Universal is prepping another batch of Icon compilations for the first week of 2011. Now, we've been hard on this series before, but there's actually a lot to like about these new sets.

While previous Icon sets have been bashed by The Second Disc for either shamelessly repackaging previous compilations or offering fewer CD-based rarities than, say, Legacy's Playlist series (more on that tomorrow), this new batch of Icon sets collate artists who haven't had much in the way of compilations yet (Vanessa Carlton), expand on previous sets (the hefty double-disc set for Sheryl Crow) and highlight lesser-known artists (country comedian Jerry Clower, a host of funk notables on Tabu Records, including Cherelle, Alexander O'Neal and The S.O.S. Band).

Those Tabu sets will offer some nice morsels for collectors, too: all of them offer up some hard-to-find remixes previously only found on vinyl singles. Now this is what we're talking about! Hats off to the UMe staff and everyone who made sets like these possible (including Donald Cleveland, producer of titles for the Funkytown Grooves label, who worked on these three Tabu sets with producer Harry Weinger).

Each disc will be in stores on January 4, though it looks like Amazon will be offering up some of these for download before the year is out. (See their pages for details.) The track lists are, as always, below.

Vanessa Carlton, Icon (A&M/UMe B0015074-02, 2011)

1. A Thousand Miles
2. Ordinary Day
3. White Houses
4. Heroes & Thieves
5. Nolita Fairytale
6. Who's to Say
7. Home
8. San Francisco
9. Pretty Baby
10. Hands on Me
11. Twilight
12. Private Radio

Tracks 1-2, 9 and 11 from Be Not Nobody (A&M, 2002)
Tracks 3, 6, 8 and 12 from Harmonium (A&M, 2004)
Tracks 4, 5, 7 and 10 from Heroes & Thieves (The Inc./Universal Motown, 2007)

Cher, Icon (Geffen/UMe B0015102-02, 2011)

1. If I Could Turn Back Time
2. Dark Lady
3. Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves
4. Half Breed
5. Living in a House Divided
6. The Way of Love
7. I Found Someone
8. We All Sleep Alone
9. After All (Love Theme from Chances Are) - Cher and Peter Cetera
10. The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)
11. Love and Understanding
12. Just Like Jesse James

Tracks 1, 9 and 12 from Heart of Stone (Geffen, 1989)
Track 2 from Dark Lady (MCA, 1974)
Tracks 3 and 6 from Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves (Kapp/MCA, 1971)
Track 4 from Half Breed (MCA, 1973)
Track 5 from Foxy Lady (Kapp/MCA, 1972)
Tracks 7-8 from Cher (Geffen, 1987)
Track 10 from Mermaids: Music from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Geffen, 1990)
Track 11 from Love Hurts (Geffen, 1991)

Cherrelle, Icon (Tabu/UMe B0015110-02, 2011)

1. Fragile...Handle with Care
2. I Didn't Mean to Turn You On
3. Stay with Me
4. When You Look In My Eyes (12" Mix)
5. You Look Good to Me
6. Artificial Heart (12" Mix)
7. Saturday Love (12" Mix) (with Alexander O'Neal)
8. Where Do I Run To
9. Will You Satisfy?
10. Everything I Miss at Home (with Alexander O'Neal)
11. Keep It Inside
12. Tears of Joy

Tracks 1-4 from Fragile (Tabu, 1984)
Tracks 5-9 from High Priority (Tabu, 1985)
Tracks 10-11 from Affair (Tabu, 1989)
Track 12 from The Woman I Am (Tabu, 1991)

Jerry Clower, Icon (MCA/UMe B0015096-02, 2011)

1. Southern Humor
2. Examples of a Red Neck
3. Squirrel Huntin'
4. Idiotic Lawsuits
5. My MRI
6. Seein' Eye Dog
7. Do You Want Some Soup?
8. Uncle Versie and the Gambler
9. Marcel's Talkin' Chain Saw
10. World's Largest Bull
11. The Deacon's Last Words
12. Grits
13. The Last Day of School
14. You're on My List
15. A Coon Huntin' Story
16. Marines Are Tough

Tracks 1 and 14 from More Good'uns (MCA, 1981)
Track 2 from Stories Told Funny (MCA, 1993)
Track 3 from Let There Be Light (MCA, 1989)
Track 4-5 and 11 from Peaches and Possums (MCA, 1998)
Track 6 from The Mouth of the Mighty Mississip' (MCA, 1990)
Tracks 7 and 10 from Live at Dollywood (MCA, 1997)
Track 8 from The Ledbetter Olympics (MCA, 1980)
Tracks 9 and 15 from From Yazoo City - Mississippi Talkin' (Decca, 1971)
Track 12 from Top Gum (MCA, 1987)
Track 13 from Live at Cleburne, Texas (MCA, 1983)
Track 16 from An Officer and a Ledbetter (MCA, 1985)

