In what's sure to be the hottest concert ticket of the summer, multi-platinum rock acts Slipknot and Disturbed will lead the first-ever Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival, a riotous road show packed with some of hard music's most influential artists and a plethora of the genre's most exciting young voices.

Dallas-based quartet Deaf Pedestrians were chugging along, playing shows with bands like Staind, Papa Roach, Saliva and Shinedown and making a name for themselves on local radio.

Alicia Keys is still sitting pretty at the top of the U.S. pop charts after claiming a fourth week at number one. The R&B star's No One also scores a ninth week atop the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs countdown.

This summer's biggest tour, Family Values, has teamed up with RedOctane's Guitar Hero to sponsor a second stage on the tour with an additional five bands making a total of 13 acts performing.

In October, Justin Hawkins, lead singer of The Darkness, announced that he's leaving the band because he can't live the rock 'n' roll lifestyle again after completing rehab... Weird Al Yankovic's White & Nerdy becomes the parody singer's first ever top-ten hit... and legendary NYC nightclub CBGB, where bands like the Ramones, Talking Heads and Blondie got their start, closed; Patti Smith was the final act...

On December 26, hard rock fans can get another taste of one of the music world's most successful tours when The Family Values Tour 2006 CD and separate DVD are released on Firm Music. The CD and DVD will feature live tracks from Korn and the Deftones, as well as select cuts from all the bands on the bill: Stone Sour, Flyleaf, Dir en grey, 10 Years, Deadsy, Bury Your Dead, Bullets and Octane and Walls of Jericho.

A number of rap and hip-hop albums come out this week including ones from Fat Joe, The Game and Akon. Plus check out fresh music from Damien Rice, Army of Anyone, Tenacious D and many more. Keep reading for info and reviews of this week's new CDs.

Staind gives fans never before released live tracks and covers on the upcoming "The Singles: 1996-2006" album, in stores everywhere November 14. The 16-track album will feature such #1 rock radio smashes as "It's Been Awhile," "For You," "So Far Away," and "Right Here."

Staind is back on the road with a new series of live dates in support of their latest #1-charting album, "Chapter V" (click for review). The itinerary follows the multi-platinum band's recent "Fall Brawl" cross-country tour, which also featured Atlantic labelmates P.O.D. and Taproot.

P.O.D. returns with the release this week of their much-anticipated new album, "Testify." The Southern California-based band's fourth full-length Atlantic release -- and first new album since 2003's "Payable on Death" -- includes the current hit single, "Goodbye For Now."