ShareThisA glance at some of the big releases and appearances -- from the inauguration to the Super Bowl -- coming from our pop icons in 2009.
Glasvegas
Its self-titled first album topped the year-end charts in Britain, and now this storming Glasgow four-piece band is on tour in the United States. Think Phil Spector's snowstorm production paired with Sam Cooke's heart-on-sleeve soul, all delivered in an impenetrable accent.
Aretha Franklin (Jan. 20)
The Queen of Soul will help usher in the next president of the United States in front of an expected audience of 4 million at Barack Obama's inauguration on the steps of the U.S. Capitol.
Franz Ferdinand (Jan. 27)
The Scottish guitar rock quartet stole the show from more high-profile acts such as the Killers and Death Cab for Cutie at Live 105's annual Christmas concert, officially making its third studio album, "Tonight: Franz Ferdinand," the first must-have release of the new year.
Bruce Springsteen (Feb. 1)
Following Prince, the Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney, Springsteen and the E Street Band get the coveted halftime slot at Super Bowl XLIII, helping get the word out on his new album, "Working on a Dream" (Jan. 27), to viewers. Just hope there aren't any wardrobe malfunctions.
Morrissey (Feb. 17)
The English songwriter has signed with Nashville's Lost Highway label -- home of artists such as Ryan Adams, Lucinda Williams and Willie Nelson -- with plans to tour behind his latest release, "Years of Refusal," through the spring. The Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde appears on the track "Shame Is the Name."
Kelly Clarkson (TBA)
Now that she has gotten the Goth bug out of her system, the "American Idol" star is set to reclaim the charts with "My Life Would Suck Without You," a new single produced by Swedish pop Svengalis Dr. Luke and Max Martin -- the men behind Carolina Liar's "I'm Not Over," Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl" and Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone."
U2 (March 3)
Steve Lillywhite, Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois -- the producers who helmed some of the group's best work -- are all onboard for U2's 12th studio record, "No Line on the Horizon," the follow-up to 2004's "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb."
Ida Maria (April)
With Bettie Page bangs, a raspy voice and the irresistible punk-pop single "I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked," is it any wonder this Scandinavian singer has already hit the big time with snooty music bloggers? The rest of the world will fall at her feet when her full-length "Fortress Around My Heart" arrives.
(E-mail Aidin Vaziri at avaziri(at)sfchronicle.com.)
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
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