Mid-year hits and misses

The project: Kanye West goes glow-in-the-dark for his latest tour.

The buildup: Redefining the live hip-hop experience, the rap superstar lined-up a solid list of supporting acts -- Rihanna, N.E.R.D. and Lupe Fiasco -- and created a hip-hop space opera.

Hit or miss: Hit.

While West recently agitated crowds at Bonnaroo for showing up late (try after 4 a.m.), the controversial rapper proved more entertaining than not. Wrote The Times’ Ann Powers in her review of the concert, “This was pure comic-book adventure, obvious at times. But the real message came through those unstoppable images. Glow in the Dark raises the bar for arena tours as no show has since U2’s 1992 Zoo TV breakthrough. It’s that innovative and galvanizing.”  (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

The project: The winter and spring of the diva.

The buildup: New albums were released from Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey and Madonna. Would the blockbuster artists prove to have staying power late in their career? Could Mariah match the success of “The Emancipation of Mimi”? Could Madonna score a hit on U.S. radio? Would the world still care about Janet?

Hit or miss: Jackson’s “Discipline” seems to have came and went, with critics not crazy about the album’s blatant sexual content. Meanwhile, as of mid-June, both Madonna and Mariah are still in the top 20 on the U.S. pop charts. Madonna’s “Hard Candy” spawned radio and iTunes hit “4 Minutes to Save the World,” and Mariah racked up another No. 1 with “Touch My Body.”

While “Hard Candy” may not be the blockbuster smash some hoped for, it’s proving a consistent seller and a strong promotional tool for an upcoming tour. A miss for Jackson, and a hit for Mariah and Madonna.  (Jacques Brinon / Associated Press)

The project: Gnarls Barkley’s sophomore effort, “The Odd Couple”

The buildup: Could the act spawn another “Crazy,” one of the runaway hits of 2006?

Hit or miss: Hit.

While nothing off “The Odd Couple” has come close to matching the insane crossover success of “Crazy,” the album has proved to be one of 2008’s strongest efforts. After 12 weeks, it’s still on the U.S. pop charts, peaking at No. 12. , The duo of producer Danger Mouse and rapper-singer Cee-Lo craftied an album of psychedelic soul. The massive success of “Crazy” perhaps somewhat obscured the fact that “St. Elsewhere” was a spooked record, full of nightmare imagery that was dressed with Danger Mouse’s lush production. “The Odd Couple” seems to take this vision even further, full of vintage and haunting sounds that make for a rewarding listen.  (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

The project: A second season of Lifetime’s hit military drama “Army Wives”

The buildup: Think “Desperate Housewives” without the comedy. Lifetime’s top-rated drama closed out its first season with a bomb, literally. Would it be a jump-the-shark kinda moment, killing the momentum earned by its game-changing steal of Bravo’s “Project Runway,” or would the characters’ deaths amount to more in the new season?

Hit or miss: Hit.

“Army Wives” kicked off its second season with 4.5 million viewers and a satisfying -- if surprising -- resolution to last year’s cliffhanger. What will Claudia Joy do with her teenage daughter Amanda gone?  (Fred Norris / Associated Press)