Moby, 18

As seen on Amazon.com: “Customers who downloaded songs from this album also downloaded ‘Far Side Of The World’ [by] Jimmy Buffett.” Mr. Margaritaville and Moby sharing fans? So much for any lingering doubts about this dance-rock maestro’s crossover juice. Cynical musicos like to poke fun at Moby for his omnipresence, especially in commercials. Ever since his blues-infused 1999 album Play put him at the forefront of the alt-pop consciousness, his name, music, likeness, and ongoing commentaries have appeared everywhere in everything from prime-time ads to fashion mags to chic fund-raisers to the closing ceremonies in Salt Lake City. With so much celebrity grab-assing, maybe it’s curious that he would cast D-list stars such as Gary Coleman and Kato Kaelin in the video for “We Are All Made Of Stars,” the first single off his new full-length disc, 18. But rather than take the occasion to ponder the twisted and fickle nature of fame in the 21st century (yawn), we’re content to nod along to that lovely, all-too-singable track and thank our own lucky stars for an electronica artist who still cares enough to write a simple guitar-pop gem once in a while. For that matter, cheers to a multi-platinum personality who doesn’t feel the need to disappear for years at a time to recharge his own hip factor (ahem-Prince-cough).