What? America's political sentiment may be optimistic following Barack Obama's historic presidential win, but leave it to electronic genre-hoppers Thievery Corporation to remind folks that all is not perfect.

What? Recording as El Guincho, Pablo Díaz-Reixa crafted drum-heavy, carnival-esque sounds on Alegranza (No. 33 on our 40 Best Albums of 2008 list).

What? Like High School Musical on a fieldtrip to the Warped Tour, the unabashedly theatrical Fall Out Boy bring an anthemic sheen to every track on their new album, Folie à Deux, out today.

What? From electro-pop pioneer Thomas Dolby to indie-rock progenitors the Feelies, nerds have always played a subversive but vital role in the field of popular music. The latest calculator-toting egghead?

What? Superstar DJs the world across, from Paul Oakenfold to LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy, know an eclectic mix of tunes is needed to keep the dance floor rockin'.

What? Hip-hop superstar Kanye West may have stretched sonic boundaries on his latest record, 808s and Heartbreak, but there was one small problem -- he forgot to rap.