Cyndi Lauper

Leave it to Cyndi Lauper to make a track called "Rocking Chair," well, rock. Maybe we're stretching it, but we think that track is a metaphor for the original unusual girl's tenth album. Cyndi's a woman of a certain age who, 25 years into her career, has released a fierce collection of ardent politics ("Same Ol Story"), powerful vocals (ranging from the Madonna-esque to the almost unrecognizably raw) and, especially, passionate dance beats (some provided by Basement Jaxx). If this is how Cyndi does middle-aged, we can't wait to see how she rocks her rocking chair era.