plus: Busta Rhymes [ tickets ], The Get Up Kids, 'Ozark Folksongs,' more.

Various artists
"The Concert for New York City" (Sony/Columbia)

Paul McCartney [ tickets ] organized the Concert for New York City, which took place at the city's Madison Square Garden on Oct. 20. The two-disc album contains performances from McCartney, the Who, David Bowie, Billy Joel and Destiny's Child [ tickets ], among others.

Sony Music announced that net proceeds from the album will go to the Robin Hood Foundation, which benefits victims of the Sept. 11 terrorists attacks. The concert itself reportedly raised $14 million.

The label also said that it has plans to release DVD and VHS versions of the concert.

Detailed information about the album, including complete track-listing and credits, can be found at Columbia’s official "The Concert for New York City" website.

Ludacris [ tickets ]
"Word of Mouf" (Def Jam)

Following his successful 2000 major-label debut, "Back for the First Time," Atlanta's Ludacris--a.k.a. Chris Bridges--has recruited fellow rappers Twista, Nate Dogg, Jagged Edge and Mystikal to contribute vocals to this sophomore effort. The album features beats by the Neptunes, Organized Noise and Trackmasterz.

On Dec. 8 and 9, Ludacris is scheduled to film the video for the album's second single, "Saturdays," which is the follow-up to "Rollout (My Business)."

One song on the album, "Area Codes," appeared on July's "Rush Hour 2" soundtrack.

This year, Ludacris has collaborated with Missy Elliott on her current hit "One Minute Man," and he appears in the upcoming Dr. Dre/Snoop Dogg movie "The Wash." He also raps on the upcoming "Ryde or Die Vol. 3," the latest Ruff Ryders' compilation.

On Monday night (11/26) at 8 p.m. ET, Ludacris is scheduled to hold an online chat session on AOL, according to his official website. The rapper's site features a streaming sampler of music from "Word of Mouf."

Smash Mouth [ tickets ]
"Smash Mouth" (Interscope)

On the heels of their hit cover of "I'm a Believer" for the "Shrek" soundtrack, the San Jose, Calif.-based pop-rockers drop their self-titled third album.

Eric Valentine, who produced the band's previous releases, returns to co-produce. The album's first single is titled "Pacific Coast Party," which sits at No. 37 on Billboard's latest Mainstream Top 40 chart. "I'm a Believer"--the Neil Diamond-penned song that was originally a hit for the Monkees--also appears on "Smash Mouth." That track peaked at No. 25 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart.

"Smash Mouth" is the follow-up to 1999's "Astro Lounge," which has sold more than 3 million copies in the U.S. to date. It spawned the hit single "All Star."

On Friday night (11/30), Smash Mouth will launch its tour behind the new album.

Busta Rhymes
"Genesis" (J Records)

The rapper makes his J Records debut, having spent his entire solo career until now with the Elektra label.

"Genesis" is Busta's fifth solo album. It features production and cameo appearances by the Neptunes, Pete Rock, Diamond D, Dr Dre, Battlecat, Kelis, Kokane, Mary J. Blige, Jaheim, Rah Digga, Flipmode Squad and P. Diddy.

The album's first single, currently on BET and MTV, is titled "Break Ya Neck." The video and audio for the single, and the audio for two other songs ("As I Come Back," "What It Is") are streaming at Rhymes' official website.

Rhymes will reportedly star as the Cowardly Lion in a 2002 TV musical version of "The Wizard of Oz," with Little Richard in the title role, featuring Ginuwine (Scarecrow), Patti LaBelle (Wicked Witch) and Queen Latifah (Glinda the Good Witch).

The Get Up Kids
"Eudora" (Vagrant)

Get Up Kids fans hungry for a new record from the emo-core band will have to sate themselves with "Eudora," a 17-song collection of seven-inch singles, cover songs, compilation tracks and other assorted rare or out-of-print recordings. An unreleased cover of David Bowie's "Suffragette City" is among the tracks.

The band's self-titled album of new material will be released in early January 2002. Scott Litt (Nirvana, REM, the Replacements) produced it.

Various artists
"Ozark Folksongs" (Rounder)

Rounder Records releases 35 tracks from the Archive of Folk Culture.

According to the Library of Congress, writer Vance Randolph traveled through southern Missouri and northern Arkansas in the '20s and '30s to research a book titled "Ozark Folksongs." Then, in 1941, the Archive commissioned Randolph to return to the region to record many songs that he had heard during his earlier travels.

A label press release about the album says, "Most of the selections have never been commercially available before now; and, indeed, some of the songs and ballads have not been previously recorded by any singers."

A couple of songs on the track list do leap out: the oft-covered "Shortnin' Bread," as well as "Hell Among the Yearlings," which shares its title with the 1998 album from Americana singer-songwriter Gillian Welch ("O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack).

Other new releases:

Benny Martin - "The "Big Tiger Roars Again (Part 2)" (OMS)
Papa M - "Whatever, Mortal" (Drag City)

Compiled by Jon Zahlaway with Rob Evans, Christina Fuoco, Scott Henkemeyer, Marc Weidenbaum and James Woster.