Gordon Lightfoot Book, Music and More!

Few songwriters have been as prolific—or revered—as Bob Dylan. This 4-CD collection, marking Amnesty International’s 50th anniversary, is a tribute to his artistry, with cover versions by 75 stars of all generations and genres. Diana Krall delivers a tender “Simple Twist of Fate,” while husband Elvis Costello adds a stirring “License to Kill.” The real surprises come from younger artists, including Ke$ha, who sings a touching “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright,” and K’naan, who bravely reinvents “With God on Our Side.”

Putting a glamorous spin on the Andrews Sisters, England’s Puppinis have become favorites of Prince Charles and Michael Bublé, who featured the close-harmony singers on his bestselling Christmas album. Here, brunette Marcella Puppini, blonde Kate Mullins and redhead Stephanie O’Brien apply their vocal talents to vintage Tinseltown tunes, turning West Side Story’s “I Feel Pretty” into a charming waltz and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” into a swinging, minor-key classic.

McGraw has it all: a happy marriage to Nashville queen Faith Hill, with whom he has three daughters, and a hot career that now includes acting (Country Strong). McGraw’s 11th studio album should keep him riding high, with his romantic hit “Felt Good on My Lips” and inspirational anthems like “I Will Not Fall Down,” co-written with Martina McBride. When he sings “I’m cleaning up my act, little by little,” on the moving confessional “Better Than I Used to Be,” McGraw pays tribute to his wife, who recently helped him get sober.

Seal’s vocals have always be silky smooth and soulful, dating back to his mellifluous “Kiss from a Rose.” So it was no surprise that four years ago the British singer of Nigerian descent teamed up with producer David Foster to sing vintage rhythm and blues nuggets. A sequel to that bestselling CD, this collection of soul classics finds him putting his stamp on Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” and Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.” But Seal really shines with his angelic rendition of the more obscure “Wishing on a Star.”

Norah Jones is one songbird that refuses to be pigeonholed. When she burst on to the scene in 2002, with her multimillion-selling debut, Come Away with Me, the singer-pianist was widely pegged as a jazz artist. Clearly, Jones found that description too restrictive. Almost immediately, she began stretching out artistically, collaborating with rappers OutKast, r&b legend Ray Charles and rockers the Foo Fighters. She also turned to acting, starring in the 2007 film My Blueberry Nights.             While Jones’ subsequent albums, including The Fall and the 2010 compilation …Featuring, have all showcased her diverse musical tastes, it has...

The female counterpart to the Irish Tenors, Celtic Woman is one of pop’s most successful franchises, with sales of over six million CDs worldwide. On their latest album, singers Chloë Agnew, Lisa Kelly, Lisa Lambe and violinist Máiréad Nesbitt continue to blend classic Irish songs like “The Water is Wide” with such pop favorites as “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” The ladies even take a classical turn, lending their sweet, angelic voices to Schubert’s beloved Latin hymn “Ave Maria.”

More rock treasures from the vaults that produced 2010’s Exile on Main Street and the previous year’s Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! reissues. Along with memorable hits like “Miss You” and “Beast of Burden,” this beefed-up version of the Stones’ classic 1978 album features a staggering 11 bonus tracks—many of which prove that Mick Jagger and the boys were on a creative roll during the punk and disco era. Among the unearthed gems are the country-rocker “No Spare Parts” and the raw blues nugget “When You’re Gone.”

Snow Patrol may not as well known as U2 or Coldplay, but the British group has much in common with both bands. Like Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody is a self-effacing singer-frontman whose sensitive songs pack an emotional wallop. And like U2, with whom Lightbody’s group has toured, Snow Patrol’s anthemic pop-rock sound has the power to fill stadiums. Formed in Northern Ireland and based in Scotland, Snow Patrol has sold over 11 million albums worldwide and topped the charts with several memorable singles, including the Grammy-nominated “Chasing Cars.” Yet it’s always the perennial underdog when viewed alongside those bigger bands.       &n...

Her aptly titled fourth album finds the Canadian songbird journeying into new waters. Having split with guitarist-husband Colin Cripps, who helped shape her alt-country sound, Edwards has co-produced her latest CD with boyfriend Justin Vernon, also known as Grammy-winning star Bon Iver. Marital discord is reflected in “Change the Sheets” and “House Full of Empty Rooms,” while a fresh, multi-textured pop sound can be heard on the peppy “Sidecar” and the dreamy epic “For the Record,” sung with Norah Jones.

This South African group is most famous for backing Paul Simon on his 1986 Graceland album. But the male singers, led by Joseph Shabalala, have also won three Grammys and shared their sunny acapella sound with other artists, as featured on this impressive collection. Along with Graceland favorites with Paul, plus Sarah McLachlan’s angelic take on “Homeless,” this 2-CD set includes Josh Groban’s stirring protest song “Weeping” and Dolly Parton’s joyous, reggae-fied “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door.”