Steven Tyler, Bob Dylan and Billy Joe Armstrong (QMI, AFP photos)

It’s the Labour Day weekend, and you know what that means: Summer’s over. Time to go back to school. Time to go back to work. And time for me to work up an intro to a Fall Music Preview.

But honestly, after 15 years of music reviewing, I’ve used pretty much every fall pun, harvest quip, weather analogy and snappy seasonal metaphor in the newspaper hack’s handbook. This year, how about we just skip the jibber-jabber and cut to the chase? As we both know only too well, there are countless new albums dropping between now and December from artists of all shapes, sizes, styles and stripes. So without further ado, here are 15 top contenders for your fall playlist, a list of other notable releases to watch for, and a guide to this year’s box sets and holiday fare. Naturally, everything is subject to change. Just like the autumn weather. (Sorry; old habits die hard.)

Top Albums (A-Z)

Aerosmith | Music From Another Dimension!

The Boston blues-rockers quit squabbling long enough to crank out their first disc in eight years with producer Steve Lillywhite. First singles Legendary Child and Lover Alot bode well. Nov. 6.

Bob Dylan | Tempest

Zimmy’s 35th studio disc reportedly features a tribute to John Lennon and a 14-minute song about the Titanic that includes a Leo DiCaprio reference. Everybody must get stoned. Sept. 11.

Green Day | ¡Uno! | ¡Dos! | ¡Tré!

Broadway’s most successful punk trio up the ante with a trilogy of albums. Hopefully they don’t all sound like the predictably anthemic first single Oh Love. Sept. 25 | Nov. 13 | Jan. 15.

Carly Rae Jepsen | Kiss

Call Me Maybe was one of the biggest hits of the summer. Now we’ll see if Justin Bieber’s 26-year-old protege has more in store, or if we should start calling her one-hit wonder. Sept. 18.

Alicia Keys | Girl on Fire

Mama Keys says she wants her fifth album — produced by baby-daddy Swizz Beatz — to “liberate (and) empower” fans. Would it be all right if we were just entertained instead? Nov. 27.

The Killers | Battle Born

Canuck producer Daniel Lanois and Steve Lillywhite had a hand in the Vegas rockers’ fourth disc. Does this mean they’re moving from their Springsteen period into their U2 era? Sept. 18.

KISS | Monster

Paul and Gene — joined once again by Not-Ace and Not-Peter — try to pry a few more shekels out of the fan base with a followup to 2009’ back-to-basics outing Sonic Boom. Oct. 16.

No Doubt | Push and Shove

After 11 years, several false starts and other assorted delays, Gwen Stefani and co. finally finish their sixth studio album. Sure hope nobody told them ska died years ago. Sept. 25.

One Direction | Take Me Home

OMG! Like, the second album from these U.K. teens will totes be the most awesome thing ever recorded in the history of the world. Assuming your kid still likes them by then. November.

Graham Parker & The Rumour | Three Chords Good

The criminally underappreciated Parker — one of the ’70s angriest young men — and his crack band reunited for their first album in 31 years. Somebody wake up Grandpa. Nov. 20.

Pink | The Truth About Love

Have motherhood and happily married life tamed pop rebel Alecia Moore? Well, the first single from her sixth album is titled Blow Me (One Last Kiss). Does that answer your question? Sept. 18.

Soundgarden | King Animal

The good news: The Seattle grunge icons are readying their first disc in 16 years. The bad: It’s only a matter of time before Chris Cornell quits to make another wretched solo album. Nov. 13.

Taylor Swift | Red

T-Swizzy and her BFF AutoTune unveil another batch of songs about every boy, man and creepy old perv — yeah, we’re still looking at you, John Mayer — she’s ever dated. Oct. 22.

Neil Young & Crazy Horse | Psychedelic Pill Back in the saddle again: Barely four months after their blast from the past Americana, Shakey and his loudest band return with another dose of old-school garage-rock noise. October.

