American IV: The Man Comes Around (2002)

Image credit: Johnny Cash: Tim Bauer/Headpress /Retna

For his fourth effort with producer Rick Rubin, Cash has once again seen that white light -- yet resisted its allure -- and written an apocalyptic title track and put his stamp on an eclectic batch of material. His trembling basso profundo makes a cover of Trent Reznor's ''Hurt'' equally devastating. Cash even resuscitates chestnuts like ''Danny Boy'' by using only the accompaniment of a funereal pipe organ and duets on Hank Williams' ''I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry'' with Aussie acolyte Nick Cave.