Probably not, but there are a lot of people hoping that Taylor Swift’s third studio album turns out to be a blockbuster. “Fearless”, the young singer’s sophomore effort, was a certified phenomenon, selling over 6 million copies (“Thriller” numbers in today’s environment) and making Taylor the first country artist to win an MTV Video Music Award. It also won her an Album of the Year Grammy. This means that expectations are sky-high. Those sky-high expectations probably won’t be met, but all indications point to Taylor having a very successful run with this album. “Mine” is all over the radio and video stations, and she’s all over the entertainment news. So let’s hope that “Speak Now” turns out to be a bright spot (at least commercially speaking).

In terms of albums that will make a splash on the charts next week, Taylor is it, y’all, unless the reissue of Michael Buble’s latest album, “Crazy Love” (now with eight new tracks) comes on stronger than expected.

. However, more discriminating listeners have a handful of albums to choose from. Bryan Ferry has always struck me as the definition of debonair. Roxy Music albums sound classy, and I always picture Ferry singing in a tuxedo with a lit cigarette and a glass of white wine. His new album, “Olympia”, not only reunites him with his Roxy brethren, but contains guest shots from Flea, Nile Rodgers and the Scissor Sisters, among others.

I started listening to modern country music about a decade ago on account of the Dixie Chicks, and although I own each of their studio albums, I wholeheartedly recommend the 2-CD anthology “The Essential Dixie Chicks” as a starting-off point for anyone interested in checking out the biggest-selling female group in America. There’s been a lot of mystery surrounding whether the trio will return to recording. Hopefully this collection is a stopgap and not a career summary.

Not much more from there: jazz supergroup Fourplay returns with “Let’s Touch the Sky”, while blues legend Buddy Guy recruits B.B. King (surprise, surprise) and Carlos Santana (again-surprise, surprise) for his latest, “Living Proof”. Rockers Ill Nino and (hed) p.e. check in with new releases, and the most interesting release of the week comes from the latest sportsman-turned-musician, Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard. On the day the NBA regular season starts, the All-Star is releasing “Shoot for the Stars” (yikes!), a collaboration with the Kidz Bop Kids. If that doesn’t scare you, I don’t know what will. Something tells me Dwight’s mic skills aren’t on the same level as his ballin’ skills. Do you think he’s as good as Shaq?