LIL WAYNE - THA CARTER III
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RATING: *****
RELEASED: JUNE 10, 2008
Tha Carter III is the sixth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released June 10, 2008 on Cash Money Records. The first three singles released from the album, ("Lollipop", "A Milli", and "Got Money"), have all achieved top ten success on the Billboard Hot 100, a very rare feat for a rap album. The fourth single, "Mrs. Officer", reached the Top 20 quickly in 4 weeks after Wayne confirmed this song to be an official single. The album received positive reviews and from several music critics and publications, while it earned universal acclaim, according to the website aggregator Metacritic, following an anticipated release. In December 2008, the album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album to be presented at the 51st Grammy Awards.
Listen: "Mrs Officer" "Got Money" "Lollipop" "Mr Carter" "A Milli"

KANYE WEST - 808s AND HEARTBREAK
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RATING: *****
RELEASED: NOVEMBER 24, 2008
808s & Heartbreak is the fourth studio album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released November 24, 2008 on Roc-A-Fella Records. The album was originally scheduled for a December 16 release, but was pushed forward to increase sales during the holiday season. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. 808s & Heartbreak is West's first album without the Parental Advisory logo.
Listen: "Love Lockdown" "Heartless" "See you in My Nightmare"


T.I. - PAPER TRAIL
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RATING: ****
Paper Trail is the sixth studio album by American hip hop artist T.I., released on September 30, 2008. T.I. began to write songs for the album as he awaited trial for federal weapons and possession charges. Unlike his past albums, he wrote his lyrics down on paper, which he had not done since his debut album, I'm Serious. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 568,000 copies in its first week, becoming T.I.'s best debut sales to date and the fourth highest debut of the year, eventually being certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It received generally favorable reviews from critics and has been nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.
Listen: "Live the Life" "My Life Your Entertainment" "Whatever You Like" "Dead and Gone"

NE-YO - YEAR OF THE GENTLEMAN
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RATING: *****
The first single, "Closer", was released on April 15. The song debuted at number twenty-two on the UK Singles Chart, and later reached number one. On Billboard's Hot 100, the song peaked at number seven, while it has reached number one on the Hot 100 Airplay chart. The second single, "Miss Independent", was released on August 11. The physical release will be accompanied by a video which premiered on August 21 on Access Granted.[4] Both these songs are produced and co-written by Stargate.
Listen: "Closer" "Mad" "Miss Independent" "Back to..."

USHER - HERE I STAND
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RATING:****1/2
Here I Stand is the fifth studio album by American R&B singer Usher, released on May 27, 2008 in the United States. This is the floow up to the mega successful "Confessions" With guest appearances from Beyonce, Wil.I.Am and more. The first single "Love in this Club" hit the top spot on Billboards Hot 100 Singles. Worldwide sales stand at two million copies, 2008. The album's cover shows a license plate cinco1126, the date of his son's birth and nickname.
Listen: "Love in this Club" "His Mistake" "Appetite" "Whats a man gotta do" "Moving Mountains"

DAVID COOK - DAVID COOK
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RATING: ***1/2
RELEASED: NOVEMBER 18, 2008
American Idol winner David Cook. David Cook is the major-label debut album (second overall) from seventh season American Idol winner David Cook. The album was released on November 18, 2008 in the United States. It has produced a top twenty single, "Light On", and has sold approximately 582,000 copies to date. The album debut #3 on Bilboard 200 Albums Chart and sold areound 300,000 thousands on its first week of release.
Listen: "Light On" "Bar-Ba-Sol" "Permanent" "Mr Sensitive" "Daily Anthem"

NICKELBACK - DARK HORSE
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RATING: *****
RELEASED: NOVEMBER 18, 2008
Dark Horse is the sixth studio album by Canadian rock band Nickelback, released on November 18, 2008 (a day earlier in Europe). The follow-up to their multi-platinum selling All the Right Reasons released in 2005, the album was co-produced by the band and Grammy Award-winning producer and songwriter Robert John "Mutt" Lange, famous for working with such acts as AC/DC, Bryan Adams, Def Leppard and Shania Twain, and the album itself was produced entirely on FL Studio. The first single from the album was "Gotta Be Somebody", which was released online for free download on September 29, 2008 for a strict 24-hour period.[2] "If Today Was Your Last Day" was the originally planned lead single but was scrapped at the last minute. The track "Something in Your Mouth" became available for download from the U.S. iTunes store on October 28, and will be released to U.S. rock radio as the second single from the album on December 15.

DAVID ARCHULETA - DAVID ARCHULETA
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RATING: ****
RELEASED: NOVEMBER 11, 2008
David James Archuleta (born December 28, 1990) is an American singer. In May 2008, he became the runner-up on the seventh season of American Idol receiving 44 percent of over 97 million votes. Archuleta's first single "Crush" was released in August 2008, which reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles and his self-titled debut album was released in November 2008 reached #2 on the albums chart.
Listen: "Crush" "A Little Too Not Over You" "Hands" "Touch My Hand"


BRITNEY SPEARS - CIRCUS
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RATING: *** 1/2
RELEASED: NOVEMBER 28, 2008
Circus is the sixth studio album by American pop singer Britney Spears. Jive Records, in collaboration with Zomba Label Group and Sony Music Entertainment, released it on November 28, 2008. Having moved over 505,000 copies in the United States in its first week, Circus debuted on the Billboard 200 at number one, making it Spears's fifth number-one album. The feat made Spears the only act in Nielsen SoundScan history to have four albums debut with 500,000 or more copies sold. The first single, "Womanizer", became Spears's first number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 since her debut "...Baby One More Time", almost 10 years prior.[4][5] The second single, the title track of the album, "Circus", debuted at number three on the Hot 100 chart.
Listen: "Womanizer" "Circus"

