A preview of some of 2014’s most anticipated albums, from Wonder to Cash to Dolly.

As Miley’s slimy pink tongue crawled all over us in 2013, there was some real music going on. My Bloody Valentine triumphantly returned in all its shoegaze glory withm b v. Unknown Mortal Orchestra dropped an unexpected dark horse, seasoned in authentic old-school R&B, with II. Flaming Lips’ mild-mannered masterpiece, The Terror, delivered an entanglement of blood, sweat and tears.

Here’s to hoping for an equally engaging 2014 – minus the twerking. While several sources report that Tool, Guns N’ Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Wu-Tang Clan and Father John Misty are on 2014’s tentative list of new releases, there are nine musicians worth noting that already have a confirmed record release date.

Dolly Parton • Blue Smoke (January)

Parton’s 42nd album coincides with a world tour, of the same name, kicking off Jan. 24 in the Golden State. The Country Music Hall of Famer, and mind behind one of country music’s greatest love songs, “Jolene,” describes the record as emitting a “bluegrass-country flavor.” Along with a host of originals, Parton also wedged in covers of Bon Jovi’s “Lay Your Hands on Me” and Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright.”

Bruce Springsteen • High Hopes (Jan. 14)

Half the tracks on The Boss’ 18th studio album are reworked tunes from past records (like “The Ghost of Tom Joad”) and previously unreleased songs only heard live (“American Skin/41 Shots). Springsteen also sprinkles some covers – we’re talking deep cuts from obscure acts like ’70s NYC punk rockers Suicide. There’s some new material including the conspicuously-titled “Hunter of Invisible Game.” Oh, and Tom Morello accompanies Springsteen on most tracks. The Boss refers to the Rage Against the Machine guitarist as his “muse” in the liner notes. “[Morello] pushed this to another level.”

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings • Give the People What They Want (Jan. 14)

Sharon Jones’ sweaty, no-frills luster has helped her claim the unspoken title of the world’s No. 1 soul act. Since the Dap-Kings’ 2002 debut Dap Dippin’, the dynamic group’s energetic performances, and adherence to master influences, even get props from the old-timer soul purists.

But as their fifth record, Give the People What They Want – featuring a mouthwatering homage to Detroit soul “Stranger to my Happiness” – nears release, the frontwoman has had to deal with a cancer diagnosis. Jones had to trade tour dates for doctor visits but issued statements assuring her return.

Warpaint • Warpaint (Jan. 21)

L.A.-based all-girl rockers Warpaint have been working with the best: Radiohead producer/Atoms for Peace member Nigel Godrich mixed two songs on their forthcoming, self-titled record, and music video guru Chris Cunningham directed a video teaser for the album, designed the cover art and also filmed and photographed the recording process. Check out the record’s first single, the hypnotically frenzied “The Fool,” if you require further convincing.

Beck • Morning Phase (February)

It’s hard to believe Beck hasn’t released a proper album that doesn’t involve the ability to read sheet music since 2008’s Modern Guilt. Beck’s 12th studio LP Morning Phase has a lot going for it, especially because he enlisted longtime cohort, guitarist Smokey Hormel. Reports describe the new songs as rich with the Cali folk tradition and the beautifully heartbreaking vibe that drove Beck’s 2002 masterpiece Sea Change.

Band of Horses • Acoustic at the Ryman (Feb. 11)

There aren’t many modern-day acts that deliver a live show with the velocity Band of Horses bring. Acoustic at the Ryman, recorded over a two-night period in April of 2013, utilizes the spirit of the legendary Nashville venue, only adding to the grandiosity of the band’s already sweltering live presence. Of the 10 tracks, “Slow Cruel Hands of Time” and “The Funeral” stand out more than ever.

The Men • Tomorrow’s Hits (March 4)

NYC’s The Men release an album every year. This year, in addition to schizo-punk instant classic New Moon, they unloaded an EP, Campfire Songs.

The eight tunes lining Tomorrow’s Hits were sourced from a catalog featuring more than 40 demos penned and recorded in guitarist Mark Perro’s bedroom over a three-month period last winter. No reports of seasonal affective disorder.

Johnny Cash • Out Among the Stars (March 25)

Recorded in the early ’80s, Out Among the Stars, the fourth record Cash has released posthumously (he’s busier beyond the grave than Kings of Leon are alive), was recovered from tapes his son, John Carter Cash, and archivists found amongst Johnny and June’s extensive archive. Columbia originally refused to release the record – and dropped Johnny from the label a few years later. The record includes duets with June Carter Cash and Waylon Jennings; the backing band features Marty Stuart and Hargus “Pig” Robbins.

Stevie Wonder • Ten Billion Hearts/When the World Began (TBD)

Wonder, whose last release was in 2008, explained that his new material draws on inspiration from “hip-hop’s political methods.”

“I listen to a lot of rap, and I’m inspired to take it, to use it in another way, to get the message across,” he told Rolling Stone. If two albums in one year isn’t ambitious enough, the musical wunderkind has a third album in the works, a gospel tribute to his mother Lula.