Nina Hagen

Though nothing she's done recently has equaled the underground popularity of her German version of the Tubes' "White Punks on Dope" and her left-field New Wave cover of "Spirit in the Sky," Hagen continues to follow the erratic beat of her own drummer. Hagen's wild coloratura is an acquired taste, and her songs often seem deliberately outlandish, but -- just in case you thought Cyndi Lauper had a sound all her own -- you owe yourself at least a listen.