When gay icon Marc Almond – one-half of Britain’s first successful electro-duo, Soft Cell – was involved in a near-fatal motorcycle crash in 2004, his solo career was all but over. Ever the fighter, though, Almond bounced back remarkably and is determined to regain his status as the prescient singer/songwriter he once was. Though he realizes many aspects of life will never be the same, Almond retains his rose-colored outlook on life, which shines through the song choices for his inspired and personal new release, Stardom Road. A collection of cover songs, Stardom Road embodies the diverse musical influences that have shaped Almond’s life, including “Cry” by Johnny Ray; “London Boys,” by David Bowie; “Dream Lover,” originally an up-tempo classic by Bobby Darin; and the very close-to-home “I Have Lived,” which Almond says is a celebration of life itself, “embracing the Joie de Vivre, seeking neither redemption nor forgiveness on the day of reckoning.” The only non-cover on the album, “Beauty will Redeem the World” – a quote attributed to Dostoevsky, suggesting that sometimes compromise will set you free – is the first song Almond has penned since the accident. “Beauty will perhaps save us all,” said the celebrated survivor about the track. And he should know.

You may not have heard of Mark Ronson, but you definitely like his work. That’s because in the past few years, the British-born, N.Y.C.-based ex-pat has had his hands in all things hot, including new tracks for Christina Aguilera, Nikka Costa, Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse. But those much-buzzed-about releases are just a sampling of what this musical auteur is capable of. On his sophomore solo album Version – his first, 2003’s Here Comes the Fuzz, was shamefully ignored – Ronson uses his own re-interpretive style to give new legs to fading-fast pop songs. This album isn’t anything if not impressively eclectic with the irrepressible talents of Dirt McGirt spittin’ verse over “Toxic” by Britney Spears; “Only One I Know” by Robbie Williams; and Lily Allen opening up a little wider on “Oh My God,” originally by The Kaiser Chiefs.

“With my first album,” Ronson says, “I had all these people like Mos Def and M.O.P. guesting. This time it’s not about that. With Version, I’ve taken these songs that I love and turned them into Motown/Stax ’70s versions.”

Because, well, why not make money off of someone else’s hits?

Akin to his father, Enrique Iglesias is quietly becoming one of the most successful artists in the history of pop music. Don’t believe it? Consider this: The Spanish singer has released only two No. 1 hits in the United States, the last of which was “Be With You” in 2000. Still, he’s sold more than 40 million records in just more than a decade – nearly as many as ZZ Top but in half the time. Iglesias’ latest record, Insomniac – his eighth – is a humorous nod to the sleepless nights and obsessive detail that was poured into the three-year project, which, at its beginning, sounded nothing like it does today. In its final incarnation, the disc contains 12 songs in English and three Spanish-language tracks, all of which were conservatively handpicked from a pool of about 35 songs written and recorded for the album. Among those that made the cut are standouts such as “Push,” a hip-hop hinged collaboration with rapper Lil’ Wayne, and “Ring My Bell,” a volatile ballad that Iglesias penned with Swedish composer Kristian Lundin in Los Angeles. If his past success is any indication, Insomniac is poised to carry this Latin lover over the 50-million-sold threshold, which includes legendary artists like Bob Marley and Duran Duran. Not bad for someone who blatantly admits to having a severely small penis.

When Beyoncé decided to go solo in 2002, it was a fair bet that Destiny’s stepchild Kelly Rowland would follow in the footsteps of another abandoned band mate, ’N SYNC’s JC Chasez – trying but never really succeeding as a solo artist. Not so. Rowland released her first album, Simply Deep, in 2002, proving that she had star power of her own when it produced the chart-topping, Grammy-winning single “Dilemma.” After a half-decade hiatus, Rowland returns with her eagerly awaited follow-up, Ms. Kelly, a playful and passionate album featuring hip-hop’s heaviest hitters. The bass-blessed first single “Like This,” assisted by rapper Eve, kicks of the album with attitude, sending two snaps and a smack to all the “playas” out there. And on the Tank-produced, Snoop Dog collabo “Ghetto,” Rowland speaks to good girls who dig bad boys, which is balanced by the emotional candor and strong vocal showing of the final track “This is Love,” a mid-tempo coda to an otherwise upbeat collection. “I wanted my new record to sound as young as I feel, so that’s what I focused on,” said Rowland, 25. Which – let’s hope – doesn’t include the hair-tossing, wall-humping tactics employed by her former, more famous performing partner.

Who is Mikey Rox? Who gives a fuck? But you can find him at www.myspace.com/roxmikey.