The world's best-selling multi-artist album series, NOW That's What I Call Music!, will ring in the holiday season with the November 13 release of two scorching collections of today's hottest tunes.

From Arctic Monkeys to Zutons to Britney's divorce to the most overplayed song of the year (hint: it's not James Blunt's You're Beautiful), 2006 was unmatched in musical diversity. There were albums we didn't even realize came out and artists we didn't even realize were still around. There were reunions and breakups too. Here's a brief summary of 2006: The Year in Music... The new year kicked off somewhat quietly; however, it was the debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, from the Arctic Monkeys, the band that U.S. critics bashed despite storming to the top of the charts in England.

Mariah Carey, The Black Eyed Peas, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nickelback lead this year's American Music Awards nominations with three nods apiece. Carey is up for "Favorite Female Pop/Rock Artist" and "Soul/R&B Artist" as well as "Favorite Soul/R&B Album" for The Emancipation Of Mimi, while Canadians Nickelback and Red Hot Chili Peppers will face off for the "Favorite Band, Duo or Group" and "Favorite Pop/Rock Album" honors.

After a life-changing and life-affirming two-year break, Atlanta's Grammy Award-winning J Records artist Monica has completed her eagerly anticipated fourth album, “The Makings Of Me,” set for release on September 19.

So So Def/Virgin Records' Atlanta-based foursome Dem Franchize Boyz are the latest of hip-hop's young players to come from Jermaine Dupri and the So So Def family with a fresh new regional sound to storm the national scene. Their new album, "On Top of Our Game" (click for review), scheduled for release February 7, 2006, is positioned to prove the staying power of DFB as a self-contained performing and production unit, while maintaining the fast-growing spread of the club-oriented "Snap" music.