Beyoncé: 4

The Beyoncé empire is built upon performance, style, grace, and, usually, some pretty damn good music! The shimmering diva’s fourth studio album, appropriately titled 4, doesn’t pack the power of her previous works, but “Run the World(Girls)” is one hell of an empowering feminist battle cry. If only the rest of the CD were so exciting. Columbia Records (columbiarecords.com). More: beyonceonline.com. —Review: David Goldberg