Welcome to Buzzworthy's "The Week In Pop," where we round up new album releases, talk show musical guests, and TV performances by your favorite pop stars and more (so you don't have to).

This week, LL Cool J drops Authentic, his first rap album in five years. Catch him on Tuesday's "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." Also, "American Idol" alum Jessica Sanchez releases her debut album, Me, You & The Music. Meanwhile, legendary punk outfit Iggy & The Stooges release their original lineup's first studio album since 1973's Raw Power; see them rock "The Colbert Report" tonight. Additionally, the Iron Man 3: Heroes Fall compilation drops with a host of indie and alternative artists, including AWOLNATION, who are also on Thursday's "Tonight Show With Jay Leno," and  The Airborne Toxic Event (appearing on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" this Thursday) release their third effort. For more good eye/ear candy, livestream Atlas Genius' live "Artist To Watch" performance on Tuesday from New York's Webster Hall on MTV.com, beginning at 9 p.m. ET. Finally, the week caps off with Of Monsters And Men, who will grace the stage on "Saturday Night Live."

NEW ALBUM RELEASES

+ LL Cool J, Authentic: It's been five years since LL Cool J last dropped a rap album (he's been busy filming "NCIS: Los Angeles"), but he told MTV News it was time to "come back to my roots." We first got a taste of Authentic during this year's Grammys with a performance of "Whaddap," where he and collaborators Chuck D, Travis Barker, Tom Morello, and Z-Trip closed out the night. Other album guests include Snoop Dogg ("We Came To Party," "Bartender Please"), Eddie Van Halen ("Not Leaving You Tonight" with Fitz And The Tantrums, "We're The Greatest"), and LL shows off his sensitive side for "Give Me Love" with Seal and "Closer" with Monica. His SMH-inducing "Accidental Racist" collaborator Brad Paisley guests on "Live For You."

+ Jessica Sanchez, Me, You & The Music: While "American Idol" Season 11's runner-up concentrated mostly on ballads during the competition, she showcases a range of styles for her debut album. "I'm opening up to the world and showing everybody and my fans who I really am. I'm not just some timid girl. I love to have fun and I want to show everyone I can do that through my music," she told MTV News. To wit, there's the club-ready "You've Got The Love" and the Ne-Yo collab "Tonight," the R&B groove of "Drive By," and the set includes both a Spanish and English-sung "No One Compares." For fans of her balladry, she slows things down on "Don't Come Around," "Crazy Glue," "In Your Hands," and "Plastic Roses."

+ Iggy & The Stooges, Ready To Die: If you've ever seen these punk legends live, you know they embody the tenets of rock 'n' roll: it's an intense, messy, adrenaline-fueled, sweat-soaked affair, and singer Iggy Pop also injects a good dose of humor into the mix. Ready To Die captures the spirit of Iggy's live set and marks the return of guitarist James Williamson as a Stooge on record since 1973's seminal Raw Power (he rejoined their live shows in '09 upon guitarist Ron Asheton's passing). "Burn" kicks things off with a snarling guitar, while "Job," "Gun," and the title track are also fist-pumpers. Iggy plants his tongue firmly in cheek for the sleazy "DD's," an ode to big bosoms. What's poignant here, though, are ballads "Unfriendly World" and homage to the late Asheton, "The Departed," both of which showcase a surprisingly vulnerable Iggy.

Check out more new album releases, upcoming TV appearances, and performances after the jump.

+ Various Artists, Iron Man 3: Heroes Fall: The compilation features 12 songs inspired by, and in some cases, from the forthcoming "Iron Man 3," which hits theaters on May 3. AWOLNATION's "Some Kind Of Joke" appears in the film, and Walk The Moon's "Big Bad Wolves" was recorded exclusively for the album. Imagine Dragons ("Ready Aim Fire"), Neon Trees ("Some Kind Of Monster"), Passion Pit ("American Blood"), Rogue Wave ("No Time"), Capital Cities ("One Minute More"), and 3OH!3 ("Bad Guy") also contribute to the set.

