World Cafe

Los Angeles's Foster the People seemingly appeared out of nowhere, taking the blogosphere and Top 40 radio by storm with the viral single "Pumped Up Kicks," a breezy summer jam with a subtly sinister edge.

Since her 2008 debut, Sweden's Lykke Li has built an impressive resume. Her songs have been featured on the soundtrack of Twilight and covered by the cast of Glee, and she's worked with an all-star cast of remixers and collaborators including Kanye West, Kings of Leon and Beck.

Jessica Lea Mayfield's latest album, Tell Me, is a dark affair, full of wry, yet powerfully moving tales of bitterness and heartbreak. Mayfield began performing at a young age with her family's bluegrass band, One Way Rider.

The Doobie Brothers' chart-topping pop-rock was no doubt the soundtrack to many a summertime road trip during the band's 1970s heyday. This summer, the group is back on the road itself, touring in support of 2010's World Gone Crazy, its first studio album in 10 years. After more than 40 years of performing, the veteran rockers are in fine form, and their songs have a lived-in feel that could only come from years of experience.

As guitarist and principle songwriter for The Band, Robbie Robertson has made a lasting impact on Americana music. Since 1968, Robertson has released 14 albums with The Band, including four with Bob Dylan, and five solo records. He's been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, and ranked among Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.