Plus: Beastie Boys [ tickets ], Bryan Ferry [ tickets ], more

Kelly Clarkson [ tickets ] "My December" (RCA)

The original "American Idol," who captured the crown during the TV show's inaugural season in 2002, returns with her third full-length CD. Her previous outing, 2004's "Breakaway," was a Grammy-winning smash that has sold more than 5 million copies in the US.

Industry folks will be closely watching to see how "My December" performs on the charts, given that recent developments have brought Clarkson's degree of popularity into question. Most notably: the vocalist's summer arena tour, originally scheduled to kick off July 11, was canceled due to poor ticket sales.

Hannah Montana [ tickets ]/Miley Cyrus [ tickets ] "Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus" (Disney)

Clarkson's stiffest competition for chart supremacy this week comes from Hannah Montana.

Late last year, the young singer (whose real name is Miley Cyrus) topped the charts with her soundtrack to Disney's popular TV series "Hannah Montana," posting higher first-week sales than similarly timed offerings from My Chemical Romance, John Legend and other strong competitors. She would retain the top spot the following week, beating out new offerings from The Who and Barry Manilow.

This time around, she's trying to make a name for herself--literally. As the album's title shows, the young crooner is trying to publicize her somewhat-lesser-known real name. The star, by the way, is the daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, who also appears on the "Hannah Montana" TV series.

Ryan Adams [ tickets ] "Easy Tiger" (Lost Highway)

The acclaimed rock singer/songwriter apparently needed to take some time off after his hectic 2005, a year that saw the release of a double-album titled "Cold Roses" and two single platters, "Jacksonville City Nights" and "29." Now, he's back to action with the release of "Easy Tiger."

Adams is currently supporting "Easy Tiger" on the road. His tour kicked off June 22 in Toronto and currently extends through an Aug. 3 date at the Denver area's Red Rocks Amphitheatre. The vocalist will also join jam-band moe. at the annual moe.down festival Sept. 1 in New York.

Beastie Boys [ tickets ] "The Mix-Up" (Capitol)

Fans might take the album's title seriously and believe that there has indeed been some type of a "Mix-Up." Could the Beastie Boys have really put out a record without a single rapper's delight in the fold?

Yes, it's true. "The Mix-Up," the band's first offering since 2004's "To the 5 Boroughs," is an all-instrumental affair. But, as longtime fans know, it's not the group's first foray into the non-lyrical domain. That came with the 1996 compilation "The In Sound from Way Out."

Those looking for the BB's traditional vocal attack with find it when the group takes to the road this summer, beginning with an Aug. 1 smack-down in Philadelphia and continuing through an Aug. 25 date in Berkeley, CA.

Bryan Ferry [ tickets ] "Dylanesque" (Virgin)

The Roxy Music leader pays tribute to the great Bob Dylan on this collection. "Dylanesque" features Ferry covering such well-known Dylan cuts as "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues," "Simple Twist of Fate," "The Times They Are A-Changin'" and "Knockin' on Heaven's Door."

More new releases: Bad Brains, "Build a Nation" (Megaforce) Tab Benoit, "Power of the Pontchartrain" (Telarc) Alejandro Fernandez, "Viento a Favor" (Sony) Steve Forbert, "Strange Names and New Sensations" (429) Grateful Dead, "Three from the Vault" (Rhino) King Diamond, "Give Me Your Soul...Please" (Metal Blade) Nick Lowe, "At My Age" (Yep Roc) Sinead O'Connor, "Theology" (Koch) Pearl Jam, "Live at the Gorge 05/06" (Rhino) Andre Previn, "Alone: Ballads for Solo Piano" (Decca) Paul Simon, "The Essential Paul Simon" (Warner Bros.) Social Distortion, "Greatest Hits" (Time Bomb) Symphony X, "Paradise Lost" (SPV) Trio of Doom, "The Trio of Doom Live" (Sony Legacy) Kelly Willis, "Translated from Love" (Rykodisc)