Looking over college radio playlists, it's clear that the college music scene is as wide as it is diverse. No music is going to be popular everywhere, and no two college cultures are going to have the exact same tastes in music. These albums and artists, though, are talked about on most college campuses and have been around long enough to prove that they're not mere fl ashes in the great pan of popuar music. (One of them has been talked about for 40 years.) Each of these discs is worth a spin and "required reading" for basic music literacy on campus.

Guster
Lost and Gone Forever
Guster has long been on the college music scene (particularly in the Northeast) and is known and appreciated by many. The single "What You Wish For" is creating a buzz about this band, but there are even more remarkable tracks here like "Either Way" and "Fa Fa." This CD captures a wide spectrum of emotions, ranging from upbeat and cheery to bittersweet and frustrated. Their blend of witty, singable lyrics and acoustic-driven college rock music creates a fi nal product quite unlike any other.

Alicia Keys
The Diary of Alicia Keys
She can sing, she can play piano, and her songwriting is brilliant. That makes it a safe bet your roommate might have this disc in his or her collection. Only 23 years old at the time of this release, the amount of talent Keys displays for jazz and R&B - two mediums usually best left to older and world-wise musicians - is simply remarkable. Her vocal and keyboard performances are particularly alluring on standout tracks like "You Don't Know My Name" and "If I Ain't Got You." This set of recordings shines a light into the heart and soulfulness of life as a 20-something.

KT Tunstall
Eye to the Telescope
KT Tunstall's "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" was in heavy rotation on college radio airwaves in 2006. By midyear, mainstream stations had picked up on her folksy-blues sound and were spreading it to the masses. On tunes like "Miniature Disasters" her sound is stripped down, yet elegant, whereas "Suddenly I See" is a studio-polished pop gem suitable for both mainstream and alternative crowds. When indie rockers grab hold of an artist, they stick to them, which means Tunstall will likely be playing at a university near you.

Naughty By Nature
Naughty By Nature
When it comes to rap on campus, you're going to have to kick it old school to stand out. Naughty By Nature's self-titled debut has stood the test of time. When it was released in 1991, the crossover smash single "O.P.P." immediately became a club staple with its catchy sampling of the Jackson 5's track, "ABC." Queen Latifah mixes it up on "Wickedest Man Alive" and Lakim Shabazz & Apache make appearances on "1,2,3." Guest turns like these and contagious tracks make this disc accessible by a wide audience while being the furthest thing from a sellout.

Bob Dylan
Blonde on Blonde
Given the size of most college campuses, someone is bound to have much cooler tastes in music than you. And, more than likely, this will be in their collection. Released in May of 1966, Blonde on Blonde is an experimental folk album that's become a legend. It's also the fi rst double album in rock and roll history. Dylan's at his bohemian-best on tracks like "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" and "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat" but introspective and vulnerable on "Visions of Johanna." This CD is widely considered Dylan's best and one of the best rock albums ever recorded.