Sheryl Crow, Icon (A&M/UMe B0015181-02, 2011)

Disc 1

1. All I Wanna Do
2. Soak Up the Sun
3. If It Makes You Happy
4. A Change Would Do You Good
5. My Favorite Mistake
6. Strong Enough
7. Everyday is a Winding Road
8. Steve McQueen
9. Leaving Las Vegas
10. Always on Your Side
11. Can't Cry Anymore
12. The First Cut is the Deepest

Disc 2 (A&M/UMe B0015182-02)

1. Sweet Child O' Mine
2. Now That You're Gone
3. Run Baby Run
4. C'mon C'mon
5. There Goes the Neighborhood
6. Home
7. Anything But Down
8. Good is Good
9. Love is Free
10. Hard to Make a Stand
11. Summer Day
12. Tomorrow Never Dies

Disc 1, Tracks 1, 6, 9 and 11 and Disc 2, Track 3 from Tuesday Night Music Club (A&M, 1993)
Disc 1, Tracks 2 and 8 and Disc 2, Track 4 from C'mon C'mon (A&M, 2002)
Disc 1, Tracks 3-4 and 7 and Disc 2, Tracks 6 and 10 from Sheryl Crow (A&M, 1996)
Disc 1, Tracks 5 and Disc 2, Tracks 5 and 7 from The Globe Sessions (A&M, 1998)
Disc 1, Track 10 and Disc 2, Track 8 from Wildflower (A&M, 2005)
Disc 1, Track 12 from The Very Best of Sheryl Crow (A&M, 2003)
Disc 2, Track 1 from Big Daddy: Music from the Motion Picture (Columbia, 1999)
Disc 2, Tracks 2 and 9 from Detours (A&M, 2007)
Disc 2, Track 10 from 100 Miles from Memphis (A&M, 2010)
Disc 2, Track 12 from Tomorrow Never Dies: Music from the Motion Picture (A&M, 1997)

El DeBarge, Icon (Motown/UMe B0015094-02, 2011)

1. Who's Johnny
2. Rhythm of the Night - DeBarge
3. Real Love
4. I Like It - DeBarge
5. You Wear It Well - El DeBarge with DeBarge
6. Time Will Reveal - DeBarge
7. Love Always
8. Somebody Loves You
9. Love Me in a Special Way - DeBarge
10. Who's Holding Donna Now - DeBarge
11. All This Love - DeBarge
12. The Heart is Not So Smart - El DeBarge with DeBarge

Tracks 1 and 7 from El DeBarge (Gordy, 1986)
Tracks 2, 5, 10 and 12 from Rhythm of the Night (Gordy, 1985)
Tracks 3 and 8 from Gemini (Motown, 1989)
Tracks 4 and 11 from All This Love (Gordy, 1982)
Tracks 6 and 9 from In a Special Way (Gordy, 1983)

Ella Fitzgerald, Icon: Love Songs (Verve/UMe B0015100-02, 2011)

1. I'm Beginning to See the Light
2. The Man I Love
3. Just One of Those Things
4. Someone to Watch Over Me
5. Lover
6. Always
7. From This Moment On
8. All the Things You Are
9. Love You Madly
10. I've Got a Crush on You
11. You're My Thrill
12. I've Got You Under My Skin

Track 1 from Decca single 23399, 1945
Track 2 from Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Books, Vol. 1 (Verve, 1959)
Tracks 3, 7 and 12 from Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book (Verve, 1956)
Track 4 from Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Books, Vol. 2 (Verve, 1959)
Track 5 from Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers and Hart Song Book, Vol. 1 (Verve, 1957)
Track 6 from Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book (Verve, 1958)
Track 9 from Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book (Verve, 1957)
Track 10 from Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Books, Vol. 3 (Verve, 1959)
Track 11 from Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie! (Verve, 1961)

Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Icon: Love Songs (Motown/UMe B0015126-02, 2011)

1. Ain't No Mountain High Enough
2. If I Could Build My Whole World Around You
3. If This World Were Mine
4. Your Precious Love
5. Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing
6. Come on and See Me
7. Keep on Lovin' Me Honey
8. Memory Chest
9. You're All I Need to Get By
10. Love Woke Me Up This Morning
11. What You Gave Me
12. You Ain't Livin' Till You're Lovin'

Tracks 1-4 from United (Tamla, 1967)
Tracks 5-9 and 12 from You're All I Need (Tamla, 1968)
Tracks 10-11 from Easy (Tamla, 1969)

Imogen Heap and Frou Frou, Icon (Hip-O/UMe B0015086-02, 2011)

