>D.I.Y. DIVAS-IN-TRAINING TRL darlings Avril Lavigne, Michelle Branch and Vanessa Carlton wrote their own songs, played their own instruments and influenced kids everywhere to do the same.

GARAGE DOOR-OPENERS Putting the punk back in rock, alt bands such as the White Stripes, the Vines, the Strokes and the Hives led the garage revival.

NEW WRINKLES ON THE CLASSICS Veteran artists like Peter Gabriel, James Taylor and Tom Petty proved that the over-50 crowd was far from dead.