LEONA LEWIS - SPIRIT
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RATING: ****
RELEASED: APRIL 20, 2008
Spirit is the debut album by British singer, Leona Lewis, released by Syco Music in November 2007 (see 2007 in music) in the British Isles and worldwide during early 2008. The release of the album marks Lewis as the first winner of a major television talent show in both the UK and USA to be given a major global launch with a debut album. Lewis says she named the album Spirit because "it is my heart and soul and the voice within that says everything is possible." debuted at number one in nine countries, including the United Kingdom, United States, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Germany. It also holds the record for the biggest digital album sales in a week ever for a new artist, male or female.
Listen: "Bleeding Love" "Better In Time" "I Will" "Yesterday" "Take A Bow" "Run"



BEYONCE - I AM.. SASHA FIERCE
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RATING: ***
RELEASED: NOVEMBER 18, 2008
is the third solo studio album by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles, released on November 18, 2008 in the United States.[3][4]. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making it Knowles' third consecutive number-one album. I Am… Sasha Fierce was ranked number-two on Entertainment Weekly's list of the 10 Best Albums of 2008 by critic Leah Greenblatt
Listen: "Halo" "If You Were A Boy"

MARIAH CAREY - E=MC2
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RATING: *****
RELEASED: APRIL 8, 2008
E=MC² is the eleventh studio album by American pop/R&B singer Mariah Carey. The album was released on April 15, 2008 in the United States. It debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 with 463,000 copies sold, making it the biggest opening week sales of her career. The first single from the album, "Touch My Body", reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Other singles include "Bye Bye", "I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time", and "I Stay in Love".
Listen: "Touch My Body" "Last Kiss" "Im That Chick"


BRANDY - HUMAN
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RATING: ***1/2
RELEASED: DECEMBER 5, 2008
Human is the fifth studio album by American R&B singer Brandy, released in France on December 5, 2008 and by December 9 in North America. The album marks Brandy's debut on the Epic Records label, following her split with Atlantic Records in 2005. This is a very good album from Brandy, Human is filled with very good slow jams. Though this album would certainly not be a hit this is still one of Brandy's best album since "Never Say Never"
Listen: "Long Distance" "True" "Departed"



TAYLOR SWIFT - FEARLESS
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RATING: NOT YET RATED
RELEASED: NOVEMBER 11, 2008
Fearless is the second studio album by American country pop artist Taylor Swift, released on November 11, 2008 (see 2008 in country music) on Big Machine Records. It debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200, U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums, Canadian Albums Chart, and Canadian Top Country Albums, and has been certified Platinum by RIAA. Its lead single “Love Story” hit number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs (her third number one) and Canadian Country Singles Chart and peaked at #5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #4 on the Canadian Hot 100, becoming her highest charting single in both U.S. and Canada. It’s been certified Platinum by RIAA. Four digital only singles were released from the albums and all hit top 20 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100: “Change” (#10), “Fearless” (#9), “You're Not Sorry” (#11) and “You Belong with Me” (#12). The song “White Horse”, without a single release and no promotion, due to high popularity, debuted at #13 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. With "White Horse", Swift made "a calendar-year record for any artist in the 50-year history of the chart [...for...] she is now tied for second place with Mariah Carey and the Beatles for the most top 20 debuts in a career. One more new entry inside this elite tier will put her in a three-way tie for first place with Janet Jackson and Madonna."[1] Also, every track on the album has charted on the Billboard Hot 100/Bubbling Under Hot 100.

JASON MRAZ - WE SING, WE DANCE, WE STEAL THINGS
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RATING: ***1/2
RELEASED: MAY 13, 2008
We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. is Jason Mraz's third studio album released on May 13, 2008.[2] The album peaked at number three in the Billboard 200, Mraz's highest peaking album thus far. The title of the album refers to a piece of art by David Shrigley which caught Mraz's attention while he traveled through Scotland.
Listen: "Im Yours" "Lucky"

FALL OUT BOY - FOLIE A DEUX
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RATING: ****1/2
RELEASED: DECEMBER 13, 2008
Folie à Deux is the fifth studio album by Fall Out Boy. The album, which is the follow-up to their 2007 hit album Infinity on High, was released on December 13, 2008. Folie released song after song after song before the released date. the first single "I Dont Care" is a certified hit!
Listen: "I Dont Care" "Americas Suitehearts" "Watch A Catch, Donnie" "Headfirst Slide..."

TWILIGHT - SOUNDTRACK
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RATING: ****
RELEASED:
Twilight is a 2008 romantic-fantasy film directed by Catherine Hardwicke and based on the novel of the same name by Stephenie Meyer. The film stars Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan, a teenage girl who falls in love with vampire Edward Cullen, portrayed by Robert Pattinson. The project was in development for approximately three years at Paramount Pictures before it was put into pre-production by Summit Entertainment. The novel was adapted for the screen by Melissa Rosenberg in late 2007, shortly before the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike. The film was primarily shot in Washington and Oregon in early 2008. Twilight was released in theaters on November 21, 2008,[5] and grossed $35.7 million on its opening day.[6] The soundtrack was released on November 4, 2008.