The 88

A trio of biz-savvy power-pop nerds from L.A., the 88 built a following the 21st-century way -- by placing songs in commercials for Target and Sears and TV shows like How I Met Your Mother. On their superslick major-label debut (which features a few tunes produced by R&B maestro Babyface), it's easy to hear what attracted Hollywood and Madison Avenue: These glammy rave-ups -- imagine Mika fronting Maroon 5 -- conjure big emotions without getting mired in tawdry realities. For the 88, life's questions are no more complicated than "Paper or plastic?"

By Mikael Wood