Godsmack (file)
Photo: Greg Delman

Their new album may be unplugged, but Godsmack rock hard enough to break on through to The Other Side. Sully Erna and the boys go acoustic for the first time this week on a seven-song EP that features new tracks such as "Running Blind" and "Voices," as well as "Touche," which gets a little help from Sully's friends and new protégés Dropbox.

Big Tymers' Big Money Heavyweight: The Screwed and Chopped Album features guest appearances by Ludacris and Petey Pablo, while newcomer Cassidy is joined by Jadakiss on his album Split Personality.

The "Mayor of the Sunset Strip" soundtrack features contributions from some of the movie's stars, including David Bowie, Courtney Love, the Ramones, Alice Cooper, Chris Martin and even the subject of the film himself: Rodney Bingenheimer. And in other movie news, the soundtrack to Jim Carrey's new flick, "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," features tracks by Beck, the Polyphonic Spree and the Willows.

David Byrne's quirky Grown Backwards ranges from opera — a duet with Rufus Wainwright — to a cover of Lambchop's "The Man Who Loved Beer." Meanwhile, Joe Jackson's Live: Afterlife cozies up next to Jackson Browne's The Very Best Of and Finley Quaye's Much More Than Love, with songs written by William Orbit and featuring Beth Orton.

And Jimmy Eat World frontman Jim Adkins represents for the Grand Canyon State, releasing fellow Arizona emo rockers Rubens Accomplice's latest, The Bull, the Balloon, and the Family, on his Western Tread label.

Out Tuesday, March 16:

• 36 Crazyfists - A Snow-Capped Romance (Roadrunner)
• Claudia Acuna - Luna (Max Jazz)
• Jason Anderson - New England (K)
• Ativin - Night Mute (Secretly Canadian)
• Beauty Pill - The Unsustainable Lifestyle (Dischord)
• Before the Dawn - My Darkness (Locomotive Music)
• Big Tymers - Big Money Heavyweight: The Screwed and Chopped Album (Universal)
  Buy Now: Big Money Heavyweight: The Screwed and Chopped Album (Universal)
• Blithe Sons - Arm of the Starfish (Family Vineyard)
• Jackson Browne - The Very Best Of (Elektra)
• Burd Early - Mind and Mother (Western Vinyl)
• David Byrne - Grown Backwards (Nonesuch)
• Calliope - Sounds Like Circles Feel (Thick)
• Cassidy - Split Personality (Full Surface/J)
• Coffin Lids - Rock 'n' Roll (Bomp!)
• Coma Star - Headroom of Conscience (Locomotive Music)
• Cropknox - Rock and Rot (Punkcore)
• Catie Curtis - Dreaming in Romance Languages (Vanguard)
• Grey DeLisle - The Graceful Ghost (Sugar Hill)
• Denial tha Danksta - Six Figure Dropout (Elephant Size)
• Gibson Brothers - Long Way Back Home (Sugar Hill)
• Gipsy Kings - Roots (Nonesuch)
• Godsmack - The Other Side (Republic)
  Read: "Godsmack Travel To The Other Side For New EP"
  Buy Now: The Other Side (Republic)
• Fred Hersch Trio - Fred Hersch Trio + 2 (Palmetto)
• Hunns - Long Legs Die Hunns (Disaster)
• Irish Tenors - Heritage (Razor & Tie)
• Joe Jackson - Live: Afterlife (Rykodisc)
• Simon Joyner - Lost With the Lights on (Jagjaguwar)
• Rebecca Luker - Leaving Home (PS Classics)
• New Black - New Black (Thick)
• Ozric Tentacles - Spirals in Hyperspace (Magna Carta)
• Finley Quaye - Much More Than Much Love (Sony)
• Rasputina - Frustration Plantation (Instinct)
• Enrico Rava - Easy Living (ECM)
• Dan Reeder - Dan Reeder (Oh Boy)
• Reubens Accomplice - The Bull, the Balloon, and the Family (Western Tread)
• Tad Robinson - Did You Ever Wonder? (Severn)
• Seventh Key - The Raging Fire (Inside Out)
• Shearwater - Winged Life (Misra)
• Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans (Sounds Familyre)
• The String Cheese Incident - On the Road: September 5, 2003 Morrison, CO (SCI Fidelity)
• The String Cheese Incident - On the Road: September 6, 2003 Morrison, CO (SCI Fidelity)
• The String Cheese Incident - On the Road: October 4, 2003 Philadelphia, PA (SCI Fidelity)
• The String Cheese Incident - On the Road: December 8, 2003 Redwood City, CA (SCI Fidelity)
• The String Cheese Incident - On the Road: December 14, 2003 Vancouver, BC (SCI Fidelity)
• Threshold - Extinct Instinct (Inside Out)
• Gibb Todd - Goin' Home (Compass)
• Ute - Ute (Ark 21)
• Vivisick/Mukeka Di Rato - Vivisick/Mukeka Di Rato (split LP, Sound Pollution)
• Richard Youngs - River Through Howling Sky (Jagjaguwar)
• Various artists - Baby Einstein: Lullaby Classics (Walt Disney)
• Various artists - Beethoven's Wig 2: More Sing Along Symphonies (Rounder)
• Various artists - "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" soundtrack (Hollywood)
• Various artists - "Mayor of the Sunset Strip" soundtrack (Shout! Factory)
• Various artists - Six Degrees 100 (Six Degrees)
• DVD: Marc Anthony - The Concert From Madison Square Garden (Columbia)
• DVD: R.E.M. - Perfect Square (Warner Bros.)

