… and seven albums to save up for

Wilco

Sky Blue Sky, May 15

2002's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot leaked nine months early. 2004's A Ghost Is Born hit the webwaves early as well. And not that we condone such actions, but a friend of a friend might have mentioned something about Jeff Tweedy and Co.'s latest allegedly falling somewhere between a theoretical Television and a supposed Abbey Road-era Beatles. Hypothetically.

Ozzy Osbourne

Black Rain, May 22

We know that Ozzy has become sort of a joke, with his reality show and his sad willingness to mug pathetically at any and all TV events. But back in the day before all of that, Ozzy really, totally rocked, and he promises that his first studio album in six years is the "true follow-up" to 1991's No More Tears. Guitarist Zakk Wylde can shred with the best of them, and nothing would please us more than to see Ozzy back on top of the hard-rock heap.

R. Kelly

Double Up, May 29

We won't touch that album title, but you gotta admit, dude is a commanding presence, even when he's singing about midgets jumping out of cabinets and wiping cherry pie crust off their faces. Kanye, T.I., Ciara, Snoop, Ludacris, David Banner and Young Jeezy are all reported to guest on the new joint, so give up the moral high ground and just listen to the man sing.

The White Stripes

Icky Thump, June 19

Now that he's been with three other men, can Jack White really return to the bosom of his wife ... er, ex-wife ... er, sister? We think so, if only because, while we prefer the full-band feel of his recent Raconteurs trip, he seemed to write better songs when he only saw red and white.

Ryan Adams

Easy Tiger, June 26

2005 saw three albums (one of them a double) on Lost Highway Records; 2006 the release of 11 independents via his website. Somewhere in there he produced Willie Nelson's Songbird. March 2007 brought forth another website seven. Lost Highway backs these latest 13 tracks, and we need a nap just from typing out this paragraph.

The Smashing Pumpkins

Zeitgeist, July 7

Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin are in; D'Arcy and James Iha, not so much. But don't decry the reunion as just another incarnation of the ill-fated Zwan. After all, dude took out a full-page ad! In the newspaper and everything! Guess they'll solidify the final lineup when the band hits the European-festival circuit in late May.

Meat Puppets

Rise to Your Knees, July 17

The Puppets' last comeback album, 2000's Golden Lies, kinda blew, but we have faith that this Kirkwood family reunion will result in something meatier, if not Up on the Sun-quality, at least maybe Too High to Die-worthy ... Please?

Also worth a look: Digitalism, Idealism, June 5; The Chemical Brothers, We Are the Night, June 19; Bryan Ferry, Dylanesque, June 19; M.I.A., Kala, June 26; Common, Finding Forever, July 10; Spoon, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, July 10; Architecture in Helsinki, Places Like This, August 7; The New Pornographers, Challengers, August 21.