But these days the more independent-minded performers are aiming to preserve control by striking separate deals to sell their music through different distributors in various territories and online.

THE annual flurry of holiday albums has turned into a blizzard, as performers aim to provide something for every mood: festive and frazzled, sweet and skeptical, scattered and calm, cozy and forlorn.

The performers aim leaf blowers at this mobile object, change its configuration and take it apart, leaving three dangling sections.

Other performers aimed much more directly for the popular music market, where they were the dominant groups of their era, including and Slade and Sweet.

Using hand-sewn puppets, masks and costumes, the performers aim to excite children about the Jewish holidays by retelling traditional holiday stories in a "kid-friendly way," Ms. Levine said.