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Nine Inch Nails
Can Trent Reznor return from exile and reclaim his goth throne?
Reznor's first new studio album since 1999's The Fragile is reportedly titled Bleedthrough and due this year. He's begun recording the more stripped-down affair in Los Angeles, but little else is known about the direction or personnel. "There will be a core of people who run out and get it because he's shown an ability to reinvent himself, but he represents a music that is no longer in vogue," said Mayfield. "He might be able to spin himself 'round again, but I'd put it as a long shot."
Prediction: Reznor is one of the most talented composers of his generation, but as time goes by, fewer people are still interested in buying his albums.
'NSYNC
After rocking our bodies, can Justin really go home again?
Timberlake tasted solo success, and JC Chasez is next in line to try, so can the biggest boy band regroup and recapture the magic? They recently pushed back sessions for the follow-up to 2001's Celebrity to this summer, and Justin has lately hedged on committing to another album. "The presence of Justin on the record will guarantee a certain level of interest, but most of the boy bands have been away a couple of years, so the jury's out on whether they're still relevant," said Bell. Mayfield said Justin's turn toward an R&B sound might make it harder for 'NSYNC to return with its sugary pop, but the time between albums might work in their favor. "No one is expecting them to sell 2 million copies a week anymore, so they can have more modest sales now and it won't be considered a failure. If they market it the right way, Justin's solo success could actually help the band."
Prediction: If Justin were smart, he'd leave the five-part harmonies and questionable hairstyles in the past.
Nicole Richie And Paris Hilton
Take two spoiled rich girls and put them in a studio ... FOX, are you listening?
The best-buds reality queens are each prepping debut albums, with Paris, whose voice has been pegged somewhere between Jessica Simpson and Beyoncé, aiming for a hard dance sound, while piano/violin/cello triple threat Nicole is going for an "edgy" Christina Aguilera/Fiona Apple vibe. Bell doesn't have high hopes. "It's very tough for celebrities who are not necessarily known as musicians to cross over and make a hit record," he said. "People will approach those albums with skepticism."
Prediction: We've got a stack of Joey Lawrence, Jamie Lynn-Sigler and Jennifer Love Hewitt albums that say these two don't have a chance.
Gwen Stefani
Will solo success mean no more No Doubt?
The iconic frontwoman of No Doubt has been working with the Neptunes, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott, Outkast, the Matrix, Linda Perry, Tim Armstrong, Nellee Hooper, the Eurythmics' Dave Stewart, Dallas Austin and Damon Elliott on her eclectic debut. She recently tapped ND bandmate Tony Kanal to lend a hand, and the close-knit group has presented a united front about sticking together. "If she goes the Eve route, it might be a top 40 record. But if she stays planted in alternative, I'll play it," said WHFS' Worden. "She's the biggest female rock star in the alternative world right now." Bell said the last No Doubt album proved that "she can do no wrong," giving him high hopes for the album.
Prediction: The princess of rock has made all the right moves so far, but will a dip further into the pop/R&B mainstream spell the end for No Doubt?
A few efforts remain forever in the "Will it ever happen?" category: Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy, for example. Word is the nearly-decade-in-the-making album will definitely come out in 2004. Definitely. Former Fugee Lauryn Hill has reportedly been working on her proper follow-up to 1998's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill for more than a year, but no release date is in sight and her recent anti-church rant has pushed the increasingly erratic singer even further to the fringes. Courtney Love's America's Sweetheart solo debut was pushed back to February, but who knows if it'll get bumped again if the ex-Hole singer ends up in jail or rehab. Former Rage Against the Machine frontman Zack de la Rocha has been cooking up his solo debut for more than two years but still no release date.
The Rest: As if that weren't enough, Weezer are finally in the studio with Rick Rubin working on a follow up to 2002's Maladriot, U2 are prepping the follow-up to their career-reviving All That You Can't Leave Behind, and Slipknot will see if they can put the masks back on and keep their audience. N.E.R.D., the Vines and Norah Jones will all release their second albums, and fans can expect new records from Wilco, the Hives, Sum 41, Vanessa Carlton and Lenny Kravitz.
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Photo: MTV News
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