R.E.M. [ tickets ]
"Accelerate"
(Warner Bros.)

The legendary modern rock band, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007, returns with its first new studio set since 2004's "Around the Sun." "Accelerate" was co-produced by R.E.M. and Jacknife Lee (U2, The Hives).

Having released four consecutive albums of mostly moody, introspective and artsy pop--1996's "New Adventures in Hi-Fi," 1998's "Up," 2001's "Reveal" and "Around the Sun"--the band is now returning to the harder, guitar-edged sound of its early years. The group previewed 10 of the 11 "Accelerate" tracks during its official South by Southwest showcase in Austin, TX, in early March, and those selections definitely seemed more in line with such classic R.E.M. offerings as 1987's "Document" than they did with more-recent records.

The Athens, GA, group will support "Accelerate" on the road, beginning in late May. Modest Mouse and The National have been taped as openers.

Van Morrison [ tickets ]
"Keep It Simple"
(Lost Highway)

The Belfast Cowboy, best known for such hits as "Gloria," "Moondance" and "Brown Eyed Girl," returns with a proper follow-up to 2006's "Pay the Devil." "Keep It Simple" is Morrison's second release on the Lost Highway label.

Morrison penned all 11 tracks on the new album, which marks a distinct change of pace from "Pay the Devil." That set was primarily built on covers of country classics, such as Hank Williams' "Your Cheatin' Heart" and "Things Have Gone to Pieces," originally performed by George Jones.

Even without releasing a new album last year, the Irish singer/songwriter still saw plenty of chart action. He released three compilations--"Van Morrison at the Movies--Soundtrack Hits," "The Best of Van Morrison Volume 3" and "Still on Top--The Greatest," all of which managed to chart on The Billboard 200.

George Strait [ tickets ]
"Troubadour"
(MCA Nashville)

The honky-tonk legend, appropriately nicknamed "King George," will add to his already massive record sales total with the release of "Troubadour." The album features the single "I Saw God Today," which is a hit on country radio.

Strait is one of the most successful recording artists in history. The RIAA ranks him at No. 11 on the list of best-selling artists in the US. His many accomplishments include releasing 32 albums that have all been certified platinum or multi-platinum, according to a press release.

The country crooner's previous studio set was 2006's "It Just Comes Naturally'' (yet another platinum effort). He also recently put out "22 More Hits," a collection of 22 songs that reached hit status, but failed to actually top the country charts. That record can be seen as a companion piece to 2004's self-descriptive "50 Number Ones."

The Rolling Stones [ tickets ]
"Shine a Light"
(Interscope)

"Shine a Light" is the soundtrack to the forthcoming Martin Scorsese-directed documentary about The Rolling Stones. The film, due in theaters April 4, was recorded during two comparatively intimate Stones gigs in late 2006 at the Beacon Theater in New York City.

The set includes such Stones favorites as "Jumping Jack Flash," "Sympathy for the Devil" and "Start Me Up." It also features contributions from guest stars at the concerts, including The White Stripes' Jack White and blues legend Buddy Guy.

Muse
"Haarp"
(Warner Bros.)

The British alt-rocker are huge in their homeland. Indeed, they're so big that they sold out two nights at London's massive 90,000-capacity Wembley Stadium in June 2007. Highlights from those concerts can be found on "Haarp," a new two-disc DVD/CD combo.

The set will surely prove popular in the US as well as Britain. The band's American fan base has been exploding ever since the release of 2006's "Black Holes and Revelations," a work that cracked the US Top 10.

More new releases:
The Black Keys, "Attack and Release" (Nonesuch)
Dream Theater, "Greatest Hit (...and 21 Other Pretty Cool Songs)" (Rhino)
Josh Gracin, "We Weren't Crazy" (Lyric Street)
Jackie Greene, "Giving Up the Ghost" (429 Records)
In Flames, "Sense of Purpose" (Roadrunner)
Kathy Mattea, "Coal" (R.E.D.)
Moby, "Last Night" (Mute)
The Osmonds, "Live in Las Vegas 50th Anniversary Reunion Concert" (Denon)
Joe Satriani, "Professor Satchafunkilus and the Musterion of Rock" (Epic)
Sevendust, "Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow" (Asylum)
Sun Kil Moon, "April" (Caldo Verde)
Theory of a Deadman, "Scars and Souvenirs" (Roadrunner)
Various Artists, "In the Name of Love: Africa Celebrates U2" (Shout Factory)
Victor Wooten, "Palmystery" (Heads Up)