We've seen her get dirrty; now it's time for Christina Aguilera to get Stripped.
The former genie releases her second album proper, one she calls more personal and authentically X-tina, featuring collaborations with Lil' Kim and Redman and production by Alicia Keys, Linda Perry and Scott Storch.
In other pop-gone-mature news, Nick Carter steps out as the latest boy band member to release a solo album. Now or Never finds a more down-home Carter playing guitar as well as performing some of his own material.
Also out Tuesday is the "8 Mile" soundtrack — featuring Eminem's get-pumped anthem "Lose Yourself" plus songs by Nas, Jay-Z and Xzibit — in addition to Shaggy's Lucky Day and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's Thug World Order.
Iceland's Sigur Rós release their first major-label album alongside Tori Amos' Scarlet's Walk, a sprawling record written on a road trip after September 11.
Finally, if you guessed that Nirvana's long-awaited (and much fought-over) greatest-hits album would get a special mention, you know you're right.
Out Tuesday, October 29:
- 4ft Fingers - From Hero to Zero (Golf)
- 999 - Biggest Tour in Sport (Captain Oi!)
- Acumen Nation - Coming Down (Underground Inc)
- Add N to (X) - Loud Like Nature (Mute)
- Christina Aguilera - Stripped (RCA)
Read: "Christina Aguilera: Not Your Puppet"
Buy Now: Stripped (RCA) - Alka - Deployed (Caroline)
- Tori Amos - Scarlet's Walk (Epic)
Read: "Tori Amos Writes Scarlet Letters, Draws Tour Map"
Buy Now: Scarlet's Walk (Epic) - Avantasia - The Metal Opera Pt. 2 (Century Media)
- Barn Shakers - 5 Minutes to Live (Goofin)
- Bile - Demonic Electronic (Underground Inc.)
- Black Bombay - Black Bombay (Amiata)
- Blades of Grass - Blades of Grass Are Not for Smoking (Rev-Ola)
- Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - Thug World Order (Ruthless/Epic)
Buy Now: Thug World Order (PA)- Cadillac Angels - Bucking the Odds (Envicta)
- Nick Carter - Now or Never (Jive)
Read: "Nick Carter Album A Trip Back To The '80s"
Buy Now: Now or Never (Jive)- Classics - Aiming for Girls and Missing (Skunk Ape)
- Lacuna Coil - Comalies (Century Media)
- Cowboy Nation - Cowgirl a-Go-Go (Paras)
- Damage Done by Worms - Evil Eyes (Crazy Love)
- Daycare Swindlers - Heathen Radio (Go Kart)
- Dixie Chicks - Collector's Box (Chrome Dreams)
- Dr. Dooom - First Come First Serve (Threshold)
- Electric Frankenstein - Listen Up Baby (TKO)
- Ellis and the Angry Teens - Can You Hear the Sound (Goofin)
- Flunk - For Sleepyheads Only (Guidance)
- Gabin - Gabin (Astralwerks)
- The Gloryholes - Want a Divorce (Dirtnap)
- Justincase - Justincase (Warner Bros.)
- Knightowl - Best of 2 (Familia)
- Koma - Criminal (Locomotive Music)
- Rachel Lampa - Blur (Word)
- Landmarq - Aftershock (Cyclops)
- Bill Laswell - Dub Chamber 4 - Book of Exit (ROIR)
- Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz - Kings of Crunk (TVT)
- Patty Loveless - Bluegrass and White Snow - A Mountain Christmas (Epic Nashville)
- Maharaja - 786 (Amiata)
- Manic Street Preachers - Forever Delayed (Epic)
- Adam Marsland - 232 Days on the Road: Live (Karma Frog)
- MC Unique - The King of Linguistics (Rap Junkie)
- Jimmy McGriff - McGriff Avenue (Milestone)
- Jo Dee Messina - A Joyful Noise (Curb)
- Meredith Monk - Mercy (ECM)
- Mr. Scruff - Trouser Jazz (Ninja Tune/NTone/Big Dada)
- Tracy Nelson - Deep Are the Roots (P-Vine)
- Nirvana - Nirvana (Universal)
Read: "Courtney Love, Universal Reach Agreement; Nirvana Material Freed Up For Release"
Buy Now: Nirvana (Universal)- Phish - Live Phish Vol. 13 10/31/94 Glens Falls Civic Center, Glens Falls, NY (Elektra)
- Phish - Live Phish Vol. 14 10/31/95 Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, Illinois (Elektra)
- Phish - Live Phish Vol. 15 10/31/96 The Omni, Atlanta, Georgia (Elektra)
- Phish - Live Phish Vol. 16 10/31/98 Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nevada (Elektra)
- Q & Not U - Different Damage (Dischord)
- Queer for Girls - Android Sex & Cartoon Drugs (Feedback Boogie)
- Race for Titles - Race for Titles (The Redemption Recording Co.)
