Think of this pop preview as a season-length playlist, stretching out over weeks, dragging you statewide through various towns and venues, scrambling genres while maintaining some semblance of mixtape balance and flow. When you craft your own fall concert playlist — and you should — use this one to trigger your own internal algorithms.
Alabama/Dwight Yoakam: Country legends with 40 years of mega-hits and a recent album, 2015’s “Southern Drawl,” team up with a hillbilly-honky tonk pioneer. Sept. 10, 7 p.m., $41-$196. Webster Bank Arena, Bridgeport, 203-345-2400, livenation.com.
Prince Royce: From a pure numbers standpoint (2 billion YouTube views, 15 Billboard #1 hits, including the Shakira duet “Deja Vu”), the young Grammy-winner’s career is already mind blowing. Sept. 17, 8 p.m., $55-$95. Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mashantucket, 800-200-2882, foxwoods.com.
Katy Perry: Fresh from hosting, performing “Swish Swish” (her joint single with Nicki Minaj) and changing outfits dozens of times at the VMAs, the singer’s new woke consciousness heads out on a massive world tour behind “Witness,” her latest album. Noah Cyrus opens. Sept. 21, 7 p.m., $99.50-$499.50. Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, 860-862-7163, mohegansun.com.
Laid Back Festival: Boomer icons Jackson Browne, Steve Winwood, Peter Wolf and Jaimoe’s Jassz Band pay the late singer-songwriter Gregg Allman back for years of inspiration, in a festival-like setting. Sept. 23, 5 p.m., $32-$269. Xfinity Theatre, Hartford. 860-548-7370, livenation.com.
Rodriguez: Early-’70s singer-songwriter Sixto Rodriguez, whose compelling story was told in the Oscar-winner documentary “Searching for Sugar Man,” extends his comeback-career with a one-off show in Bridgeport. Sept. 23, 8 p.m., $55-$85. Klein Auditorium, Bridgeport. 203-259-1036, theklein.org.
Roger Waters: Waters’ current Us + Them Tour mixes classic Pink Floyd anthems, songs from his latest record, “Is This the Life We Really Want?,” and caustic digs at the current administration. Sept. 24, 8 p.m., $31-$195. XL Center, Hartford. 877-522-8499, xlcenter.com.
Seu Jorge Presents The Life Aquatic, A Tribute to David Bowie: Jorge, a Brazilian singer-songwriter, reprises his unique, intimate takes on the late icon’s catalogue, which he first transformed on screen in the 2004 Wes Anderson film “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.” Sept. 26, 8 p.m., $40-$45. College Street Music Hall, New Haven. 877-987-6487, collegestreetmusichall.com.
Halsey: The 22-year-old New Jersey singer’s new album, “Hopeless Fountain Kingdom,” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in June, which pretty much elevates her to the top of the current pop-star pile. PartyNextDoor and Charli XCX open. Sept. 29, 7 p.m., $59-$89. Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville. 860-862-7163, mohegansun.com.
Kid Cudi: Last fall, just as “Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin’,” a new album, was getting ready for release, actor/rapper Kid Cudi informed fans he was battling depression and suicidal urges. He’s back now, and ready to slay a few new demons. Oct. 3, 8 p.m., $35-$170. Toyota Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford. 203-265-1501, oakdale.com.
Shovels & Rope: Behind “Little Seeds,” its latest album, the Charleston, S.C. husband-wife folk duo of Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst recently dazzled listeners (again) at the Newport Folk Festival. Oct. 14, 8 p.m., $39-$50. Infinity Hall, Hartford. 866-666-6306, infinityhall.com.
Ray LaMontagne: On a recent swing through CT, LaMontagne fronted My Morning Jacket (minus Jim James), in support of “Ourobouros,” a recent psych-folk-influenced record. Catch him here in a more reserved solo setting. Ethan Gruska opens. Oct. 17, 7 p.m., $35-$75. Palace Theater, Waterbury. 203-755-4700, manicpresents.com.
Aminé: With “Caroline,” a near-top-10 single (and YouTube smash hit), several months behind him, the 23-year-old rapper (born Adam Daniel) creeps closer to mainstream success with “Good For You,” a full-length debut released this summer. Towkio opens. Oct. 20, 9 p.m., $22-$25. Toad’s Place, New Haven. 203-624-8623, toadsplace.com.
Kaleo: On its debut, “A/B,” the Icelandic-turned-American revisionist rock quartet splits whatever differences exist between the Black Keys and Kings of Leon, with Angus Young riffs thrown in for oomph. ZZ Ward opens. Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m., $30. Dome at Oakdale, Wallingford. 203-265-1501, oakdale.com.
Patti LaBelle: Take in LaBelle’s jazz- and soul-filled casino show with some scotch and after an excellent, high-priced dinner with a loved one (and secretly pray Michael McDonald shows up to duet on “On My Own”). Oct. 21, 8 p.m., $35-$50. Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mashantucket. 800-200-2882, foxwoods.com.
Guns N’ Roses: Thirty years after “Appetite For Destruction” (and as album sales quickly grind to a halt), Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan share stage space once again, on the aptly-named Not In This Lifetime Tour. Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m., $59-$250. XL Center, Hartford. 877-522-8499, xlcenter.com.
The World is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die: On “Always Foreign,” its third full-length album, the sprawling Willimantic rock collective responds to the current political climate with a ferocity previously only hinted at. Rozwell Kid and Animal Flag open. Nov. 10, 8 p.m., $15. Ballroom at the Outer Space, Hamden. 203-288-6400, manicpresents.com.
Slowdive: The ’90s British shoegaze pioneers fire up their stomp boxes and delay pedals on “Slowdive,” a new-ish self-titled release, and dreamily disrupt eardrums with clouds of fuzz. That’s probably a fun night out. Nov. 11, 8 p.m., $25-$35. College Street Music Hall, New Haven. 877-987-6487, collegestreetmusichall.com.
The Lone Bellow: Country-folk bandmates Zach Williams, Kanene Donehey Pipkin and Brian Elmquist recently moved from Brooklyn, N.Y. to Nashville, and I find myself wondering if you can hear the change in their music; “Walk Into a Storm,” an album that drops in September, produced by Dave Cobb (Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapleton), might offer some clues. Nov. 12, 7:30 p.m., $19-$79. Infinity Hall, Hartford. 866-666-6306, infinityhall.com.
Dom Flemons: Flemons, a banjo player and alumnus of the old-timey string band Carolina Chocolate Drops, used to swing by Connecticut more often. Drop in at his Cafe Nine show for a whirlwind tour of American musical traditions. Washboard Slim and the Bluelights open. Nov. 15, 8 p.m. $17-$20. Café Nine, New Haven. 203-789-8281, cafenine.com.
Regina Spektor: Last year, Spektor’s College Street show sold out quickly. If you were lucky enough to get in, think of this solo performance as a concert-length encore. Nov. 19, 8 p.m., $37.50-$57.50. College Street Music Hall, New Haven. 877-987-6487, collegestreetmusichall.com.
