soul, “My Life.”
Pop
Tori Amos, “Night of Hunters” (Sept. 20): The singer-pianist dives into classical music with this song cycle about a woman’s transformation.
Tony Bennett, “Duets II” (Sept. 20): The follow-up to the crooner’s multimillion-selling 2006 release, “Duets,” with his singing partners including Lady Gaga, Aretha Franklin and the late Amy Winehouse.
Feist, “Metals” (Oct. 4): Leslie Feist made her reputation with quiet, melancholy tunes, but promises a makeover to better showcase other facets of her songwriting and guitar-playing on her first album in four years.
Susan Boyle, “Someone to Watch Over Me” (Nov. 1): After selling 14 million albums in little over a year, the ballad singer who burst into fame during the 2009 “Britain’s Got Talent” season returns with her third album.