1. Angry Angel
2. Getting Scared
3. Shine
4. Come Here Boy
5. Oh Me, Oh My
6. Candlelight
7. Breathe In - Frou Frou
8. Let Go - Frou Frou
9. Must Be Dreaming - Frou Frou
10. Hear Me Out - Frou Frou
11. Psychobabble - Frou Frou
12. It's Good to Be in Love - Frou Frou

Tracks 1-6 from iMegaphone (Almo Sounds, 1998)
Tracks 7-12 from Details (MCA, 2002)

Billie Holiday, Icon: Love Songs (Verve/UMe B0015105-02, 2011)

1. Crazy He Calls Me
2. Them There Eyes
3. You're My Thrill
4. It Had to Be You
5. Come Rain or Come Shine
6. Nice Work If You Can Get It
7. Everything I Have is Yours
8. Cheek to Cheek
9. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
10. Embraceable You
11. Our Love is Here to Stay
12. All the Way

Tracks 1 and 3 from Decca single 24796, 1949
Track 2 from Decca single 27145, 1950
Tracks 4-5 from Music for Torching (Clef, 1955)
Track 6 from Velvet Mood (Clef, 1956)
Track 7 from Billie Holiday (Clef, 1954)
Tracks 8 and 11 from All or Nothing at All (Verve, 1959)
Track 9 from Songs from Distingué Lovers (Verve, 1958)
Track 10 from Body and Soul (Verve, 1957)
Track 12 from  Last Recording (MGM, 1959)

Brian McKnight, Icon: Love Songs (Motown/UMe B0015095-02, 2011)

1. Love of My Life
2. Back at One
3. Crazy Love (featuring Van Morrisson)
4. Every Beat of My Heart
5. One Last Cry
6. After the Love
7. Your Love is Ooh
8. Anytime
9. The Only One for Me
10. Still in Love
11. Everytime You Go Away
12. Distant Lover

Track 1 from Superhero (Motown, 2001)
Track 2 from Back at One (Motown, 1999)
Tracks 3-4, 7 and 10 from I Remember You (Mercury, 1995)
Tracks 5-6 from Brian McKnight (Mercury, 1992)
Tracks 8-9 from Anytime (Mercury, 1997)
Track 11 from Gemini (Motown, 2005)
Track 12 from Marvin is 60: A Tribute Album (Motown, 1999)

Alexander O'Neal, Icon (Tabu/UMe B0015101-02, 2011)

1. What's Missing (12" Mix)
2. If You Were Here Tonight
3. Innocent (Single Remix)
4. (What Can I Say) To Make You Love Me
5. Fake (12" Mix)
6. Criticize (12" Mix)
7. Never Knew Love Like This (with Cherrelle)
8. Sunshine
9. The Morning After
10. All True Man
11. What is This Thing Called Love
12. Love Makes No Sense

Tracks 1-3 from Alexander O'Neal (Tabu, 1985)
Tracks 4-8 from Hearsay (Tabu, 1986)
Tracks 9-11 from All True Man (Tabu, 1991)
Track 12 from Love Makes No Sense (Tabu, 1993)

The S.O.S. Band, Icon (Tabu/UMe B0015112-02, 2011)

1. Take Your Time (Do It Right)
2. Just Be Good to Me (12" Mix)
3. Tell Me If You Still Care
4. No One's Gonna Love You
5. The Finest
6. High Hopes
7. Just the Way You Like It
8. Weekend Girl
9. Groovin' (That's What We're Doin') (12" Mix)
10. Even When You Sleep
11. Borrowed Love
12. Sands of Time

Track 1 from S.O.S. (Tabu, 1980)
Tracks 2-3 from On the Rise (Tabu, 1983)
Tracks 4 and 7-8 from Just the Way You Like It (Tabu, 1984)
Tracks 5 and 10-12 from The Sands of Time (Tabu, 1986)
Tracks 6 and 9 from S.O.S. III (Tabu, 1982)

Lee Ann Womack, Icon (MCA Nashville B0015048-02, 2011)

1. I Hope You Dance
2. The Fool
3. You've Got to Talk to Me
4. A Little Past Little Rock
5. I'll Think of a Reason Later
6. (Now You See Me) Now You Don't
7. Ashes by Now
8. Why They Call It Falling
9. Something Worth Leaving Behind
10. Does My Ring Burn Your Finger
11. Mendocino County Line - Willie Nelson and Lee Ann Womack
12. I May Hate Myself in the Morning

Tracks 1, 7-8 and 10 from I Hope You Dance (MCA Nashville, 2000)
Tracks 2-3 from Lee Ann Womack (Decca Nashville, 1997)
Tracks 4-6 from Some Things I Know (MCA Nashville, 1998)
Track 9 from Something Worth Leaving Behind (MCA Nashville, 2002)
Track 11 from The Great Divide (Lost Highway, 2002) / Greatest Hits (MCA Nashville, 2004)
Track 12 from There's More Where That Came from (MCA Nashville, 2005)