March 23:

• N.E.R.D. - Fly or Die (Virgin)
  Read: "N.E.R.D. Step Up Their Game On Fly Or Die, Reminisce About Teen Years"
  Buy Now: Fly or Die (Virgin)
• Usher - Confessions (LaFace)
  Read: "Usher Lets Skeletons Out Of The Closet On Confessions"
  Buy Now: Confessions (LaFace)
• Vines - Winning Days (Capitol)
  Read: "Vines Saddle Up And 'Ride' To End Of The World"
• Various artists - Now That's What I Call Music! 15 (Capitol)

March 30:

• Aerosmith - Honkin' on Bobo (Sony)
  Read: "Aerosmith Blues Album Inspired By Bike Crashes And Funny Phrases"
• Bob Dylan - Bootleg Series 6: Concert at Philharmonic Hall (Sony)
• Janet Jackson - Damita Jo (Virgin)
  Read: "Janet Jackson Making Sexiest Album Yet, Producer Says"
  Buy Now: Damita Jo (Virgin)
• Various artists - Music From "The O.C." Mix 1 (Warner Bros.)

April 6:

• Barry Manilow - 2 Nights Live (BMG)
• Paul Oakenfold - Greatest Remixes (Topaz)
• Tamia - Still (Elektra)

April 13:

• Various artists - "Kill Bill 2" soundtrack (Maverick)

April 20:

• Hanson - Underneath (3CG)

May 4:

• Kimberley Locke - One Love (Curb)
  Read: " 'American Idol' Finalist Kimberley Locke Is Radio's '8th Wonder'"

• The Big Tymers
• Godsmack
• Cassidy
• David Byrne
• Jackson Browne

Dave Matthews (file)
Photo: RCA

Dave Matthews, Maroon 5, Kings of Leon and former Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson are among the dozens of artists slated for the three-day Bonnaroo festival.

Part of one of the most eclectic lineups of the summer concert season, they join Bob Dylan, the Dead, Wilco, Damien Rice, Grandaddy, Cut Chemist, David Byrne, the Black Keys, Willie Nelson, moe., Ani DiFranco, Yo La Tengo, My Morning Jacket and String Cheese Incident at the third annual festival, which will again be held on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, 60 miles south of Nashville, on June 11-13.

Thirty other artists are confirmed thus far, according to a tour spokesperson. Additions are expected to be announced in the coming weeks to bring the total number of acts to more than 60.

Matthews is being billed as "with friends," a crop of pals that will include Trey Anastasio, who's also on board as a solo act. The Phish guitarist played with Matthews on his most recent outing.

More than 80,000 fans came out for last year's festival, 2003's second-highest-grossing concert at a single venue. Its more than $11.5 million was second only to the $38.6 million that Bruce Springsteen raked in from his sold-out 10-show run at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

As in previous years, the show will be filmed for a "Live From Bonnaroo" DVD, expected to drop this fall.

Tickets for the event go on sale February 21.

• Dave Matthews
• Maroon 5
• Bob Dylan
• Wilco
• Damien Rice

Eddie Vedder inducts the Ramones into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
Photo: VH1

NEW YORK — A mohawked Eddie Vedder put the regal Waldorf-Astoria hotel in a punk rock state of mind Monday night when he inducted the Ramones into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (check out Kurt Loder's take on the Hall's history here).

Nearing the end of his 17-minute speech, Vedder said, "After this, I'm sure the evening will move quickly, but it's the Ramones and it's punk rock and I'm just about finished and I hope you're OK with that." The crowd's response included some jeers and boos.

"Apparently you're not. F--- you," he replied.

But overall, the night was filled with special moments — including a Talking Heads induction and reunion as well as posthumous inductions of Joey Ramone and Chet Atkins — even though the ceremony was also plagued by technical difficulties and long delays (the delays will be edited out when VH1 broadcasts the event on Wednesday).

There was no question about the content of Vedder's speech, which was called "brilliant" by those who followed him. But as well spoken as the Pearl Jam singer was in his call to remember how the Ramones revitalized rock and how desperately that needs to happen again, he was also slow, pausing and mumbling through passages.

