In a nutshell: Jared Leto’s eyeliner-wearing brigade returns with yet another Goth-friendly album to please their teenage minions.

High notes: Gone are the bland nu-rock tendencies of their last record and in their place is a less blockheaded one that straddles a nice line between The Killers’ new wave assault and the Goth-opera sound that they started dabbling with in A Beautiful Lie. It’s lent itself to more imaginative melodies, as evident on their first single ‘Kings and Queens’, which sets the tone perfectly for the album.  

In a nutshell: Having “Michael Jackson’s lead guitarist” on your resume is pretty cool but what is even more remarkable is the fact that Orianthi Panagaris is only 24. Discovered by the late King of Pop and recruited by him to go on what would have been his final tour, the talented musician from Adelaide, Australia is branching out and has released her first studio album done with a major record label.

In a nutshell: After a year full of headlines for the wrong reasons, the Barbadian pop princess returns kicking and punching with an angsty album that’s fitting for the times. Chris Brown better watch his back.

High notes: Everyone’s dying to hear what the girl has to say after the whole Chris Brown debacle and she has said it with style and an irresistible tune. With track titles such as ‘Rude Boy’ and ‘Stupid in Turn’, Rihanna’s not letting anything slip under the radar on this one. With top notch compositions from illustrious peers such as will.i.am and The Dream, Rated R is a complex pop record that shoots for the stars but does not compromise on the basic necessities of a brilliant tune. Just check out the absolutely delectable ‘Wait Your Turn’.  

In a nutshell: The girl with the hips that do not lie trades in belly dancing for electro pop. Err, yeah, you heard that right.

High notes: Pharrell and cohorts have brought a new furious club-friendly streak to Shakira’s music. It’s electro-heavy with less emphasis on Latin grooves, and at times the formula works, as evident on the catchy and pumped title track that simply brings out a different beast in the Colombian blonde goddess.   

In a nutshell: The country girl who once wowed us on American Idol finally reinvents herself into a proper larger-than-life pop star.

High notes: Opener ‘Cowboy Cassanova’ showcases her desires early on, marrying country-friendly imagery with a thumping dance beat and a Shania-like strut that she wears quite well. And when she does settle into breezier pop pastures, she wears that equally as well too as heard on ‘Quitter’. She’s also just as comfortable letting the world know what she feels about something (‘Temporary Home’) through the natural power of a soaring ballad. Make no mistake, this girl fronts a pop song well.

In a nutshell: Joss Stone has come a long way from being the free-spirited teenager who daringly took on the White Stripes’ ‘Fell In Love With a Girl’ and made it her own. Now a more mature 22-year-old musician but no less soulful, Joss returns with album number four.

In a nutshell: New York dance-rock act Cobra Starship finally gets the attention of mainstream music lovers with their third album Hot Mess, thanks to the crowd-pleasing ‘Good Girls Go Bad’, a track penned by American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi. And just in case you didn’t know – which is highly unlikely – it also features a Gossip Girl.

In a nutshell: It’s the late King of Pop. Bow in reverence and awe.  

High notes: Well, the songs of course, almost every one of them. From the delectable smooth groove of early ballad ‘Human Nature’ to the pulsating 80s thump of ‘The Way You Make Me Feel’, right down to the gorgeous ‘Man in the Mirror’, all the favorites are here and accounted for. The man’s always had a zest that few have shown and it almost always shows on all the tracks here, even the cheesier ones like ‘I Just Can’t Stop Loving You’. Thankfully, we’ve been spared from taking in the audio iron maiden that is ‘Heal the World’. Best thing about the whole set? They don’t sound like they’ve aged a day. True blue pop classics.

In a nutshell: American Idol number six returns with a new album, look and direction.

High notes: The “Oh my God, I can’t believe I won American Idol” 17-year-old has matured into a young woman who has a better grasp of the R&B she was destined to make. First single ‘Battlefield’ – which is written and produced by Ryan Tedder – is a juicy slice of R&B that showcases her voice to perfection. Another standout track is the playful ‘S.O.S’ which sees her experimenting with techno beats rather successfully.

In a nutshell: The colourful Freddie Mercury fan with tight pants and elastic voice returns with his highly-anticipated sophomore.

High notes: The sheer magnitude of it all is at times quite remarkable. Unlike your tried and tired cookie-cut pop star, Mika has reconstructed pop to his liking and in his world, pop is a sheer saturated mess that is both catchy and large. From the heady heights of Queen-like pop opera to the twang of a ballad (‘By the Time’), the man is relentless. ‘Rain’ is a thunderous and pumping dance track that should have your feet tapping and hips swaying in record time. Lyrically, it’s nice to also see a star who’s not afraid to be part geek, part dork and be playful about it all. Why so serious? Indeed.     

The reigning queen of pop drops quite possibly her most comprehensive ‘greatest hits’ package to date

This is her fifth release in three years and that’s not counting all the stuff she’s done as her alter ego, Hannah Montana!