In 2006, Arctic Monkeys sold more than 350,000 copies of their debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, its first week out in the U.K., turning frontman Alex Turner, then just 20, into a tabloid stud overnight.

Here's a rundown of the essential albums available online and in record stores today:

Here's some of the strangest music news the Internet had to offer this week:

Pope Benedict XVI has signed up with Snoop Dogg and Ashlee Simpson's record label to release an album called Alma Mater -- beating Kanye West to the punch, perhaps? [USA Today]

The Arctic Monkeys' upcoming third album might be called Humbug (out Aug. 25), but the British quartet aren't adverse to bringing cheer to their New World fanbase this fall with an expanded list of tour dates.

Two of hip-hop's biggest stars, Eminem and Jay-Z, took the stage earlier this week for a rare joint performance in L.A. -- and the two were making headlines on their own, as well.