The Black Eyed Peas make effective pop/crossover music, but with all the limitations of the form -- vapid lyrics, clumsy delivery, vocals smoothed over by Auto-Tune, and songwriting that constantly strains for (and reaches) the lowest common denominator. Worse yet, they aren't content to be disposable pop stars; they also want to write anthemic, vital songs that speak for a new generation. And so comes The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies). For every hyper-sexualized, by-the-numbers track like the hit single "Boom Boom Pow," there are message songs like "Now Generation," which begins, in cheerleader fashion, with the lines: "We are the now generation! We are the generation now!/This is the now generation! This is the generation now!" Led by will.i.am's production, which is continually the best thing about the album, the Black Eyed Peas move even farther away from hip-hop into the type of blandly inspirational dance-pop that has become ripe for advertising and marketing opportunities, including "I Gotta Feeling" ("I gotta feeling that tonight's gonna be a good night") and "Party All Night" ("If we could party all night and sleep all day, and throw all of our problems away, my life would be ea-say"). There's also a call for unity titled "One Tribe," which gradually descends into confusion -- and nearly self-parody -- with a line about the dangers of making enemies, rapped this way: "If I had an enemy, then my enemy's gonna try to come kill me 'cuz I'm his enemy -- one tribe y'all." Between tracks, there are also occasional cameos from a narrator, who sounds strangely like Star Trek's Worf, intoning nuggets like these: "There is no longer a physical record store, but we will continue to let the beat rock!" and "The most powerful force on the planet is the energy of the youth/But when this powerful youth becomes activated and stimulated and collectively decides not to buy things, what will happen to the economy?" Granted, there's nothing here as embarrassing as "My Humps," and the production is a shade better than previous material from the group or Fergie solo (although still not as good as will.i.am solo ventures), but The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies) is a mess of pop/dance/rap crossover. It certainly won't change the minds of everyone who thinks that the group's pandering approach and clumsy execution make it the worst thing about pop music in the 2000s.© John Bush /TiVo

On her second follow-up to Tapestry and third new album in less than two years, Carole King turned entirely to new compositions, most of them co-written with Toni Stern, rather than relying partly on songs from her back catalog. The result was a thinner collection than Tapestry or Music, although the album still went to number two and featured the Top 25 hit "Been to Canaan," as well as the warm love song "The First Day in August."© William Ruhlmann /TiVo

In contrast to the 1970s -- when artists ranging from Curtis Mayfield to Parliament/Funkadelic were praised for their albums -- singles defined soul music in the 1960s. It has often been pointed out that many Stax and Motown albums of the '60s had their share of filler -- nonetheless, others were full of gems that should have been released as singles. Reissued on CD in 1991, Knock on Wood is one of Eddie Floyd's best albums. The soul shouter successfully embraced sleeker northern soul on other projects, but here he sticks to the type of raw, hard-edged Memphis soul that Stax was first known for. From the unforgettable title song (a number one R&B hit) to covers of J.J. Jackson's "But It's Alright," Jerry Butler's "I Stand Accused," and Wilson Pickett's "634-5789," this CD beautifully illustrates the splendor of down-home Southern R&B.© Alex Henderson /TiVo

Wheels Are Turnin' blends clear, crisp ballads with high-energy pop/rock, which eventually gave REO Speedwagon four Top 40 singles, the same amount as Hi Infidelity credited them with four years earlier. Kevin Cronin's writing is rock-solid, a delightful turnaround from 1982's Good Trouble album. As one of the band's best ballads, "Can't Fight This Feeling" puts an elegant piano riff in front of Cronin's earnest voice, presenting REO with its second number one single, while "I Do' Wanna Know" is a turbulent ride of clean-cut guitar and up-and-down piano that comes off as well-crafted pop with a bite. Every track has the band sounding sharper and more alive, with even the less-extravagant material like "Break His Spell" and "Thru the Window" emanating merit. "One Lonely Night" throws the spotlight on Cronin's voice, proving that his expertise at carrying out the slow stuff hasn't dwindled, while "Live Every Moment" rounds out the last of the singles from the album, hitting number 34 in August of 1985, eight months after Wheels Are Turnin' achieved its number-seven mark on the U.S. charts. With production, songwriting, and tight instrumentation wisely dished out in equal portions, Wheels Are Turnin' was evidence that REO Speedwagon could still make some gratifying rock & roll.© Mike DeGagne /TiVo

Although Lifeline captures Roy Ayers in creative freefall, his commercial prospects never looked brighter. The record's clear highlight, "Running Away," proved a monster club hit, galvanized by Ayers' eccentric vocal, an infectious melody and an absolutely killer bassline, but the remainder of the LP settles for tepid hooks, bland arrangements, and more cheap cosmetics than a two-dollar hooker. Absent the ambition and ingenuity of early Ubiquity efforts, Lifeline is virtually indistinguishable from your average disco record, a shocking decline for a musician of Ayers' caliber. Overbaked production smothers by-the-numbers entries like "Sanctified Feeling" and "Gotta Find a Lover," while the title cut relies on electronic gimmickry in favor of organic energy. Worst of all, far more disappointing Ayers efforts were still to come. [The CD was also released with a bonus track.]© Jason Ankeny /TiVo

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