John Legend/Tamar Braxton

Ohio-born singer-songwriter John Legend had the kind of upbringing that naturally lent itself to a career in music. He sang with his church choir while still a kid and then gravitated to hip-hop and R&B as he got older. His 2004 debut Get Lifted is a terrific, old-school soul album that alternates between romantic ballads ("Let's Gift Lifted") and modernized R&B ("I Can Change"). While the production relies a little too heavily on synthesizers and string arrangements, his new album, Love in the Future, mines similar territory. (Niesel)