ZZ Top | La Futura

It took That Little Ol’ Band from Texas nearly nine years to make this followup to Mescalera. Even Justin Bieber could have grown a foot-long beard in that time. Sept. 11.

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Also on the way:

Sept. 4

Matchbox Twenty | North

The Sheepdogs | The Sheepdogs

Stars | The North

The Vaccines | Come of Age

Sept. 11

Avett Brothers | The Carpenter

Nelly Furtado | The Spirit Indestructible Dave Matthews Band | Away From the World Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra | Theatre Is Evil Pet Shop Boys | Elysium The Raveonettes | Observator Chris Robinson Brotherhood | The Magic Door The XX | Coexist

Sept. 18

Band of Horses | Mirage Rock

Big & Rich | Hillbilly Jedi

Dinosaur Jr. | I Bet On Sky

Ben Folds Five | The Sound of the Life of the Mind James Iha | Look to the Sky Dwight Yoakam | 3 Pears

Sept. 25

Jason Collett | Reckon

deadmau5 | >album title goes here<

Dragonette | Bodyparts

Mumford & Sons | Babel

Pete Seeger | A More Perfect Union & Pete Remembers Woody

Oct. 2

Tori Amos | Gold Dust

Iris DeMent | Sing the Delta

Heart | Fanatic

Diana Krall | Glad Rag Doll

Van Morrison | Born to Sing: No Plan B

Muse | The 2nd Law

Beth Orton | Sugaring Season

Three Days Grace | Transit of Venus

The Tragically Hip | Now For Plan A

The Wallflowers | Glad All Over

Oct. 9

Danko Jones | Rock and Roll Is Black and Blue John Fogerty | Wrote a Song For Everyone Ben Harper | By My Side Jeff Lynne | Long Wave & Mr. Blue Sky Barbra Streisand | Release Me

Oct. 16

Brandy | Two Eleven

Donald Fagen | Sunken Condos

Benjamin Gibbard | Former Lives

Mika | The Origin of Love

Martha Wainwright | Come Home to Mama

will.i.am. | #willpower

Oct. 23

Tony Bennett | Viva Duets

Stone Sour | House of Gold & Bones Part 1

Oct. 31

A$AP Rocky | LongLiveA$AP

Nov. 13

Big Boi | Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors

50 Cent | Street King Immortal

Deftones | Koi No Yokan

Dec. 12

M.I.A. | Matangi

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Xmas

Alvin & the Chipmunks | Christmas with the Chipmunks. Sept. 25.

Blake Shelton | Cheer, It's Christmas. Oct. 2.

Polyphonic Spree | Holidaydream: Sounds of the Holidays Volume One. Oct. 23.

Rod Stewart | Merry Christmas, Baby. Oct. 30.

Tracey Thorn | Tinsel and Lights. Oct. 30.

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Box Sets

Michael Jackson | Bad: 25th Anniversary Edition (4 discs). Sept. 18.

Preservation Hall Jazz Band | 50th Anniversary Collection (4 CDs). Sept. 25.

Woody Guthrie | The Complete Government Recordings (7 CDs). Sept. 25.

Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders | Keystone Companions: Complete Fantasy Recordings (4 CDs). Sept. 25.

The Beatles | Magical Mystery Tour Deluxe Editions (2 DVDs, 2 EPs). Oct. 9.

Peter Gabriel | So 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (3 discs) | Immersion Edition (8 discs). Oct. 23.

Bill Withers | Complete Sussex and Columbia Albums Collection (9 CDs). Oct. 23.

Louis Armstrong | Complete Columbia/Okeh & RCA Victor Recordings 1925-1933 (10 CDs). Oct. 30.

Elvis Presley | Prince From Another Planet: 40th Anniversary Edition (3 discs). Oct. 30.

The Velvet Underground & Nico | The Velvet Underground & Nico 45th Anniversary (6 CDs). Oct. 30.