"They were armed with two-minute songs that they rattled off like machinegun fire," Vedder said, "and it was enough to change the Earth's revolution. Now it's Disney kids singing songs written by old men and being marketed to 6- and 7-year-olds, so some kind of change might have to happen again soon."

Vedder's speech set the tone for the evening, but for capturing the spirit of the Ramones, masters of the short and sweet, Green Day did the trick. The pop-punk trio saluted their forefathers with efficiency, blasting through "Rockaway Beach," "Teenage Lobotomy" and "Blitzkrieg Bop" without speaking to the crowd or to reporters backstage.

For the most part, the Ramones kept it light, with bassist Dee Dee Ramone joking, "I'd like to congratulate myself and thank myself and give myself a big pat on the back. Thank you, Dee Dee, you're wonderful."

Drummer Tommy Ramone, however, reiterated that the honor did mean a lot to the band, especially since it was something their late singer had wanted. "The honor of our induction ... means a lot to us. But it's really meant everything to Joey." He continued that thought backstage, saying it was one of the last things he talked about with Joey before the singer's death last April.

Talking Heads put aside their legendary acrimony and performed for the first time in 18 years. Joined onstage by CBGB owner Hilly Kristal, the band thanked just about everyone who had nurtured, fed or paid them over the years, including the rock hall itself, "for giving this band a happy ending," drummer Chris Frantz said.

Latter-day touring members of the band, including Bernie Worrell of Parliament/Funkadelic and Steve Scales, joined on two-thirds of the set, which consisted of "Psycho Killer," "Burning Down the House" and "Life During Wartime." "This is a song completely inappropriate at this time," singer David Byrne said before launching into "Life During Wartime," "but then again, maybe it is appropriate."

Witnesses to the band's performance started wondering if talk of a full-fledged reunion would also be appropriate. After all, Byrne actually seemed relaxed playing with his former bandmates, with little to no trace of the self-conscious and idiosyncratic moves that comprised his so-uncool-he's-cool Talking Heads persona. Content to move in sync with Tina Weymouth's able bass playing, Byrne instead painted a picture of ease.

Backstage, Byrne said the choice of songs helped "smooth things out." "We just played what we imagined people wanted to hear," he said. "This wasn't the time to pull out obscure numbers." Would there ever be such a time again? Guitarist Jerry Harrison said that they would think about that later. "We haven't played together for a really long time," Frantz added, "and I think we're all grateful to have a happy night like this and to have a good vibe."

Good vibes weren't hard to find in the evening's other performances, which started off with an orchestrated version of "Shaft," conducted and then sung by inductee Isaac Hayes. Dressed in a silky pajamalike outfit, Hayes led Paul Schaffer's band in a long prelude to his famous theme song. Waving his arms around, Hayes acted out instrument parts as if he were playing them himself, adding a sense of spunk to his funk.

Inducted later in the evening, Hayes warned young rap and hip-hop artists to avoid being blinded by the money. "It's not all about bling bling and all the gold and Cristal," he said. "Don't slip into the traps, and don't forget about your 'hood."

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers took it a little easy on their renditions of "Last Dance With Mary Jane" and "American Girl." Petty didn't reach for the slightly higher register he usually sings those songs in, and instead dropped it down a notch, bearing a resemblance to his presenter's father. "Before Tom came along, a lot of singer/songwriters were stuck with the label the 'new Dylan,' " presenter Jakob Dylan said. "Tom's vision was so strong that when I came along, I was called the 'new Petty,' when actually I may have been the only one who deserved the burden of being called the 'new Dylan.' "

The closing all-star jam turned out to be neither all-star nor a jam. Many of the evening's performers, inductees and presenters — from the Ramones and Green Day to Anthony Kiedis (who inducted Talking Heads) and Alicia Keys (who inducted Hayes) — didn't participate.

The first song of the finale, Al Green's soul classic "Take Me to the River," had to be done twice, since audio problems made it difficult to hear the full mix the first time around. Some of the pairings for the rest of the jam made sense — presenter Darlene Love joining inductee Gene Pitney on "He's a Rebel," which he wrote for her group, the Crystals — but having Matchbox Twenty's Rob Thomas (pulled from the audience) duet with Jewel (who inducted Brenda Lee) was less to do with the event than with positioning. Still, it didn't dilute their tribute to George Harrison on "Here Comes the Sun."

Other inductees included Chet Atkins (as a sideman) and Jim Stewart (as a non-performer).

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony airs Wednesday at 9 p.m. on VH1.

• Pearl Jam
• Eddie Vedder
• The Ramones
• Green Day
• Talking Heads

Sheryl Crow
Photo: Steen Sundland

New York's West 54th Street will soon be right around the corner at your neighborhood record store.