- Rascal Flatts - Melt (Hollywood)
- Kenny Rogers - Gift (Curb)
- Bic Runga - Beautiful Collision (Columbia)
- Shaggy - Lucky Day (MCA)
Buy Now: Lucky Day (MCA)- Sigur Rós - Untitled (MCA)
- Simian - We Are Your Friends (Source/Astralwerks)
- Sixpence None the Richer - Divine Discontent (Reprise/Squint/Curb)
- Stars of Lid - Avec Laudenum (Kranky)
- Subincision - Berkeley's Newest Hitmakers (Substandard)
- Suicide - American Supreme (Mute/Blast First)
- Tandy - The Lowdown (Gammon)
- Tank - One Man (Blackground)
- This Is the Army - Call Me Mister (Jasmine)
- Thrust - Parade of Idiots (Bomb)
- Too $hort - What's My Favorite Word? (Jive)
Read: Too Short Gets Serious (About Pimpin') On New Album"- Mick Turner - Moth (Drag City)
- Various artists "8 Mile" soundtrack (Interscope)
Read: "Eminem Writes From Rabbit's Perspective For '8 Mile' Album"- Various artists - The Excelsis Box Set (Projekt)
- Various artists - "Grand Theft Auto" (Sony)
- Various artists - Lenny Dee Presents Industrial F---ing Strength 4: Chillin' Is Killin' (The Music Cartel)
- Various artists - Punks on Drugs (Antidote)
- Various artists - Songs in the Key of Z Vol. 2: The Curious Universe of Outsider Music (Gammon)
- Various artists - Totally Hits 2002 (Warner Music/BMG)
- Kirk Whalum - The Gospel According to Jazz: Chapter 2 (Squint/Curb)
- Yu-Gi-Oh - Music to Duel By (DreamWorks)
November 5:
- Badly Drawn Boy - Have You Fed the Fish? (Artistdirect)
- Björk - Björk's Greatest Hits (Elektra)
- Björk - Family Tree (Elektra)
- David Cross - Shut Up, You F---ing Baby! (Sub Pop)
Read: "David Cross Says Shut Up, You F---ing Baby! With Sub Pop's Help" - David Gray - A New Day at Midnight (ATO)
Read: "In Bed With Your Daughter? No Thanks, Says David Gray"
- Ms. Jade - Girl Interrupted (Beat Club/Interscope)
Read: "Ms. Jade, Nelly Furtado Battle Timbaland On Video Set" - Jaheim - Still Ghetto (Divine Mill/Warner Bros.)