+ The Airborne Toxic Event, Such Hot Blood: For the Los Angeles quintet's third album, the band enlisted producer Jacquire King (Kings of Leon, Cold War Kids). Watch the video for "Timeless," a song frontman Mikel Jollett told Billboard he wrote after a difficult year in which he lost four family members, including his grandmother whom he first found when she passed away. "The song is kind of a lament of that, just how overwhelming these things can be," Jollett said. Also check out their live performance of "The Storm."

TV APPEARANCES AND PERFORMANCES

Monday, April 29
"VH1's Big Morning Buzz Live With Carrie Keagan" -- Emeli Sandé
"Late Show With David Letterman" -- Ben Harper With Charlie Musselwhite
"Tonight Show With Jay Leno" -- The Band Perry
"Jimmy Kimmel Live" -- Zac Brown Band
"Last Call With Carson Daly" -- Glossary
"The Colbert Report" -- Iggy & The Stooges
"Conan" -- Old Crow Medicine Show
"The View" -- Fantasia
"The Voice" -- "The Live Playoffs, Part 1." Featuring coaches Adam Levine, Shakira, Blake Shelton, and Usher with advisers Pharrell Williams, Sheryl Crow, Good Charlotte's Joel Madden, and Hillary Scott.

Tuesday, April 30 on MTV.com
"MTV Artist To Watch Live" --  see Atlas Genius perform live from Webster Hall on MTV.com at 9 p.m. ET.

Tuesday, April 30
"VH1's Big Morning Buzz Live With Carrie Keagan" -- Goo Goo Dolls
"Late Show With David Letterman" -- Phoenix
"Tonight Show With Jay Leno" -- Cher & Georgia Holt, Florida Georgia Line
"Jimmy Kimmel Live" -- Band Of Horses
"Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" -- Kenny Chesney
"Last Call With Carson Daly" -- Blue Hawaii
"Conan" -- Ke$ha, Paramore
"The Ellen DeGeneres Show" -- LL Cool J
"The Voice" -- "The Live Playoffs, Part 2." Featuring coaches Adam Levine, Shakira, Blake Shelton, and Usher with advisers Pharrell Williams, Sheryl Crow, Good Charlotte's Joel Madden, and Hillary Scott.
"Ke$ha: My Crazy Beautiful Life" -- Episode 2 of Ke$ha's documentary series airs on MTV at 11 p.m. ET.

Wednesday, May 1
"VH1's Big Morning Buzz Live With Carrie Keagan" -- Matt Hires
"Late Show With David Letterman" -- Tom Odell
"Tonight Show With Jay Leno" -- Cheap Trick
"Jimmy Kimmel Live" -- Alice Russell
"Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" -- Johnny Marr
"Last Call With Carson Daly" -- The Stepkids,  Clairy Browne & The Bangin' Rackettes
"The Colbert Report" -- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
"Live With Kelly And Michael" -- Carly Rae Jepsen
"The Ellen DeGeneres Show" -- Cher & Georgia Holt
"American Idol" -- Top 4 finalists get the chance to compete again after no one was eliminated last week. Featuring judges Mariah Carey, Randy Jackson, Nicki Minaj, and Keith Urban.

Thursday, May 2
"Late Show With David Letterman" -- Atlas Genius
"Tonight Show With Jay Leno" -- AWOLNATION
"Jimmy Kimmel Live" -- The Airborne Toxic Event
"Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" -- Icona Pop, Too $hort
"Last Call With Carson Daly" -- Foals
"The Ellen DeGeneres Show" -- Michael Bublé
"American Idol" -- Results show, one finalist is eliminated. Featuring judges Mariah Carey, Randy Jackson, Nicki Minaj, and Keith Urban.

Friday, May 3
"VH1's Big Morning Buzz Live With Carrie Keagan" -- Plain White T's
"Late Show With David Letterman" -- Kacey Musgraves
"Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" -- Eve

Saturday, May 4
"Saturday Night Live" -- Of Monsters And Men are the musical guests.

Photo credit: S-BRO Music Group/429 Records