Notorious caught Duran Duran in transition: By the time the album was released, two of three members named Taylor had jumped ship, and the LP showed that Duran had lost some of the worldbeating hook savvy that made them famous. But the 1986 record still packs funk-lite charms, such as producer Nile Rodgers' slinky guitars and the soulful "Skin Trade." This remastered version crisps up the title track and unearths some comically dated remixes, including a version of "Meet El Presidente" that sounds like it was produced by Miami Sound Machine. But the real draw is a bonus DVD featuring a gauzily shot 1987 show filled with rakish charm and leather trousers.

“The A Team”

This debut track from the then-20-year-old British singer-songwriter has a dark story behind it. Sheeran says he culls songwriting inspiration from "viewing other people's situations," which, for the heroine in "The A Team," involves drug addiction and prostitution that began as a teen. Sheeran paints the woman's trials with haunting imagery such as "But lately her face seems/Slowly sinking, wasting/Crumbling like pastries." "I did a gig at a homeless shelter, [and the song] is about one of the women there. It's her story," he said.