Read: "Jaheim Shooting For 10 Million With Still Ghetto" - Jay-Z - The Blueprint 2: The Gift & the Curse (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)
Read: "Jay-Z Album Preview: Hova Ups The Ante With Blueprint 2"
Buy Now: The Blueprint 2: The Gift & the Curse (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam) - Third Eye Blind - Crystal Baller (Elektra)
Read: "Third Eye Blind Recruit Fred Durst, Andrew W.K. For Third Album" - Justin Timberlake - Justified (Jive)
Read: "Justin Timberlake: Justify My Love"
- Twista - Kamikaze (Atlantic)
Read: "Twista Finishing His Kamikaze, Playing Mickey And Mallory With Lil' Kim" - U2 - U2 - The Best of 1990-2000 (Interscope)
Buy Now: U2 - The Best of 1990-2000 (Interscope) - Various artists - Irv Gotti Presents ... The Remixes (Murder Inc./Def Jam)
Read: "Irv Gotti Shooting Ja Rule, Bobby Brown, Charli; Reveals Remixes List" - The Wallflowers - Red Letter Days (Interscope)
November 12:
- 3 Doors Down - Away From the Sun (Universal)
- Crazy Town - Darkhorse (Columbia)
Read: "Crazy Town Take On All Comers With Darkhorse" - Fat Joe - Loyalty (Atlantic)
Read: "Fat Joe Won't Dance With Ginuwine, But Records With R. Kelly" - Kool G Rap - The Giancana Story (Rawkus/Koch)
Read: "Kool G Rap LP Finally On The Way, Capone-N-Noreaga, Michael Stipe Included" - O-Town - O2 (J)
Read: "O2 Gives Members Of O-Town Room To Breathe, Write"
Buy Now: O2 (J) - Pearl Jam - Riot Act (Epic)
Read: "Pearl Jam Finalize Riot Act, Plan More Live Albums"
Buy Now: Riot Act (Epic) - Saliva - Back Into Your System (Island)
Read: "Saliva Shoot Down Domestic Abuse On New Single 'Always' " - TLC - 3D (Arista)
Read: "TLC Album Preview: 3D Tributes Left Eye With Sass, Spunk, Silence"
Buy Now: 3D (Arista) - Various artists - "Die Another Day" soundtrack (Warner Bros.)
Read: Madonna Escapes Electric Chair, Engages In Deadly Duel" - WC - Ghetto Heisman (Def Jam) Read: "WC Goes For The Ghetto Heisman With Help From Scarface, Cube, Snoop"
November 19:
- Audioslave - Audioslave (Epic)
Read: "Rage/Cornell Project To Release Album In November" - Toni Braxton - More Than a Woman (Arista)
Read: "Toni Braxton Working With Gotti, Neptunes, Husband On New LP"
Buy Now: More Than a Woman (Arista) - Foxy Brown - Ill Na Na 2: The Fever (Def Jam)
Read: "P. Diddy In Director's Chair For Ill Na Na 2" - Craig David - Slicker Than Your Average (Atlantic)
Read: "Craig David Plays Willy Wonka In 'Flava' Video"
Buy Now: Slicker Than Your Average (Atlantic) - George Harrison - Brainwashed (Dark Horse/Capitol)
- Ja Rule - The Last Temptation (Murder Inc./Def Jam)
Read: Ja Rule, Bobby Brown Team Up For 'Thug Lovin' "
Buy Now: The Last Temptation (Murder Inc./Def Jam) - Matchbox Twenty - More Than You Think You Are (Atlantic)
Buy Now: More Than You Think You Are (Atlantic) - Mudvayne - The End of All Things to Come (Epic)
Read: "Mudvayne Reach The End With New Album"
November 26:
- Baby - The Birdman (Cash Money)
Read: "Cash Money's Baby Makes Video Plans With P. Diddy, Toni Braxton" - DJ Envy - Block Party (Epic)
- Jennifer Lopez - This Is Me ... Then (Epic)
Read: "J. Lo Sets Release Date For LP After Song Leaks Out" - Sum 41 - Does This Look Infected? (Island)
Read: "Sum 41 Ask, Does This Look Infected?" - Various artists - "Chicago" soundtrack (Epic)
Read: "Janet Jackson To Appear On LP With Mya ... And Richard Gere" - Various artists - "Paid in Full" soundtrack (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)
December 3:
- Charli Baltimore - The Diary (You Think You Know)
(Murder Inc./Def Jam)
Read: "Charli Baltimore's Working All Night And Needs Pink" - Mariah Carey - Charmbracelet (MonarC/Island/Def Jam) Read: "Mariah Carey Insists She Just Needed Sleep, Taps Family History For New Clip"
December 17:
- Dashboard Confessional - Unplugged 2.0 (Vagrant)
- Nas - God's Son (Columbia)
Read: "Nas Sets Release For God's Son, Pooh-Poohs Jay-Z's Challenge"
