INXS [ tickets ]
"Switch"
(Epic)

J.D. Fortune's surname seemed particularly appropriate back in September when he was named the new lead singer of the multi-platinum rock band INXS. Fans will find out if his luck carried over to the recording studio when the appropriately named "Switch" hits stores.

The Australian group, which is best known for such '80s hits as "Devil Inside," "Need You Tonight" and "What You Need," was originally fronted by Michael Hutchence, who died of an apparent suicide in 1997. Fortune was selected to lead the band after competing in an "American Idol"-style reality TV series called "Rock Star: INXS."

"Switch," the band's debut on Epic Records, was recorded with producer Guy Chambers. The first single from the CD is the cut "Pretty Vegas," which was a hit with TV audiences when it was featured on "Rock Star: INXS."

Dave Matthews Band [ tickets ]
"Weekend on the Rocks"
(RCA)

The Dave Matthews Bands' long-awaited return to Red Rocks Amphitheatre was one of the big stories of the concert year. It was the first time since 1998 that the multi-platinum jam band had played the famous Colorado venue, which is widely regarded as one of the most spectacular settings for live music in the world. DMB sold out four nights at the venue, with the proceeds from the last night going to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

"Weekend on the Rocks"--a special 2-CD, 1-DVD package--features the improvisational pop quintet performing such fan favorites as "Say Goodbye," "So Much to Say," "Too Much" and "Everyday." The set also draws strongly from DMB's chart-topping new CD, "Stand Up."

The Darkness [ tickets ]
"One Way Ticket to Hell . . . And Back"
(Atlantic)

Retro-rock act The Darkness returns to action with its eagerly anticipated sophomore effort. The first single from the album is "One Way Ticket," which was released Nov. 14 in the U.K. The band's debut record, 2003's "Permission to Land," produced the singles "Growing on Me" and "I Believe in a Thing Called Love," which managed to crack the Top 40 singles chart in the U.S. The flamboyant metal group plans to support "One Way Ticket to Hell ... And Back" with a February tour of major arenas in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Shakira
"Oral Fixation Vol. 2"
(Sony)

The Columbian dance-pop queen returns with her second batch of new material in roughly six months. The previous album, the Spanish-sung "Fijacion Oral, Vol. 1," hit stores back in June and managed to reach as high as number four on The Billboard 200 chart. The new album, which is sung in English, features a guest appearance by guitarist Carlos Santana on "Illegal."

Other new releases:

Chris Brown, "Chris Brown" (Jive)
Rick Danko, "Cryin' Heart Blues" (Other People's Music)
Deep Purple, "Rapture of the Deep" (Edel)
Richard Manuel, "Whispering Pines: Live at the Getaway" (Other
Katie Melua, "Piece by Piece" (Dramatico)
The Mob, "The Mob" (Frontiers)
Robin Trower, "Another Days Blues" (V-12)