Led Zeppelin How Thw West Was Won

R.E.M. mark the point when post-punk turned into alternative rock. When their first single, "Radio Free Europe", was released in 1981, it sparked a back-to-the-garage movement in the American underground. While there were a number of hardcore and punk bands in the U.S. during the early '80s, R.E.M. brought guitar pop back into the underground lexicon. Combining ringing guitar hooks with mumbled, cryptic lyrics and a D.I.Y. aesthetic borrowed from post-punk, the band simultaneously sounded traditional and modern. Throughout the '80s, they worked relentlessly, releasing records every year and touring constantly, playing both theaters and backwoods dives. Along the way, they inspired countless bands, from the legions of jangle pop groups in the mid-'80s to scores of alternative pop groups in the '90s, who admired their slow climb to stardom.

Not so surprising to learn that Beth Hart is taking on the Led Zeppelin monument in an entire album, after shielding her concerts so much with covers of Whole Lotta Love.

Since Bryn Terfel’s home has always been in North Wales, it may seem strange that he travelled to the Rocky Mountains in the American West to make an album called Homeward Bound. But Terfel has found a true sense of belonging in Salt Lake City, Utah, where the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is based. The 360-voice ensemble provides the rich and evocative backdrops for Terfel’s ringing bass-baritone on this new set of recordings, which spans material ranging from British and American folk and popular songs to hymns, spirituals and classical pieces. Enhancing their combined musical artistry is the fact that choir and star soloist are united by a surprising amount of shared history.

The Cincinnati Pops is one of America's favorite orchestras, playing classical hits, orchestral versions of pop and jazz, movie themes and show tunes. This rootin'-tootin' salute to Westerns on TV and movie screens was the most popular demonstration disc at the 1987 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Having gained a fair amount of underground attention throughout Europe, particularly in both Germany and England, Laibach made its first attempt at crossing over – in a way – with Opus Dei. An alliance with Mute records led to Rico Conning handling the production, while the group decided to spell out the connections between mega-arena rock & roll and fascist spectacle all the more directly.