Pop Albums with More to Offer Than Their Biggest Single

A huge single can leave the rest of a good pop record in the shade. These choices are worth exploring for their less familiar songs: a surprise change in vocal character, a stranger rhythm or a ballad that makes the familiar hit feel different. Each note pairs a signature single with two further tracks and explains what those songs add to the artist's personality. The route moves through bright synth-pop, R&B, dance music and more shadowy pop worlds. Start with Kiss for finely tuned infatuation, Blackout for the voice as part of an electronic arrangement, or Submarine for the space around a quiet vocal. These are invitations to particular songs, with enough character around them to make the album worth keeping. Several records contain explicit language or adult relationship themes.