Soulful, raucous, sexy, and raw
New releases from Norah Jones, Courtney Love, Kylie Minogue, and Melissa Etheridge convey deep emotions and high hopes
Is the music business showing signs of a comeback? After all the bad news of recent years, CD sales rose in the last quarter of 2003. An upbeat, pep-rally tone carried over to Sunday's Grammy Awards. And today, the most hotly anticipated Tuesday so far this year, brings the releases of four potential blockbuster CDs -- all from women who have the ability to cut across niche markets. But each artist confronts a unique challenge.
2003 Grammy darling Norah Jones faces daunting expectations. Courtney Love must make people focus on her music rather than on her sideshow behavior. Kylie Minogue needs to prove that she hasn't already peaked. And Melissa Etheridge is trying to catch fire again.
If they can rack up out-of-the-box numbers, it would be a hopeful sign for an industry desperate for more positive news. 