Ann Powers, Pop Music Critic

It's not about just the music. Lady Gaga, Katie Perry, Janelle Monae and others never break character....




It's poignant. It's wrenching. But most of all, it's so very Michael.




This documentary is an exemplary look at the African superstar's life and the...




For fans, he was a boy prodigy or a troubled adult.




Jackson never let go of the mandate to transform. It became the great source...




The idiosyncratic bard visits eras and regions with dry Brit wit in a live set in Hollywood.




With an electric Alison Mosshart out front and Jack White on drums, it's a...




The 'American Idol' runner-up views his confirmation in Rolling Stone as no...




The punk trio takes a dazzling musical journey in their latest concept album.



Think you know the sound of this continent? It's time to listen again. Home-...




Yes, trophies are given out. But they are secondary to the celebration of...




Jenny Lewis had done polished. It was time for a real free-wheelin' family,...




The performer connects with fans on her 'Rock Witchu' tour.



With her theatrical flair and big songs, it's a wonder the Backwoods Barbie...




Metallica "Death Magnetic" (Warner Bros. Records) * * * Pop music might be the only business whose...



Raphael Saadiq, Eric Benet and others are also part of a bumper crop of releases...




Eclectic playlist showcases the evolution of the band's sound, from dance...




Seattle fest shows that Sub Pop's 'world domination' plans may have come true.




Today's tween stars are singing honestly about relationships without amping up...




At the Forum, he finds the right mix to be the fans' Dr. Feel Good.




On a Glitter and Doom stop in Phoenix, he finds ways to freshen his considerable...




As he readies his 'TwentyFive Live' tour, the pop star ponders the seeming...




Her 1993 album was by far her biggest to date, and taking part in a reissue of...




The musician's dazzling performance Saturday night uses hits, guest stars and...




Michael Jackson, unlike Britney and Paris, is too alien to garner the public's...




In pure comic-book adventure, the Seattle show is big on heroics.




The singer's classic hit bridges the generation gap in a new AT & T ad.




"All the Lost Souls" (Atlantic Records) "Playlist" (Mercury Records)




"It Won't Be Soon Before Long"(A&M/Octone)




Minutes to Midnight (Warner Bros.)




Strength, suffering and survival mark the poetry of three artists on the pop-...




The documentary details the controversy that engulfed the Dixie Chicks after...




Cirque Du Soleil is all about personal growth — in the literal sense, celebrating the astounding...




The movie "Idlewild" and the music of OutKast can learn from each other. The...




Pop protest, born of unifying slogans, reinvents itself for a new era. But...