Autumn is a glutton's feast for pop fans, full of blockbuster albums, buzzed-about debuts, spectacular arena tours and rare small-venue performances. This year offers the usual mix of veterans aiming for another moment of impact, and young pretenders working to make a mark in an ever-widening field.

That's good news for those with eclectic tastes: no one subculture dominates right now, so the listening is best for people who are a little bit country, a little bit rock and roll -- and a little bit dance and folk and Latin, too. What follows is a look at the best bets for recorded and live music in the coming months, album release dates subject to change, of course.

Don't mess with Leona Lewis. That's the lesson here.

News broke this morning out of Britain that Simon Cowell's Syco label, which is part of Sony Music Entertainment, had alerted the authorities when a new Lewis track -- believed to be titled "Don't Let Me Down" -- leaked online. The Sun reported that Lewis and other "X Factor" contestants have been targeted of late by hackers.

The U.S. division of Sony passed along a statement from across the pond: "Syco are working alongside the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, the British Phonographic Industry, the police and investigators in this, and they are making fast progress. We will certainly look to bring charges against those who are responsible. We cannot give any more details at this stage for operational reasons." 

Pop & Hiss doesn't want to incur the wrath of Cowell by posting the track, but it can be found by searching online. The piano-heavy cut is said to be a Timbaland production, and Idolator has pointed out some clear similarities between "Don't Let Me Down" and another Timbaland production, OneRepublic's "Apologize." Yet it's easier to stomach than OneRepublic's iPhone-in-the-air schmaltz.