Ryan Adams

This North Carolina native has a masterfully deadpan stage presence: Adams frequently seasons his shows with free-associative banter and musical digressions, ranging from pitch-perfect Danzig covers to off-the-cuff Michael McDonald impressions. Offstage, he’s no less hyperactive. Adams pumps out endless nonalbum tracks and side projects in idioms ranging from metal to his standard folk-rock mode. He plays in support his newest album, Prisoner, which combines shimmery guitars, anthemic choruses and new-wave touches, striking a big-stage rock note.