The Best of Sessions at West 54th, a 13-track album due September 4, captures performances from the critically acclaimed PBS television series, including Sheryl Crow's "Everyday Is a Winding Road," Emmylou Harris' "Wrecking Ball" and Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach's "Painted From Memory," according to a Columbia/Legacy spokesperson. "I Zimbra," by former "Sessions" host David Byrne, and "Cry Love," by current host John Hiatt, are also included. The previously unreleased live cuts were recorded during the interview and music series' first two seasons.

The Best of Sessions at West 54th is the first album to document the four-year-old program taped at Sony Studios. The show's premiere season boasted an eclectic roster ranging from the emotional pianist Fiona Apple to the all-female a cappella quintet Zap Mama. Two DVDs, The Best of Sessions at West 54th — Volume 1 and Volume 2, were released in 1997 and 2001, respectively.

Track list for The Best of Sessions at West 54th, according to Columbia/Legacy:

• Sheryl Crow - "Everyday Is a Winding Road"
• David Byrne - "I Zimbra"
• John Hiatt - "Cry Love"
• Ben Folds Five - "Brick"
• Natalie Merchant - "Wonder"
• Suzanne Vega - "Caramel"
• The Mavericks - "(Tonight) The Bottle Let Me Down"
• Ani DiFranco - "32 Flavors"
• Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach - "Painted From Memory"
• Shawn Colvin - "Diamonds in the Rough"
• Sinéad O'Connor - "The Last Day of Our Acquaintance"
• Emmylou Harris - "Wrecking Ball"
• Lou Reed - "Set the Twilight Reeling"

• Sheryl Crow
• Elvis Costello
• Lou Reed
• Emmylou Harris
• David Byrne

David Byrne, Frank Black, Devo, and The Apples In Stereo have heeded the call of "The Powerpuff Girls" and have contributed tracks to "Heroes & Villains," a new album of music inspired by the Cartoon Network series due out on July 18.

Others power-pitching in for "Heroes & Villains," which was produced by Devo's Mark Mothersbaugh and Bob Casale, include Shonen Knife, Cornelius, and Bis, the band responsible for penning "The Powerpuff Girls" original theme (see "Bis Lends A Hand To 'The Powerpuff Girls'").

The "Powerpuff" series' creator, Craig McCracken, also oversaw the "Heroes & Villains" project, and says that he's pleased at how the resulting tracks that ended up on the record all seem to fit together.

"Each song on the album focuses on a different aspect of The Powerpuff Girls," McCracken wrote in a statement heralding the "Heroes & Villains" LP, "and together they tell a story. From Townsville being in danger to the day finally being saved, what you hear throughout is a sonic Powerpuff adventure."

The track listing for "Heroes & Villains:"

• Devo - "Go Monkey Go"
• Frank Black - "Pray For The Girls" -
• The Apples In Stereo - "Signal In The Sky (Let's Go)"
• Optiganally Yours - "Walk & Chew Gum"
• Shonen Knife - "Buttercup (I'm A Super Girl)"
• Komeda - "B.L.O.S.S.O.M."
• Dressy Bessy - "Bubbles"
• Bis - "Fight The Power"
• The Sugarplastic - "Don't Look Down"
• Cornelius - "The Fight"
• David Byrne with Malu - "Buttercup, Blossom, & Bubbles Say"
• Bis - "The Powerpuff Girls (End Theme)"
• Marty & Elayne - "Love Makes The World Go Round" [hidden track]

• Bis
• Frank Black
• David Byrne
• Devo
• The Pixies

Ex-Talking Heads frontman and world music connoisseur David Byrne has apparently set his sights on a new gig ... as a TV show host.

• David Byrne
• Talking Heads

The Foo Fighters, the Indigo Girls, Chumbawamba and David Byrne are just a few of the acts named to perform at the fifth annual Music Midtown Festival in Atlanta, Georgia, scheduled for the weekend of May 1-3.

Other acts recently announced by the Midtown organizers include: Paula Cole, Rocket from the Crypt, Tonic, Letters to Cleo, Son Volt and local heroes drivin n cryin. Concert promoters plan to add more acts to the bill in the forthcoming weeks.

Set in the heart of midtown Atlanta and featuring a rotating line-up across several outdoor stages, the festival has grown into one of the Southeast's premier musical events. Artists ranging from Bob Dylan to the Stone Roses have played previous editions of the Midtown fest, with last year's event drawing more than 200,000 over three days.

Tickets for this year's festival go on sale March 20, with single-day passes available for $20, and weekend passes for $30.

• David Byrne
• Chumbawamba
• Paula Cole
• Foo Fighters
• The Indigo Girls

Nine Inch Nails, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Many More At Bonnaroo 2009

• Nine Inch Nails
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• Erykah Badu
• Snoop Dogg
• MGMT