Lil Wayne, Adam Lambert, Lady Gaga Lead Our Holiday Album Preview

There will be no recession in record stores over the holidays. In fact, with major releases from some of the biggest names in music slated to hit stores over the next six weeks, this shopping season is packed with one of the biggest bumper crop of anticipated releases in years.

Unlike past years, when hyped albums by Madonna, Eminem, U2 and other megastars were the focus of shoppers' action, this year's offerings span a wide variety of new stars (the American Idol triumvirate of Kris Allen, Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta), reissues by Beyonce and Lady Gaga, a greatest-hits collection from Britney Spears and highly anticipated albums from Rihanna, 50 Cent and Shakira. (All dates are subject to change.)

November 17
First out the gate are a number of albums that have been kicking around for so long, some people began to wonder if they would ever hit shelves. Chief among them is 50 Cent's Before I Self-Destruct, a disc that has been pushed around for nearly a year as the G-Unit boss made room for his capo, Eminem, to release Relapse. Kid Sister will also finally get a street date for her long-simmering Ultraviolet album, which has been in the offing even longer than 50's disc.

Idol winner Kris Allen will come out of the gate with his self-titled debut, which will vie for attention with the debut from Diddy pal Justin Bieber (My World), John Mayer's Battle Studies and MTV Unplugged disc from Katy Perry. Also, look for the Fall Out Boy greatest-hits album, Believers Never Die.

November 23
Thanksgiving week will blow things out even more, as turkey-stuffed shoppers will be able to choose from two Beyonce albums: a live disc called I Am ... Yours: An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas, as well as a deluxe edition of her I Am ... Sasha Fierce album. She'll be fighting for attention with a deluxe edition of Britney Spears' The Singles Collection, two versions of Lady Gaga's The Fame Monster reissue, Shakira's She Wolf and Rihanna's Rated R.

A couple of divas could spoil things for the array of superstars, as Britain's Got Talent breakout Susan Boyle drops her first effort, I Dreamed a Dream, and Idol glam rocker Adam Lambert offers up his bedazzled For Your Entertainment. Also set for release is Pricele$$ from Cash Money boss Birdman and the self-titled debut from BlakRoc, anchored by blues duo the Black Keys and featuring cameos from Mos Def, Q-Tip, RZA, ODB, Raekwon, Ludacris and Jim Jones (which actually drops on the 27th, which they've dubbed "Blak Friday").

December 1
The ranks thin a bit by December, which brings the debut album from Idol firebrand Allison Iraheta, Just Like You, as well as the first CD from Dollhouse singer and Internet sensation Priscilla Renea, Jukebox.

December 8
Things get a bit nutty again the following week, with a pileup of big names, led by Chris Brown with Graffiti, the 20-year-old singer's first release since his guilty plea in June for assaulting former girlfriend Rihanna in February. The hip-hop-heavy week will also see the long-delayed Till the Casket Drops from the Clipse, Gucci Mane's The State vs. Radric Davis, and Snoop Dogg's Malice N Wonderland.

Super-producer Timbaland will host the usual array of A-list talent for his Timbaland Presents Shock Value 2, while 30 Seconds to Mars emerge from a year of label drama with This Is War, indie faves Animal Collective offer up the Fall Be Kind EP, rapper Redman will also stuff some stockings with a little something called Reggie Noble 9 1/2, Ludacris will release a greatest-hits album and smoothie Robin Thicke will provide some Sex Therapy.

December 15
There are only a handful of big names on the roster for December 15, but they're major ones, led by Lil Wayne's long-delayed Rebirth, the soon-to-be-incarcerated rapper's so-called "rock" album, which will be packaged with the debut from his Young Money crew. Alicia Keys will return with The Element of Freedom.

December 22
And, as befits a true diva, Mary J. Blige has the lane all to herself December 22, when she drops Stronger.